Whiplash and Other Useful Illnesses

By Andrew Malleson

Book Overview

Malleson details the evolution of whiplash from a common, short-lived disorder into a world-wide epidemic that has left millions permanently disabled. He exposes how some medical healthcare and legal professionals prey on the anxieties and greed of their clients. He argues that whiplash is only one of a long list of largely fabricated illnesses and injuries that will drain resources from the health care system.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0773523332
• ISBN13: 9780773523333
• Release Date: April 2002
• Publisher: Carleton University Press
• Length: 544 Pages
• Weight: 2.02 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 6.3" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Author is on target

I have only read the synopsis of the book and the customer reviews. I have 11 years experience as an Industrial Nurse Case Manager. I wholeheartedly assure the secondary gain issues listed are quite true from 3rd party liability cases, workers' compensation cases and medical malpractice. There are a lot of unethical physicians who will causally relate anything to everything, continue treatment when none is warranted, (one case of mine had physical therapy for 15 years and never improved) and keep persons out of work for no objective reason. This is blatant fraud. Other physicians may innocently do this because they lack knowledge of secondary gain and/or symptom magnification. I try to stay away from this type as well as the hired gun physicians who do reap the financial benefits from insurance companies and are not objective either. The plaintiff attorneys coach their clients to drive up medical costs for increased settlement. All claims are greatly increased when pre-existing psychological conditions/disorders (i.e. depression, anger issues, borderline personality disorder) are present. There is a very significant direct cost to the taxpayer (i.e. federal workers' compensation cases,such as postal workers, shipyard workers, any civil service, etc.)and indirect cost, by our increased purchase costs due to the burden of risng insurance premiums which the company or individual must pay. Thus this affects all of us in a very direct way both monetarily and psychologically (decreased co-worker morale when they see a co-worker getting away with this, increased false claims, again because others see how easy it is for false claims, and anxiety caused by job loss when the company closes because they can no longer afford their premiums). I also think other factors color this situation as the general population's work ethic has spiraled downward while their sense of entitlement has sharply increased. This is the real world, not embellished opinion.

an excellent overview

This book clearly illustrates the true nature of whiplash injuries - as a vehicle to help ne'er-do-wells exist without actually contributing anything to society.Well done!

Not Just About Whiplash

This is an extensive, wonderfully documented discussion of a spectrum of illness that effects a large part of our society (not just in the United States, but in most of the developed world). Malleson does a fine job of keeping it readable with a combination of incisive wit and piercing insight.Apart from the issue of whiplash itself the author explores the effect of this spectrum of disease on the medical profession (my profession) and the effect of my profession on this spectrum of disease. His insights are clear and revealing. Malleson further points out relationships between the healthcare system of the developed world and these "useful diseases". His insights and discussions in this regard are, once again, germain and well presented.In the discussion as to what form of healthcare system we should develop in this country, the subject matter of this book is key.If legeslators and healthcare planners are unaware of these relationships our healthcare system is doomed.This book is appropriate reading for any healthcare professional, attorney, and anyone in the insurance business. Legeslators and others involved in healthcare planning should have this material as required reading. The concepts contained in this work are critical to the future of our healthcare system.

A gem of a book on this controversial subject

An excellent book on the subject of whiplash associated disorders (WAD). Dr. Malleson brings the subject of WAD to life and is able to present his thoughts in a structured, coherent yet entertaining manner. On page 31 of this scholarly work he presents the findings of Dr. Henry Berry's findings of the presence of, or rather absence of, WAD in demolition derby drivers. In short, WAD does not exist in demolition derby drivers. Surely, such a finding cannot be explained by simply applying biomedical principles.Those with a vested interest in promoting late WAD as a distinct biomedical entity have unsuccessfully attempted to debunk the writings/ research of Berry, Robert Ferrari and now Malleson. While no one is disputing the existence of the acute/ early WAD the dispute comes when one tries to explain away the findings of studies coming out of Singapore, New Zealand, Germany, Greece, Saskatchewan and Lithuania - which essentially undermine the existence of the phenomenon of the late whiplash syndrome. From the writings and meta-analysis of Malleson et al is should be patently obvious to all of us managing these VICTIMS that we need a significant paradigm shift in the management of WAD - i.e. we should be adopting a biopsychosocial approach to its management thereby improving the clinical outcomes, both quantitatively and qualitatively, in the VICTIMS who are all too often mismanaged by those practitioners who exclusively subscribe to a biomedical approach. More works like Mallerson's are needed on this very contentious subject. For additional reading, I'll recommend THE WHIPLASH ENCYCLOPEDIA - The Facts and Myths of Whiplash by Dr. Robert Ferrari (1999) to anyone with an open mind on the subject of WAD.To Dr. Malleson I'll like to take this opportunity to not only congratulate you, but thank you for such a fine book. I've had the opportunity to read most, if not all of the textbooks that have been published on the subject of WAD over the last 5 years and this ranks amongst the finest. I'll remind Dr. Ferrari and yourself that it was Margaret Mead who one said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has".PS (August 7th 2003): Having reviewed this page for the first time in six months, I was once again pellucidly reminded how emotive the subject of WAD can get, especially for those having a vested interest in profiting from the WAD VICTIM'S pain and suffering. The reference line for all MDs involved in the management should be the INJURED PATIENT and the INJURED PATIENT ONLY and this ethical and fiduciary duty must override any other obligation to the persons from whom one may have received instructions or payment (e.g. Insurance companies, plaintiff attorneys, etc.).To the reviewer from Boston (April 6th 2003), who erroneously stated that I was an insurance company executive, I'll like to take this opportunity to point out that I am a MD who has spent over 15 year

cold water and real research poured onto a xontentious topic

this is a scholarly and meticulously researched and referenced text by a clinician of great experience,insight and acumen.Mallenson does not hide behind euphenisms and he eschews 'weasel "words and phrases.He examines the nature of the entity of 'whiplash' and emphasises that despite the legions of sufferers and their claims ,no objective test has been able to demonstrate any pathological lesion in those who have suffered moderate intensity rear impacts.Patients who have had extensive surgery of the neck appear to recover with little of the morbidity of whiplash sufferers.He also highlights the numerous cases of fraud by lawyers,chiropractors and physicians.This is a MUST read for M.D.s who examine claimants and the lawyers and Insurance people who should be cognisant of recent research in this area.