[tyxodiwktis]

Another example related to children - in 1993 guidance changed from having children sleep on their front to having them sleep on their backs. The result was a reduction in SIDS deaths from 0.13% to 0.035%. However the rate of kids having a flat spot on the back of their heads increased to 47% of 2 month olds. That flat spot pushes the rest of their skull forward and can result in a prominent forehead and misshapen features (iow, makes your kid ugly). Is the trade off between a 0.1% reduction in death rate worth a 50% chance of being ugly?

[lucasmullens]

Are you really under the impression half of everyone is ugly because they slept on their backs?

[LasEspuelas]

If you ever tried to console a parent who lost a child while he was sleeping, you would want to reduce the death rate as much as possible, no matter how many extra uglies we get.

[dragonwriter]

> 0.1% reduction in death rate

73% reduction in death rate, but also 0.95 percentage point reduction.

> 50% chance of being ugly?

No, a less than 50% chance of a condition that can (but does not always) produce ugliness.

[spenczar5]

Do you have a cite for that 47% figure?