A study by three Croatian doctors who analyzed in detail the 177 episodes of Dr. House, one of the most successful medical series of recent years. Revealed all the scientific mistakes made in the TV show starring English actor Hugh Laurie, who plays Dr. Gregory House.
For example, in the series there are scenes where a neurologist performs a colonoscopy or of doctors using mercury thermometers.
The show, which aired between 2004 and 2012, follows the daily life of the brilliant but unbearable Dr. House. A sort of medical Sherlock Holmes faced with almost unsolvable cases that he almost always manages to cure. At the height of its success, the American television series had almost 20 million viewers per episode.
In their study, the three Croatian neurologists, fans of the series, observed a total of 77 errors. “We focused on the diagnoses of the main cases, how they represent clinical practice and the detection of medical errors,” explains Denis Cerimagic, professor at the University of Dubrovnik and lead author of the study, called ”Dr. House: between reality and fiction.”
Of the most obvious mistakes: Dr. House uses the cane wrong.
The most obvious error is that Dr. House, who limps, carries the cane on the wrong side because “it is more effective on screen to emphasize his limp,” according to Cerimagic.
The series has other errors such as the appearance of mercury thermometers, which are no longer used, chemotherapies that could cure different tumors or the fact that the results of the most complex analysis are obtained in just a few hours.
“We wanted to write an article that would be interesting for physicians, but also for readers without much medical knowledge,” explains Professor Cerimagic, co-author of the study together with Goran Ivkic and Ervina Bilic.
In recent years, medical series have become more and more accurate and reflect the work of physicians better and better. “Now only healthcare professionals can detect errors,” Cerimagic notes.
The study states that “House can serve as a basis for possible clinical seminars for medical students.” To this end, “it is essential to recognize medical errors and the lack of logic in the content of each episode. As well as to adopt the concept of teamwork among physicians and a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment.”
With information from AFP
Translated by Aliani Rojas Fernandez
- Extends Maximum Age to Be President in Cuba - 19 de July de 2025
- New solar park in Holguin contributes energy to the NES - 19 de July de 2025
- Díaz-Canel Reaffirms the Heroic Resilience of the Cuban People - 19 de July de 2025