Jim Hu discusses the recent article on residents' work hours and car accidents
He also links to Kevin Drum's view, which have garnered nearly 100 comments.
Jim Hu discusses the recent article on residents' work hours and car accidents
He also links to Kevin Drum's view, which have garnered nearly 100 comments.
Graduating medical school with mortgage-like debt
The NEJM has an article detailing the spiraling costs of attending medical school:
The cost of obtaining a medical education has been spiraling upward for the past 20 years. Despite a lot of rhetoric in articles and at meetings of the Association of American Medical Colleges, nothing has happened to change the alarming pattern. The average tuition and fees at public medical schools during ...
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The eyes have it
"Diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke risk, leukemia and a certain kind of brain tumor all can leave clues inside the eye.
The eye is the 'only place in the body where you can see blood vessels, without cutting,' notes Mark Lee, a Las Vegas optometrist."
How true - the eyes can certainly be a window to many diseases. Take diabetes for instance. Here is ...
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Medpundit writes about patients with intentionally selective memories
This would always be the case when I would collect a history as a medical student, only to see the patient say something completely different when questioned by the attending.
The Seattle Times talks about health-care costs reaching a breaking point and proposes some solutions
"Americans with health insurance must forget their 'I want my money's worth' mentality. In the hospital world, as in all health care, insurance has fostered a culture where patients never see the real bill, so they have no stake in ensuring that their medical care is efficient. That must change, perhaps through co-pays high ...
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The scut is the same down under
Some things never change. Interns in Australia are complaining of poor resident ("registrar" in Aussie lingo) supervision: "One intern was told by a registrar to 'go to the cafeteria and tell me what hot foods are available', according to the study."
Dr. Bob talks about a frightening story from a federal air marshall
Some think it may be an urban legend.
The shift to consumer-driven health care
Health savings accounts are a first step, but this article outlines the obstacles facing this approach.
Forbes.com asks: What drug should be next to go over the counter?
Here's my take:
Allegra - It's already OTC in Canada, and there should be no reason why Claritin is OTC and Allegra not.
Lipitor/Mevacor/Pravachol - Statins are unlikely to go OTC now given the recent FDA advisory panel decision.
Celebrex - COX-2s aren't even safe enough to be prescribed, let alone going OTC.
Vicodin ...
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The FDA says no to OTC statins
"According to the Associated Press, the committee said patients need medical guidance in treating high cholesterol because it has no symptoms and requires taking a statin for life.
In addition, the panel was concerned that pregnant women might take Mevacor and cause damage to their fetus."
This was predictable, especially given the conservative climate surrounding pharmaceuticals in light of the COX-2 ...
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As drug importation from Canada fades, states are now looking to Europe
Which begs the question, won't the same thing eventually happen to importation from Europe or Australia because of the same issues that have dogged Canada?
Malpractice lobbying taken one step too far
An interesting scenario where a Washington OB fired a patient because she didn't sign the petition for the physician-supported malpractice reform initiative. Apparently this story has given some ammunition for the lawyers in the upcoming vote.
DTC ad watch: FDA calls Celebrex and Bextra ads misleading
A moot point now, since Pfizer has pulled their COX-2 ad campaigns.
To Pfizer's credit, the Celebrex site has been appropriately toned down:
Statins are on the brink of becoming OTC
They are already available without prescription in the UK, to controversial results.
A physician in Ontario doesn't want to treat politicians
Similar to a proposal last year where a physician didn't want to treat lawyers.
"A comprehensive and extremely useful roadmap for doctors."
-Eric Topol, MD, author of The Creative Destruction of Medicine
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