Iatrogenic is an adjective used to describe a medical disorder, illness, or injury caused in the process of medical treatment.

Iatrogenic conditions are typically caused inadvertently, such as through an incorrect diagnosis or the prescription of medicine that ends up doing harm.

Less commonly, iatrogenic is used in the context of social welfare to describe a problem that has been caused by the actions intended to address another problem.

Example: Iatrogenic conditions are the basis of most medical malpractice lawsuits.

The first records of iatrogenic in English come from the 1920s. It comes from the Greek iatro–, referring to a healer, and –genic, meaning “produced or caused by.” So, iatrogenic conditions are caused by the person who’s supposed to be healing you.

When doctors take the Hippocratic oath, they promise to “first, do no harm.” This means that whatever they do to treat patients, they should never make things worse. But practicing medicine is complex, and there are many ways that things can go wrong in the course of treatment, especially when mistakes are made. Iatrogenic conditions can result from many different situations. The vast majority of them are unintentional, but some of them do happen because of negligence. For example, iatrogenic injuries sometimes result from surgeries performed on the wrong part of the body. Other times, though, iatrogenic conditions happen when everything goes according to plan—a scar resulting from surgery can be described as iatrogenic since it happened in the course of a medical procedure.

The term is sometimes extended beyond the medical field to refer to problems caused by actions intended to be solutions. For example, a volunteer program that results in negative relationships with a community could be described as iatrogenic.

What are some other forms related to iatrogenic?

• iatrogenicity (noun)

What are some words that share a root or word element with iatrogenic? 

• iatric
• iatrochemistry 

What are some words that often get used in discussing iatrogenic?

• ailment
• illness
• disease
• condition
• malpractice 
• medical
• error
• negligence 
• adverse
• effect

Iatrogenic is a formal, technical word, and it’s usually used in a medical context.

Post-SSRI sexual dysfunction is an iatrogenic condition triggered by widely used medications. Now that the European drug regulator has recognised it, prescribers must inform patients of the risk when discussing possible treatment, says this editorial https://t.co/BJ1AxzR9P7

— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) February 29, 2020

I'm thankful for folks using their social media accounts to share their experiences & bring awareness to iatrogenic harm. Doctors aren't doing it enough, drug companies aren't doing it, the media isn't, but it's an important grassroots movement that can help a lot of people.

— Erin Stair (@ErinKateStair) December 24, 2018

Studying public health I learnt of a term called "iatrogenic poverty", which is poverty caused by having to pay for healthcare. People literally work themselves out of poverty, become middle class and fall sick and because of payments become poor again.

— SWM (@shayz27) December 14, 2019

True or False? 

Iatrogenic conditions are always caused intentionally.