PC, M.D. How Political Correctness Is Corrupting Medicine

The author of this book has done a very excellent job in revealing how the almost cult like mentalities of political correctness, alternative medicine, and paranormal healing have crept into mainstream medicine. She uses logic and a mountain of research data to support her claim that the patient's best interest and scientific research are beginning to take second priority to political correctness and what some would call quackery.Although the message is disturbing, I actually found reading this book to be very enjoyable. Where else will you find illogical and deceptive assertions made by politically correct advocates actually challenged? For example, a feminist group claims that only 14 percent of NIH (federal) research funds go to women's health issues. And it turns out that this is actually true. But, as the author discovers, you are not told that less than 7 percent goes to research on male diseases and the rest goes to research on diseases that are not gender specific. The book is full of examples like this, where claims made by the so-called experts don't hold up under further scrutiny.I strongly recommend this book because it discusses controversial issues that truly are a matter of life and death. Cures for diseases such as Alzheimer's and Diabetes will almost certainly be delayed, at best, because of political correctness and other problems mentioned in this book. On the other hand, its hard to read this book and not take some comfort in knowing that there are still many people in the medical profession like Dr. Sally Satel who have the intelligence and courage to stand up for the truth!

Satel has done an outstanding job on this book. I found that as I read it, I had a strong urge to jump up and yell, 'right on!' As a professor at a medical school, I wish that all of my fellow faculty would read this. There are some extreme examples in this book but I don't doubt that they are real. This book exposes what many of us have felt but lacked the words and clear thoughts to express. Medicine in the modern sense is about empirical proof. Some crackpot ideas have panned out as great ideas. Others are not withstanding the test of reality. An idea must be tested and Satel holds some ideas up and examines them with scientific curiosity. Too many of the ideas advanced as modern or post modern therapies are lacking evidence to support their acceptance. This is a must read for all of us in academic medicine and public health. Satel's critical thoughts need to be reviewed and discussed. I believe that she has brought together some really important ideas.

Having learned about this book in Objectivist Newsletter, I rushed to buy it and swallowed it all in one day. The assault on rationalism and objectivity is, sadly, a long-standing problem of modern intellectuals, but I was sincerely hoping that this self-defeating irrational approach would be limited to liberal arts. I was wrong. As Dr. Satel very convicingly shows, the field of medicine is not by any means immune to this assault. The problem is, this time we are talking about human lives and well-being at stake. Giving up objectivity and critical thinking of modern science to sentiments like "I don't care how it works or what the studies show, I FEEL it works" is a sure prescription for disaster. Even though I do not share author's pessimism upon the matter, I do think this book is a serious wake-up call for doctors and patients alike.

This is a fantastic book. It elucidates the degree to which Political Correctness is hurting patients, physicians and hospitals. Dr. Satel discusses "scientific studies", which do not hold up to peer scrutiny, but have been used by those with social agendas to support their ideals. She does not discount the fact that our environment affects our health and well being in certain instances; however, she does show that a much more important factor is personal responsibility for ones health maintenance. This book is especially meaningful to anyone involved in healthcare delivery or policy making. I highly recommend it.

I have worked professionally with Sally Satel for five years and I have been waiting eagerly for this book to be published. Everyone has to deal with the medical establishment simply to protect their own health and the health of their loved ones. Everyone needs to understand the information that is presented in this book. Satel has done the research, assembled the data and given all of us the information we need to protect ourselves. If you think that medicine is only driven by science, not ideology, you need to read this book. If you think that men and women have equal access to healthcare, you need to read this book. If you think that male and female diseases are equally well understood, you need to read this book. If you believe that you should simply accept what your doctor tells you, you need to read this book. You will have to see the doctor sooner or later. When it happens, you will be glad that you read this book.