Left-right discrimination in medicine

摘要

Right and left are so very confusing. Perceptually, distinguishing right and left is surprisingly difficult, as Gormley and colleagues' linked article shows (doi:10.1136/bmj. a2826). Scientifically the origins of a brain polymorphism that makes 90% of people use their right hand for skilled activities but the other 10% use their left hand are unclear. And socially, ethically, and educationally, there is confusion over the needs and rights of those people whom I sometimes describe as the last great neglected minority-left handers.