Debunking pharma’s spin on racial equity
What could be a fruitful conversation on racial equity is being co-opted by pharmaceutical companies to sell unproven drugs. More
What we lose when we approve unproven drugs
From approval to withdrawal, the story of Makena shows some of the major pitfalls of the FDA's drug approval process. More
Imaging overuse: What care cascades may cost you
Two recent studies show the high cost patients face from unnecessary imaging and follow up events. More
The Overprescription of Benzodiazepines: America’s Next Drug Epidemic
In January 2020, Lown Institute released “Eliminating Medication Overload: A National Action Plan.” The National Action Plan provides recommendations for policymakers, foundations, healthcare institutions, clinicians and patients across five key categories. More
Real-world test of colonoscopy screening program shows cancer reduction but no mortality benefit
How can mortality be reduced by colonoscopies but not by a colonoscopy screening program? We break down the results from the groundbreaking NordICC trial. More
Medication overload: a growing problem for older Americans
'Medication Overload: America’s Other Drug Problem', a report released in 2019 by the Lown Institute, chronicles the epidemic of polypharmacy in the United States. More
Special Report: Questionable Care: Who Is Responsible?
Even in 2020, when many hospitals were refusing non-urgent surgeries, more than 100,000 unnecessary, and potentially harmful procedures were performed on older patients in the USA, according to anaylsis from health think-tank the Lown Institute.
"You couldn't go into your local coffee shop, but hospitals brought people in for all kinds of unnecessary procedures,"
Does Medicare Advantage have the advantage when it comes to low-value care?
Do alternative payment plans like Medicare Advantage actually lead to less low-value care? A recent study in JAMA Health Forum has some encouraging results. More
4 Medical Treatments That Are Sometimes Unnecessary
“It’s very easy for doctors and patients to go down the path of doing a medical procedure because it seems like, in theory, it would be safer and better, but that’s not always the case,” says Vikas Saini, MD, a cardiologist and president of the institute. “More medical care isn’t necessarily always better, especially for older adults.” More
More than 1 in 10 veterans receive low-value care in the VA health system
Overuse is prevalent in hospitals across the country -- but what about VA hospitals, where providers are paid a salary rather than fee-for-service? More
Should Medicare cover blood tests for cancer screening?
Congress is considering having Medicare fund blood screening tests, also known as liquid biopsies. Could this lead to cascade events and medical overuse? More
Fewer Than 2% of Hospitals Excelling at Health Equity, Value
Of the 3,600 hospitals included in this year’s assessment, 66 ranked among the most socially responsible, meaning they earned an “A” rating in at least three of the measurement categories, the Lown Institute said. That represents fewer than 2 percent of participating hospitals, indicating serious room for growth in terms of health equity. More
Are You Taking Too Many Meds?
According to a 2020 report by the Lown Institute, a health-systems think tank that tracks prescription trends, 42% of older Americans routinely take five or more prescription drugs a day and close to 20% take 10 or more. More
The drug problem that nobody talks about: Overmedication in seniors
What's needed to tackle the problem? The Lown Institute's action plan offers recommendations in five key areas. More
Surprise billing — another potential risk of overuse
After getting spinal fusion surgery, Lisa French was charged $300,000 after the hospital had quoted her $1,300 for the surgery. When she was unable to pay, the nonprofit hospital sued. As the spinal fusion industry booms, this case shows another risk of unnecessary surgeries -- getting overcharged and potentially sued by hospitals. More
Report: Hospitals performed 100K unnecessary surgeries in COVID’s first year. What about Houston?
Texas ranked 47th of 50 states in avoiding unnecessary procedures, according to a report by the Lown Institute, a Massachusetts think tank, which found that hospitals across the country performed about 100,000 unnecessary surgeries in 2020. Unnecessary procedures cost the health care system as much as $101 billion a year in wasted spending, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. More
Should prostate cancer screening guidelines differ by race?
Should we recommend earlier prostate cancer screening for Black men, who have a higher risk of prostate cancer mortality? We examine the pros and cons of this question raised by a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine. More
The Cerebral scandal brings ADHD overprescription into the spotlight
A telehealth company's downfall sheds light on the overprescription of stimulants to ADHD patients More
More than 100,000 Medicare patients had unnecessary surgeries in first year of pandemic
Last year, the Lown Institute, a nonprofit healthcare think tank based in Needham, Massachusetts, reported that hospitals performed more than 1 million unnecessary tests and procedures on Medicare patients from 2016 to 2018. Unnecessary tests and procedures can put patients at risk of complications and drive up the cost of care. More
Stents don’t work? A look back at the research
What's the evidence behind PCI, and why do hospitals keep doing these procedures? We revisit this issue with a look back at research and interviews over last few years to give you the answers. More