On December 9, 1985, Dr. Bernard Lown and Dr. Yevgeni Chazov were about to accept the Nobel Peace Prize, for their work uniting doctors against nuclear war. Lown and Chazov had no idea they would be saving a life that day. More
Being able to do an experiment over again and confirm the results is actually a crucial aspect of science, called reproducibility. Unfortunately, a shockingly large proportion of cancer biology studies we do may not be reproducible, a new study shows. More
The White House recently announced their first Maternal Health Day of Action. We take a look at what's in the plan, what's promising, and what's missing... More
Recent research on racial and socioeconomic health disparities shows how far we still have to go to have better health for all. More
Which hospitals got the largest slice of the federal relief pie? Two recent studies examine the impact of this massive funding influx on hospital finances. More
Many cancer patients experience financial toxicity due to the high cost of care -- and low-value services play a role, new study shows. More
A recent Reuters investigation found that a campaign to lower the A1c target for diabetes was driven largely by pharmaceutical companies, to create a bigger market for their new blood sugar-lowering drugs. More
How can we improve hospital cost efficiency to get better outcomes for a lower cost? Watch the video recording of our launch event to see the discussion. More
A recent study examines insurer-negotiated prices for ten expensive drugs at the 20 top US News & World Report hospitals. More
How can hospitals and policymakers better measure overuse and reduce overuse in hospitals, and what role can rankings play? On November 3, US News & World Report hosted an event on the topic featuring overuse experts. Watch the video recording to see the full discussion! More
First-ever ranking examines costs at 3,000 hospitals, identifying $8 billion in potential Medicare savings BOSTON, MA — A new analysis identifies the most cost-efficient hospitals in America and highlights how potentially billions of dollars could be saved in the nation’s Medicare program. The analysis from the Lown Institute, a health care think tank, uncovered big […] More
Has pharma cracked the secret code to profit through cancer drugs? A recent study takes a closer look at the impact of cancer drug prices on pharma revenues. More
Research shows that people of color are more likely to experience underuse of needed medications. How do we achieve equity in access to affordable, high-quality medications? More
Despite the known risks, dentists still prescribe too many opioids to young adults and teens. How can we reverse this pattern? More
Overuse of antipsychotic medications is a long-standing problem among nursing home residents with dementia. However, a 2012 policy to address the problem may have unintentionally created a new problem of overdiagnosis. More
The rapid switch to telehealth has many potential advantages for expanding access of care. However, if not done with an intentional eye toward equity, telehealth can leave many behind. More
Does an aspirin a day keep the doctor away? It used to be the conventional wisdom that taking low-dose aspirin helped prevent a first heart attack or stroke. However, the evidence isn't there to back up this practice. More
“The financial realities for hospitals are at odds with other things we might want hospitals to do,” study co-creator Shannon Brownlee said during the release of the Lown Institute Index for Social Responsibility. “The real goal is to start seeing hospitals in a different light.” Dr. Vikas Saini, the Lown Institute president, said the rankings are not designed for consumers to decide where to schedule their next elective procedure, but rather for informed citizens to think about the public good hospitals ought to provide in exchange for the tax benefits and privileged status they receive in the community. “We want them to think about these rankings more like: ‘What kind of health care system do we have, and is that the one I want for myself, my community and my country?’” Dr. Saini said. “I don’t think we want a system that has no soul, even if we live forever.” More
For Indigenous People's Day, we're sharing how American Indian and Alaska Native communities' experiences with Covid-19 highlight both the struggles and the accomplishments toward reducing health disparities. More
Racial disparities in the incidence and outcomes of chronic kidney disease create significant public health problems. A new study shows that we have to tackle both the medical and the social factors to close this health gap. More