Provocative book reveals widespread abuse of cancer patients’ rights.
Foreword by:
Peter Goldstraw
SYNOPSIS:
Should all patients be informed when they’ve been diagnosed with cancer? If the answer is “yes,” Who should break the bad news to them? And How is such news best delivered? How much of the truth can a patient handle?
Patients’ inalienable right to know the truth about their condition ought to be guaranteed the world over. Yet this right is routinely violated. In Greece, for example, cancer patients are frequently kept in the dark about their diagnosis. In fact, this right is routinely disregarded all over the globe with appalling consequences.
In “The Right To The Truth,” the author—a thoracic surgeon—presents Counterexamples inspired by events observed during 33 years of clinical experience, and he addresses each with well-crafted Arguments in favor of the patients’ Right to know :
► for Trust
► for Protection from predators who would exploit vulnerable patients
► for understanding that Sacrifices are sometimes required to achieve cure
► for acquiring well-founded Hope
► for Overcoming fear of the unknown
The book :
► offers advice to family members of cancer patients, as it is usually they who shoulder the burden of deciding whether or not to have their loved one informed.
► offers thought–provoking ideas for those who care for cancer patients. Physicians, nurses, psychologists, clergy, and friends are all urged to be truthful with patients; lying leads only to suffering.
► repudiates hypocritical arguments that claim withholding the truth from patients “spares them avoidable distress,” when the exact opposite is true. The hypocrisy behind brazen deceit inevitably becomes a source of harm to the patient. Myriad unethical, even illegal, wrongdoings are exposed that they should be banned from clinical practice once and for all.—
A book absolutely worth reading
Loved this book, loved the straightforward manner it approaches such a delicate issue, the right to know the truth. In fact, it denounces the disastrous tactics of concealing a patient's diagnosis from him, or even worse, lying shamelessly to him.
The author reports numerous examples from his long experience of patients who ended up completely ruined, not physically, by the oblivious state their doctors or their family members had deliberately put them into.
Caught myself being 100% absorbed reading the stories by the lively narration and the author's excellent writing skills. Certainly recommend it not only to patients, but to medical - paramedical staff and relatives of patients.
Outstanding! Insights into the medical establishment for the patients’ benefit
What a captivating, wonderful way of narrating cancer patients’ stories. These stories reinforce of the author’s arguments for full disclosure.The author provides honest insights into a medical system that is in urgent need of improvement. Lack of compassion, misinformation or even deception, false hopes, over-treatment and avarice are all exposed!The book contains an experienced surgeon’s Wisdom shared with emphasis on the human side of caregiving with grace, sincerity and honesty. It is a testament to the value of Hope that is based on truth, not on deceit. It also provides practical advice on how gradually to break bad news.
What a book! A definite page-turner!
I was hooked on it from the very first page. The author, an MD, has presented the arguments skilfully and unbiased about how cancer patients, their family and the medical professionals deal with the truth about the disease. The book contains a number of clinical counter-examples supporting the arguments. As I was reading them, subconsciously, I imagined myself as the patient or a member of the family and compared my reactions to the ones described in the book. This provided me with a deeper thinking of how the patient, the family and the medical staff should deal with the life changing and the life threatening disease. Moreover, I recommend the book as a manual for those surviving cancer as well.
Amazon store in USA — customer’s Review:
A difficult subject treated with the respect and care it deserves
“The Right to The Truth” is a compelling and insightful treatise on a subject matter that, up to now, has not received the attention it deserves. It deals with an issue most physicians choose to ignore subscribing to the belief that they “know better” and thus are entitled to take it upon themselves to “guide” patients into making decisions which may not always be in their best interest.
It raises the moral question of what the role of the Medical Doctor should be in this day and age of rampant commercialization of medical care.
I strongly recommend this excellent book, the brainchild of an experienced and highly skilled surgeon who elected to follow the ethical standards and principles all healthcare practitioners should ascribe to.
❝A surgeon argues passionately for doctors to notify cancer patients of their condition so they can make informed treatment decisions...A valuable plea for honesty between medical professionals and their patients.❞ — Kirkus Reviews
On October 26th 2017 the following book was world-wide released in paperback (288 pages, 5½ × 8½") and as an Amazon/kindle edition:
The Right To The Truth
For families and friends of patients with cancer.
By I.C. Papachristos, MD
Foreword by Prof. Peter Goldstraw
Edited by G.A. Rossetti
Books on Cancer: the ones written for the industry’s profit is one thing; the ones written for the patients’ benefit is another.
