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. 2016 Jun;46(2):134-139.
doi: 10.4997/JRCPE.2016.214.

Medical Nemesis 40 years on: the enduring legacy of Ivan Illich

S O'Mahony  1
Affiliations

Medical Nemesis 40 years on: the enduring legacy of Ivan Illich

S O'Mahony. J R Coll Physicians Edinb. 2016 Jun.

Abstract

Ivan Illich's attack on modern medicine, Medical Nemesis, appeared in 1974. The book famously opened with the statement: 'The medical establishment has become a major threat to health.' Forty years after its publication, this paper examines the major themes of the book, and asks whether events since its publication have added weight to Illich's thesis.

Keywords: Ivan Illich; Medical Nemesis; medicalisation.

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