Dr Joe Unplugged Ep 126. Over-Medicalisation and the Loss of Agency | Dr Joe Kosterich and Luke Slawomirski
Dr. Joe Kosterich welcomes health economist and policy expert Luke Slawomirski to discuss his provocative article, "Medical authority as moral authority: the prescience of 'The Magic Mountain'
They delve into the concerning trend of over medicalisation, where the boundaries of what is considered "pathology" are constantly broadened, lowering diagnostic thresholds for conditions like ADHD and autism. Luke shares the alarming inspiration for his piece: perfectly healthy people spending thousands of dollars on full-body MRI scans, which often lead to unnecessary anxiety, stress, and costly medical pathways due to incidental findings.
Source:
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction & The Problem of Over-Medicalization
02:16 The Danger of Incidentalomas: Full-Body MRI Scans
03:52 Medical Authority's Policy Overreach & Industry Influence
07:44 Reclaiming Agency & The Prescience of The Magic Mountain
14:48 Clinical Authority Morphs into Moral Authority
18:59 COVID-19, Trust, and Medical Overreach
21:58 "Illness System" vs. "Health System" & Acute Care Focus
26:27 Why More Hospital Beds is a System Failure
32:39 Health System Outcomes: Australia's 12-Year Healthy Lifespan Gap
38:52 Conclusion: The Health System Belongs to Citizens & Asking Questions.
Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios
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Dr Joe Unplugged is your home for open commentary on health, wellbeing and life in the broadest sense. We will explore diet, exercise sleep and stress amongst other health matters as well as issues that may impact you and your wellbeing in direct or indirect ways.
Topics and comments on this podcast are general information only and are not in any way medical advice.