DOCTORS’ NECKTIES AND BAYESIAN STATISTICS.

DOCTORS’ NECKTIES AND BAYESIAN STATISTICS. Rebecca Smith has an article in the Wall Street Journal (November 19, 2009) about the controversy over whether doctors should be allowed to wear neckties. Rebecca Smith reports that American Medical Association Resolution 720 advocates a new dress code for doctors. (I have posted several times on preventing hospital infections, including this post on “how the British National Health Service has imposed a ‘bare below the elbows’ rule against doctors wearing neckties and long sleeves.”) Rebecca Smith notes that neckties are rarely cleaned and that a doctor’s necktie might on occasion be close to a patient’s nose. In the linked post, I said that: “I also think that the controversy is a good example of the gulf between frequentists and Bayesians that I posted on here. There is evidence that germs can live a long time on fabrics. A Bayesian would give that fact, plus the fact that germs cause infections, a great deal of weight.” Despite the balance of possible consequences—infection versus doctors being unable to dress well— Rebecca Smith says: “An AMA committee is seeking solid scientific evidence before it brings the matter to a vote.” “Solid scientific evidence” apparently means a controlled experiment—evidence that would be acceptable to a frequentist.