Thousands of books have so far been published on cancer support or relief. No doubt that they may contain some handy pieces of practical information. Nonetheless, most of them subtly #advocate (for) some ways of treatment associated with skyrocketing #costs. Fewer books dare openly #advertise for #expensive medications or similarly costly equipment, such as surgical #robots, #genetic cutting-edge technology and disposable endoscopic staplers.The many #stakeholders involved in #cancer #care (from individual #practitioners to #industry giants) do have so overwhelmingly much to #gain, that they’re eager to cut a share for indirect #advertising or #commercials for their own #profit. Hence, rumour has it that the industry might well pay for books’ marketing and adverising, if these books #promote their own #goods (or #services hired); #commissions, #backhanders, #bonuses and under-the-table monies are not unheard of and they may tempt large publishing houses, the media, large private hospitals or, even, some of the very #Associations meant to support and provide for cancer patients. So, books for the industry’s own profit enjoy all sorts of bells and whistles: “book presentation” events in luxurious premises, with complimentary champaign for all attendees and famous speakers, professional promoting campaigns etc.Few books have been written for the patients’ own #benefit or for improving the imperfect #health care. They stress out what needs be done for a more #human aspect of #caregiving with #compassion and with adherence to “the patient’s primacy above all else” principle.Each and every single patient’s primacy is undoubtedly and unquestionably above even the interests of “Research” or of Society as a whole, as stipulated by medical ethics and the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights. In this 21st century the #exploitation of human beings ought to stop once and for all. No more #experimentation on #unaware human guinea pigs, no more non-disclosure, no more patients’ #unawareness (of the curative or palliative or experimental nature of their own treatment, or of their diagnosis, prognosis and the like).Books for the patients’ benefit hardly get to be widely #known, for there isn’t a generous patron behind them to help with promoting. The only hope for the ideas and the concepts expressed in these #books to spread comes out from the people, from the patients themselves as well as their families, true friends and philanthropists.Please, take a step and speak out #loud and #clear about any book that stimulated you to wish for a better, streamlined and #humane #healthcare. Think. Read. Contemplate. Search.After 34 years of medical experience as being clinically involved in patients’ care, my own book, too, is humbly submitted to readers all over the world: Please, read it and see for yourself!“The Right To The Truth”For families & friends of patients with cancer
Thousands of books have so far been published on cancer support or relief. No doubt that they may contain some handy pieces of practical information. Nonetheless, most of them subtly #advocate (for) some ways of treatment associated with skyrocketing #costs. Fewer books dare openly #advertise for #expensive medications or similarly costly equipment, such as surgical #robots, #genetic cutting-edge technology and disposable endoscopic staplers.
The many #stakeholders involved in #cancer #care (from individual #practitioners to #industry giants) do have so overwhelmingly much to #gain, that they’re eager to cut a share for indirect #advertising or #commercials for their own #profit. Hence, rumour has it that the industry might well pay for books’ marketing and adverising, if these books #promote their own #goods (or #services hired); #commissions, #backhanders, #bonuses and under-the-table monies are not unheard of and they may tempt large publishing houses, the media, large private hospitals or, even, some of the very #Associations meant to support and provide for cancer patients. So, books for the industry’s own profit enjoy all sorts of bells and whistles: “book presentation” events in luxurious premises, with complimentary champaign for all attendees and famous speakers, professional promoting campaigns etc.
Few books have been written for the patients’ own #benefit or for improving the imperfect #health care. They stress out what needs be done for a more #human aspect of #caregiving with #compassion and with adherence to “the patient’s primacy above all else” principle.
Each and every single patient’s primacy is undoubtedly and unquestionably above even the interests of “Research” or of Society as a whole, as stipulated by medical ethics and the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights. In this 21st century the #exploitation of human beings ought to stop once and for all. No more #experimentation on #unaware human guinea pigs, no more non-disclosure, no more patients’ #unawareness (of the curative or palliative or experimental nature of their own treatment, or of their diagnosis, prognosis and the like).
Books for the patients’ benefit hardly get to be widely #known, for there isn’t a generous patron behind them to help with promoting. The only hope for the ideas and the concepts expressed in these #books to spread comes out from the people, from the patients themselves as well as their families, true friends and philanthropists.
Please, take a step and speak out #loud and #clear about any book that stimulated you to wish for a better, streamlined and #humane #healthcare. Think. Read. Contemplate. Search.
