In the News

December 23, 2025

Public support for vaccinations is declining

The United States is experiencing its worst measles outbreak in the last 30 years.  Over 2,000 cases have been reported with three deaths, two of whom were children.  Measles is particularly dangerous for young children.  Of the over 2,000 cases, 93% were either unvaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown.  Public support for all vaccinations, not just for measles, is declining, primarily due to misinformation circulating on the internet and over social media.  Surveys show the public is less likely to believe the vaccines are safe and are effective, even though safety and effectiveness have been established through decades of experience.

December 22, 2025

Reducing social media use is good for your mental health

Taking some time off from social media or even just reducing the time spent on it helped with feelings of loneliness, depression, anxiety and insomnia among young adults, according to a recent study.  Social media is toxic.  It is designed to keep its users engaged by using algorithms to send them articles and information that will cause them to be angry and upset.  Do yourself a favor and stay as far away as possible.

December 19, 2025

A valuable tool for learning if your generic medication was made at a factory which had failed FDA inspections

Most of the generic medications sold in the USA are made in foreign factories.  The FDA inspects these factories.  Sometimes it finds that the factories are unsafe and not in compliance with FDA requirements.  The FDA, however, does not publish this information in a way which would allow consumers to know if their medications were made in unsafe conditions.  Furthermore, most generic medications do not identify the foreign manufacturer.  They usually only identify the wholesaler or repackager who sold the medications to the retailer.  Pro Publica, a consumer advocacy group, has stepped into this breach with a tool to enable consumers to learn who made their generic medication, where and whether there were any troubling FDA inspections of the facility.  Here is a link to this valuable tool.

December 18, 2025

An explanation for higher heart disease rates among men

Men and women age at a different biological rate with men growing older faster than their calendar years.  A recent British study attributed much of the difference in aging rates to unhealthy lifestyles among men.  The difference in biological aging between men and women is believed to be significant factor leading to higher rates of heart disease among men.

December 17, 2025

Transplant tourism

According to a story in the New York Times, visitors from foreign countries, who come to the United States for transplant surgery, receive donated organs faster than Americans who live here.  Not fair.

December 16, 2025

Arizona man dies of alleged nursing malpractice

According to a lawsuit filed by the family, a nurse from a temp agency mistakenly gave an Arizona man a powerful synthetic opioid instead of the anti-depressant he was supposed to receive.  The patient became unresponsive as a result of the overdose of the opioid.  The problem was compounded when the nurse told his supervisor he had given much less than he actually administered.  As a result of that misinformation, Narcan, a drug which reverses the effects of opioids, was not given in a timely manner.  The patient ultimately died.

December 15, 2025

To tan or not to tan?

To tan or not to tan, that is not exactly the question.  To tan with a tanning booth or not, that is the question.  Sun exposure has been linked to the development of skin cancers, including melanomas.  Tanning booths, for reasons researchers are discovering, do more damage to the skin than does the sun and does it in areas not usually affected by sun exposure.  This study discusses how the radiation in tanning booths increases the mutation rate in the skin cells that produces tanning.  “We conclude that tanning bed radiation induces melanoma by increasing the mutation burden of melanocytes and by mutagenizing a broader field of melanocytes than are typically exposed to natural sunlight.”  Tanning booths produce more melanomas than does sun exposure and does so especially in areas not usually exposed to the sun.

December 12, 2025

China comes full circle

China’s one-child policy is gone, but has likely inflicted long-term pain on China.  Originally created to keep China’s population from exploding, the policy resulted in hardship for many families.  Because boy children are favored in Chinese society, the policy also resulted in the termination of many pregnancies that would have produced female children.  China now has a very large disparity between the number of males and the number of females so a lot of men are unable to find wives.  This can be destabilizing.  The news story is that, in an effort to encourage more births, China is placing a tax on condoms and other contraceptives.  More unintended consequences to follow, no doubt.

December 11, 2025

South Carolina’s turn now

Thanksgiving travel coupled with reduced rates of vaccination have spurred a measles outbreak in rural South Carolina.  There have been 111 confirmed cases of measles, almost all of which were in people who had received no vaccination against the disease.  Over 250 people have been placed in quarantine, 16 of them in isolation.  As with many other states, vaccination rates have been declining as legislators grant more and more exemptions for parents to avoid having to vaccinate their children.  There have been nearly 2,000 reported cases of measles in the United States this year, most of them among children.

December 9, 2025

High visa fees prevent doctors from coming to work in underserved rural areas

Rural residents rely on foreign-born and foreign-trained physicians to make up for the shortage of American-born doctors willing to work in rural areas.  Many of these foreign-born doctors come to the United States through the use of H-1B visas, which are given only to highly trained foreigners.  Now, as part of its limitations on all forms of immigration, the Trump administration is requiring that any company wanting an H-1B visa pay a fee of $100,000.  Many companies bringing physicians to the United States to work in underserved rural areas cannot afford those fees and are cancelling plans to bring doctors.  Rural residents get hurt again.

December 8, 2025

ACA health insurance premiums are set to skyrocket

The deadline for signing up for ACA health insurance plans is drawing closer and there is still no plan in place to prevent the premiums for many people from doubling or tripling.  During the COVID pandemic participants received subsidies to help them afford their premiums.  Those subsidies were not renewed in the Republicans’ Big Beautiful Bill passed over the summer.  There has been little progress in coming up with an alternative to the huge premium spikes, but some proposals will be voted on over the next two weeks.  Good luck to those who need help paying for their health insurance.  We should have universal health care coverage like the rest of the industrialized world but that is a discussion for another day.

December 5, 2025

Childhood deaths expected to increase

Due in large part to aid cuts by the United States and other countries, the death rate for children under 5 is expected to rise for the first time this century.  Most of the additional deaths will occur in Africa.  The Gates Foundation, which does heroic work in the area of health aid to poor countries, expects there to be an additional 200,000 deaths next year, raising the total childhood deaths for the year to 4.8 million.

December 4, 2025

Think twice before picking up that snow shovel

For a variety of reasons, including cold outside temperatures, shoveling snow puts a great strain on the heart.  Doctors vary in their opinions about the age at which men should put down the snow shovel.  While 65 is the most commonly mentioned age, some cardiologists point out that by age 45 most men have some atherosclerotic changes that could cause problems, if they are too strenuous when shoveling snow.  Between 1990 and 2006, over 200,000 adults were treated in emergency departments for snow shoveling accidents.  There were 1,600 deaths during that time period.

December 3, 2025

Nationwide shredded cheese recall

The FDA has raised the threat level for a recall of packages of shredded cheese that may contain metal fragments.  Over 1.5 million bags of cheese are affected.  Some were sold in Target, Walmart, and Aldi stores under their proprietary store brands.  The threat level has been raised by the FDA to Level II, which means there is a serious health risk associated with consuming the product.

December 2, 2025

Continue those healthy behaviors

People who make it to age 100 usually have good genes to thank for some portion of their longevity, but usually only for a portion.  A survey of centenarians found many still engaged in healthy behaviors that undoubtedly contribute in part to their continued existence.  Nearly half did some form of strength training once a week, 67% reported they ate a healthy diet, 42% walked or hiked on a regular basis, and 36% engaged in some form of stress relief, such as meditation.

December 1, 2025

Global immunization programs are saving lives

Measles is the most contagious illness in the world.  Global immunization programs have decreased the number of measles deaths by 88% since the year 2000.  Millions of lives have been saved.  Even so, there were 95,000 measles deaths in 2024, mostly among children less than 5 years of age.  All of this information comes from a report by the World Health Organization.  In spite of this progress, measles cases are surging since the Covid pandemic as a growing number of people choose not to vaccinate their children.

November 26, 2025

Anti-vaxxers are causing misery and death

The anti-vaxxers are taking their toll.  A third child has died in Kentucky’s outbreak of whooping cough (pertussis), a highly-contagious, bacterial infection for which most children are vaccinated as infants.  Prior to this year, Kentucky’s last whooping cough death was in 2018.  While Kentucky has an outbreak of whooping cough with 566 cases, Texas has an epidemic with over 3,500 cases this year so far.  There have been two deaths in Texas associated with its outbreak.  On a related note, the CDC has turned off a search tool on its web site that helped patients locate nearby pharmacies where they could receive vaccinations.  It is unclear when or if the CDC will restore this valuable tool.

November 25, 2025

Imported cookware that may contaminate your food with lead

Just in time for Thanksgiving, the FDA has updated its list of imported cookware that consumers should avoid because of the potential for lead leaching into food cooked in these pots and pans.

November 20, 2025

More measles news

Canada lost its measles-free designation recently.  The United States is in serious danger of losing its designation.  There is a measles outbreak in extreme southern Utah and extreme Northern Arizona that is showing no signs of abating.  If sustained transmission continues into January, the United States will no longer be designated as “measles-free.”  The problem, of course, is failure to vaccinate, especially among fundamentalist communities living along the Arizona-Utah border.  In the last school year, only 78% of kindergartners in Mohave County, which is in northwest Arizona, had received both doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.  A 95% vaccination rate is necessary to provide herd immunity and prevent the spread of measles.  Nationally, less than 93%k of kindergartners had received both doses of the MMR vaccine prior to the last school year.

November 19, 2025

“Get yer Mar-a-Lago face here.”

There is a look seen on such Washington insiders as Kristi Noem, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Laura Loomer which features bee-stung, puffy lips, frozen brows and taut necks.  Plastic surgeons in the Washington, D.C. area call this “Mar-a-Lago face” and they have seen an uptick in the number of patients asking for it.  The potential patients do not ask for the procedure by the sarcastic name given it by surgeons, but the give away is when a person with already puffy lips comes and asks for more lip filler.  Not surprisingly, the requests are coming from insiders in Trump Washington.  Unlike the old days when people tried to pretend they had not had any cosmetic work done, the “Mar-a-Lago face” is intended to be both obvious and overdone.  I guess they think the boss will like it (and maybe he does).

