"She talked about how the swedish woman emulate
the US women when it comes to birth and meds etc. She talked about how
important it is for the US to take the lead because we are always seen as
the "best way."

Mulling this over makes me think again about cultural dominance. In 
international health circles The US is often quoted as the example of how
not to do things and the lack of comprehensive health coverage, escalating litigation and spiralling costs, not to mention medicalised birth are often quoted. However the US does influence things a lot, because it exports medical experts and expertise, health people publish all over the
place and international media shows all the US medical shows, documentaries and sitcoms.

This is not to bag the US (as a Harvard alumna I acknowledge my roots) but there is a difference I think between influence and best practice. In many ways the US leads in the first and not in the second.

And part of the influence issue is that lack of understanding that there are many ways to do things and one culture does not have the monopoly on how to do things best. I got very worried when after the Berlin Wall fell a prominent US person announced at a Harvard discussion (Capitalism 10, communism 0) Some things in eastern Europe were actually done pretty well.

So...

Mary E Black
MB BCh BAO FAFPHM MFPHM MRCP(UK) MPH DTM&H DObst DCH
University of Queensland, Cairns, Australia

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