Global Chief Medical Officer Calls for More Physician-Patient Dialogue

In STAT, Prof. Ian Meredith AM, Global Chief Medical Officer at Boston Scientific, draws on 30 years of clinical practice as he reflects on recent headlines and calls for more--not less--informed dialogue between patients and their physicians.

From the piece:

"It is unfortunate...that the focus and direction of recent media reports questioning the safety and integrity of the medical device industry may create unnecessary fear and apprehension and discourage patients from having such open and balanced conversations — and that, in turn, could do harm. ...

"Innovators, health care providers, and the public know that there are no panaceas and one therapy will never be right for all, but it is important for patients to have options and make informed treatment decisions. Stories of patients who have had difficult experiences are disheartening, but we remain committed to supporting patients and continuing to innovate and improve our therapies. We must also remember the millions of patients who benefit from medical technology.

"We can’t eliminate all risk when complex technologies and patient conditions are involved but we can commit to making our devices as safe and effective as possible."

Read the full piece here.