What is "the cure is worse than the disease"

alt. 1 The medical treatment for an illness produces a worse net#Adjective than the illness does (or threatens a non-negligible risk of doing so), especially via adverse effects. 2 (context figuratively English) The solution or proposed solution to a problem produces a worse net#Adjective than the problem does (or threatens a non-negligible risk of doing so), especially via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/unintended%20consequences. phr. 1 The medical treatment for an illness produces a worse net#Adjective than the illness does (or threatens a non-negligible risk of doing so), especially via adverse effects. 2 (context figuratively English) The solution or proposed solution to a problem produces a worse net#Adjective than the problem does (or threatens a non-negligible risk of doing so), especially via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/unintended%20consequences.