How COVID-19 Highlights the Uncertainty of Medical Testing
Widespread COVID testing has revealed uncomfortable truths about medical tests: A test result is rarely a definitive answer, but instead a single clue. More
The COVID Science Wars
The net effect of academic bullying and ad hominem attacks has been the creation and maintenance of “groupthink”—a problem that carries its own deadly consequences. People are becoming increasingly resistant to the prospect of more public health measures that restrict their lives. Silencing any science-based viewpoint that would lift some of the most oppressive aspects of controlling the spread of the virus could leave the public even more resistant to public health measures. The new administration will also need public health messaging that helps people understand the evidence and reasoning behind it. More
Five years after treating its first patient, Mayo Clinic leads the world in proton beam treatment
“We’ve been led down this primrose path of medicine before. Where’s the data? Where are the randomized controlled trials?” said Brownlee, who is a leader of the national health care advocacy nonprofit Lown Institute. “You started building before you had the data.” “Mayo clearly has confidence in this machine. They want to get ahead of the game and they want to command market share,” she said. “There are so many ways $100 million could have been spent, if they cared about the health of their community.” More
Closing the maternal mortality gap
What makes the US so different from other wealthy countries when it comes to maternal health? More
Proposed British guidelines reject useless chronic fatigue syndrome treatments
A key British agency has rejected graded exercise therapy and cognitive behavior therapy as treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome. More
Does Remdesivir Actually Work Against Covid-19?
The evidence shows only that the drug might be effective. That once wasn’t enough for F.D.A. approval. More
Increasing Numbers of Children Prescribed Multiple Psychiatric Medications
According to researchers, children are being increasingly prescribed multiple different psychiatric medications. More
Failed study spawns fresh debate about fish-oil-derived drugs for heart disease
The new study was completely negative, while an earlier trial of Vascepa, another fish-oil-derived drug, persuaded the FDA to approve it. More
Rapid Testing Is Less Accurate Than the Government Wants to Admit
Rapid antigen testing is a mess. The federal government pushed it out without a plan, and then spent weeks denying problems with false positives. More
A nudge helps doctors bring up end-of-life issues with their dying cancer patients
A nudge based on artificial intelligence helps cancer doctors start conversations with their dying patients about their end-of-life wishes. More
Here’s how Michigan health care experts are reducing risks of medication overload
A Lown Institute study found 750 older Americans are hospitalized daily due to serious medication side effects. With each additional drug taken, risks of serious reactions increase 7-10%. More than 40% of older Americans take five or more prescription drugs. Nearly 20% take more than 10. Add in over-the-counter medications, and that number rises to 66%. More
Five Important Questions About Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine
The drugmaker says its mRNA vaccine worked in 90% of patients in its trial, but some observers question how long immunity will last and who will benefit. More
Inappropriately prescribed antibiotics will likely accompany the winter surge of Covid-19
Antibiotics were overprescribed long before Covid-19 emerged. The pandemic may lead to a surge in antibiotic use, much of it inappropriate. More
F.D.A. Panel Declines to Endorse Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug
The drug, aducanumab, made by Biogen, would be the first new Alzheimer’s treatment in nearly two decades. But the advisory panel said there was not enough evidence of its effectiveness in slowing cognitive decline. More
The “deimplementation” process: Stopping overuse in pediatric care
Overuse in pediatrics is prevalent, but often goes overlooked. How can we improve health care value for people of all ages? Researchers argue that it is time for the field of pediatrics to develop their own pediatric "deimplementation science" to improve children's health. More
Far more transparency is needed for Covid-19 vaccine trials
Rehabilitating trust in public health efforts will take time. One step must be taken now: increase transparency in Covid-19 vaccine trials. More
Study Showing Masks Aren’t Harmful May Do More Harm Than Good
The quest to debunk irrational beliefs is foolish and may exacerbate mistrust in science rather than persuade the mask doubters, says John Mandrola, MD, about a recent research letter in JAMA. More
Spike in prescribing dexamethasone to Covid-19 patients may do more harm than good
People with Covid-19 who do not need oxygen should not take dexamethasone, a potent steroid. Yet there's been a spike in prescriptions of it. More
Can covid-19 help us deal with the pandemic of defensive medicine?
The threat of this terrible virus has made us take a step back and critically reflect on our priorities and our actions More
More than a third of older adults are prescribed potentially inappropriate drugs, study finds
In a new study, researchers found that 34% of older adults were prescribed a potentially inappropriate medication. People taking five or more medications were much more likely to have received an inappropriate medication. More