After 34 years of medical experience as being clinically involved in patients’ care, my own book, too, is humbly submitted to readers all over the world: Please, read it and see for yourself:
“The Right To The Truth”
For families & friends of patients with cancer
❝WHO should disclose the diagnosis?❞
Chapt. 10, book:
“The Right To The Truth”
Illustrations’ composition, inspired by Chapt. Ten
#cancer #patientsRights #abuse #exploitation #cancerAwareness #CancerDiagnosis #disclosure #howtobreakbadnews #icpapgr #papachristos #RightToTheTruth #book #paperback #kindle #corruption #consent
❝HOW to Break Bad News: 1st Session❞
Chapt. 11, book:
“The Right To The Truth”
Illustrations’ composition, inspired by Chapt. Eleven
#cancer #patientsRights #abuse #exploitation #cancerAwareness #CancerDiagnosis #disclosure #howtobreakbadnews #icpapgr #papachristos #RightToTheTruth #book #paperback #kindle #corruption #consent #firstsession #1st_session #1stsession
❝HOW to Break Bad News: 2nd & 3rd Sessions❞
Chapt. 12, book:
“The Right To The Truth”
Illustrations’ composition, inspired by Chapt. Twelve
#cancer #patientsRights #abuse #exploitation #cancerAwareness #CancerDiagnosis #disclosure #howtobreakbadnews #icpapgr #papachristos #RightToTheTruth #book #paperback #kindle #corruption #consent #session
❝HOW to Break Bad News: 4th (Last) Session❞
The miscellaneous options for treatment ( “ ℞ “ ) are disclosed and honestly explained (either curative or palliative or even experimental) to the patients, for them to select one.
Chapt. 13, book:
“The Right To The Truth”
Illustrations’ composition, inspired by Chapt. Thirteen
℞ is a symbol for “Treatment” in this illustration
#cancer #patientsRights #abuse #exploitation #cancerAwareness #CancerDiagnosis #disclosure #howtobreakbadnews #icpapgr #papachristos #RightToTheTruth #book #paperback #kindle #corruption #consent #session #treatment #℞
❝Medical Documentation, Staging, Treatments❞
Chapt. 14, book: “The Right To The Truth”
Illustrations’ composition, inspired by Chapt. Fourteen
℞ is a symbol for “Treatment” in this illustration
#cancer #patientsRights #abuse #exploitation #cancerAwareness #CancerDiagnosis #disclosure #howtobreakbadnews #icpapgr #papachristos #RightToTheTruth #book #paperback #kindle #corruption #staging #stage #documentation #treatment
❝Preparing Families When The End Draws Near: Caution!❞
Chapt. 15, book: “The Right To The Truth”
Illustrations’ composition, inspired by Chapt. Fifteen
#cancer #patientsRights #abuse #exploitation #cancerAwareness #CancerDiagnosis #disclosure #howtobreakbadnews #icpapgr #papachristos #RightToTheTruth #book #paperback #kindle #corruption #staging #stage #documentation #treatment #CPR #DNR #endstage
❝How Much of The Truth❞
Chapt. 16, book:
“The Right To The Truth”
Illustrations’ composition, inspired by the Clinical Counterexample of the book’s Chapt. Sixteen
#thedying #dyingpatient #moribund #atdeathsdoor #cancer #patientsRights #abuse #exploitation #cancerAwareness #CancerDiagnosis #disclosure #info #information #informing #howtobreakbadnews #icpapgr #papachristos #RightToTheTruth #book #paperback #kindle #corruption #staging #stage #documentation #treatment #CPR #DNR #endstage #greenisforhope #hope #truth #notlying
❝Opiates – Painkillers & Other Medication ⌬⌬❞Illustrations’ composition, inspired by Chapt. Seventeen.Modern Medicine ought to offer adequate pain relief to cancer patients, even more so in case a cure can’t be achieved. Structural formulae (⌬⌬) of opiates’ and similar medication’s chemical compounds are displayed.Book’s title: “The Right To The Truth”#thedying #dyingpatient #moribund #atdeathsdoor #cancer #patientsRights #abuse #exploitation #cancerAwareness #CancerDiagnosis #disclosure #info #information #informing #howtobreakbadnews #icpapgr #papachristos #RightToTheTruth #book #paperback #kindle #corruption #staging #stage #documentation #treatment #CPR #DNR #endstage #greenisforhope #hope #truth #notlying #painkiller #analgesia #painrelief
❝Life Expectancy❞
Illustrations’ composition, inspired by Chapt. Eighteen.
Book’s title:
“The Right To The Truth”
#cancer #lifeexpectancy #survival #actuarialsurvival #meansurvival #averagesurvival #survivalprobability #statistical #wrongprediction #predictionerror #patientsRights #abuse #exploitation #cancerAwareness #CancerDiagnosis #disclosure #info #information #informing #howtobreakbadnews #icpapgr #papachristos #RightToTheTruth #book #paperback #kindle #corruption #staging #stage #documentation #treatmen #greenisforhope #hope #truth #notlying
❝For Physicians & Other Caregivers❞
Illustrations’ composition, inspired by the “Clinical Counterexample,” Chapt. Nineteen.
