How We Do Harm

Dr. Otis Webb Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, presents an insider's view of the U.S. healthcare system and its failures. Through patient stories and his own experiences as an oncologist, he documents how both overtreatment and lack of access to care harm Americans. The book exposes profit motives and systemic issues that lead to unnecessary procedures, unproven treatments, and financial exploitation of patients. Medical cases from Brawley's career at Grady Hospital in Atlanta and other institutions demonstrate how race, poverty, and insurance status affect medical outcomes. The narrative alternates between individual patient experiences and broader analysis of healthcare policy, pharmaceutical industry practices, and cancer treatment protocols. Brawley includes scientific data and research findings to support his observations about medical decision-making and quality of care. The book serves as both an indictment of healthcare inequities and a call for evidence-based medicine focused on patient wellbeing rather than profit. Through direct examination of medical practices, it challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about who receives care and why.

Readers describe this as an insider's expose of profit-driven practices in American healthcare, with Dr. Brawley sharing firsthand accounts from his career. Readers appreciated: - Clear explanations of complex medical topics - Specific examples of overtreatment and unnecessary procedures - Personal stories that illustrate systemic problems - Practical advice for navigating healthcare decisions Common criticisms: - Repetitive points and examples - Political commentary distracts from medical focus - Can feel like a series of rants rather than organized analysis - Some readers found the tone too angry Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (2,900+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (380+ ratings) Sample reader comment: "Eye-opening look at healthcare from someone who's seen it all. The stories about unnecessary cancer treatments were particularly disturbing." -Goodreads reviewer Several readers noted the book changed how they approach medical decisions, though some wished for more solutions rather than just highlighting problems.

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🔍 Author Dr. Otis Brawley served as the Chief Medical and Scientific Officer of the American Cancer Society for 11 years, where he became known as a fierce advocate against medical practices driven by profit rather than patient welfare. 💉 The book reveals how some oncologists prescribed chemotherapy to terminal cancer patients not for medical benefit, but because they could earn up to $1 million annually from drug markups. 📊 Through personal case studies, Brawley demonstrates how both overtreatment of the wealthy and undertreatment of the poor lead to worse health outcomes in the American healthcare system. 🏥 The author describes how a hospital CEO openly admitted to providing unnecessary cardiac catheterizations because they were profitable, even though they put patients at risk. 💰 The book exposes how pharmaceutical companies manipulate drug prices in the U.S., showing how one cancer drug costing $4,000 in India was priced at $106,000 in America for the same treatment.