Overview

How long will the medical industry, the media, and the politicians prey upon our fears? As long as we let them.

"Medical science has always promised -- and often delivered -- a longer, better life. But as the pace of science accelerates, do our expectations become unreasonable, fueled by an industry bent on profits and a media desperate for big news?

Hope or Hype is a taboo-shattering look at what drives the American obsession with medical ""miracles,"" exposing the equipment manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies; doctors and hospitals too quick to order surgery; the politicians; the press; and our own ""technoconsumption"" mindset. The authors spread blame for the parade of so-called miracle cures that too often are marginally effective at best -- and sometimes downright dangerous. They examine consumers’ eager embrace of medical advances, and present riveting stories of the conscientious doctors and researchers who blew the whistle on ineffective treatments. Finally, they provide sane, practical recommendations for the adoption of new developments.

The consequences of questionable practices include costly recalls, billions in wasted money, and the pain and suffering of innumerable patients and their families. In short, they must stop."

About the Authors

Dr. Richard Deyo and Dr. Richard Patrick (Seattle, WA) are both professors at the University of Washington. Deyo was co-recipient of the Nellie Westerman Prize for research in medical ethics. He directs a fellowship program for policy-relevant research training, as well as the university’s Center for Cost and Outcomes Research. Patrick is noted for his work on the links between quality of life, cost-effectiveness, and health policy. He has worked on drug studies for a wide variety of illnesses, and is a member of the Institute of Medicine, the most prestigious organization of health experts in the U.S.