Very well written and entertaining book about the evolution of the medical science. It gives not only the historic review, but also a greater perspective on human nature, how we make mistakes and endeavor despite critics. Certainly recommended to everyone.
I think that critics of the 10th chapter about the success of the alternative medicine have missed the point. Nowhere the author claims that homeopathy or other types of quackery are working. In fact, he clearly says that they don't but that there is a reason for their popularity, namely, that the medicine of the western world is forgetting that its primary focus is on the patient, not disease. We have become enamored by technological advances that they are no use if the mental state of a patient is aimed towards destruction. It is time to consider wider perspective and holistic systems is a good source for new ideas.
Otherwise it is hard to explain why the United States with the most advanced medical technology and spending more money per patient than any other country is lagging behind in actual medical care. Countries with national health care like Canada or UK are actually doing better with less money. Withing this wider understanding a nationalized health care could save many lives and improve general well-being and be actually cheaper.
There are also an interesting controversy about obesity which has become endemic in certain parts of the world. Gaury Taubs argues that the regular recommendations of eating less and exercising more do not seem to work because doctors are missing greater perspective of what really drives people to eat certain amount of calories. Most doctors do not even care because it is so easy to say that it is a patient's fault for not following the regiment. However, this could be compared to AIDS/HIV epidemic in Africa where many authorities try to deal with the problem by recommending abstaining from sex, instead of providing condoms. It is necessary to invent a "condom" against obesity because abstinence (from sex or food) may work in some individual cases but not in general. This is another case when greater focus on a patient and not only on a disease would be very beneficial.
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Top reviews from other countries
- RachelReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 5, 2013
Brilliant and informative, but open to debate
