Doctors often fall victim to the availability bias. They have their favourite
treatments, which they use for all possible cases. More appropriate treatments
may exist, but these are in the recesses of the doctors’ minds. Consequently they
practise what they know. Consultants are no better. If they come across an
entirely new case, they do not throw up their hands and sigh: ‘I really don’t know
what to tell you.’ Instead they turn to one of their more familiar methods, whether
or not it is ideal.