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Overdiagnosed

Making People Sick in Pursuit of Health

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About this listen

Going against the conventional wisdom reinforced by the medical establishment and Big Pharma that more screening is the best preventative medicine, Dr. Gilbert Welch builds a compelling counterargument that what we need are fewer, not more, diagnoses. Documenting the excesses of American medical practice that labels far too many of us as sick, Welch examines the social, ethical, and economic ramifications of a health-care system that unnecessarily diagnoses and treats patients, most of whom will not benefit from treatment, might be harmed by it, and would arguably be better off without screening.

Drawing on 25 years of medical practice and research, Dr. H. Gilbert Welch and his colleagues, Dr. Lisa M. Schwartz and Dr. Steven Woloshin, have studied the effects of screenings and presumed preventative measures for disease and pre-disease. Examining the social, medical, and economic ramifications of a health care system that unnecessarily diagnoses and treats patients, Welch makes a reasoned call for change that would save us from countless unneeded surgeries, debilitating anxiety, and exorbitant costs.

©2011 Dr. H. Gilbert Welch (P)2012 HighBridge Company Hygiene & Healthy Living Medicine & Health Care Industry Physician & Patient Policy & Administration Medical Ethics Medicine Health Health Care

Critic reviews

"This accessible and important book will help the reader understand the limitations of modern medicine and the perils inherent in an overzealous pursuit of a disease-free existence at any cost. It is also especially timely in raising one of the many issues surrounding the health-care debate." (Dennis Rosen, The Boston Globe)
"One of the big strengths of this relatively small book is that if you are inclined to ponder medicine's larger questions, you get to tour them all. What is health, really? In the finite endeavor that is life, when is it permissible to stop preventing things? And if the big questions just make you itchy, you can concentrate on the numbers instead: The authors explain most of the important statistical concepts behind evidence-based medicine in about as friendly a way as you are likely to find. (Abigail Zuger, M.D., The New York Times)
All stars
Most relevant
An important book in the modern world. Pursuing health is not about focussing on illness and delegating responsibility for it to doctors. Live a healthy lifestyle. Earlier detection is not necessarily better.

Busting medical paradigms

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A very interesting take on the question of testing for disease and disease prevention looking at both risk and reward.

Thought Provoking

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Though based on the US medical system it was an eye opening dilemma and leaves me glad that our system is less prone to these issues but it will make me cautious none the less. Excellent narration and structure

Eye opening

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Well written and easy to understand. I would highly recommend everyone to read this book. It is very interesting.

Very informative

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An excellent and informative book which helps to give us confidence when we deeply know medicine is not serving us as it should. Dots get connected as you listen, and understanding of the world deepens. Many thanks to the fantastic, brave authors, your work is excellent and much appreciated.

brilliant

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