--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Medicine is a golden goose that has to be…" description: "\"“Medicine is a golden goose that has to be killed because every time the goose lays a golden egg, someone gets sick or dead.”\" — Richard Diaz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/richard-diaz-23083_medicine_medicine-is-a-golden-goose-that-has-to-b_2208348.jpg" --- # Medicine is a golden goose that has to be killed because… ![“Medicine is a golden goose that has to be killed because every time the goose lays a golden egg, someone gets sick or dead.” quote by Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/richard-diaz-23083_medicine_medicine-is-a-golden-goose-that-has-to-b_2208348.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/richard-diaz-23083_medicine_medicine-is-a-golden-goose-that-has-to-b_2208348.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/richard-diaz-23083_medicine_medicine-is-a-golden-goose-that-has-to-b_2208348.jpg) > ““Medicine is a golden goose that has to be killed because every time the goose lays a golden egg, someone gets sick or dead.”” [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Treating healthcare as a commodity can cause harm when profit outweighs patient care. **In simple terms:** Profit focus can hurt patients. Key Takeaway Prioritize patient health over profit. Themes ethics healthcare profit motive Mood critical thought‑provoking Type analysis commentary When to use this quote - hospital budgeting - pharma pricing - insurance negotiations Key Concepts medical economics patient safety policy criticism Questions to Reflect On - Is profit always detrimental? - How to balance cost and care? A Different Perspective Complex systems may need profit to sustain services. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) [Gets Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gets-sick-482214/) [Golden Egg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golden-egg-1850111/) [Golden Goose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golden-goose-2933641/) [Goose Killed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goose-killed-4217478/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Medicine Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine-golden-4879322/) [Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick/) ## Related quotes > [Thinking to get at once all the gold the goose could give, he killed it and opened it only to find-nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/thinking-to-get-at-once-all-the-gold-the-goose-could-give-he-killed/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [I wonder how many eggs are in the golden goose?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/i-wonder-how-many-eggs-are-in-the-golden-goose/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [When you're the cash cow that lays the golden goose egg, people are always going to cheer you on, whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/when-you-re-the-cash-cow-that-lays-the-golden-goose-egg-people-are/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [“The guy’s operation was locked up tighter than a Royce Gracie shoulder hold. This little situation was the Golden Goose taking a big fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/the-guy-s-operation-was-locked-up-tighter-than-a-royce-gracie/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [“She was his meal ticket, love. He wasn’t about to kill his golden goose. She held all the power.” My voice grows”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magda-alexander/she-was-his-meal-ticket-love-he-wasn-t-about-to-kill-his-golden-goose/) [Magda Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magda-alexander/) > [Dreamlands Golden Goose! Fragrance-free! Vodka me! Goose it up, baby! Mouth-watering! Condensed, purify, extracted, for the world to see. LET IT BE! International! Coast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javaz/dreamlands-golden-goose-fragrance-free-vodka-me-goose-it-up-baby/) [Javaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javaz/) > [Don't kill the golden goose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-mclaren/don-t-kill-the-golden-goose/) [Malcolm Mclaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-mclaren/) > [We call 'Ain't No Mountain' the golden egg that landed us at Motown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nickolas-ashford/we-call-ain-t-no-mountain-the-golden-egg-that-landed-us-at-motown/) [Nickolas Ashford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nickolas-ashford/) > [“Most people see effectiveness from the golden egg paradigm: the more you produce, the more you do, the more effective you are. But as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/most-people-see-effectiveness-from-the-golden-egg-paradigm-the-more-2/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [To maintain the P/PC Balance, the balance between the golden egg (production) and the health and welfare of the goose (production capability) is often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-maintain-the-p-pc-balance-the-balance-between-the-golden-egg/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't kill the goose that lays the golden egg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/don-t-kill-the-goose-that-lays-the-golden-egg/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Every director bites the hand that lays the golden egg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/every-director-bites-the-hand-that-lays-the-golden-egg/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [“Lay a golden egg. After you built a nest, You wait for a leg. And you land next. Now you hope and pray. Expect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-claudia-antunes/lay-a-golden-egg-after-you-built-a-nest-you-wait-for-a-leg-and-you/) [Ana Claudia Antunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-claudia-antunes/) > [Because the golden egg gleamed in my basket once, though my childhood became an immense sheet of darkening water I was Noah, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-doty/because-the-golden-egg-gleamed-in-my-basket-once-though-my-childhood/) [Mark Doty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-doty/) > [God forbid if David Crosby gets sick again and I can't tour anymore, or something happens where I can't get around, what am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-stills/god-forbid-if-david-crosby-gets-sick-again-and-i-can-t-tour-anymore/) [Stephen Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-stills/) ## More by Richard Diaz > [“Without Freedom or Liberty, creativity can not exist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/without-freedom-or-liberty-creativity-can-not-exist/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) > [“If you can't tolerate the truth, never ask me a question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/if-you-can-t-tolerate-the-truth-never-ask-me-a-question/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) > [FOREVER is a long time but I wont mind it spending by your side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/forever-is-a-long-time-but-i-wont-mind-it-spending-by-your-side/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) > [Without knowing the cause of illness, any treatment must be considered a guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/without-knowing-the-cause-of-illness-any-treatment-must-be-considered/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) > [“For every question, there is an answer. Where everybody fails is by asking the wrong question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/for-every-question-there-is-an-answer-where-everybody-fails-is-by/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) > [“People don't care about health, they just don't want to be sick.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/people-don-t-care-about-health-they-just-don-t-want-to-be-sick/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) > [“no scientific or medical study is valid unless and until a heavy metal assay has been completed on the subject(s).