Healthy Skepticism Library item: 14740

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Gérvas J, Starfield B, Heath I.
Is clinical prevention better than cure?
Lancet 2008 Dec 6; 372:(9654):1997–99
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2808%2961843-7/fulltext

Abstract:

In wealthy countries, the focus of clinical care is changing from cure to prevention, to anticipate future diseases in currently healthy individuals. We review the challenges that clinicians face, such as: prevention can cause harm; predicting the benefi t of preventive activities for the
individual, as opposed to the group, can be difficult; prevention is not of equal value to everyone; and prevention is beginning to take priority over treatment. Clinicians need to be vigilant to avoid colluding with those who have vested interests in some preventive activities…

jgervasc@meditex.es