Doctors Don't Always Tell You the Whole Truth

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2012/04/09 - Updated: 2021/09/23
Category Topic: Rehabilitation and Hospitals - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: Over half of physicians told patients their prognosis looked better than it did, whereas other times tried to scare patients out of bad health behavior by making a prognosis seem more threatening than it truly was. Researchers surveyed almost 2,000 practicing physicians throughout the United States to compile the results of the Health Affairs study. They captured information about a wide spectrum of untruthfulness.

Introduction

In our culture, doctors have an almost mythical reputation as the wielders of exclusive knowledge about the mysteries of the human body. Sometimes this standing allows us to forget that, just like their patients, physicians are only human.

Main Content

One new study bluntly reveals how human many doctors really are. New research, published in the prestigious journal Health Affairs, paints a grim picture about the level of dishonesty infecting the medical profession. The report just may have you wondering whether you really know the person you have entrusted with your wellbeing - and reaching for the number of a respected NYC medical malpractice law firm.

Physician Dishonestly About Drug Company Ties, Medical Mistakes Prevalent

Researchers surveyed almost 2,000 practicing physicians throughout the United States to compile the results of the Health Affairs study. They captured information about a wide spectrum of untruthfulness.

Some doctors dishonesty sprang from honorable intentions: more than half of physicians told patients their prognosis looked better than it did (55 percent admitted to delivering an inaccurately positive health report in the last year); others attempted to "scare" patients out of bad health behavior by making a prognosis seem more threatening than it truly was. Yet, studies consistently show that patients prefer the truth about their medical condition, even if it is grim - understandable, given that what a doctor may see as a white lie in this context precludes the patient from exercising his or her own autonomous judgments about the situation.

Noble, if misguided, intentions did not account for all doctor mendacity reported in the study. Many doctors were unwilling to reveal their own ties to pharmaceutical or medical device companies: about 40 percent said they do not believe it is necessary to tell patients when they have a financial stake in companies whose products they may be recommending.

Medical Mistakes

A significant minority of doctors responded when asked about reporting medical mistakes to patients. Approximately one-third of physicians said they did not completely agree that patients should always be informed about serious medical errors (and just over 10 percent admitted to telling a patient a lie in the last year). Even though such lies may be intentioned as a means of dodging a medical malpractice suit, the study's lead author noted that they often have the opposite effect: patients are more likely to pursue legal claims against doctors who are not open and honest about their mistakes.

Doctor Lies Can Sometimes Lead To Legal Culpability

A doctor's dishonesty can sometimes cause you harm in many ways, from delaying the diagnosis of a serious health threat to usurping your right to make your own medical decisions based on full and accurate information. If you believe a physician's untruthfulness may have had a negative impact on yourself or a family member, contact their superiors.

Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.