November 18, 2025

Health care consolidation hurts consumers

Over and over again the pattern repeats itself.  Hospital chains get larger and larger.  They do it by merging with other hospital chains or by buying the practices of local doctors or by buying up other hospitals.  Economics 101 tells us what happens when competition is reduced and a seller gains market power:  prices go up.  The growing size of health care provider networks harms patients by increasing bills, causing poorer health care outcomes and decreasing choice for consumers.  A health insurer dealing with a large provider network may make trade offs in negotiations and accept pricing that harms some of its insureds in order to get a better deal for some other insureds.  It may be good business for the insurer but it sucks for the insured left with a larger bill.  It is time for the government to step in.

November 17, 2025

Rural Americans don’t have much access to health care

An estimated 40 million rural Americans do not have adequate access to health care.  This results in more illness, poorer quality of life and overreliance on emergency rooms when sickness gets out of control.  Some of the reasons for this lack of access have to do with relative poverty in rural areas, lack of any health insurance or reliance on public payers such as Medicaid, low reimbursement rates, lack of broadband internet access that would support telemedicine, lack of mass transportation, lack of clinicians, and clinician burnout.  As a country, we need to do a better job.  This will require some investment in rural health care.

November 14, 2025

Ultra-processed foods and early onset colorectal cancer

There has been an upsurge in the number of young people, especially young women, developing colorectal cancers.  There has also been an increase in the amount of ultra-processed foods in our diets.  Ultra-processed foods do not provide the high fiber content recommended for good bowel and gut health.  Is there a relationship?  A new prospective study found an association between high levels of ultra-processed foods and early onset colorectal cancer but not enough proof to say that the ultra-processed foods actually caused the cancers.  A study of over 29,000 nurses found that those with the highest intake of ultra-processed foods developed early onset colorectal adenomas at a higher rate than those with the lowest intake.  There is no proof that ultra-processed foods are good for us and more and more proof all the time that they are bad for us.  Eat them in moderation.

November 13, 2025

An alternative to the maternity desert

Many local hospitals in rural areas are losing or have already lost their maternity wards.  It is simply too expensive to operate a labor and delivery practice when there are not that many births in an area.  This can be a disaster for expecting parents.  At its best it is a great inconvenience for them to drive hours to get to the nearest labor and delivery room.  California is trying something new.  It is authorizing stand by labor and delivery programs and birthing centers run by midwives.  The birthing centers will handle routine deliveries that do not require anesthesia.  The stand by hospital programs can step in if something goes wrong at the birthing center.  As the authors of the California legislation observed, rural parents to be deserve better than what they are being given at the present time.  Let’s hope this works.

November 12, 2025

Multi-cancer early detection testing helps reduce Stage IV cancer diagnoses

The last 20 years has seen the increased use of multi-cancer early (MCED) testing.  A recent study of the results, which appeared in the prestigious journal Cancer, found that the testing was a useful adjunct to traditional cancer screening.  It was effective in reducing the Stage IV diagnoses of the most aggressive cancers: lung, colorectal, and pancreatic.  “Our study shows that MCED testing has the potential to substantially reduce stage IV cancer incidence, particularly for cancer types that lack routine screening programs,” the authors wrote.  The data also suggested that the testing was not resulting in overdiagnosis, which is often a concern in cancer screening.  These tests will undoubtedly become more effective over time, but even now have significant usefulness in detecting cancers earlier than they would be detected using only normal screening.

November 11, 2025

Another illness for which we have vaccines is surging

Here comes whooping cough.  This is another disease for which we have vaccines that is surging across the country as parents fail to vaccinate their children.  It is a highly contagious disease that is dangerous for infants, older people, and anyone else with a weakened immune system.  Babies under six months are most at risk because they’re too young to be fully vaccinated. One in three babies with whooping cough requires hospitalization, while one in five will develop pneumonia, and some will develop seizures or brain swelling. Many infants with the illness don’t cough at all but gag, and have skin, lips, or nails that turn blue or purple because of a pause in breathing that lasts longer than 20 seconds, often known as life-threatening apnea.  The number of cases in 2024 was five times what it had been in 2023.

November 10, 2025

No clear link between pre-natal Tylenol and autism or ADHD

A review of all existing studies that have considered whether there is a link between autism and ADHD and prenatal administration of acetaminophen (Tylenol) has found no clear evidence of a causal link.  While there were some positive associations, there were too many confounding issues and other explanations to support a conclusion that there was a causal relationship.  The studies themselves stated that they could not find a causal link and that there confidence in the existence of any such link was “critically low.”

November 7, 2025

Ghost poop?

News to me but gastroenterologists classify poop into 7 categories depending on its hardness and consistency.  Category 1 is like pebbles while category 7 is entirely liquid.  Ghost poop is the name created by the internet for category 4 in which the poop is a perfectly formed log that leaves no residue on the toilet paper afterwards.  Doctors say not to worry about the shape or texture of your poop as it is normal for a person to have a wide variety.

November 6, 2025

Iowa, a state with strict abortion laws, is facing a shortage of obstetricians

Iowa is among the states facing a severe shortage of obstetricians and many wonder whether the state’s restrictions on abortions is driving away doctors.  Even before Roe v. Wade was overturned, Iowa had a shortage of OB’s.  The strict laws place OB’s under strain and make some afraid that they may be criminally charged for providing the care they believe their patients need.  At least some of the OB’s leaving the state to practice elsewhere attribute their decision to the state’s abortion restrictions.  Other observers say the shortage is not related to the state’s abortion laws and point to the fact that there was a shortage even before the abortion laws took effect.

November 5, 2025

Hope you voted yesterday

A 21 year study from Finland found that people who vote have a lower risk of death from all causes than those who do not vote.  It was even a stronger predictor than the person’s educational level.

November 4, 2025

A time to worry

Florida has removed all vaccine requirements for school age children.  Children in Florida no longer need to be vaccinated in order to attend school.  This worries the parents of children who, for one reason or another, are immunocompromised and therefore highly susceptible to the diseases that will spread due to the lack of vaccinations.  The immunocompromised, both children and adult, depend on the vaccinations of others to prevent the spread of highly communicable diseases for which they have no immunity.  Without the herd immunity provided by high vaccination rates, the likelihood that they will be exposed to communicable diseases goes up greatly.

November 3, 2025

Get those flu and COVID vaccines

Viral infections, such as COVID-19 and the flu, are never benign.  They have impacts throughout the body.  A review by the American Heart Association of studies of the effects of viral infections on cardiovascular health found that the risk of a heart attack triples in the weeks after a COVID infection and quadruples in the month after a flu infection.  The AHA reviewed 150 studies, which were consistent in their findings that these infections increased the risk of heart attack and stroke.  The effect was most pronounced for the more serious of the infections.  The worse your bout of flu or COVID, the higher your risk of a heart attack or stroke.  Vaccines may not prevent you from becoming infected, but they will reduce the severity of any infection you do get.

October 31, 2025

Latest and best information shows vaccines for COVID, flu and RSV safe and effective

Doctors at the Stanford Medical School reviewed 511 studies of the effectiveness and safety of vaccines for COVID-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).  Immunization against these viruses effectively and safely reduced the risk of severe outcomes in people of all ages, according to the review.  The studies reviewed were the latest information about these vaccines and covered recent time periods.  The review showed that there was no scientific basis for the Department of Health and Human Services to change its COVID vaccine recommendations.

October 30, 2025

Teen cannabis use leads to no good

A cohort study in JAMA Network Open linked teen cannabis use to mental and physical health problems in young adulthood.

October 29, 2025

Infections may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke

A review of 155 scientific studies by the American Heart Association found that people with influenza and COVID infections had a three to five fold increase in the risk of heart attack or stroke in the first five weeks after the onset of the infection.  Viruses that linger in the body such as Hepatitis C, HIV and the virus that causes shingles can raise the long-term risk of cardiovascular events.  The AHA notes there are vaccines for many of these infections and using them may reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, especially in people who already have cardiovascular disease.

October 28, 2025

Medicare advantage plans fall short again

People enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans are usually required to use the doctors in the plan’s network.  Obviously, not all doctors are in the network.  On average, Medicare Advantage enrollees have access to about half the number of doctors available to those who have chosen traditional Medicare.  This according to a survey conducted by health advocacy group KFF.

October 27, 2025

More evidence of environmental links to autism

A large Canadian study found that an expectant mother being exposed to certain types of air pollution increased the risk that their child would be diagnosed with autism by age 5.  The results of this study reinforced previous findings that environmental factors affect the development of autism.

October 22, 2025

Seed oils are safe and healthy

There has been a lot of noise in the news and on social media about the use of seed oils in cooking.  Seed oils, as the name implies, are made from seeds.  Examples are canola oil, corn oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil.  These oils are shelf stable and affordable.  According to  Matti Marklund, PhD, MSE, assistant professor in the department of international health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, “Despite widespread claims online, there is no credible evidence that seed oils or linoleic acid promote inflammation in humans.  In fact, research shows the opposite: higher intake is associated with better heart health and lower risk of premature death.”

October 21, 2025

Our turn

A measles outbreak is hitting northwest Arizona and its neighbor, southwest Utah.  Since the pandemic, vaccination rates among children in these areas have dropped from the low 90’s into the upper 70’s.  Epidemiologists say a community needs a 95% immunization rate to stop the spread of measles, one of the most contagious of the viruses.  They also say it is no coincidence that the children of Arizona and Utah are being afflicted.  Both are among the states with very lenient vaccination requirements for children attending school.  Given the degree of vaccine skepticism washing across the country and the willingness of state legislatures to allow unvaccinated children to attend school, we can expect to be plagued by measles for a long time to come.  The days in which the United States was declared to have eradicated measles are over.

