Iatrogenesis literally means "brought forth by a healer" (iatros means healer in Greek); as such, it can refer to good or bad effects, but it is almost exclusively used to refer to the causation of a state of ill health or adverse effect or complication caused by or resulting from medical treatment. From a sociological point of view there are three types of iatrogenesis, clinical iatrogenesis, social iatrogenesis, and cultural iatrogenesis. While iatrogenesis is most often used to refer to the harmful consequences of actions by physicians, it can equally be the result of actions by other medical professionals, such as psychologists, therapists, pharmacists, nurses, dentists. etc. Further, iatrogenic illness or death is not restricted to Western medicine: alternative medicine (sometimes referred to as complementary medicine) may be considered an equal source of iatrogenesis for the same reasons.

History

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Since Hippocrates's time, the potential damaging effect of a healer's actions has been recognized. The old mandate "first do no harm" (primum non nocere) is an important clause of medical ethics, and iatrogenic illness or death caused purposefully, or by avoidable error or negligence on the healer's part became a punishable offence in many civilizations.

With the development of scientific medicine in the 20th century, it could be expected that iatrogenic illness or death would be more easily avoided. With the discovery of antiseptics, anesthesia, antibiotics, and new and better surgical techniques, iatrogenic mortality decreased enormously.

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