Valleywide Legal Blog

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer can be aggressive or slow-growing.  It may not be easy to distinguish between the two and there is a substantial risk of overtreatment. After skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among men.  One … Read More

Posted in Cancer, Doctors, Prostate Cancer, prostate cancer testing, science news |

Doctor Conflicts of Interest Are Getting Worse.

“Under no circumstances may physicians place their own financial interests above the welfare of their patients.”  American Medical Association Code of Medical Ethics Opinion 11.2.2. Doctors rightly occupy a privileged position in our society.  We entrust them with our bodies, … Read More

Posted in Doctors, drug companies, Fee for Service, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, Hip Replacement, Hospitals, joint replacement, Medical Costs, Medical Devices, medical ethics, Medicare, Plastic Surgery, PODS, Prostate Cancer, Secrecy |

Some Really Good News About Prostate Cancer

One in nine men will develop prostate cancer during their lifetimes.  Most will die of something else.  Fewer than 20% will develop the aggressive form of the cancer which is most likely to spread and to kill the patient.  Until … Read More

Posted in Cancer, Doctors, General Health, genetic testing, health, Health Care Costs, Infection, medical research, Prostate Cancer, prostate cancer testing, science news |

Prostate Cancer News.

The New England Journal of Medicine just published the results of a 30 year study from Scandinavia of the effect of radical prostate surgery on the risk of death from prostate cancer.  The study sample was 695 men, all of … Read More

Posted in Cancer, Doctors, healthy living, Prostate Cancer, prostate cancer testing |

Genomic Testing in Prostate Cancer

There were approximately 165,000 new prostate cancers diagnosed last year in the United States.  During the same time period, there were 29,000 deaths from prostate cancer.  The deaths were almost entirely due to highly aggressive forms of the disease.  Most … Read More

Posted in Doctors, General Health, genetic testing, healthy living, Prostate Cancer, prostate cancer testing, science news |

The Doctor Will Negotiate With You Now.

Not all prostate cancers are created equal.  Some are high-grade and life-threatening.  These tumors need to be addressed promptly and aggressively.  Many prostate cancer tumors, however, are slow growing and may never need to be actively treated.  For these low-grade … Read More

Posted in Cancer, Doctors, Health Care Costs, Medical Costs, medical ethics, Prostate Cancer, prostate cancer testing |

Surgeons Continue to Perform Unnecessary Surgeries.

As I have observed on many occasions, medicine is a business and we patients are its customers.  It is as true in Phoenix, Arizona as it is in New York or California.  Under the fee for service model of payment, … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Fee for Service, Fraud, Health Care Costs, Health Insurers, Medical Costs, medical research, PODS, Prostate Cancer |

The Fee for Service Compensation Method: Bad for Doctors, Bad for Patients

The prevailing method for compensating health care providers in this country is the “Fee for Service” model.  A doctor doesn’t get paid unless he or she does something to or for you.  Keeping you well does not count.  As a … Read More

Posted in Defensive Medicine, Doctors, Fee for Service, General Health, health, Health Care Costs, healthy living, Medical Costs, medical ethics, Medicare, PODS, Prostate Cancer, Rationing |

A Helpful Prostate Cancer Finding

In past posts, I have discussed the overtreatment of low grade prostate cancers and the risks such treatment creates for patients.  There is great societal pressure to treat any cancer, even a low grade prostate cancer which is unlikely to … Read More

Posted in Cancer, Health Care Costs, Medical Costs, Prostate Cancer, prostate cancer testing | Tagged , , , |

Surprise! Exercise Is Good for You.

It should probably come as no surprise by now that exercise is good for us.  Study after study shows its benefits in improving our health or in staving off illnesses.  Want to minimize the risk of diabetes?  Exercise.  Want to … Read More

Posted in Cancer, General Health, Prostate Cancer |