Essential reading for anyone interested in health

My goodness. This book is an eye opener. It sheds light on so many aspects of our ever increasing diagnostic repertoire but sets out, the subjective and variability of many tests and the largely unconsidered negative consequences. The book explains the many forces, social, medical and vested interests involved in expanding inclusion criteria and how this can dilute the meaning of diagnosis for people with higher needs. The book is powerful and written by a doctor who knows through experience but doesn’t have an axe to grind. It is compassionate and thoughtfully presented. I found the audio a little monotone but overall am very pleased to have listened to it. Like many people I often assume that science is inherently good but the book shows how we have to much more questioning of science than this. Great book. Highly recommended. Thank you.

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Brilliant. A must read.

The modern medical model is making us sick. Diagnosis is replacing personal responsibility & acceptance of a less than optimum state of ‘normal’. Many of us have long suspected this but few have the knowledge and experience of the author to explain how & why this is occurring and what might be done about it.
Change is essential now. The hope is experts like Dr O’Sullivan might drive it forward by raising our awareness of the need for it.

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This book should be read be every doctor and patient in our health system.

A fantastic book. I am a GP and it eloquently expresses so many of the knotty issues that worry me on a daily basis about how the delivery of healthcare has changed. it should ve required reading for all doctors, all trainee doctors, and patients embarking on a diagnostic journey.

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Brilliant

Informed me so much that I take into my place of work. Information and easy to listen to

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Every medical professional should read this book!

I’m a pain nurse specialist and feel we over scan and inject patients. I often have to unpick a lot of negative words that have been told to patients such as your spine is crumbling, your backs knackered, your bones are like an aero chocolate bar. Fear avoidance then sets in which exacerbates the pain.

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Better than an MRI Scan

A brilliant listen. I've enjoyed all Dr O’Sullivan's books. As a retired doctor I have valued her wisdom, insights and humanity. I recommend her to younger doctors and medical students.

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To diagnose or not

This is a book that clearly verbalises the need for art to balance science in medicine.

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true to life for sure

Engaging and real. chapter on Huntington's disease outstanding. hope over putting others and ourselves in boxes. recommend

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The Curse of Casandra

Casandra was a Greek goddess who was gifted with foresight but cursed that no one would believe her.

As a Children’s Occupational Therapist with a long career working in children’s disability it is refreshing to feel that my jaundice view on labels and diagnosis is justifiable.

I cannot recommend this book more to any clinician or any specialist who is carrying out assessments, especially those which are largely subjective. And I would suggest the bigger a persons negative response to it, should flag even more the need for self reflection.

I would also recommend it to any parent starting down the road of an assessment process for a child, even more so if they are on a waiting list.

Lastly, we need a forum to change the current paradigm or we will be looking back on this time, like all the other medical dead-ends through history.

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Kind explanations and questions medicine

Fantastic book, incredibly thought provoking and questions many different diagnosis’s.
As someone with a psychosomatic illness I find it fascinating and mind boggling

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