Hope or Hype
The Obsession with Medical Advances
and the High Cost of False Promises
Richard A. Deyo, M.D., M.P.H., and Donald L. Patrick, Ph.D., M.S.P.H.
Medical Science has always promised--and often delivered--a longer, better life. But as the pace of science accelerates, do our expectations become unreasonalbe, fueled by an industry bent on profits and media desperate for big news?
Hope or Hype examines what drives the Amercian obsession with medical "miracles," including the equipment manufacturers adn pharmaceutical companies; doctors and hospitals too quick to order surgery; the politicians; the press; and our own "technoconsumption" mindset.
The authors reveal many reasons for the parade of so-called miracle cures that too often are marginally effective at best--and sometimes downright dangerous. They examine consumers' eager embrace of medical advances, and present riveting stories of the conscientious doctors and researchers who have blown the whistle on ineffective treatments.
Finally, they provide sane, practical recommendations for the adoption of new approaches.
The consequences of questionable practices include costly recalls, billions in wasted money, and the pain and suffering of innumerable patients and their families. This book is a wake-up call and a guide for corrective action.
available at amacombooks.org or amazon.com
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