Hippocratic Oaths: Medicine and its Discontents

Here's a far-ranging book, tackling a whole array of different issues pertaining to our health and our health care system (in Britain). It reads, in fact, like a collection of essays. Having said that, no matter how diverse the topics there is, nevertheless, a core narrative: the denouncing of the medical profession being under attack from two different fronts -a cultural one first, and a political one then.

Medicine, of course, is based on medical sciences and the scientific method. In our post-truth era plagued by relativism, anti-intellectualism, a defiance of everything 'established' (including scientific facts) and a widespread ignorance of how science actually works, it's only expected, then, than the medical world and its tenets show more have been suffering as collateral damage of such cultural zeitgeist. The author, here of course, denounces the fad surrounding 'alternative medicine' (which are everything but 'medicine'), but not only. He also addresses some of the most obnoxious media scare that we have witnessed, for instance that concerning the MMR vaccine supposedly causing autism (it doesn't). The dedicated arguments to such debunking are highly relevant, not only for reaffirming what science is and how it works, but, also, remind us that in matter of scientific issues the last institution we should ever trust are the mass medias indeed. It's punchy, but right on point.

When it comes to politics, the nefarious impact of recent policies have been no less damaging. For instance, there's been a great deal of talk these past few decades about 'empowering' patients. What Raymond Tallis shows, though, is that such talks are mostly bogus, and that the policies that came in their trail have been more detrimental than helpful. First, of course, they rely on the dubious claim that patients were not empowered in the first place. The view is questionable: if curing an illness or successfully treating someone (save lives) was/is not empowering by itself, then what is?! Then, and far more concerning, is the fact that patients, no matter how informed, are no medical experts; and so, having flipped the whole health care system into yet another market for pick-and-chose, where patients are now all-powerful 'consumers', has not only undermined the trust doctors ought to benefit in the first place, but has contributed to a culture where 'do no harm' has been replaced by (as the author puts it) 'cover your ass'. This is when doctors would rather prescribe something (anything!) even when medication is not needed, or, submit patients to a whole set of useless tests 'just to be on the safe side' (read: not being accused of not doing their job and potentially be sued).

You get it, here's a more than needed book, addressing some of the most pressing ethical questions faced by the medical profession and the system in which it operates. As I already said, there is more to it than that, though. For instance, the author also takes the time to debunk a few false assumptions (e.g. that ageing is a drain on the system because 'elderlies are mostly sick'), while not sparring his frustration at the appalling financing and management of the NHS (from both the Conservative and the New Labour).

If you're interested in health and the health care system, then this thought provoking read is absolutely necessary. show less