New research led by Dr. Pieter Cohen of Harvard Medical School documents five supplement brands for sale in the U.S. that contain various amounts of piracetam, a drug prescribed in European countries for cognitive impairment in dementia but not approved in the U.S. More
We remember Louise Lown, social worker, peace activist, and beloved wife of Bernard Lown, who passed away on Friday. More
Often when a new drug or medical process is being considered for a government program, a "public comment" period is opened to get input on the potential impact. But is this input really from the public, or has this process been hijacked by the pharmaceutical industry for its own gain? More
Two months from now we will be in mid-winter, late January. How about four days in warm, sunny West Palm Beach, Florida? All-expenses-paid. How inviting. But how troubling. Once again. An email was sent to journalists this week announcing this junket funded by Bayer, a multinational drug company. More
"Street medicine" programs, like one in Atlanta, seek out people living in back alleys and under highways. The public health outreach improves patients' health and is cost-effective, hospitals find. More
An email was sent to journalists this week announcing this junket funded by Bayer, a multinational drug company. Bayer markets a number of cardiovascular drugs – and cardiovascular disease is the topic of this Florida fellowship. More
Special interests and congressional inaction doomed efforts to regulate electronic medical records, putting patients at risk. More
Change is hard, especially in medical practice More
The ISCHEMIA trial found that for patients with stable coronary disease, stents and bypass surgery do not improve rates of mortality or heart attacks more than medical therapy. Will this study finally change cardiology practice norms? More
How usable are electronic health records, compared to other types of technology we use every day? More
In letters to the FDA and FTC, a nonprofit said it found no evidence that 39 “fertility” supplements increase a woman's chance of conceiving. More
Such a diagnosis shows screening results aren’t quite normal. But possible treatments can come with risks that outweigh benefits. More
Caregiving involves significant time and emotional work, yet much of this work is invisible. In his new book, The Soul of Care, Dr. Arthur Kleinman shares his story of caring for his wife, Joan, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease. More
Tips on how to help loved ones determine medication excess More
Makena, a drug approved in 2011 to prevent premature birth, didn't work then and doesn't work now. The FDA should remove it from the market. More
In a recent feature article in Healthy Aging magazine, patient advocate Johanna Trimble describes what happened when her mother-in-law, Fervid, was transferred from her residential facility to a nearby health care center. More
Though maternal and child health experts appreciate the attention to the issue, they also point to what they say is a fairly minor policy option that could make a major difference: increasing access to Medicaid for postpartum women. More
Despite the prevalence of multiple medication use, a significant proportion of both older adults and caregivers were unaware that older adults should avoid certain medications. More
Health care systems are not always built to accommodate caregivers into the care team, but including caregivers into the conversation can provide essential information to clinicians about the patient's health. More
Racial bias may affect whether black patients with heart failure are approved for heart transplants, a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found. More