In all the arguments about budgets each year, two questions never get asked. The first is how much of the money we spend on “health” actually benefits people. The second is how much harm is done in the name of “health.” Last week I wrote an opinion piece on this topic...
What is in a name? Whenever cancer is diagnosed people will immediately, and understandably become very worried. The word has certain connotations. Even though many cancers today are treatable and that many are found at an early stage, we still associate cancer with...
This reversal of a commonly used phrase is a plea. A plea against the bias that leans doctors towards diagnosing and treating, even when the scientific evidence may not support it. Sure, it is expected that a doctor will diagnose and treat you, but sometimes there is...
As the year draws to a close it is interesting how three of the key themes that I have written about this year have all raised their heads. And those are 1) The medicalization of life 2) Over diagnosis from screening tests 3) Pharmaceutical companies misbehaving...
The benefits of screening have been oversold, and the harms glossed over. The basis of cancer screening programs is to find cancers before they cause symptoms in the belief that this will always change the outcome for the better. But, we are also learning that is not...
