What is “normal”? In the world of clinical diagnostics, normal is described as plus or minus two standard deviations from the average. These values encompass 98 percent of healthy individuals. All tests, i.e. laboratory, X-ray, EKG, etc. have defined parameters for normal, based on this algorithm.

No one can arbitrarily say of an elevated value that, “Well, that’s normal for him.” There is no room for judgment calls that defy the limits of normal. The values used to determine the average are from apparently healthy individuals. No values obtained in hospitals or doctor’s offices are used because the assumption is that under these circumstances the individuals are not healthy. Should someone insert a value into the average from an unhealthy person, who is an outlier, this would greatly skew the results for normal.

In scientific literature, the qualifications and achievements of the author are described above each article. However, in today’s world that seems to be free of the confines of all scientific investigation, anyone of unknown expertise can arbitrarily say, “That’s normal.” If this idiocy is then taken up and quoted by a celebrity or politician, the race is on, and we are then compelled to believe it. Not only are we asked to accept what we believe are unacceptable issues, we are asked to celebrate them. Absurd!

Clearly, the things that are told to us today as being normal are not within 98 percent of the healthy population. How then can they be described as “normal”?

 

Ed Field

Natchez