Toilets Prevent Disease—If You Can Find One
Unhoused people lack safe bathroom access—an issue of public health, safety, and basic dignity we can no longer ignore.
Jun 08, 2025•5 min
Second Opinion
An examination of medical ethics and the practitioners who define them. Sign up to receive the Second Opinion topics in newsletter form at kcrw.com/newsletters .
Episodes
The Persistent Dark Legacy of Eugenics
For more than a century, there has been a nefarious fascination with engineering society in ways that disadvantage the most vulnerable.
Jun 01, 2025•6 min
Biden Followed Doctors' Orders – and still got cancer
Evidence-based recommendations from groups like the US Preventive Services Task Force are only as effective as the screening tools currently available.
May 25, 2025•5 min
Unprofessional Behaviors: Catching Bad Habits Early
Medical schools must address unprofessional behavior early, as student misconduct often predicts future disciplinary issues and patient harm.
May 18, 2025•5 min
That Message to Your Doctor Might Come With a Price Tag
Digital communications are playing a larger role in health care, but transparency and equity are being forgotten.
May 11, 2025•5 min
Life, Death, and the Cost of Being a Surrogate
Being a surrogate decision-maker for someone at the end of life isn’t easy, but there are steps you can take to ease the burden.
May 04, 2025•5 min
Science, Safety, and the Return of Measles
Let's examine the evidence and clarify what we really know about measles and why it's important.
Apr 27, 2025•5 min
Trust, Talk, and the MRI That Wasn't Needed
Requesting a test or procedure from a clinician can raise tricky issues
Apr 20, 2025•5 min
The Dangers of a Broken Heart
Takotsubo Syndrome provides strong evidence for the link between mind and heart
Apr 13, 2025•5 min
Regret in Medicine: The Hidden Burden Doctors Bear
Even when things go right, the outcome may not be what was expected.
Apr 06, 2025•5 min
One Health, One World, One Essential Partner: USAID
Anthrax – an example of how the US Government has worked to stop the spread of disease
Mar 30, 2025•5 min
The impact of USAID funding cuts in Uganda
Without warning, and with no time to develop alternative approaches, funding just stopped. People are dying.
Mar 23, 2025•5 min
Disparities in “Assisted Aid in Dying”
Data suggests that barriers may exist with adults being aware of this option for care at the end of life.
Mar 16, 2025•5 min
Vladimir’s Choice – a fable from Eastern Europe
We often make choices that are short-sighted and seem to serve our own interests rather than the interests of all
Mar 09, 2025•5 min
Significant cuts to Medicaid (MediCal) will have a negative impact on us all.
As Congress debates cuts to Medicaid (the health insurance program for the poor and disabled) in order to deliver a tax cut to the wealthy, it risks a cascade of negative effects on our entire health care system.
Feb 23, 2025•5 min
The US pushes the world backward
USAID is a powerhouse of humanitarianism and global security
Feb 16, 2025•5 min
Will I benefit from that drug?
Statistics can be intimidating. But before you decide to begin a treatment you should ask what the expected benefit will be to you.
Feb 09, 2025•5 min
Do doctors keep up to date with their medical knowledge?
It’s hard to tell, but we have no way to know for sure.
Feb 02, 2025•5 min
Will AI replace clinicians?
AI is increasingly being used to collect and process clinical information. Whether this is a good thing depends on who you ask.
Jan 26, 2025•5 min
When is a disease not a disease?
When one in three people have an abnormal lab test, does it become a disease?
Jan 19, 2025•5 min
How Medical Data Bases Lead to Better Individual Treatment
By collecting health data across large populations of people, we can identify patterns that help us all.
Jan 12, 2025•5 min
Thinking of taking one of the new GLP-1 weight-loss drugs?
Unfortunately, I can offer no strong advice. The drugs seem to be effective, but, like with any new drug, we just don’t have all the answers.
Jan 05, 2025•5 min
Listening to music in Refugee Camps
Music has benefits that relate hope and social connections
Dec 29, 2024•5 min
A tale of two kingdoms
Fluoride has proven so successful that it would be crazy to deprive children of its benefits
Dec 22, 2024•5 min
The risk of a bird flu epidemic
The risks are rising, and state and government officials are not taking this seriously.
Dec 15, 2024•5 min
Does free tuition impact medical student specialty choice?
Philanthropy has enabled several expensive private medical schools to offer all students free tuition. Has this changed the practice of medicine?
Dec 08, 2024•5 min
Drug Promotion to the Public
Why do drug companies push drugs to the public that just don’t work?
Nov 30, 2024•5 min
Doctor, will you pray with me?
Medicine and spirituality often interact, but clinicians and patients can often find themselves in very different places.
Nov 24, 2024•4 min
The importance of standing tall
Slouching has a rich history, but its medical consequences need to be better understood.
Nov 17, 2024•5 min
As a group, are migrants less healthy?
Migration is at an all-time high worldwide. It can impact health in many ways.
Nov 03, 2024•5 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android
Open in Metacast