The Bookshelf: March 17, 2015

Trib+Health is joining with respected books authority Kirkus Reviews to bring you select reviews of books of note in the field of health care. For more book reviews and recommendations, visit Kirkus.com.

LESS MEDICINE, MORE HEALTH: 7 Assumptions that Drive Too Much Medical Care

by H. Gilbert Welch

A bright, lively discussion of the excesses of medical care to which patients often unwittingly go due to certain false assumptions.

Welch ...  warns that too much medical care can be bad for your health. Patients and doctors are driven toward action by various forces — e.g., patients feel they are being paid attention to, which makes them feel better, and doctors like getting credit for trying if not for curing. The author lays out his argument around seven faulty assumptions too often made by the public … His stories involve the risks, uncertainties and harms of cancer screenings, treatments for heart disease, drugs, medical devices and surgical procedures. He makes an especially strong case for the risks of mass screenings for cancer — the fear, the false alarms, the overdiagnoses and the resulting overtreatments … Welch’s engaging style and touches of humor make this an easy read, and the facts he presents make a convincing case.

For full review, visit kirkus.com