October 20, 2025

Peanut allergies are declining

Peanut allergies have declined precipitously among children after experts reversed their guidance to avoid giving peanuts to infants.  Since they recommended introducing peanuts to babies, peanut allergies among children have dropped by 80%.  This is a very good thing that will save a lot of lives.

October 17, 2025

Good insulin news

California has announced that it will sell low cost insulin under the brand name CalRx to make sure diabetics have an affordable supply.  The CalRx insulin will be on sale next year.  California will make it available outside California as well.

October 16, 2025

US drug supply dangerously dependent on China

This does not sound good.  A study has found that over 700 drugs sold in the United States contain important chemicals for which China is the only source.  This makes us dangerously dependent on the actions of the Chinese government.

October 15, 2025

Protein powders present food safety risks

According to a recent Consumer Reports investigation, protein powders, which are often used in smoothies and shakes, contain higher levels of lead and other heavy metals than food safety experts say should be consumed in a day.  Some have as much as 10 times what is considered to be the highest acceptable level.  A food safety expert at Consumer Reports cautions against daily use of protein powders because they contain high levels of lead and because they are not usually necessary to meet the average person’s protein needs.

October 14, 2025

Immigration enforcement at hospitals

The Trump administration has halted a policy that prevented immigration enforcement against patients in hospitals or emergency departments.  The new enforcement at these locations risks keeping people away from needed care and interfering with doctors and nurses providing that care.

October 13, 2025

Private insurers are improperly denying ACA covered claims by children

Certain services and treatments for children are to be provided to the children at no personal cost under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act.  Cross-sectional studies have shown that private insurers are more likely than Medicaid to deny coverage for these treatments, which include fluoride varnish up to age four and well-child visits.

October 7, 2025

Still more measles

The United States is in danger of losing its status as a “measles-free” country.  We obtained the status by reaching zero cases and holding there.  When a measles outbreak occurs in a country that has been designated as measles free, the country has twelve months to get back to zero cases.  The United States has until January but cases continue to spread due to lowered vaccination rates.

October 2, 2025

More measles

Health departments in Minnesota and California announced new measles cases.

October 1, 2025

Maybe think twice about that beer

Uh Oh.  For all adults, excessive alcohol use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States.  About 1 in 10 people over the age of 12 suffer with alcohol use disorder.

September 30, 2025

99% of heart disease can be treated early

According to prevailing wisdom among cardiologists, 99% of heart disease patients have risk factors that can be treated before the disease develops and which, if treated, will reduce the likelihood of the disease or reduce its severity.  Among the factors are the usual suspects of smoking, diet and low activity levels.

September 29, 2025

Private equity is bad for hospital patients

A study of the effect of private equity acquisition of hospitals showed some expected but troubling situations.  The intent of private equity investment is to produce income.  They usually do that by reducing the number of employees or reducing salaries or both.  That does not mesh well with the intended role of hospitals.  Patients need staff that is competent and motivated.  There are two areas where reduced staffing has a bad effect, the emergency department and the ICU.  At hospitals acquired by private equity, staffing levels dropped and patients experienced more falls, infections and deaths.  Not good.

September 26, 2025

Fee for service fails again

A large study of Medicare Advantage patients found that value-based compensation to doctors produced substantially better outcomes in virtually all areas over fee-for-service compensation.  Value based compensation rewards doctors for getting good results for their patients.  Fee for service, on the other hand, pays the doctor the same no matter what happens to the patient.  Fee for service is the predominant compensation method in medical treatment, but has often been criticized for failing to encourage or produce good patient outcomes.

September 25, 2025

Get that breast cancer screening

Women are usually invited to undergo breast cancer screening beginning at age 40.  The statistics show that women who decline to be screened when first eligible have a substantially higher risk of being diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer over the next 25 years.  In the studies, their risk of being diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer was 53% higher than women who got screened at the first opportunity.  Their risk of being diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer was four times higher.  Since the delay in screening did not make it more likely that a woman would develop breast cancer, the higher rates of advanced cancer can only be due to later detection.  As with most cancers, the earlier it is detected and treatment begun, the better the outcome.  Ladies, don’t pass up the opportunity to get screened.

September 24, 2025

Hospital cheating threatens patient safety

Medicare monitors hospital health care outcomes and penalizes hospitals which have certain problems.  One of those problems is a high infection rate.  If a hospital has a high infection rate, Medicare can reduce payments to that hospital by 1%.  For a large hospital, that can mean millions of dollars a year in lost revenue.  No one wants to lose that kind of money and, apparently, some hospitals have been addressing the problem, not by reducing infection rates, but by quietly suggesting to doctors on staff that they not test patients for infections that might result in Medicare penalties.  This is clearly cheating and cheating which puts patient safety at risk.  Many of the patients who don’t get tested for infection have infections which will go untreated.  These untreated infections can cause death or serious illness and raise health care costs for all of us.  The cheating is hard to prove since the suggestions to staff are never put in writing.

September 18, 2025

Brush, floss and visit the dentist

Pancreatic cancer is a deadly disease.  Not only are there few effective treatments, the disease is hard to detect until it is in its late stages, making effective treatment even more difficult.  Researchers have long known that there is a relationship between mouth bacteria and increased risk of pancreatic cancer.  Recent studies have shed new light on this relationship.

A recent study of over 120,000 people identified over 20 specific species of mouth bacteria and four mouth fungi that are associated with increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer.  The researchers developed a risk score based on the number and type of mouth pathogens present.  For every one standard deviation above the baseline, the risk of pancreatic cancer went up almost 3 1/2 times.  The risk score may be a helpful tool in identifying people at increased risk who might benefit from increased surveillance.

Practicing good oral hygiene of regular brushing, flossing and dentists visits can reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer.

September 17, 2025

Explosive bubbly

Costco has recalled bottles of its Kirkland brand Prosecco sold in several states mostly in the Midwest because they may explode, even if not being touched or handled.  Costco recommends that if you have one of the recalled bottles, you wrap it carefully in paper towels and place it in a plastic bag.  Only then may you put it in the trash.  Costco has identified the members who purchased the problematic bottles and has sent each a letter with instructions for disposal and for obtaining a refund.

September 16, 2025

To switch or not to switch

Studies have found a negative health impact arising from the change to and from Daylight Savings Time.  Not a problem for us here in Phoenix but a problem elsewhere.  Now a study has found that staying on Standard Time is better from a health standpoint that going to and staying on Daylight Savings Time, although staying on either is better than the twice a year switch.  All this has to do with our bodies’ circadian rhythms, which influence many of our bodily functions.  Circadian rhythm disruption is why we get jet lag.

September 15, 2025

More close your eyes and cover your ears

The Environmental Protection Agency, following an Executive Order by President Trump, is proposing that coal-burning plants and oil refineries no longer be required to report the amount of greenhouse gases they discharge into the atmosphere.

September 12, 2025

Another unnecessary measles death

Measles can kill long after a child initially contracts the disease.  Recently a grade schooler in California died of complications of measles he contracted when he was an infant.  He had been too young to be vaccinated when some other unvaccinated person gave him the measles.  He developed a relatively rare, incurable, and nearly always fatal complication that causes progressive brain damage.  One in 600 infants who contract measles will develop this complication.  Remember that when you choose not to vaccinate your children, it is not only your children you are placing at risk for developing measles.  They can give them to others who cannot be vaccinated, with fatal consequences.

September 11, 2025

Most liver cancer is preventable

Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer but the third leading cause of cancer deaths.  Liver cancer rates are increasing, despite the fact that most liver cancer is preventable.  The two most important and avoidable risks for liver cancer are excessive alcohol consumption and obesity.  Both result in fatty deposits in the liver and scarring.  Do yourself a favor and take care of your liver so it can take care of you.

September 10, 2025

I see spots

In spite of the damage done by the measles outbreak in Texas, Florida officials have decided to eliminate the requirement that grade-school children be vaccinated in order to attend school.  Scientists project that a 15% decline in vaccinations over 25 years would lead to 1,000,000 new measles cases.  That is a lot of sick and dead children.

September 9, 2025

Stay inside

Being born preterm is bad for your health.  According to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics, children born preterm required significantly more care in their first five years of life and had higher rates of a number of disorders.

September 8, 2025

Another unexpected benefit from GLP-1 agonists

Today we have another well-founded report of an unexpected benefit flowing from use of GLP-1 agonists, such as Ozempic and Wegovy.  Older women who took them for Type 2 diabetes had a substantially lower risk of multiple types of bone fractures.  The retrospective study involved over 350,000 women over a 2 year period with follow-up for 5 years.  It appears these inhibitors produce a protective effect on bones.

September 5, 2025

Drink up, everyone

If you close your eyes and cover your ears, the bad news you don’t see or hear will just disappear.  That seems to be an approach being taken across the Trump administration which is making sure the American people don’t hear bad news that might be inconvenient to the administration’s plans.  It recently axed a government study that found even moderate drinking was associated with increased risk of cancer and liver disease.  In its place the administration is substituting a report that states moderate drinking is healthier than no drinking.  The latter study has been criticized for the financial ties some of the participants had to the liquor industry.

September 4, 2025

Whom do you trust?

In news related to yesterday’s post, a survey found that a grand total of 26% of Americans at least “somewhat trust” medical advice from Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.  To quote a line from the Broadway musical Evita, “That’s a pretty bad state for a state to be in.”

September 3, 2025

Science-based answers to vaccine questions

With the ascension of RFK, Jr. to the head of the Department of Health and Human services there have been big changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  These changes have resulted in firings and resignations of top health officials who contend that anti-vaxxers are substituting ideology for science in making vaccine decisions.  Mr. Kennedy has a long history as a vaccine skeptic.  So where do people go for reliable information about vaccines?  The University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy has begun a Vaccine Integrity Project to provide science based information about vaccines.  If you have questions and want a science-based answer as opposed to a politically based answer, check them out.

