Breast cancer is insidious. It’s not necessary to manipulate the truth to convince people that the disease should be eradicated. Why, then, did its most prominent adversaries feel the need to mislead and deceive in order to promote breast cancer awareness and screening? According to a story published in the British Medical Journal, (BMJ) Susan….
Continue ReadingArchives for August 2012
Hospitals’ Profit Soars on Wings of Unnecessary Heart Procedures
A disturbing story published last week in the New York Times raised anew questions about how profit sometimes is the primary consideration in performing medical procedures. Following a major hospital chain’s paper trail, The Times told a story of widespread overuse of cardiology resources with serious implications for patient safety. In 2010, Stephen Johnson, the….
Continue ReadingAre Europeans Better at Bringing Medical Devices to Market?
Some advocates argue for lowering FDA standards for medical device approval in order to hasten American’s access to superior treatment. They say it takes longer in the U.S. to bring new technology to market than it does in Europe, and our care can be inferior as a result. Sometimes this blog objects to how the….
Continue ReadingThe Torturous Tale of Anemia Drugs: How Many People Did They Harm?
Three anemia drugs–Epogen, Procrit and Aranesp–have generated more than $8 billion in U.S. sales. Epogen became the single costliest medicine under Medicare, and taxpayers shell out as much as $3 billion a year for these drugs. A growing body of research has shown that the drugs’ benefits, including quality-of-life issues such as “happiness,” are seriously….
Continue ReadingHealth Care Reform: New Coverage for Women
As of this month, an estimated 47 million women covered under a variety of health plans gain access to eight more preventive health-care services. We previewed this aspect of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) last year. Of course, it’s not just women who are benefiting from the ACA-in the last couple of years, everyone has….
Continue ReadingOvereager Surgeon Does His Melanoma Patient No Favor
For many people, the word “melanoma” often prompts the same response as the word “snake”- fear and, if announced as a personal warning, panic. Indeed, the worst form of skin cancer can be deadly if ignored or treated improperly. Several years ago we sued a dermatologist whose dereliction in treating a patient with moles led….
Continue ReadingInquiring Minds Want to Know … Questions Patients Should Always Ask
When you’re in the grip of a medical concern, whether it’s chronic or sudden, it can be difficult to remember how to be the best consumer of medical care. But that’s not only financially smart, it helps you get the best care. For a general review, see the chapter in my book, “The Life You….
Continue ReadingAn Insider Dishes About Hospital Ratings
We spend a lot of time criticizing health-care practitioners, facilities, insurance and pharmaceutical companies because when it comes to harming patients, some of them deserve it. We’re always happy when somebody within the medical establishment looks at its problems with as much skepticism as we do. Dr. Bob Wachter is a hospitalist-that is, a physician….
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