Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Book review - How We Do Harm: A Doctor Breaks Ranks About Being Sick in America,


“My friend and colleague Otis Brawley has written a raw and honest portrayal of our health care system. There are certain to be special interest organizations and medical groups that take issue with Dr.Brawley's conclusions, but few can argue with the scientific rigor he has demonstrated in writing this book. Otis is the go- to oncologist I send so many patients to see, because he is not only a great doctor, but also a compassionate man. As we discuss the transformation of health care in this country, put Dr. Brawley's book at the top of your list.”--Sanjay Gupta, Associate Chief of Neurosurgery Grady Memorial Hospital, Chief Medical Correspondent, CNN

“Otis Brawley is one of America’s truly outstanding physician scientists.  In How We Do Harm, he challenges all of us-- physicians, patients, and communities-- to recommit ourselves to the pledge to 'do no harm.'” --David Satcher,Former Surgeon General of the United States,
Director, Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine


“Sweeping, honest and brave . . . How We Do Harm dazzles with a wealth of  scientific insight, but its genius lies in the author’s recounting of individual patient stories that illuminate the dark underbelly of medicine’s missteps. Brawley does not shrink from revealing medicine’s warts, butthis book  offers much more. It is a  triumph of humanity and clarity in which oncology becomes a Rorschach for the practice of American medicine. You will finish this arresting book reluctantly, with a new appreciation of what American medicine could be.” --Harriet A .Washington, author of Deadly Monopolies: The Shocking Corporate Takeover of Life Itself and the Consequences for Your Health and Our Medical Future and Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present





“Dr. Brawley is a premier academic oncologist and a minority doctor in the nation's largest inner city hospital. How We Do Harm places in stark contrast the health care resources available to the rich and the poor, the insured and the uninsured, the white community and the community of color . He makes  the  cogent  point that more testing, screening, and interventions available to the rich does not always  mean better medical care .” --Bruce Chabner, MD, Director of Clinical Research, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center

“Otis Brawley shares in equal measure his compelling personal story, the development of modern medical oncology, and the wide range of his strong opinions.  Whether you agree with him or not, the reader is given access to Dr. Brawley’s unambiguous scientific and ethical framework.  He provides an anvil for shaping your own perspectives and biases.” --Michael A. Friedman, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Director Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope

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