The truth about big medicine: righting the wrongs for better health care

Many Americans believe that their healthcare is second to none. Most patients, therefore, fail to appreciate the flaws and dangers present while receiving medical care. In fact, the American health care industry is one of the great tragedies of this country, which is now being brought to its knees by the medical industry run amuck.The Truth About Big Medicine: Righting the Wrongs for Better Health Caredivulges secrets of the industry, which keep it focused on its own economic needs to the detriment of public health. The cost of American health care per person far exceeds other developed countries, yet it delivers life expectancies and infant mortalities that are shamefully ranked low among developed nations. Special interest groups and weak legislation created a “tapeworm” that continues to devour the American economy and shorten the lives of hundreds of thousands each year.

Using true stories throughout, the authors illustrate that it is time for the public, students, educators, and legislators to clearly recognize medical deception and secrecy and to consider clear solutions on how they can achieve a safer health care system. A rich variety of authors with experience in revealing unsafe medical practices bring recommendations for changing health care delivery by taking an aspect of the health care system, identifying its shortcomings, and proposing ways to reduce harm plus correct the injustices. Included are discussions of imaging, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, hospital practices and procedures, and medical malpractice and negligence, among other topics. No consumer of health care should ignore the dangers; this book helps reveal them and suggests useful remedies.