Third Biggest Myth in Medicine

Shockingly ignorant

This myth ranks as the 3rd biggest medical myth because of how shockingly ignorant it is of such readily available information. A patient who has been intentionally injured can go from doctor to doctor looking for treatment for the injuries, but when asked “How did you get injured,” receive the response, “A caregiver would have no reason to harm a patient.” End of story. No help for you.

It does no good to recite how many books there are in the library about serial killers in medicine, or serial sex abusers, or injurious procedures done to make money, or normal everyday lust, avarice, jealousy, prejudice, frustration, boredom, monotony or any of the passions that could cause road rage, etc. All of those things already are known by the health care professional who repeats to the injured patient, and believe in their hearts, that a caregiver would have no reason to harm a patient. The patient might as well be telling the caregiver that the caregivers religion is bullshit. The response could be no more deep and resolute.

The additional injury caused by the unanimous refusal to help intentionally injured patients is nowhere in any chart. Neither is there any accounting of how enabling this is for those in medicine who intentionally injure patients.

All of that, along with clearly this illustrates the gap between belief and reality in medicine, elevates “A caregiver would have no reason to harm a patient” to be the third biggest myth in medicine.

See “To Ten Medical Myths.”