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CatReader's Reviews > Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health
Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health
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Dr. Martin Makary is a hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeon at Johns Hopkins with a strong interest in health policy; of note, as of Jan 2025 as I'm reviewing this book, , to succeed outgoing President Biden's appointee, Robert Califf. (And you may be wondering why FDA commissioner is a political appointee to begin with -- the truth is healthcare policy is very much a political issue.)
Dr. Makary has written several books on health policy. In his latest book, Blind Spots, Dr. Makary gives a long history of medical interventions or treatments that were long believed to be helpful or at least not harmful that have since been proven harmful, and vice versa. He talks about ways data has been maligned and twisted by those with vested interest in certain outcomes, and actually goes as far to recount how he confronted some individuals involved in attempts at "gotcha" journalism I was very surprised to read in a book like this. It definitely takes job security and substantial seniority to do those things, which may be why so many don't or can't publicly challenge the status quo regardless of industry.
Though I don't necessarily agree with Dr. Makary point-for-point, this was definitely an interesting and thought-provoking read that I'd recommend to other healthcare workers and those working in health policy.
Further reading: medical errors
Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health by Leana Wen, MD
What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City by Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD
When We Do Harm: A Doctor Confronts Medical Error by Danielle Ofri, MD
Bad Science by Ben Goldacre
Rigor Mortis: How Sloppy Science Creates Worthless Cures, Crushes Hope, and Wastes Billions by Richard Harris
Book 11 for 2025
Book 1937 cumulatively
Dr. Makary has written several books on health policy. In his latest book, Blind Spots, Dr. Makary gives a long history of medical interventions or treatments that were long believed to be helpful or at least not harmful that have since been proven harmful, and vice versa. He talks about ways data has been maligned and twisted by those with vested interest in certain outcomes, and actually goes as far to recount how he confronted some individuals involved in attempts at "gotcha" journalism I was very surprised to read in a book like this. It definitely takes job security and substantial seniority to do those things, which may be why so many don't or can't publicly challenge the status quo regardless of industry.
Though I don't necessarily agree with Dr. Makary point-for-point, this was definitely an interesting and thought-provoking read that I'd recommend to other healthcare workers and those working in health policy.
Further reading: medical errors
Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health by Leana Wen, MD
What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City by Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD
When We Do Harm: A Doctor Confronts Medical Error by Danielle Ofri, MD
Bad Science by Ben Goldacre
Rigor Mortis: How Sloppy Science Creates Worthless Cures, Crushes Hope, and Wastes Billions by Richard Harris
Book 11 for 2025
Book 1937 cumulatively
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