11: Excessive Testing, Diagnosis, and Treatment: A Conversation with Dr. Jerome Hoffman

While many of us think critically and “do our own research” when it comes to our healthcare, that often is not enough when the media we consume is inaccurate and driven by profit. Today’s guest, Dr. Jerome Hoffman, is a professor of medicine and emergency medicine at the UCLA School of Medicine, who is passionate about the problems of over-diagnosing and over-treating patients.

Dr. Hoffman discusses the power of profit in the pharmaceutical world and how it impacts our medical treatment. Dr. Hoffman wants to see change in the medical field by teaching people to be more thoughtful and careful about their own healthcare. Join Clay in this insightful and highly informative episode to learn more about what really goes on behind the scenes of American healthcare.

Show Highlights:

Why is healthcare so expensive in the United States?
The “myths” of American healthcare
Common mistakes the medical system makes when over-diagnosing
What drives over-diagnosis in America
How money influences Big Pharma
Ways that gifts are used to build bias
The power of “friendship” within companies
How to stay ethical in the medical field
Why are blockbuster drugs problems for patients
How pharmaceutical companies decide what goes on the market
How the American healthcare compares to other countries
Reforms Dr. Hoffman believes would improve the healthcare system