Treating loneliness
Loneliness is everywhere and seems to be growing more common. The treatment isn’t medication but social connections.
Episodes
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
After a diagnosis of lung cancer
Are there benefits of stopping smoking once diagnosed with lung cancer?
Do people have an ethical right to have cosmetic surgery?
Government insurance is provided to people for medically necessary care. But, when care is not necessary should it still be provided as a benefit?
Refugee Mental Health
Refugees are at high risk for all the stress of changing cultures while being without their usual supports. A bit of prevention may ease their integration into American society.
We need more training slots for medical residents
But, in creating new slots we need to grow health care delivery in places where the need is greatest and the trainees will have the greatest impact on improving the community’s health.
The double standard of medical marijuana cards
Federal laws are putting many of our young adults in a bind and creating new disparities in health care.
Live-Streaming Primary Care
Do the advantages of telemedicine suggest it is an innovation that should last past COVID?
Estimating the chance of disease
It turns out that clinicians are not very good at estimating the probability of illness which leads to unnecessary care.
Mistaken approval of Alzheimer’s Drug
Aducanumab is not just a drug that doesn’t seem to work, but it is an enormously expensive drug but provides false hope to desperate families.
Marketing low value products
If COVID-19 has taught us anything, one lesson is that we need to rethink allowing promotions for treatments that are overdone, unnecessary, or not proven effective.
Using incentives to drive health care
For years we have used incentives and disincentives to drive people toward specific behaviors. Is driving toward COVID immunization any different?
Selecting your type of health care provider
Rather than selecting a health care provider based on ability and training, people often rely on demographic data and look for someone they think is like them.
The Promotion of Medical Devices
For years pharmaceutical companies have provide gifts and kickbacks to doctors who prescribed their drugs. Medical device manufacturers are now playing the same game and it’s costing all of us.
Involving Palliative Care too late
Asking health care providers a simple question is surprisingly accurate at predicting how long a person has to live and this information can make a big difference in how people chose to live what time they have left.
Protecting victims of domestic violence
It is time to re-look at laws intended to protect victims of domestic violence as they have had unintended consequences
Hospitalizing someone against their will
Involuntary hospitalization is not an easy decision to make and involves balancing ethical, moral and legal issues while trying to protect a person and society.
Overtreatment of common infections with antibiotics
It turns out the number of days providers treat common infections with an antibiotic is simply too long.
The conflicts of interest between academic medical centers and medical industries
For years there has been a symbiotic relationship between these two giants but its time for increased transparency and some guiderails governing appropriate behaviors.
The complexities in diagnosing mental illness
Making a diagnosis of a mental illness can be difficult and there is a great overlap between normal and illness.
The Complexities of Cannabis Use
Like any drug, cannabis has risks and benefits. Unfortunately, we are still limited in our knowledge of both.
Unequal access to palliative care
Palliative care has much to offer in wrap-around services but it is being enormously underused particularly for people with illnesses other than cancer.
The impact of open medical records
A new law requires all medical records including clinician’s notes to be freely available to patients. Depending on your perspective this is either a long overdue transparency benefit or a hinderance to good medical care.
Accuracy of newly approved cancer drugs
Why is that results from drug research studies are so much rosier than the experience using those same drugs in the real world?
Unplanned pregnancies and contraceptives
Long acting reversible contraceptive (LARC’s) are under-used and often too expensive for many women – but this significantly restricts a woman’s contraceptive autonomy.
The health risks of eating chicken eggs
There as been lots of controversy on the health impact of eating eggs but some recent good studies suggest we may finally be reaching consensus.
The impact of stigma on sex workers
Sex workers often experience stigma both related to their occupation as well as to mental health issues they may face.
Treatments that just don’t work
While it often seems better to do something, there are times when it may be better to do nothing – such as taking Vitamin D or Homeopathic medicines.
Trauma and adversity can lead to resiliency
Sometimes it seems that we risk being overwhelmed by all that is thrown at us. But, resiliency is an important life skill that can be learned from interacting with those who are resilient.
Does this treatment really work?
Next time you are being prescribed a drug or offered a procedure, ask the doctor, “what does research suggest is the likely benefit I can expect from this intervention”?
The Shkreli Awards for health care dysfunction and greed.
Each year the Lown Institute calls for nominations from health care experts, journalists and others. This year an outstanding panel of judges selected 10 egregious examples of profiteering.