September 2, 2025

Tariffs are coming for imported pharmaceuticals

We have seen shortages of certain drugs in the past.  We have seen large increases in the prices of certain drugs in the past.  If President Trump carries through on his promise to impose significant tariffs on imported pharmaceuticals, we can expect to see more shortages and higher prices.  Up to now, most pharmaceuticals imported into the United States did not pay a tariff.  President Trump says that is going to change.  Expect chaos, disruptions, higher drug costs and higher insurance premiums.

August 29, 2025

Medicare changing in a bad way

One of the great advantages of traditional Medicare over the various Medicare Advantage plans was that there was no requirement for prior authorization with traditional Medicare.  That may be changing.  Medicare has announced a test to take place in six states, one of which is Arizona, in which prior authorization will be required for certain medical procedures or treatment.  Medicare claims that these procedures are often of little or no value to the patient and that prior authorization will reduce waste and promote better care.  Critics contend this is just the first step in privatizing Medicare.

August 28, 2025

CDC in turmoil

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has long been a crown jewel in America’s system of public health protection.  However, since Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. was appointed Secretary of Health and Human Services, there has been turmoil at the CDC as well as in other parts of the public health system due in no small part to his anti-vax views.  Shortly after she was confirmed as head of the CDC, Dr. Monarez refused to go along with some of Kennedy’s vaccine orders that she believed were dangerous and not supported by good evidence or science.  He fired her, but she contends only the President can fire her.  Following Kennedy’s action, three of the top officers of the CDC resigned because they could no longer square the actions he required of them with their obligations to the American people.

August 27, 2025

Please continue to hold my beer

Eating a low-calorie Mediterranean diet and engaging in physical activity have been shown to significantly reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes in older, at risk adults.  The effect was greater in men than in women but was significant for both.  In a study of 5,000 at risk adults, those who followed the diet and exercised had a 31% lower incidence of Type 2 diabetes when compared to a similar population who did not.

August 26, 2025

Hold my beer

You are what you eat and apparently what you eat also affects your hair and whether you keep it or not.  Consumption of sugary drinks and alcohol was associated with hair loss in a large study.

August 22, 2025

Pharmacy Benefit Manager Guilty of Medicare Fraud

The giant pharmacy benefit manager CVS Caremark has been ordered to pay $290M in damages and penalties to the federal government for Medicare fraud.  The case has been around for ten years and arose after a whistleblower informed Medicare that CVS Caremark was misrepresenting the cost of certain drugs in order to obtain higher reimbursement rates.  The actual damages were $95M but the judge elected to triple them under the provisions of the False Claims Act.  CVS Caremark says it intends to appeal.

August 21, 2025

Death rates in the U.S. are substantially higher than in other wealthy nations

The United States is a dangerous place to live.  Overall death rates are 25% higher here than in other wealthy nations.  For young adults 25 to 44, the rate of death is 60% higher.  There is no consensus on the causes for these disparities but a number of factors have been suggested:  Lack of health insurance and access to medical care, income inequality, low vaccination rates, drug and alcohol abuse, easy availability of firearms, high home costs which make home ownership unattainable, absence of functioning social safety nets, high rates of depression, lack of mental health care, lots of motor vehicle traffic, and lack of stable employment.  Lots of problems for us to work on.

August 20, 2025

Whom do you trust?

Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has accused pediatricians of being in bed with Big Pharma in continuing to recommend Covid vaccinations for children.  Kennedy and HHS have taken the position that children no longer need to be vaccinated against Covid.  Kennedy’s position is no surprise given his longstanding anti-vax views.

August 19, 2025

Measles outbreak over but not over

Texas, the state at the epicenter of the measles outbreak, has declared it over – at least in Texas.  There have been no new cases reported there in the last 42 days.  That is two cycles of incubation in which there were no new cases.  This is the standard measure for when an outbreak of measles has ended.  The problem is that the other places Texas seeded with measles, such as neighboring New Mexico, are still reporting new cases, although the numbers are declining there as well.  There remains a significant potential for new outbreaks, however, if an infected person should travel to a vulnerable area where vaccination rates are low.

August 18, 2025

A medical AI program is gaining efficiency

Open Evidence, an artificial intelligence start up, has developed a program which analyzes medical information and performs high level medical decision making.  It claims that its program scored a perfect 100% on the United States Medical Licensing Examination, the test required of all aspiring physicians before they can be licensed to practice medicine.  The company has been working to improve the program.  Two years ago, it “only” scored 90% on the exam.  The program is available for free to all physicians to assist them with medical questions they might have in their practices.  AI marches on.

July 31, 2025

A healthy lifestyle can improve cognition

There is good news for people who are at increased risk of development of dementia, Alzheimer’s or memory loss.  A large, recent study, which included substantial numbers of ethnic minorities, looked at people at increased risk for these conditions.  All participants were in their 60’s or 70’s.  Their risk factors included poor diet, lack of exercise, poor social networks and not much mental stimulation.  Participants in the study adopted a healthier diet, began exercising, increased their social interaction and did things, such as puzzles, to increase their mental stimulation.  It worked.  All showed significant improvement in their cognitive scores.  A healthy lifestyle can improve cognitive outcomes, even for those who have not taken good care of themselves earlier in their lives.

July 29, 2025

Medicare drug coverage costs to increase

The cost of Medicare drug coverage is going to increase next year due to ending of federal government subsidies that have been used to keep costs down.  New tariffs are also expected to increase drug prices.  The Trump administration says it will urge drug companies to keep their prices down.  It remains to be seen how effective this encouragement will be.

July 28, 2025

Oops.

At least 85 people who ate at a Wisconsin pizza restaurant reported signs of THC intoxication.  THC is the active ingredient in marijuana.  An investigation revealed that the restaurant mistakenly used THC-infused oil in preparing the dough for its pizzas and other bread products.  The restaurant shares a commercial kitchen with a company that sells edible THC products and that was likely the source of the THC-infused oil mistakenly used in making the dough.

July 25, 2025

Insufficient oversight results in dangerous medications in world drug supply

According to the World Health Organization, insufficient oversight in the global pharmaceutical industry has allowed unscrupulous manufacturers to produce medications which endanger the health of those who take them, especially children.  Most of the dangerous medications are sold in Africa, Asia and the Pacific and have been linked to over 300 deaths.  They usually involve the substitution of industrial grade products for syrups manufactured for human consumption.

July 24, 2025

Another imposter health care provider

A woman pretending to be a nurse in multiple states has been arrested by Pennsylvania police.  She allegedly had 20 aliases and 7 Social Security numbers.  Be alert for imposters.  They are closer than you think.

July 23, 2025

Antibiotic bacteria are spreading in the food supply

Testing of commercial poultry in North Carolina over a 5 year period demonstrated the presence of antibiotic-resistant salmonella bacteria.  The bacteria are spreading and present a major health risk as they can spread disease to people who eat chicken and turkey purchased at the grocery store.

July 22, 2025

When hospitals buy physician practices, costs go up

Hospitals continue to purchase physician practices.  Between 2008 and 2016, the number of physicians working for hospitals nearly doubled.  These purchases are not altruistic actions by the hospitals.  Through various means the hospitals urge/require/encourage the doctors now working for them to send their patients to the parent hospital.  Not surprisingly, these purchases increase both hospital bills and doctor’s bills with no offsetting improvement in the quality of the health care being delivered.  In other words, patients and insurers are paying more but not getting anything for the extra money.  Here is a study on the subject.

July 11, 2025

Declining vaccination rates drives measles outbreaks

The measles story just keeps on keeping on.  One of the big factors in the spread of measles is the declining number of kindergartners who are being vaccinated against mumps, measles and rubella (MMR).  The number of kindergartners with non-medical exemptions is four times higher today than it was in 2011.  Instead of protecting children, states just keep making it easier for parents to avoid vaccinating their children.  Those children are then sent off to school where they infect other children, some of whom hkave medical reasons why they cannot be vaccinated.

July 8, 2025

Higher levels of education are not always better in Alzheimer’s patients

Higher educational levels has long been thought to protect against Alzheimer’s or at least delay its onset and damage.  People with higher educational levels usually have more gray matter volume, better cognition, and better communication between areas in the brain.  The thought is that they can lose more before becoming significantly damaged by the disease.  New research suggests a dichotomy, however.  In amyloid-negative stages of Alzheimer’s, tau accumulation in the brain is less for more educated patients.  However, in amyloid-positive stages, tau accumulation is faster in more educated patients.  Overall, still better to be more educated for many reasons, including Alzheimer’s disease.

July 7, 2025

Measles update

The measles outbreak just keeps getting worse.  In the year 2000, the United States was declared to be free of the measles.  So far this year we have had more cases than any year since 1992.  There have been 1,277 confirmed cases so far this year and three deaths.  Two of the deaths involved otherwise healthy, young children.  All of this caused by a disease for which we have proven, effective vaccines.  Most of the cases have arisen in close-knit communities with low vaccination rates.  Vaccine skepticism is a growing problem and is now tracking along with political partisanship.  We owe our children more than this.

June 26, 2025

Don’t worry so much about your weight

A recently published study found that Body Mass Index (BMI) was not a good indicator for overall health.  BMI is determined by dividing your weight by your height in inches squared.  Generally speaking, the heavier you are, the higher your BMI.  According to the study, BMI relies too much on weight and not enough on other factors.  It is difficult for people to lose weight and, even when they do, it does not do much to improve their survival or freedom from disease.  The bottom line is that we should worry less about our weight and concentrate on healthy eating and activities.

