Ray helping to open the 2013 Preventing Overdiagnosis conference
Following the success of the 2013 Preventing Overdiagnosis conference, held at Dartmouth College in the United States, the second Preventing Overdiagnosis conference will be held at the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. You can read the 2013 conference statement, view videos of conference plenaries and see details of the 2014 conference, here
A new study published in the influential open access medical journal PLOS Medicine, has found that many of the experts who define diseases – and often widen those definitions – also work as paid consultants and speakers for drug companies which stand to benefit from their decisions. You can see the free full text of the study here
An Analysis article by Ray and co-authors in the British Medical Journal investigates the controversy over the definition of “Chronic Kidney Disease” – and the risk of overdiagnosis. See the article here. See BMJ cover art based on this article.
Ray’s latest column in the BMJ argues for greater citizen engagement in decisions about how to wind back the harms of too much medicine
A registration fee of $475 has just been announced for the Preventing Overdiagnosis conference, taking place at Dartmouth College in the United States, September 10-12, this year. The conference is hosted by the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, in partnership with BMJ, Consumer Reports and Bond University. Abstract submission is now open, until March 15, and registration will open soon. You can find more details here
The Australian academic media outlet “The Conversation” has just run an easy-to-read nine-part series on the problem of overdiagnosis – written by some leading doctors and researchers, with examples including ADHD, Alzheimer’s and Breast Cancer. Its all very accessible, free and full text on line here
The problem of Overdiagnosis – diagnosing too many well people – is the subject of a two-part BBC radio series, 14-21 August, 2012, available free here
A fierce debate is underway about where to draw the line between normal and abnormal when it comes to the condition called “gestational diabetes”. Medical groups have recently made changes that dramatically expand the number of women classified as having this condition – but some fear a fresh case of over-medicalisation which will see many healthy women unncessarily labelled as sick. Read more in Ray’s latest column, available free here in the Medical Journal of Australia
The problem of “overdiagnosis” is increasingly being seen as a significant threat to human health. In Ray’s latest article published in the British Medical Journal, he and co-authors lay out the nature of the problem, describe some examples, explore causes and flag possible solutions. You can read the full text here
An international conference called Preventing Overdiagnosis will take place on September 10-12, 2013, at Dartmouth College in the United States. To go to the conference website, click here
Ray’s latest column in the British Medical Journal celebrates a fantastic song by one of Australia’s great bands, and the potential healing power of music. Here you can read the full text of Times like these you need some One Four Five
Subscribe to free email updates
Selling Sickness
How the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies are turning us all into patients. Translated into 12 languages. Available now from Amazon.com
Sex, Lies, and Pharmaceuticals
A provocative exposé of the lucrative industry being built around a newly constructed condition.
A New Epidemic
Finding it hard to get out of bed in the morning? You may be suffering Motivational Deficiency Disorder
Teamwork in Healthcare
How teamwork in healthcare can improve patient outcomes in Canada.
Follow me on Twitter
Subscribe by RSS