Modern medicine: lay perspectives and experiences

Do lay people view modern medicine as a fountain of hope or a font of despair?

What are their experiences of modern medical care and technology, and how do their views and experiences differ across different social groups?

Combining theoretical insights with a range of qualitative and ethnographic research, this volume examines lay experiences and evaluation of medicines and drugs, chronic illness and life-saving technology, and reproductive technologies.

It also considers the growing popularity of complementary therapies as a potential challenge to orthodox medicine.