Nassim Taleb explains this in "Skin in the Game" rather well. If you are sick a little bit, don't take drugs prescribed by your doctor. If you come to the docto

Nassim Taleb explains this in "Skin in the Game" rather well. If you are sick a little bit, don't take drugs prescribed by your doctor. If you come to the doctor with a little coughing, the doctor knows you're likely fine and there is a high chance you won't need any meds BUT if you happen to die the next day, the family of the former patient will find something and might sue you because you - as a doctor - didn't prescribe the needed drugs. Some drugs are known to cause problems 10 years down the line, but this is not the doctors problem because he fixed your primary problem but doesn't really care about second-order/side-effects of the prescribed drugs.