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Library | Item Barcode | Call Number | Material Type | Item Category 1 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... | 30000000778310 | RG104 W65 1990 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
Searching... | 30000000778112 | RG104 W65 1990 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
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Summary
Summary
A compact reference by the director of a patient advocacy group founded by Ralph Nader. The subtitle is /What most doctors won't tell you about birth control, c-sections, weight control products, hormone replacement therapy, osteoporosis, breast implants, tranquilizers, hysterectomies and other medications, procedures, and conditions that could endanger your life/> . Includes c-section rates at 2,453 US hospitals. Annotation(c) 2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Reviews 2
Publisher's Weekly Review
In this well-researched report, Wolfe ( Worst Pills, Best Pills ) and Jones, a journalist specializing in medical topics, decry the commercialization of female health care and expose the dangers of surgical procedures, drugs and other products that are heavily promoted by pharmaceutical companies and recommended by physicians. The dangers of unnecessary hysterectomies, hormone therapy and breast implants are exemplified by the cases of women like Karen, whose implants resulted in debilitating chest pain and silicone poisoning. The facts and figures presented are shocking. For instance, ``one in three women in this country will lose their uteruses by the time they reach age 60.'' p. 46 This volume also supplies information about non-chemical treatments for ailments such as insomnia and anxiety, low-dose alternatives to standard birth control and other pills, and guidelines for when medical procedures such as hysterectomy are necessary. This book will help many women avoid physical pain and emotional distress by enabling them to make better-informed health-care decisions. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
A helpful, readable resource for women facing major decisions about their health care comes from a patient advocacy group founded by Ralph Nader and is divided into three sections on procedures, pills, and products. The sections cover 12 current health topics: mammographies, silicone gel breast implants, hysterectomies, cesarean sections, birth control pills, tranquilizers and sleeping pills, lactation suppressing drugs, hormone replacement therapy, acne treatment, weight loss products, tampons, and tobacco use. Each chapter describes a product, pill, or procedure and offers a discussion of positive or negative effects, alternatives, questions to ask doctors and hospital personnel, patient experiences, and other sources of information. Highly critical of "doctors' and drug companies' enormous appetite for dumping hormones and other drugs into women's bodies," the authors want to help women become more careful consumers of medical goods and services. Their basic advice is to use common sense: ask questions, get a second (or third) opinion, ignore advertising hype, and read as much information as possible before you make a decision. ~--Ryn Etter
