Relaaaaaaax. It’s not a true story. It’s not based on a true story. It’s a work of complete fiction by the master — perhaps the inventor — of the medical thriller genre, Robin Cook. “Foreign Body,” published Aug. 5, is bound to find an audience; Cook, 68, has written a string of bestsellers dating back to the 1970s. “Coma,” the original medical thriller, came out in 1977. It was the “gripping story of patients who check into a hospital for “minor” surgery-and never wake up again.” We’ve had variations on the theme ever since from Cook, a medical doctor. Books. Movies. TV Miniseries. Robin Cook is an industry.

That his latest book comes wrapped with a medical travel and tourism theme shouldn’t be surprising. Cook has always mined the latest headlines for his stories: Organ donation, genetic engineering, fertility treatment, in vitro fertilization and managed care have been a few of the topics that have previously provoked his flights of fancy. His last book, “Critical,” was a tale woven from some of America’s worst fears, and facts, about its own medical system — one in which business issues take precedence over quality of healthcare.

Medical tourism is a natural for Cook. That it has become big enough to attract his attention is testimony more to its popularity, success and safety than it is to its drawbacks and dangers, however. Medical tourism generally, and Indian medical tourism specifically, will continue to thrive, though I wouldn’t choose to read “Foreign Body” to pass the time while on a plane to Delhi for hip surgery any more than, once upon a time, I would have read “Jaws” while relaxing on a small sailing vessel off the shore of Cape Cod.

Cook has been asked about medical tourism and is quick to acknowledge that his book is not meant as a slam on healthcare outside the U.S. An interview with reporter Lisa Tsering of IndiaWest, a weekly newspaper based in California, said: These days, especially considering America’s broken health care system, it’s becoming pointless to argue that one country offers better care than another, he (Cook) suggested.

“One of the recurrent themes in my book is that medicine is not the homogeneous profession that you might believe. There are some great doctors and hospitals, but there are a lot of marginal ones as well, both here and there. Overall in terms of the new hospitals that are being built in India just for this purpose, I would think that your chances of getting good care without knowing anybody is probably even greater.”

Overall, however, Cook considers medical tourism a negative trend from the standpoint of U.S. health care.

“I believe it is a negative trend, despite the generally high quality of care patients receive,” he said in a statement. “If there are complications, and there will be complications, patients have no legal recourse and very little medical recourse. It is a tragedy that the United States has such a lousy healthcare system that it pushes people to go offshore.”

Early reviews for “Foreign Body” are mixed. Cook fans are liking the book. Publishers Weekly, on the other hand, concludes:

” … Implausible plot twists, unconvincing villains, silly dialogue and a convenient, all-too-happy ending make this one of Cook’s rare weak efforts.”

I haven’t yet read “Foreign Body,” though I’m likely to at some point. I like that kind of thing. But I’d no more take my opinion of medical tourism from it than I would form my thoughts about old houses based on “The Amityville Horror,” or get my facts about genetic engineering from “Jurassic Park.”