Focusing on self-medication practices in France, the book explores the material, cognitive, symbolic, and social factors influencing individuals' choices. It delves into the motivations behind self-medication and how these practices reflect people's relationships with medical institutions. Additionally, it addresses the critical issue of open access to medicines, providing insights into the broader implications of these practices on healthcare and societal norms.
With attention to the manner in which information of various types is withheld and the truth concealed on both sides of the doctor-patient relationship, the author explores the boundaries between what is said and what is left unsaid, and between those who are given information and those who are lied to. Considering the misunderstandings that occur in the course of medical exchanges and the differences between the lies told by doctors and patients, An Anthropology of Lying: Information in the Doctor-Patient Relationship analyses the role of lies in the exercise of, and resistance to power.