Continuing our theme that less medicine is more (BMJ 2009;338:b2561, doi:10.1136/bmj.b2561), several articles in this week’s journal seek to help doctors cut rates of unnecessary intervention. Nick Francis and colleagues have evaluated a simple way to reduce reconsulting and prescribing of antibiotics in children with upper respiratory tract infection: an eight page, evidence based booklet used during the consultation and taken home afterwards (doi:10.1136/bmj.b2885). GPs were trained to use the booklet, and children with suspected pneumonia, asthma, or serious concomitant illness were excluded. Parents who received the booklet were less likely to feel the need to consult their GP again under …