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    Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far
    Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far
    Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far
    Ebook348 pages4 hours

    Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far

    By Paul A. Offit

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    An acclaimed medical expert and patient advocate offers an eye-opening look at many common and widely used medical interventions that have been shown to be far more harmful than helpful. Yet, surprisingly, despite clear evidence to the contrary, most doctors continue to recommend them.

    Modern medicine has significantly advanced in the last few decades as more informed practices, thorough research, and incredible breakthroughs have made it possible to successfully treat and even eradicate many serious ailments. Illnesses that once were a death sentence, such as HIV and certain forms of cancer, can now be managed, allowing those affected to live longer, healthier lives. Because of these advances, we now live 30 years longer than we did 100 years ago.

    But while we have learned much in the preceding decades that has changed our outlook and practices, we still rely on medical interventions that are vastly out of date and can adversely affect our health. We all know that finishing the course of antibiotics prevents the recurrence of illness, that sunscreens block harmful UV rays that cause skin cancer, and that all cancer-screening programs save lives. But do scientific studies really back this up?

    In this game-changing book, Dr. Paul A. Offit debunks fifteen common medical interventions that have long been considered gospel despite mounting evidence of their adverse effects, from vitamins, sunscreen, fever-reducing medicines, and eyedrops for pink eye to more serious procedures like heart stents and knee surgery. Analyzing how these practices came to be, the biology of what makes them so ineffective and harmful, and the medical culture that continues to promote them, Overkill informs patients to help them advocate for their health. By educating ourselves, we can ask better questions about some of the drugs and surgeries that are all too readily available—and all too heavily promoted.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOpen Road Integrated Media
    Release dateApr 14, 2020
    ISBN9780062947512
    Author

    Paul A. Offit

    Paul A. Offit, MD, is a professor of pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases and director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, as well as the acclaimed author of Autism's False Prophets, Vaccinated, Pandora's Lab, and Deadly Choices.

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    • 4/5
      This is the book that many of use needed but probably no one really wanted. Let me explain.The author takes a hard stance of being true to science and goes through an extensive body of research to invalidate popular practices and medicines that do us more harm than good. He says we should trust data not him... and data he delivers (some pretty fresh - published just a year before the book). This is good, this is needed as marketing dollars often trump research dollars. We need someone persuasively and eloquently deal with old ideas that should've died already. I hope it will prevent fortunes being spent on medicines that will bring no healing and stop many people before they sign up for potentially harmful procedures.Some chapters are written really well, with a strong narrative, a compelling illustrative story, and a detective-like inquiry leading to the revelation. Others... are more dry, listing one study after another, confirming the same thesis in the same way. It's not always a page turner but the content is solid with multiple references for people who want to delve deeper. However, the author sometimes does use data selectively. Some of his debunks are rather narrow - X doesn't help in case of Y, but leaves out cases of Z, A, B and C in which X still can have some benefits. I guess one could not cover everything in a single book, but his framing can be very radical just to make a point.In the end, the conclusion is pretty dark, especially if a reader suffers from any of the listed diseases or conditions. Things the internets say are good and things your doctor says are good are actually not helping you at all. Moreover, we can't blindly trust our doctors as they make mistakes, hold on to overdue ideas, and can be manipulated just like every other human being. I guess no one wants to be reminded of this. So I hope this book will be read by health services professionals as a cautionary tale, a motivator to keep up with research in their area, and a guide to muster courage when needed.I was mostly enjoyng this book, even though I was familiar with many of the presented studies. I think it helps to cut through BS and stay out of the hype train for the next snake oil when it comes. I'm happy this book exists but kind of sad it is neccessary to have such a book at all.

    Book preview

    Overkill - Paul A. Offit

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