He didn't get into the program - participants were chosen by lot, and he lost. But he wouldn't give in. He continued taking a medication thought to be less effective, and he went into remission. Seeking a second opinion can take courage because patients don't want to alienate doctors and may fear confrontation, Groopman says. He encourages patients to speak up when they sense something is off.
Patients are often reluctant to seek that intuition or to express it to doctors.
I understand that reluctance. There's a real imbalance in the relationship between doctors and patients. But it makes it easier if they understand it helps the physician. It also can influence the outcome. It can cause anxiety, distraction for the patient.