June 25, 2025

Don’t go to a Thai restaurant if you can’t eat spicy food

A Bay Area neurologist is suing a Thai restaurant and claiming its food was so spicy it burned her vocal cords, her esophagus and her right nostril.  She alleges she asked her server to make her food less spicy since she does not tolerate spicy foods well.  When the appetizer in question arrived at her table, she says she took one bite and her mouth and throat felt like they were on fire.  The restaurant responded that the “Dragon Balls” appetizer didn’t make anyone else sick and that it cannot be made less spicy as the peppers are inside the ball.

June 24, 2025

Hepatitis A outbreak in popular European destinations

There are travelers’ advisories out for four popular vacation destinations in Europe.  Hungary, Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic are all experiencing an outbreak of the Hepatitis A virus.  The virus is highly contagious, can live on surfaces for months and is primarily spread through poor hygiene, sharing of needles, or eating shellfish from contaminated water.  Perhaps the most common form of transmission is eating food prepared by someone who did not wash his or her hands after using the bathroom.  Since there is not much you can do to prevent eating food contaminated by a kitchen staffer, be sure to get vaccinated for Hepatitis A before traveling to Europe.

June 20, 2025

Let’s hear it for the sugar industry

In an interesting historical note, it was the sugar industry that financed research in the latter part of the 20th century showing whole milk contained large amounts of saturated fats that put consumers at risk for obesity and heart disease.  Why did the sugar industry do this?  To distract from its own role in selling a product that led to heart disease.  Seems to have worked as we don’t drink much whole milk but consume a lot of sugary drinks and foods.

June 19, 2025

Watch your step

Death rates due to falls have been increasing over the last 20 years for older Americans.  Deaths due to falls increased by 70% among seniors 65-74, 75% among those 75 to 84, and 200% among those over 85.  While it is not clear why rates have increased so much, some of the increase may be due to Americans living longer and a greater awareness of the role a fall might play in a death.  Falls can cause head injuries or broken bones which can in turn lead to a cascade of other health issues culminating in death.

June 18, 2025

Screen addiction is tied to poorer mental health outcomes

Children who are addicted to video screens in the form of games, cell phones or social media have poorer mental health than children who are not similarly addicted.  Signs of addictive use are compulsive use, difficulty disengaging, and distress when not using these technologies.  In a recent survey, one-third of respondents indicated higher addiction scores beginning at age 11.  Addiction was also tied to higher rates of suicidality.  The study was published in JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association.

June 17, 2025

People allergies

It is apparently possible to be allergic to other people.  We all know people whom we don’t like and to whom we claim to be allergic, but this is an actual physical allergic reaction.  Researchers have found allergies to odors emanating from other people as well as to perfumes or other chemicals they might wear.  The story leading to the article linked above arises out of a woman’s profound allergic reaction to the bodily fluids of her partmers.  The human allergic response system is strange and powerful.

June 16, 2025

More measles news

Measles cases in the United States are now approaching 1,200.  Summer, with its outdoor activities and crowds, is a season with high potential for spread of measles, one of the most communicable diseases known to man.  Summer camps are urged to determine the vaccine status of their campers.  Parents, protect your children.

June 13, 2025

Oregon limits corporate control over health care practices

The role of private equity and corporations in the practice of medicine is steadily increasing.  Oregon is taking steps to ensure as much local control as possible.  A new law signed by the governor will place significant restrictions on out-of-the area corporations and groups who want to purchase and operate health care facilities in Oregon.

June 12, 2025

Virtual colonoscopies are here

Imaging technology has progressed to the point that virtual CT colonoscopies are not only possible but are at least as effective as DNA stool sampling and are more cost effective.

June 11, 2025

Don’t wash just your hands before eating

If you are not buying organic produce that has not been treated with pesticides, these are the “Dirty Dozen” types of produce that have been found to have the greatest amounts of residual pesticide on them by weight.  In order of most to least:  Spinach, strawberries, kale (along with mustard greens and collards), grapes, peaches, cherries, nectarines, pears, apples, blackberries, blueberries and potatoes.  Wash your produce, even organic, under warm water and dry with a paper towel or clean dish towel.  No need to use soap or bleach.  Produce with the least amount of pesticides were pineapple, sweet corn (fresh and frozen), avocados, papaya, onions, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, cabbage, watermelon, cauliflower, bananas, mangos, carrots, mushrooms and kiwi.

June 10, 2025

Permissive gun laws are bad for the health of children

Last week a five-year-old child was accidentally shot here in Arizona by her ten-year-old brother.  Her father, who was prohibited from owning a firearm due to a prior criminal conviction, bought one anyway and stashed it in the ten-year-old’s closet.  The older child was playing with it when it accidentally discharged and killed his little sister.  Arizona is one of those states with permissive gun laws.  Children who live in states with the most permissive gun laws are at significantly increased risk of death from firearms.  From 2011 to 2023, there were over 6,000 extra pediatric deaths due to firearms in the states with the most permissive gun laws.  Over the same period, the rate of death due to gunshot among children declined in the states with the most restrictive laws.

June 9, 2025

Food inspector vacancies at the FDA reach nearly 20%

Be careful what you eat and keep your fingers crossed.  Amid a hiring freeze at the Food and Drug Administration, there is now an almost 20% vacancy rate among federal food inspectors.  So if you don’t see as many food warnings and recalls of contaminated food, it does not necessarily mean that the food supply is getting safer.  It may simply mean that more bad food is going undetected.

May 28, 2025

Surprise!  Losing weight can be good for you

Everyone knows that being overweight carries significant health risks.  The more overweight, the greater the risks.  So it should probably come as no surprise that sustained weight loss in middle age results in a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and lower all-cause mortality.  In other words, people who lost weight in mid-life and returned to normal weight tended to live longer than those who did not.  The study was limited to people who lost weight without surgery or the use of weight loss drugs.

May 16, 2025

Congress taketh away and Congress giveth

Congress may be taking away your Medicaid coverage, but it is not all bad news.  The bill that cuts Medicaid includes a tax break for you when you buy a silencer for your handgun.  Lucky you.

May 15, 2025

Artificial Intelligence is not replacing radiologists, as had been predicted

A number of people in medicine predicted a few years ago that by now Artificial Intelligence (AI) would have replaced many radiologists in the interpretation of imaging studies.  It appeared to be right up the alley of AI as it involved looking for patterns and counting things.  Turns out AI has been more of a helper to radiologists than a job taker.  There are more radiologists working today than when the AI prediction was made a few years ago.  A large part of the reason is that radiologists consult with other doctors and do other things that AI cannot.  On the other hand, AI appears to be doing a commendable job of making radiologists more efficient and accurate.

May 14, 2025

Uh Oh

Sitting on the couch is bad for your brain.  The more time you spend on the couch, the worse it is.  All this seems pretty straightforward and non-controversial.  What is new is that recent studies have shown that even people who exercise for at least 30 minutes a day or are otherwise active, are affected by time spent sitting on the couch.  Exercise does not prevent time spent sitting down from shrinking our brains.  The message is, “Stay moving throughout the day and evening.”

May 13, 2025

Some pharmacists are stockpiling drugs due to tariff uncertainties

Drug shortages have been a fact of life in the United States for the last few years for a number of reasons.  The problem may be about to get worse.  The Trump administration has issued an executive order intended to lower drug prices, but at the same time has threatened or imposed tariffs on products entering the United States, including drugs, which may make drugs more expensive.  Additionally, the tariffs may make components of some drugs or drug making equipment more expensive.  All of this may create shortages, price swings, or put some manufacturers out of business.  All of these possibilities have prompted some pharmacists to stockpile some drugs and supplies.

May 9, 2025

Measles outbreak only getting worse

In 2000 measles was declared eradicated in the United States.  Since then, with the exception of one year, we have had an average of 180 cases of measles reported each year.  We are not even halfway through 2025 and we already have 1,005 cases of measles reported nationwide.  Even worse, this number is believed to be a severe undercount as many cases go unreported.  There have been 4 measles deaths so far this year.  This matches the total number of measles deaths in all the years since 2000 combined.

May 8, 2025

Two-in-one shot for influenza and Covid is just as effective as single shots

A combination mRNA vaccine against influenza and Covid-19 has been shown to be just as effective as separate shots for the two viruses and to also be well-tolerated in patients over 50.  Here is a link to reports on the testing.

May 7, 2025

Be careful where you are born

Research suggests that where you are born and the wealth, or lack thereof, of your family are the most important determinants of how long you are likely to live in good health.  These factors are more important than your genes, what you eat, how often you exercise and the like.  These factors can make decades of difference in healthy life expectancies.  People in countries with the lowest life expectancies will live on average 33 fewer years than those in countries with the highest life expectancies.  Inequities in health are closely linked to degrees of social disadvantage and levels of discrimination.  Here is a link to the World Health Organization report on the subject.

May 6, 2025

The perils of healthcare consolidation

There are many perils arising from the constant consolidation we see in the medical industry.  One particularly striking example occurred last year when Russian criminals executed a cyberattack on a subsidiary of insurance giant United Healthcare.  The subsidiary handled 45% of all insurance payments to doctors in the United States.  The company paid the attackers a $22M ransom but it still took months to fully restore the payment system.  While the system was down, many doctors could not get paid and suffered significant financial losses.  Although the company made interest free loans to some doctors, it is now demanding repayment and lawsuits are being filed.  Congress is looking into the matter, but, it being Congress after all, don’t hold your breath waiting for any meaningful reform.

May 5, 2025

Kickback scheme participants are headed for federal prison

Another day, another kickback scheme.  A couple of rural Texas hospitals partnered with an outside laboratory to have laboratory tests performed by the lab but billed as outpatient tests performed by the hospital.  If they were outpatient lab tests performed by the hospital, the hospital could charge significantly more than the lab could charge for the tests.  The laboratory and the hospitals split the overage.  The lab also paid doctors illegal kickbacks to send patients for tests at their partner hospitals.  Some executives of the lab are going to prison and are having to pay restitution to Medicare and Medicaid for the overcharges.

