Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far by Paul A. Offit M.D.

Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far by Paul A. Offit M.D. is the third book by Paul A. Offit M.D. I've read and I look forward to reading more of his books in the future... In fact, I already have Offit's most recently published book, Tell Me When It's Over: An Insider's Guide to Deciphering Covid Myths and Navigating Our Post-Pandemic World, in my 'tbr' pile... Let's just say that Paul A. Offit M.D. has become an author I have on auto-buy as his books are really well written and very informative!

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far by Paul A. Offit M.D. and narrated by Tim H. Dixon. If you love listening to nonfiction books that fall into the science, health, and medicine categories, then this book is for you! It's a truly excellent read and packed with tons of information. The only think I wasn't in love with was the narrator for this book. Tim H. Dixon is a decent narrator, but overall not that great. Otherwise, the book itself is WONDERFUL!!

I love how Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far by Paul A. Offit M.D. is organized into six distinct health/medical sections (infections, supplements and drugs, cancer screening, surgery, etc.) with individual chapters in each section. Each chapter discusses a specific medical/health topic that falls into one of the six areas Offit focused on in his book. Some of these chapters are titled  'Antibiotic Drops Don't Treat Pinkeye', 'The False Security of Sunblock', 'Heart Stents Don't Prolong Lives', and 'Don't Ice Sprains'. Each of these chapters goes into much detail as to why modern science has had it wrong.

Below is the publisher's summary for Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far by Paul A. Offit M.D. I discovered on Chirp's website:

An acclaimed medical expert and patient advocate offers an eye-opening look at many common and widely used medical interventions that have been shown to be far more harmful than helpful. Yet, surprisingly, despite clear evidence to the contrary, most doctors continue to recommend them.

Modern medicine has significantly advanced in the last few decades as more informed practices, thorough research, and incredible breakthroughs have made it possible to successfully treat and even eradicate many serious ailments. Illnesses that once were a death sentence, such as HIV and certain forms of cancer, can now be managed, allowing those affected to live longer, healthier lives. Because of these advances, we now live 30 years longer than we did 100 years ago.

But while we have learned much in the preceding decades that has changed our outlook and practices, we still rely on medical interventions that are vastly out of date and can adversely affect our health. We all know that finishing the course of antibiotics prevents the recurrence of illness, that sunscreens block harmful UV rays that cause skin cancer, and that all cancer-screening programs save lives. But do scientific studies really back this up?

In this game-changing book, Dr. Paul A. Offit debunks fifteen common medical interventions that have long been considered gospel despite mounting evidence of their adverse effects, from vitamins, sunscreen, fever-reducing medicines, and eyedrops for pink eye to more serious procedures like heart stents and knee surgery. Analyzing how these practices came to be, the biology of what makes them so ineffective and harmful, and the medical culture that continues to promote them, Overkill informs patients to help them advocate for their health. By educating ourselves, we can ask better questions about some of the drugs and surgeries that are all too readily available—and all too heavily promoted.

I am giving Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far by Paul A. Offit M.D. a rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Vaccinated by Paul A Offit M.D.

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Vaccinated by Paul A Offit M.D. and narrated by Tim Dixon.

There's a lot, and I mean a lot, of information packed within this nonfiction book. I learned so much by listening to this audiobook. If you're at all interested in learning more about vaccines and medical science, then this is definitely the book for you! 

Vaccinated by Paul A Offit M.D. is part biography of Maurice Hilleman and part history of vaccines and the communicable diseases they were created to help save lives. The science behind vaccines and the various researchers who created these vaccines makes for fascinating reading. The ups and downs of trying to create vaccines to saves lives was also fascinating to read about in Vaccinated as things didn't always go smoothly.

As a side note, before listening to Vaccinated by Paul A Offit M.D., I had no idea who  Maurice Hilleman was. Little did I know that Hilleman "was responsible for developing more than 40 vaccines, including measles, mumps, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningitis, pneumonia, Haemophilus influenzae bacteria, and rubella." (NIH National Library of Medicine). Suffice it to say, Maurice Hilleman is not a household name, yet his vaccines have saved countless lives.

Below is the publisher's summary for Vaccinated by Paul A Offit M.D. found on Chirp's website:

Respected physician Paul Offit tells a fascinating story of modern medicine and pays tribute to one of the greatest lifesaving breakthroughs—vaccinations—and the medical hero responsible for developing nine of the big fourteen vaccines which have saved billions of lives worldwide.

Maurice Hilleman’s mother died a day after he was born and his twin sister was stillborn. Believing that he had escaped an appointment with death, he made it his life’s work to see that others could do the same. The fruits of his labors were nine vaccines that practically every child receives, everyday miracles of modern medicine that have eradicated some of the most common—and devastating—diseases, including mumps and rubella.

Offit, a vaccine researcher himself who co-invented the rotavirus vaccine, befriended Hilleman and, during the great man’s final months, interviewed him extensively about his life and career. Those conversations are the heart of Vaccinated. In telling Hilleman’s story, Offit takes us around the globe and across time, from the days of Louis Pasteur, to today, when a childhood vaccine can protect women from cervical cancer and stop a deadly pandemic like Covid-19. Yet these preventative treatments have come under increasing attack from both the left and right, and the anti-vaxxer movement that began with false reports over autism is growing at an alarming rate, threatening society’s well-being, and especially those whose conditions prevent them from being vaccinated.

Offit makes an eloquent and compelling case for Hilleman’s importance, arguing that his name should be as well-known as Jonas Salk. Vaccinated reminds us of the value of vaccines and the power of science to save lives and protect our well-being.

I am giving Vaccinated by Paul A Offit M.D. a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!