What does iatrogenic mean?
Iatrogenic means caused by medical treatment or healthcare intervention. It is commonly used to describe illness, injury, disability, or other harm that results from a clinical procedure, medication, surgery, diagnostic test, or other treatment rather than from the original condition. Examples include infections following surgery, complications caused by a drug, and injuries associated with an imperfect medical procedure. The word is important in medicine because it distinguishes harm attributable to treatment from harm arising naturally from a disease. Iatrogenic does not necessarily mean that a clinician acted negligently: some complications are possible risks even when care is appropriate and carefully performed. The term can therefore be used in both technical clinical writing and broader discussions of patient safety, healthcare quality, and the prevention of avoidable harm.
adjectiveCaused by medical treatment or healthcare intervention. The term is used especially of illness, injury, or other harm resulting from a physician's or other clinician's actions.
- Caused by medical treatment or healthcare intervention.
"The study documented a surprisingly high rate of iatrogenic complications after the procedure."
"Antibiotic use can cause iatrogenic infections when it disrupts the body's normal microbial balance."
"The report emphasized patient safety and the prevention of iatrogenic harm."
Sometimes the treatment meant to heal a patient becomes the source of a new medical problem.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does iatrogenic come from?
The word comes from Greek iatros, meaning “physician,” combined with the combining form -genic, meaning “produced by” or “causing.” It developed in medical usage during the 19th century to describe conditions or effects caused by medical treatment. The related process is called iatrogenesis, and the associated quality of being treatment-induced is termed iatrogenicity.
Related word forms
How iatrogenic is actually used
The term is chiefly medical and technical, though it is also used in public discussions of medical safety. It normally describes a condition or complication brought about by treatment rather than by the underlying disease.
Easily confused with iatrogenic
An iatrogenic condition is caused by medical treatment, whereas an idiopathic condition has no identifiable cause.