Medicine is not an exact science. And yet patients expect doctors to provide an effective treatment for everything, especially minor ailments like colds. Above all, we expect them not to make mistakes. These expectations are exactly the reason why doctors choose to be safe not sorry (defensive medicine to avoid complaints), which leads to overdiagnosis (additional, but unnecessary tests) and overtreatment, resulting in the overuse of antibiotics for colds, flu and acute bronchitis. This has an adverse effect on health. Just as with the flu, there is no effective medicine for colds, only medication to relieve symptoms. Instead of prescribing antibiotics for these viral infections, it is much better to be well-informed about the normal course of the illness and the duration of the symptoms, as well as being clear about exacerbating symptoms for which patients will need to return.