The Tyranny of Health : Doctors and the Regulation of Lifestyle

This book exposes the dangers of the explosion of health awareness for both patients and doctors. The author argues that we need to establish a clear boundary between the worlds of medicine and politics. Abstract: This book exposes the dangers of the explosion of health awareness for both patients and doctors. The author argues that we need to establish a clear boundary between the worlds of medicine and politics. � Read more... Topical and controversial The Tyranny of Health exposes the dangers of the explosion of health awareness for both patients and doctors, using straightforward language to explain the latest health statistics and research findings. Michael Fitzpatrick, a full-time inner-city GP, argues from his day-to-day experience in the surgery that health propaganda is having a very unhealthy effect on the nation. Patients are made unnecessarily anxious as a result of health scares which have greatly exaggerated the risks of everyday activities such as eating beef, sunbathing and having sex. Doctors no longer seem content with treating disease but are encouraged by the government to tell people how to live more and more aspects of their lives.Michael Fitzpatrick concludes that doctors should stop trying to make people virtuous. He argues that we need to establish a clear boundary between the worlds of medicine and politics, so that doctors can concentrate on treating the sick - and leave the well alone. Topical and controversial The Tyranny of Health exposes the dangers of the explosion of health awareness for both patients and doctors, using straightforward language to explain the latest health statistics and research findings. Michael Fitzpatrick, a full-time inner-city GP, argues from his day-to-day experience in the surgery that health propaganda is having a very unhealthy effect on the nation. Patients are made unnecessarily anxious as a result of health scares which have greatly exaggerated the risks of everyday activities such as eating beef, sunbathing and having sex. Doctors no longer seem content with treating disease but are encouraged by the government to tell people how to live more and more aspects of their lives. Michael Fitzpatrick concludes that doctors should stop trying to make people virtuous. He argues that we need to establish a clear boundary between the worlds of medicine and politics, so that doctors can concentrate on treating the sick - and leave the well alone Sociology EEn 1 Front Cover 2 Back Cover 3 TOC 5 Preface 6 Glossary of Acronyms 11 1 - Introduction 12 2 - Health Scares and Moral Panics 24 3 - The Regulation of Lifestyle 46 4 - Screening 66 5 - The Politics of Health Promotion 83 6 - The Expansion of Health 107 7 - The Personal is the Medical 129 8 - The Crisis of Modern Medicine 141 Bibliography 185 Index 199

A topical and controversial contribution to public, professional and academic discussion of issues of health and health care. The author concludes that we need to establish a clear boundary between the worlds of medicine and politics, so that doctors can concentrate on treating the sick - and leave the well alone.

In January 1992, following extensive publicity surrounding the cot death of the baby son of television presenter Ann Diamond, the Department of Health launched a national campaign to alert parents to measures they could take to avoid the 'sudden infant death syndrome' (SIDS).