patrick.net

Individual anecdotal experience doesn't always provide broader lessons, because there can be so many other explanations for a specific case. If somebody is getting re-infected or has recurring inflammation, then certain antibiotics with anti-inflammatory properties may address both issues while on them. It doesn't tell you whether the problem is (a) re-infection, (b) inflammation, or (c) something else entirely. Individual cases can disprove a blanket statement, e.g. the rabies and smallpox vaccines disprove homeboy's blanket falsehood above, but one person's subjective experience simply cannot prove what is causing what. There can be other factors entirely, for example many people don't drink enough water, but if they take a pill with a glass of water then the water itself might help them; that's why double-blind placebo trials are considered the gold standard.