May 2, 2025

More news on the measles outbreak

According to a report in today’s Wall Street Journal, we are at a tipping point in the measles outbreak.  More than 880 cases have been verified since the outbreak began in January.  Vaccine rates have fallen for kindergartners.  If vaccine rates remain at their current levels, the U.S. could see over 850,000 measles cases in the next 25 years.  If vaccination rates drop by 10%, we could see over 11 million cases in the next 25 years.  On the other hand, if vaccine rates increase by 5%, the number of cases in the next 25 years is estimated to be only 5,800.  At least 95% of residents need to be vaccinated to prevent outbreaks.  However, in the last full school year, just under 93% of kindergartners were vaccinated.

May 1, 2025

Another day, another kickback scheme.  A couple of rural hospitals in Texas partnered with a laboratory

Practice good sleep hygiene

People who sleep 6 hours or less per night in their 50’s, 60’s and 70’s have a 30% greater risk of dementia in later life.  The brain needs time to “rinse” itself and process new memories.  It is never too late to improve your sleep habits.

April 30, 2025

Mothers play a big role in the cardiovascular health of their children

Prenatal and perinatal factors play a significant role in the cardiovascular health of children, according to a new study.  Prepregnancy obesity, smoking during pregnancy and bottle feeding as opposed to breast feeding in the first six months were all associated with lower cardiovascular health scores in children.  Lower scores in childhood increased the risk of early and significant cardiovascular disease in adulthood.  Moms, take care of your babies.

April 29, 2025

Stunning news:  Ultraprocessed foods are bad for you!

A study of consumption of Ultraprocessed Foods (UPF) in various countries found a direct relationship between consumption and all-cause premature death.  The authors compared all-cause premature death rates in countries that consumed very little UPF, with countries in which more was consumed.  Their conclusion: the more UPF you eat, the greater the likelihood you will die early.  In the United States, 14% of premature deaths were attributable to UPF consumption.

April 28, 2025

Some fired FDA employees are being brought back

Since the Trump Administration took office, over 3,000 employees of the Food and Drug Administration have been fired.  The agency was one of the hardest hit in terms of percentage of employees let go.  The firings included inspectors charged with investigating food-related illnesses and food product safety.  Now some of those employees are being brought back, some with the excuse that they were improperly let go due to errors in coding their job duties.  The FDA says it is continuing to look into whether other critically necessary employees were fired and need to be rehired.

April 24, 2025

Are you kidding me?

Representatives of a certain unnamed political party have introduced a bill in the Minnesota legislature to identify mRNA vaccines as “weapons of mass destruction” and to provide for up to 20 years in prison for anyone caught possessing or prescribing them.  mRNA vaccines are extremely important in today’s medicine and are the primary vaccines developed to fight the COVID epidemic.   They are much easier and quicker to develop than traditional vaccines.

April 22, 2025

FDA cuts force suspension of some food safety programs

The Food and Drug Administration has suspended its program for testing the safety of milk and other dairy products due to reductions in staff imposed by the Trump administration.  They just don’t have the bodies to do all of the things they are charged with doing and have to cut some programs.

April 21, 2025

The measles keep spreading

The measles keep spreading, as they invariably do when people don’t get their vaccinations.  Montana reported its first measles case in 35 years.  Virginia, Missouri and Louisiana reported their first cases over the weekend.  Over half the states have now reported active cases of measles.  This is far from over.

April 11, 2025

CDC abandons its cruise ship health inspection program

All of the cruise ship inspectors for the Centers for Disease Control have been laid off, even though they are not paid by US tax dollars.  The cruise ship inspection program is paid by fees levied on the cruise lines.  Each large ship is inspected twice yearly to assure it is following proper health procedures and has required clean water and medical facilities.  The inspectors also respond when there has been an outbreak of illness on a cruise ship and there have been many recent outbreaks associated with a new strain of Norovirus.  Some staff were in the middle of responding to viral outbreaks when they were let go.

April 10, 2025

Drug tariffs are likely to lead to increased prices

President Trump has stated that, notwithstanding his 90 day pause in imposing tariffs, he still intends to impose tariffs on drugs imported into the United States in order to incentivize domestic production.  Tariffs on drug imports are likely to lead to price increases and possibly shortages.  Even drugs manufactured in the United States will be affected by tariffs because most of the raw ingredients used in drug production come from outside the country and their prices will increase.  Stay tuned.

April 9, 2025

LDL and dementia risk

For a health issue that is the subject of study after study, we still know so little about dementia and its causes.  One of the questions that remains unanswered at this time is the effect on dementia risk of Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), also known at the bad cholesterol.  A recent South Korean study showed that naturally occurring low levels of LDL were associated with a reduced risk of dementia and that taking statins to further reduce LDL levels in this population caused an even greater reduction in dementia risk.  Low levels of LDL are also associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

April 8, 2025

AI is coming to skin cancer detection

AI is very close to being fully operational in detection of skin cancers.  It has already proved that it can visually identify skin cancer lesions better than many dermatologists.  Dermatologists, however, are still essential because they can do things the AI program cannot.  They can ask targeted questions and feel the lesion.

The latest advancement, which should prove to be especially useful in areas where there are few dermatologists, is a hand-held device that uses optical spectroscopy to assess the likelihood that the suspected lesion is cancer or not.  The device should significantly reduce unnecessary biopsies.  Another advancement is a 3D scanner for people at high risk of melanoma.  The AI scanner takes an image of the entire body and compares it to previous images looking for suspicious changes in the appearance of moles.

April 7, 2025

Another child has died in the Texas measles epidemic

A school-aged girl has died as a result of the measles outbreak in West Texas.  She is the second pediatric death.  She had not been vaccinated against measles and had no known health issues before becoming ill with measles.  The epidemic is spreading.  Texas reported a 14% increase in cases over the last week to a confirmed total of 481.  Among the new cases for the week were six infants and toddlers at a Lubbock day care center.

April 4, 2025

Uh Oh

According to researchers, our hospitals and extended care facilities depend greatly on both documented immigrants and undocumented immigrants.  Over 350,000 healthcare workers are undocumented and another 700,000 are properly documented.  The undocumented workers are clearly at risk of deportation and recent events suggest some of the documented workers may be as well.  The bulk of the undocumented workers are in unskilled positions working as nursing aides and assistants.  Large scale deportation of the undocumented workers would likely cause significant disruption in the health care sector.

April 3, 2025

Shingles vaccine reduces the risk of dementia

After examining the records of hundreds of thousands of people in a database in Wales, researchers have found that administration of the vaccine against shingles confers a substantial protection against the development of dementia.  The vaccine resulted in a 20% reduction in the likelihood of developing dementia with women experiencing a significantly greater benefit than men.  The exact reason for this protection is unclear but researchers point to evidence that infectious agents, like the virus that causes shingles, are known to attack the nervous system and the damage they cause may contribute to the onset of dementia.  Administration of this proven and safe vaccine can be a cost effective way of reducing the incidence of dementia.

April 2, 2025

Percentage of people who cannot afford health care continues to increase

11% of adult Americans cannot afford health care or have no access to it and the problem is getting worse.  This is the highest percentage of the population since 2021.  The problem is worse among Black (14%) and Hispanic households (18%) and low income households in general (25%).  This population is referred to as “cost desperate”.  The gap between the haves in our country and the have nots continues to widen.

April 1, 2025

Intermittent fasting v. constant dieting

Interesting news from the diet wars.  A recent study compared weight loss success between people who dieted every day and those who only cut their calories three days a week.  Both groups cut the same amount of calories over the course of the week.  The people who practiced intermittent fasting lost about 6 more pounds over the course of a year than did the group that watched their calories every day.  One explanation for the different outcomes is that it is easier to follow the intermittent fasting program than to be constantly dieting.

March 31, 2025

Education provides some cognitive protection against stroke

Higher levels of education are believed to provide a cognitive reserve that can preserve brain function following a stroke, at least up to a point.  On average, college graduates who survived a stroke had higher levels of global cognition, memory and executive function than survivors who had not graduated from high school.  However, over the four years following the stroke, executive function fell more quickly for college graduates than for those without a high school diploma.  Declines in global cognition and memory were not affected by education levels.  The study was retrospective and had a number of flaws but still supports the conclusion that education provides protection against cognitive decline following stroke up to a point, after which rapid cognitive decline will occur.

March 28, 2025

Flawed researcher appointed to study vaccines and autism

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services and noted vaccine skeptic, has appointed a man to examine the possible links between vaccines and autism.  Studies throughout the world have looked at this question and found no relationship.  The man appointed, David Geier, is not a physician but was disciplined by the State of Maryland for practicing medicine without a license.  He is the co-author of a number of discredited studies which purported to discover a link between an element in some old vaccines which increased the risk of autism.  His appointment concerns many scientists who fear his actions will lead to further vaccine skepticism and refusals to vaccinate children.  Meanwhile, the Texas measles outbreak continues to worsen and to expand to other states.

March 25, 2025

This seems backwards

A recent study found that married people were more likely to develop dementia than widowed, divorced or never married people.  These findings are contrary to those of earlier studies, which found married people to have a lower risk of dementia.  When discussing the different results, researchers pointed out that the most recent study included only white volunteers and that the make up of the study population may not accurately represent the larger society.  Additionally, there was no consideration of the quality of the marriages or their duration, both of which may be important factors in the development of dementia.

March 24, 2025

Huge jury award against Monsanto in Round Up case

Monsanto’s Round Up herbicide has been linked to cancer in humans and has been the subject of a number of lawsuits by cancer patients who claim it caused their cancers.  Now a jury in the state of Georgia has awarded a cancer patient $2.1 billion in a trial against Monsanto.  $65M of the damages were compensatory while the rest per punitive.  Monsanto, needless to say, plans an appeal.