Book’s title:
“The Right To The Truth”
Coveting physicians
#cancer #covet #covetingdoctor #envy #undermine #enemywithin #patientsRights #abuse #exploitation #cancerAwareness #CancerDiagnosis #disclosure #info #information #informing #howtobreakbadnews #icpapgr #papachristos #RightToTheTruth #book #paperback #kindle #corruption #staging #stage #documentation #treatmen #greenisforhope #hope #truth #notlying
❝The Truth, Ultimately, Is Always Revealed❞
Chapt. 5, book: “The Right To The Truth”
A few illustrations’ compositions, inspired by Chapt. Five
#cancer #patientsRights #abuse #exploitation #cancerAwareness #CancerDiagnosis #disclosure #howtobreakbadnews #icpapgr #papachristos #RightToTheTruth #book #paperback #kindle #corruption
❝“Depression” Is One Thing. “Sorrow” Is Another.❞
Chapt. 6, book:
“The Right To The Truth”
Illustrations’ composition, inspired by Chapt. Six
#cancer #patientsRights #abuse #exploitation #cancerAwareness #CancerDiagnosis #disclosure #howtobreakbadnews #icpapgr #papachristos #RightToTheTruth #book #paperback #kindle #corruption #emotion #disorder #sorrow #depression #sad #psychologist
❝Informed Consent❞Chapt. 7, book:“The Right To The Truth”Illustrations’ composition, inspired by Chapt. Seven#cancer #patientsRights #abuse #exploitation #cancerAwareness #CancerDiagnosis #disclosure #howtobreakbadnews #icpapgr #papachristos #RightToTheTruth #book #paperback #kindle #corruption #consent #larynx #laryngealcancer
❝Compliance & Follow-Up❞ Chapt. 8, book: “The Right To The Truth” Illustrations’ composition, inspired by Chapt. Eight #cancer #patientsRights #abuse #exploitation #cancerAwareness #CancerDiagnosis #disclosure #howtobreakbadnews #icpapgr #papachristos #RightToTheTruth #book #paperback #kindle #corruption #consent
❝Half-truths, Evasion & Jargon❞
Chapt. 9, book:
“The Right To The Truth”
Illustrations’ composition, inspired by Chapt. Nine
#cancer #patientsRights #abuse #exploitation #cancerAwareness #CancerDiagnosis #disclosure #howtobreakbadnews #icpapgr #papachristos #RightToTheTruth #book #paperback #kindle #corruption #consent #prevarication #jargon #evasion #halftruth
Illustrations’ compositions for Chapter FOUR (4) of my book (The Right To The Truth):
❝Potentially Evil Intent or “Malice”❞
Illustrations’ compositions for Chapter THREE (3) of my book (The Right To The Truth):
❝Family Members Who Resort To Deception❞
Illustrations’ compositions for Chapter TWO (2) of my book (The Right To The Truth):
❝When Bad News Breaks❞
The Right To The Truth
Subtitle:
For families – friends of patients with cancer
A foreword by:
Prof. Peter GOLDSTRAW, FRCS
Past President, The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer
Book to be released soon
Illustrations’ compositions for Chapter ONE (1) of my book (The Right To The Truth):
❝In the Limelight of Imperial Capitals And Out of It❞
The kindle edition of “The Right To The Truth” book is offered for free to whomever buys the 288 pages’ paperback edition from Amazon (kindle MatchBook).
For families & friends of patients with cancer.
The book reveals widespread abuse of cancer patients’ rights in order to protect them from exploitation.
World-wide distribution.
Today (Jan. 25, 2018) my last book’s ePub edition was released (ISBN 978-618-83380-1-2) on iBooks Store by Apple in 51 countries:
❝The Right To The Truth❞
Subtitle:
“For families & friends of patients with cancer”
Foreword by Prof. Peter Goldstraw
Provocative book reveals widespread abuse of cancer patients’ rights, in order to protect them from exploitation.
Earlier editions (a 5½ × 8½”-sized, 288-page paperback as well as another ebook as Amazon kindle edition) were worldwide released on Oct. 26, 2017.
#cancer #cancersupport #cancerrelief #awareness #diagnosis #disclosure #patients #patientsrights #humanrights #oncology #medicine #health #healthcare #law #legal #consent #abuse #exploitation #ibooks #ebook #book #paperback #bioethics #ethics #UNESCO #caregiving
The Press Release was distributed this morning (Oct. 10, 2017) at 08:23 AM, New York time, by PRLog.og
“The Right To The Truth” Set For World-Wide Release
❝To the memory of my beloved mother Panagiota (1930–2004), the Red Cross volunteer nurse who bestowed me with the blessing of Life, and to her father, Dr. Ioannis A. Princephiles (1885–1956), and to all souls who provided “for the benefit of the sick.”❞
“The Right To The Truth” book is dedicated to my mother’s memory. She died on this 13th day of November some 13 years ago.