Overdiagnosed

Making People Sick in Pursuit of Health

By: Dr. H. Gilbert Welch, Dr. Steven Woloshin, Dr. Lisa M. Schwartz

Narrated by: Sean Runnette

Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Going against the conventional wisdom reinforced by the medical establishment and Big Pharma that more screening is the best preventative medicine, Dr. Gilbert Welch builds a compelling counterargument that what we need are fewer, not more, diagnoses. Documenting the excesses of American medical practice that labels far too many of us as sick, Welch examines the social, ethical, and economic ramifications of a health-care system that unnecessarily diagnoses and treats patients, most of whom will not benefit from treatment, might be harmed by it, and would arguably be better off without screening.

Drawing on 25 years of medical practice and research, Dr. H. Gilbert Welch and his colleagues, Dr. Lisa M. Schwartz and Dr. Steven Woloshin, have studied the effects of screenings and presumed preventative measures for disease and pre-disease. Examining the social, medical, and economic ramifications of a health care system that unnecessarily diagnoses and treats patients, Welch makes a reasoned call for change that would save us from countless unneeded surgeries, debilitating anxiety, and exorbitant costs.

©2011 Dr. H. Gilbert Welch (P)2012 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"This accessible and important book will help the reader understand the limitations of modern medicine and the perils inherent in an overzealous pursuit of a disease-free existence at any cost. It is also especially timely in raising one of the many issues surrounding the health-care debate." (Dennis Rosen, The Boston Globe)

"One of the big strengths of this relatively small book is that if you are inclined to ponder medicine's larger questions, you get to tour them all. What is health, really? In the finite endeavor that is life, when is it permissible to stop preventing things? And if the big questions just make you itchy, you can concentrate on the numbers instead: The authors explain most of the important statistical concepts behind evidence-based medicine in about as friendly a way as you are likely to find. (Abigail Zuger, M.D., The New York Times)

I am a victim

I have argued with my doctor for years. He thinks I should take cholesterol medications. I told him I don't want the side effects. He gave me a glucose monitor, I don't use it. His medical assistant thought I should be on Metformin for my "pre-diabetes." I said no. I'm not just stubborn. I saw the damage to my mother's quality of life caused by prescription drugs. I have several friends whose lives revolve around getting the right balance to the many drugs they take. I have worked seven years in a medical oncology clinic. (We give chemo.)

This book brought out points that I had not considered, but make perfect sense. I think everyone should read it, but it won't change anything. Too many people are eager to sue.

The name was properly chosen

This book gives well enough examples with related information on different types of diseases.
Although it has some deep information that are more relevant to doctors reading this helps to better understand the current estate of healthcare and when to agree on more testing.

This book is mandatory for anyone with a body

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This gives us a great framework for understanding the stakes in accepting medical testing, approaching a diagnosis, and negotiating with the medical establishment as we attempt to forge a healthy life.

Agreed, Too Many Medical Interventions

A medical, scientific version of the old saw "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", and I applaud the exploration of current trends in testing and imaging of people previously considered "normal" and healthy and turning them into patients. The guidelines for abnormality are constantly shifting, mostly to the financial advantage of those involved in the health profession.

This is not a polemic against the use of doctors; just a warning to be a sceptic and be cautious in hopping on board the testing bandwagon and being turned into a patient, just another profit center for physicians, health facilities, imaging centers and health insurance companies. Of course, testing, scanning and other modalities can helpfully put an at-risk patient, someone in danger of incurring future serious negative health outcomes, into the domain of "healthy", but it's important to apply the brakes to the current trend in speed-testing an otherwise asymptomatic and a healthy individual.

The author also cautions against making use of the current genetic profiling technology in order to apprise oneself of any hereditary genes gone wrong. In this situation, perhaps, and only perhaps, some good can be achieved by knowing of a high percentage of likelihood for a smattering of seriously debilitating diseases which would have life-altering consequences both in terms of treatment and in terms of the disease itself.

I'd only agree with this position if no treatment was available to fix the genetic glitch, or remedy for the statistical probability of negative outcome. So, now that you know, but what can you do about it? In the case of breast and ovarian cancers, however, the answer to this question is...plenty!!!

With the ever-increasing knowledge of specific deleterious genetic information, and the identification of the genes BRAC 1 & 2, it is now possible to divert and indeed eliminate the occurrence of breast and ovarian cancer. Recurrence is always a consideration, but that could happen with or without surgical intervention. With an 87% of getting breast cancer and a 50% chance of getting ovarian cancer, an otherwise healthy individual with these genetic glitches cannot afford to "watch and wait"...to get cancer, in many cases.

The preventative surgeries for these diseases are not without risk and consequence in quality of life, especially for women of child-bearing age but additional interventions such as breast reconstruction (provided by health insurance) and assisted fertility in the case of prophylactic oophorectomy, can help mitigate the effects - such as sudden early menopause, loss of fertility, negative body image - that are concomitant with these procedures. In other words, you can have re-engineered breasts and can continue to bear children with banked embryos.

This is just to say there are situations where screening is helpful and though monitoring is inconvenient, it beats getting cancer.

On most points the book's general thesis is spot-on, and counters the myth that over-diagnosis, especially considering litigation, is always better. But is it really? In terms of accomplishing nothing in many case but initiating further testing and surgeries and resultant anxiety is it always helpful??

Above all do no harm. Just depends on how "harm" is defined.

A must read for patients and physicians alike

As a physician I am faced with the dilema and consequences of overdiagnosis everyday. There is a huge monetary, emotional and physical harm associated with overdiagnosis. While there is the presumed benefit to early detection is it worth the risk? The authors do a wonderful job in discussing the statistics involed in overdiagnosis in a way almost anyone can understand. They also add case studies which add a personal touch of how overdianosis affects us all.

clear, impelling, life changing

what if your cancer screening finds an abnormal tissue which would never kill you, but the treatment will create conditions which will significantly lessen your quality of life...as with thyroid gland removal which means useing medication to provide hormones to replace those usually produced by the gland...but the dose is never quite right...or impotence from prostate removal though the likelihood the cancer would kill you in your lifetime is around 3%. This M.D. is able to expand your understanding of how to look at screenings and survival rates in a way which gives you tools to question what is standard practice or needed to keep you healthy.

A Must Read for All!

Where does Overdiagnosed rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book is one of the best nonfiction titles ever from Audible. It answers many questions I've had about why so many people seem to be sick, why health care costs have escalated beyond belief, and why so many people are frightened by their own bodies and subjected to endless psychological and physical invasions by the medical establishment..

What was one of the most memorable moments of Overdiagnosed?

So many memorable moments and the feeling of enlightenment was so strong I listened to the book twice, and have recommended it to everyone I know. I feel we all owe it to ourselves, friends, and family to incorporate this information into our knowledge base to better deal with our world today.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Couldn't possibly listen to it in one sitting, but it merits going back to again and again.

Required Reading For Everyone

If you have breasts or a prostate, or know anyone who does, read this book.

Important book!<br />

I am a physician. I think this is one of the most important books any person should read, especially if he or she is over 40. It certainly makes you rethink your relationship to the medical system. Read it or listen to it!

Worth giving serious thought to.

I loved the book. Raised some very important issues in health care. Well narrated. Listened to most of it on a road trip.