March 21, 2025

Trump Administration delays implementation of food safety law

In more FDA food safety news, the Trump administration has directed the FDA to postpone by 30 months implementation of a law requiring food companies and grocers to quickly trace contaminated foods and get them out of the supply chain and off grocery shelves.  The law was to have gone into effect in January of 2026, which would have given food companies 15 years after the passage of the law by Congress to prepare for its implementation.  Food safety advocates argue that the companies have had plenty of time to prepare and that delay puts consumers at continuing risk of food-borne illnesses.

March 20, 2025

FDA’s Food Division work at risk

Limitations on activities by the Food and Drug Administration’s food safety division are threatening an important protector of public health.  The last few years have seen a host of food-borne illnesses from contaminated applesauce pouches to listeria in deli meats that killed 10 people.  In each case, the FDA connected the dots between affected members of the public, correctly identified the cause of the problems, and got the bad products off the store shelves.  The ability of the group to continue to carry out this vital work is in question.

March 19, 2025

Measles epidemic update

The measles epidemic, which started in Texas and spread to New Mexico and Oklahoma, has sickened 320 people and resulted in the hospitalization of 36.  A Texas public health official estimates it may take a year to contain the epidemic.

March 18, 2025

A growing number of states are looking to rein in private equity in medicine

The role of private equity in healthcare delivery is troublesome and contentious.  The profit-making goals and methods of private equity are at odds with the goals of physicians and other providers who are supposed to be looking out for the best interests of their patients.  More and more states are becoming alarmed at the number of their physicians who are employed by out-of-state for profit companies and are taking action.  At least 13 states have pending legislation addressing the role of private equity in medicine.  Private equity responds that it does good things and that publicity-hungry politicians are unjustly blaming them.

March 17, 2025

Doctor shortage means patients must be more active in managing their own care

There is a doctor shortage and it is going to get worse.  This puts a premium on patients more actively participating in their own care.  Accessible electronic medical records make test results and doctor notes immediately available to patients.  The internet has lots of good information available.  The internet also has lots of bad information available.  Anyone who is interested in getting the best medical care for themselves needs to know how to find reliable information on line and how to avoid disinformation.  Your health depends upon it.

March 14, 2025

Vaccination hesitancy puts others at risk

Many parents of young infants are on pins and needles.  They live in areas where measles is spreading but their babies are too young to be vaccinated yet.  Measles is highly contagious and babies and other young children are at higher risk for complications, should they become infected.  When you refuse vaccination for your child or yourself, you are putting more people at risk than just yourself and your child.

March 13, 2025

West Texas measles outbreak is likely larger than reported

The measles outbreak, which began in West Texas and has  spread to both New Mexico and Oklahoma, is likely larger than the 250 cases which have been reported.  Scientists familiar with the disease believe there are many cases which go unreported due to lack of cooperation among the groups who refused vaccination in the first place.  Also, simple math apparently suggests more cases.  There have been two deaths related to the outbreak.  Since the expected fatality rate is one or two per thousand, it is statistically unlikely that there are only the 250 cases which have been reported so far.

March 12, 2025

Many people on Medicaid don’t realize it

The budget blueprint from the House of Representatives does not mention cuts to Medicaid, but for the figures to work, they are going to have to cut very large amounts from Medicaid.  There has not yet been a pushback from the many people who are on Medicaid, probably because many of them don’t even know that they are on Medicaid and that their coverage is at risk.  In many states, the Medicaid program is known by a local name.  Here in Arizona it is AHCCCS.  In Tennessee it is TennCare and in California it is Medi-Cal.  Many people are covered by Medicaid and almost all of the covered adults work.  It will be bad for the health of the nation if a large number of adults and children lose their health care.

March 11, 2025

OB/GYN’s are voting with their feet and leaving abortion restriction states

Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs, which concluded there was no Constitutional protection for abortion, a number of states passed laws severely restricting or outlawing abortion.  The laws caused some OB/GYN’s in those states to consider whether the states were preventing them from giving their patients the care they believed they needed.  Some decided to relocate.  The 12 states with the most restrictive laws saw on average a 4.2% reduction in the number of OB/GYN’s per 100,000 residents.  The states which did not enact more restrictive laws did not see a similar loss of practitioners.  The loss of practitioners took place in states that were already short of OB/GYN’s and already had poor maternal health outcomes.  The loss of these doctors will make matters worse for patients in these states, especially poorer patients, who have less healthcare access to begin with.

March 10, 2025

Insurance agents are receiving large commissions for steering seniors to Medicare Advantage plans

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, assuming it hasn’t already been executive ordered out of existence, is an independent agency established by Congress to advise it on issues relating to Medicare.  Its most recent report decried the fact that insurance agents, who are supposed to be fairly advising seniors about their Medicare options, are being paid hefty commissions to steer their clients to Medicare Advantage plans, even when Traditional Medicare and its supplements are a better and cheaper fit.  The complexity of the process and the sheer number of options make it very difficult for seniors to figure out on their own what plan is best and must therefore rely on agents.  “Burn it all down,” recommended one commissioner.  “It is too riddled with conflicts of interest ever to be saved.”

March 7, 2025

Majority of Americans favor increased or level Medicaid spending

According to recent polling, most Americans favor either increasing Medicaid spending (42%) or keeping it about the same (41%).  Only 17% favor actually reducing Medicaid spending.  Those favoring increased or level Medicaid spending include majorities of Democrats and Republicans.  This is important as the budget blueprint recently passed by the House of Representatives calls for large cuts in spending that most observers say can only be achieved by big cuts in Medicaid or Medicare.

March 6, 2025

Another indicator that our healthcare delivery system is broken

Over 31 million Americans, that is 12% of the population, had to borrow money last year to pay for medical expenses.  This despite the fact that most of them had some form of health insurance.  The total amount borrowed was $74 billion.  For good reason many Americans fear that a health emergency will throw them into debt.  Young adults were more likely to have to borrow than older adults and minorities were the most likely to have to borrow.  People should not have to go into debt to stay healthy in a responsible health care delivery system with reasonable prices.

March 5, 2025

Friday surgeries are riskier for patients

Recent research shows that having surgery on Friday is not a good idea.  Patients who underwent 25 common surgical procedures on Fridays were significantly more likely to die, have complications or be readmitted to the hospital than similar patients having the same operations on other days of the week.  It is not entirely clear what is the nature of the problem and some part of it may be that some of the Friday patients are kept in the hospital over the weekend.  Studies have long shown that you don’t want to be in the hospital over the weekend, if you can avoid it.  There are more medical errors over the weekend.  Mid-week surgery with a team that does a lot of the surgery you need is the safest way to go.

March 4, 2025

A few threaten the many

Measles cases are showing up outside of Texas and New Mexico.  Multiple cases have been reported in New York and New Jersey.  This is very sad for a country that was certified to be measles-free only a few years ago.  Measles vaccines work but not everyone can take them.  Those who cannot take them must rely on the rest of us to become vaccinated.  If we do not, we imperil the people who are unable to be vaccinated.

March 3, 2025

States allow less well-trained doctors to practice to relieve shortages

Some states facing a doctor shortage are loosening the rules to allow foreign trained doctors to practice without having completed an American residency program.  The old rule was that states would recognize foreign medical degrees but require completion of a U.S. residency program, even if the physician had completed one in her or his native country.  The intention is to have the doctors practice in underserved areas where there are significant physician shortages.  This follows a pattern of reducing the qualifications necessary to do a number of jobs that we have not been able to fill.  Rather than doing the hard work necessary to end the shortages, we have chosen instead to make it easier to do the job without proof that the new entrants will be able to perform at the levels we need.  Quite often, the new hires are sent to “underserved” areas, which is another way of saying poor.  Well-to-do people get the well-trained doctor, nurse or teacher.  The poor people get the ones who are allowed in without the same level of training.

February 28, 2025

FDA flu vaccine committee meeting abruptly cancelled

Every year at this time a committee of the FDA meets to decide what flu strains will be used in next year’s flu vaccine.  It takes about six months after a decision is made to order and manufacture the vaccine.  Without explanation, this year’s meeting was abruptly cancelled.  If it is not held soon, it will be too late to get the vaccine in place before the next flu season.  More chaos in Washington with a high potential to affect the health of the public.

February 26, 2025

Sacrificing children on the altar of disinformation

Measles is a highly contagious and potentially deadly viral disease.  It can be essentially prevented through childhood vaccination.  This is one of the great advances in medicine and we are throwing it away because of vaccine disinformation.  With increasing frequency, we see measles outbreaks occurring in groups that have low vaccination rates.  Right now there is one in West Texas and far Eastern New Mexico, again in communities with low vaccination rates.  At least one child has died.  This problem is becoming more severe thanks to state legislatures creating “personal belief” exemptions for the parents of children starting school.  All a parent has to do to avoid the prudent requirement that children be vaccinated against measles is say that they are personally opposed to it.  The opposition is fueled largely by disinformation on social media questioning the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.  Please get some accurate information and get your child vaccinated so she or he is not a threat to my child.

February 25, 2025

Another deadly virus may be confronting us

A new and deadly virus has made its appearance in Central Africa, the starting point for many deadly diseases.  This one appears to have made the jump from animals to humans, as many before it have.  It is a form of hemorrhagic fever that sickens and kills its victims quickly.  It looks to have about a 12% fatality rate with those who die passing away within 48 hours of first feeling sick.  There is very little information available yet about how transmissible it is but it is clearly able to be transmitted from person to person.  Let’s hope we learned something from the Covid pandemic.  We may need to use that knowledge to protect ourselves.

