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Hippocrasy: How Doctors Are Betraying Their Oath

By Ian Harris and Rachelle Buchbinder

Rachelle Buchbinder is a physician specialising in rheumatology, Director of the Monash-Cabrini Department of Musculoskeletal Health and Clinical Epidemiology at Cabrini Hospital and a Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at Monash University. She is known internationally as a vocal proponent of evidence based medicine and for her landmark studies, particularly those examining treatments accepted into practice before proper evaluation. She has published more than 600 scientific papers and is in the top 0.1 per cent of the world’s most cited scientists. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for services to epidemiology and rheumatology in 2020, and admitted as a fellow to the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences in 2015.

Ian Harris is an orthopaedic surgeon at Liverpool, St George and Sutherland hospitals, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UNSW Sydney and an Honorary Professor at the University of Sydney. Known internationally for his research and his support of evidence based practice, he has led many surgical trials and published approximately 300 scientific papers. His work has highlighted the lack of evidence for many of the treatments used in medicine, and surgery in particular, including his previous book, “Surgery, The Ultimate Placebo,” published in 2016. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to orthopaedic surgery in 2015, and admitted as a fellow to the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences in 2016.

A few words from Ian and Rachelle: 

“The whole book was shaped and the first draft was completed during our time at Bellagio.”

 

 

 

Quote from Hippocrasy: 

“Modern medical care is designed to maximize the number of encounters with the system, constantly prescribing, operating, testing and scanning, and prioritizing business over science. It’s a system rife with perverse incentives and unintended consequences, producing health care without necessarily improving the health of the recipients of that care. The problem threatens the delivery of efficient and effective health care, wastes money and causes harm.”

Synopsis:

Two world-leading doctors reveal the true state of modern medicine and how doctors are letting their patients down.

In “Hippocrasy,” rheumatologist and epidemiologist Rachelle Buchbinder and orthopaedic surgeon Ian Harris argue that the benefits of medical treatments are often wildly overstated and the harms understated. 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.

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