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/no-scientific-or-medical-study-is-valid-unless-and-until-a-heavy/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) > [“Everybody listens to me with a focus on my words. This is a mistake. The words are the vehicle to deliver an idea. Always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/everybody-listens-to-me-with-a-focus-on-my-words-this-is-a-mistake/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) > [“When you have the means and information to cure a disease and don't . . . you are the disease.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/when-you-have-the-means-and-information-to-cure-a-disease-and-don-t/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) > [“Books deliver information so that experience has a chance to exercise creativity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/books-deliver-information-so-that-experience-has-a-chance-to-exercise/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) > [“-Speaking about Vaccinations - "If you accept the truth after the fact, the pain will last a life time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/speaking-about-vaccinations-if-you-accept-the-truth-after-the-fact/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) > [“The best way to find anything is to look with an opened mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/the-best-way-to-find-anything-is-to-look-with-an-opened-mind/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) > [“If you lose your temper, you lose!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/if-you-lose-your-temper-you-lose/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) > [“There has always been an elegance to the application of excellence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/there-has-always-been-an-elegance-to-the-application-of-excellence/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) > [“Those who do scientific or medical studies and have conclusions are reflecting the results preferred by those who pay them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/those-who-do-scientific-or-medical-studies-and-have-conclusions-are/) [Richard Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) [Explore all 26 Richard Diaz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/) ## More Doctor quotes > [Many patients imagine that they have tried everything. True, they have used many remedies, but they have never had the cause of their infirmity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-palmer/many-patients-imagine-that-they-have-tried-everything-true-they-have/) [Daniel D. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-palmer/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [The doctor who diagnosed me with ALS, or motor neuron disease, told me that it would kill me in two or three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-doctor-who-diagnosed-me-with-als-or-motor-neuron-disease-told-me/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/every-patient-carries-her-or-his-own-doctor-inside/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [“As a special branch of general philosophy, pathogenesis had never been explored. 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I couldn't write there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-paisley/a-creative-space-is-an-important-thing-there-are-so-many-studios-that/) [Brad Paisley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-paisley/) > [We ought to observe that practice which is the hardest of all-especially for young physicians-we ought to throw in no medicine at all-to abstain-to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-randolph-of-roanoke/we-ought-to-observe-that-practice-which-is-the-hardest-of-all/) [John Randolph of Roanoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-randolph-of-roanoke/) > [The miracle drugs (neuroleptics) cause the worst plague of brain damage in medical history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-breggin/the-miracle-drugs-neuroleptics-cause-the-worst-plague-of-brain-damage/) [Peter Breggin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-breggin/) > [“old-fashioned, gentle Scottish physician, unmoved by the considerations of profit and personal gain that could so disfigure medicine. That doctors should consider themselves businessmen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/old-fashioned-gentle-scottish-physician-unmoved-by-the-considerations/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [I've never bought this idea of taking a therapeutic distance. If I see a student or house staff cry, I take great faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/i-ve-never-bought-this-idea-of-taking-a-therapeutic-distance-if-i-see/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [Heart surgeons do not have the world's smallest egos: when you ask them to name the world's three leading practitioners, they never can remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/heart-surgeons-do-not-have-the-world-s-smallest-egos-when-you-ask/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [Thankfully, I found a doctor at Presbyterian Hospital in New York, Scott Hammer, who diagnosed my chronic fatigue as the Epstein-Barr virus, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-halpern/thankfully-i-found-a-doctor-at-presbyterian-hospital-in-new-york/) [Tucker Halpern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-halpern/) > [My parents are so supportive of whatever we want to do and completely nurtured that, and they're so proud of that as well. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-john-kamen/my-parents-are-so-supportive-of-whatever-we-want-to-do-and-completely/) [Hannah John-Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-john-kamen/) > [Before we can wave the handkerchief, we have to have a cold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-dangoor/before-we-can-wave-the-handkerchief-we-have-to-have-a-cold/) [Robert D Dangoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-dangoor/) > [Tuberculosis, starvation, fatigue, and there are many who have no desire to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/tuberculosis-starvation-fatigue-and-there-are-many-who-have-no-desire/) [Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/) [Browse all 3,922 Doctor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Medicine is a golden goose that has to be killed because every time the goose lays a golden egg, someone gets sick or dead.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Diaz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/medicine-is-a-golden-goose-that-has-to-be-killed-because-every-time/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Doctor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/medicine-is-a-golden-goose-that-has-to-be-killed-because-every-time/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/richard-diaz-23083_medicine_medicine-is-a-golden-goose-that-has-to-b_2208348.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/richard-diaz-23083_medicine_medicine-is-a-golden-goose-that-has-to-b_2208348.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/richard-diaz-23083_medicine_medicine-is-a-golden-goose-that-has-to-b_2208348.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Medicine is a golden goose that has to be killed because every time the goose lays a golden egg, someone…” — Richard Diaz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Richard Diaz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-diaz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Medicine is a golden goose that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/medicine-is-a-golden-goose-that-has-to-be-killed-because-every-time/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-diaz/medicine-is-a-golden-goose-that-has-to-be-killed-because-every-time/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```