Why Medical Harm Happens

Ian Harris, MD
• https://med.unsw.edu.au/our-people/ian-harris
• Book - Hippocrasy: How doctors are betraying their oath

#IanHarris #Surgery #Placebo #OverDiagnosis

Dr Ian Harris is a practicing orthopedic surgeon, university professor and an acclaimed author of several books including Hippocrasy: How doctors are betraying their oath. In Hippocrasy, Dr Harris, along with his colleague Dr Rachelle Buchbinder argue that the benefits of medical treatments are often wildly overstated, and the harms understated. These Two world-leading doctors reveal the true state of modern medicine and how doctors are letting their patients down. That overtreatment and overdiagnosis are rife. And the medical system is not fit for purpose: designed to deliver health care not health. This powerful exposé reveals the tests, drugs, and treatments that provide little or no benefit for patients and the inherent problem of a medical system based on treating rather than preventing illness. The book also provides tips to empower patients—do I really need this treatment? What are the risks? Are there simpler, safer options? What happens if I do nothing? Plus solutions to help restructure how medicine is delivered to help doctors live up to their Hippocratic Oath.

Professor Ian Harris is an orthopedic surgeon who works at Liverpool, St George, St George Private and Sutherland Hospitals in Sydney. His academic affiliation is with UNSW, South Western Sydney Clinical School at Liverpool Hospital, in Sydney.

In addition to approximately 200 peer-reviewed publications, he also wrote Surgery, The Ultimate Placebo - an eye-opening evaluation of commonly performed surgical operations that have been tested and shown to be no more effective (and arguably worse) than placebo, or that have never even been tested. He suggests we treat new surgical procedures like new drugs, and only pay for those that are part of a trial to find out if they really work.

To Contact Dr Harris go to Email: ianharris@unsw.edu.au