February 24, 2025

Trump tariffs threaten drug prices and availability

We import almost twice as many pharmaceuticals as we export.  We also import many kinds of medical equipment and personal protective equipment (think masks).  If President Trump goes forward with his plans to impose tariffs on medical and pharmaceutical imports, two things are likely to happen.  First, the costs of these items to us will go up.  Drugs are already a huge cost imposition on those who must take them.  This has the potential to make a bad problem worse.  Secondly, tariffs are likely to create supply chain disruptions as manufacturers try to move certain processes onshore to the United States.  This is not a quick or easy process.  Neither of these two things are good for us as consumers.

February 20, 2025

More evidence private equity harms healthcare delivery

There is more proof of the negative effects of allowing private equity to become involved in the healthcare system.  Of the eight largest healthcare bankruptcies in 2024, private equity was involved in seven.  That is a staggering number, but not surprising given private equity’s penchant for loading up the companies it purchases with debt so as to finance large bonus distributions to itself.  The poor purchased company is left awash in debt that it cannot afford and often must declare bankruptcy.

February 19, 2025

Health care players shower Trump with millions

Care to guess what is going to happen with federal policy in the health care field?  One strong clue can be found in the fact that health care executives from the fields of insurance, health systems, Big Pharma, and pharmacy benefits managers all gave millions to the Trump Inaugural Committee for the opportunity to meet with Trump prior to the inauguration.  If past experience is any guide these money showers will produce results for the donors.

February 18, 2025

Trump Administration cutting significant health care programs

The Trump Administration has been busy cutting federal spending with some significant health care consequences.  Among the cuts are to training programs for the next generation of medical researchers and public health leaders, to the Food and Drug Administration and to the office that manages Medicare and Medicaid.  There have also been cuts to the office handling our response to the spreading bird flu.  Let’s hope these cuts don’t turn out to be penny wise and pound foolish.

February 12, 2025

Researchers are making progress in early detection of pancreatic cancer

There have been a number of promising developments in testing for the presence of pancreatic cancer.  Unfortunately, early detection of pancreatic cancer does not lead to good survival rates.  Even patients who are diagnosed with the earliest stages of pancreatic cancer do not have a greater than 50% chance of being alive in 5 years.  As one researcher noted, “We are not going to screen our way to a cure for pancreatic cancer.  We will need to develop more effective treatments.”  Given that early detection does not appear to confer much additional life expectancy, there is little value in a large-scale screening program.

February 11, 2025

A bridge too far?

A bill has been introduced in Congress to permit AI to prescribe medications, if authorized by the state government and the FDA.  While this is an innovation that will almost certainly be adopted at some point in the future, it is probably too early in the development of AI to allow today.  AI has shown great promise but has a long way to go before it can be entrusted with tasks like deciding what medications are best for a patient.

February 7, 2025

Eggs are safe to eat

Bird flu is in the news a lot these days.  Most people who get it get it from contact with infected animals.  It is unlikely that you can get it from eating eggs.  Usually, infected hens will be identified before they produce infected eggs.  Commercially produced eggs are required to be washed and sanitized.  If one still makes it through, cooking the egg will kill any remaining virus.  Avoid unpasteurized milk, however.  Cow’s udders have high viral concentrations.

February 6, 2025

Another step forward in prostate cancer treatment

Doctors have successfully implanted a drug-delivering microdevice directly into prostate cancer tumors in high risk patients, who will be undergoing radical prostatectomies.  The implant enables doctors to monitor the tumor’s response to various drugs and plan more effectively for post-surgical chemotherapy.  The device is removed when the patient undergoes the prostatectomy.  The next step is to develop a means of removing the device without the necessity for surgery, which would enable its use in patient’s who are at lesser risk and who are not candidates for prostate removal.

February 5, 2025

Reports say NIH is in “chaos”

The health of Americans may be in danger as the Trump administration orders sweeping changes at NIH and other federal agencies tasked with protecting health, developing cures and advising the public about health dangers.  Reliable reports state that the doctors and others who work at NIH are worried and that the agency is in chaos.  Hopefully, all this will be resolved in the near future and the agency can get back to the important work of protecting Americans without political interference.

February 4, 2025

More maternal-fetal specialists means fewer maternal and fetal deaths

Not really a surprise but interesting nonetheless.  States with a high density of maternal-fetal medicine specialists have lower rates of maternal death and stillbirth than states with fewer of these specialists.  New York, Massachusetts and the other states of the Northeast have the highest density while Tennessee and the states in the Southeast have the lowest.  This disparity in maternal and fetal health outcomes due to underserved populations is found in other health outcomes in the Southeast as well.  It is the least healthy part of the country with higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and smoking and overall lower life expectancies.

February 3, 2025

Telehealth companies are spending more on advertising

Telehealth companies are increasing their advertising in an effort to reach patients with common, easy-to-treat conditions that pose little risk of dangerous errors.  If you have watched television or YouTube videos or many other forms of social media, you have undoubtedly seen the ads.  Erectile dysfunction, hair loss, and birth control are just some of the conditions for which these companies advertise services.  Unlike more traditional medicine where the doctor diagnoses the patient, in this form of telehealth, the patient already believes she or he knows what their diagnosis is and what medicines will address it.  The telehealth professional acts as a screener to confirm the diagnosis and prescribe the desired medication, if appropriate.  There is lots of money to be made here, so expect to see more of this advertising in the future.

January 28, 2025

Covid, Flu and RSV remain serious threats but Covid is becoming a little more benign

When comparing outcomes from Covid, Flu and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) for the past two years, Covid infections still result in more hospitalizations and deaths than the other two, but the differences are not that great and are lessening.  Flu and RSV had essentially the same outcomes for the past two years.  These are all still serious illnesses with risks of hospitalization and death so be sure to get your immunizations.

January 27, 2025

More news from the private equity in health care front

The FTC has announced the settlement of an action against a private equity company that was operating in Texas.  According to the FTC complaint, the company engaged in a scheme to buy up as many large anesthesia practices as possible, form a company employing all of the anesthesiologists in these practices, and then use the market position of the new company to demand higher prices for anesthesia care to the detriment of patients.  Under the terms of the settlement, the private equity company must reduce its role in the new company and notify the FTC, if it buys any more anesthesia practices.  Opponents of the role of private equity in health care delivery are hailing the FTC settlement as a great victory.

January 23, 2025

AI pathology programs suffer from a lack of images to read for training

AI has made great strides in medical applications.  One area where it has done well and ought to be able to continue to progress is in the analysis of images.  AI can already outperform human radiologists when it comes to interpreting lung x-rays and detecting lung cancer.  When it comes to pathology, however, there is a roadblock.  There are just not enough digitized images to use in training the AI programs.  While this is being addressed, it will be some time before AI is ready for prime time use in pathology.

January 21, 2025

Surgeons, especially private practice surgeons, are disappearing

Private practice surgeons are becoming a thing of the past.  Given the high cost of medical training and the many years of extra training necessary to become a surgeon, many new doctors are choosing other areas of medical specialty.  Those that do choose surgery are finding it difficult to survive in private practice because insurance and government rates of reimbursement have failed to keep pace with inflation.  The problem is compounded by hospitals offering better compensation packages for surgeons than they can make on their own.  There is a lot of value in having a private surgeon not beholden to a hospital employer to evaluate your case, offer advice and plan a program of surgical treatment.

January 17, 2025

Justice Department questioning former UnitedHealth Group doctors about company

Investigators from the Department of Justice have interviewed at least two doctors formerly employed by UnitedHealth Group about statement they made in interviews after leaving the company.  In the interviews, the doctors stated that patient care deteriorated after UnitedHealth Group was purchased by Optum, a sister subsidiary of healthcare giant UnitedHealth.  The doctors also stated that new management had encouraged them to “upcode” Medicare Advantage patient profiles to make the patients appear more ill and thereby increase the amount Medicare would pay to take care of them.

January 14, 2025

Another private equity owned hospital chain has declared bankruptcy

Another private equity owned hospital corporation has declared bankruptcy.  Los Angeles based Prospect Medical Holdings owned more than a dozen hospitals in four states.  Its private equity owners followed the usual playbook.  They used the real estate owned by their hospitals to finance big payouts to leadership.  In 2018 Prospect paid a $457M bonus to leadership.  Naturally, things went downhill from there as the hospitals struggled with the debt created by their private equity owners and were forced to divert money from patient care to debt servicing.

January 13, 2025

Senate report blasts private equity ownership of hospitals

A bipartisan report of the Senate Budget Committee takes a dim view of the effect of private equity investment in health care delivery institutions.  It focused primarily on two companies and found that they consistently put profits over patients.  The private equity investors were routinely taking out millions of dollars from the hospitals, even while the hospitals struggled financially and patient outcomes deteriorated.  According to the Committee, the risks to the health care delivery system from private equity is most pronounced in rural and underserved areas.

“In sum, the findings of the investigation call into question the compatibility of private equity’s profit-driven model with the essential role hospitals play in public health,” the committee concluded. “This report serves as a call to action for greater oversight, transparency, and reforms to ensure that PE-driven financial strategies in healthcare do not come at the expense of patient well-being or the sustainability of critical hospital services. The American public deserves more when it comes to healthcare.”

January 9, 2025

Living to 100

Recent research suggests that living to 100 or more is largely a matter of luck.  What genes have you inherited from your ancestors?  Researchers have identified a few genes that are associated with long life spans, but are certain there are many more out there that they have not yet identified.  If you have this lucky combination of genes, you may make it to 100 and beyond pretty much regardless of your good or bad habits.  We have all heard stories of the centenarian who is still smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day.  On the other hand, for those of us less fortunate in the gene pool, our good or bad habits make a big difference.  If you have an average gene distribution and want to live to 85, the usual advice about diet, exercise, sleep, stress, social connections, smoking, and drinking are important to achieving that goal.  People that don’t follow the usual good advice are the ones who generally will fall short of the average life expectancy.  Since only a small percentage of us have the lucky gene combination, it makes sense to take good care of yourself.