Sorry Oprah. Signing Jenny McCarthy? You’ve Lost This Fan
I’ve always admired Oprah. To me she has been the perfect example of the American dream, while retaining her moral compass and behaving ethically. Until recently, she managed to make her billions by...
View ArticleAutism and MMR Link, Parents Fooled, Follow the Money, Then LISTEN
I’ll begin this post by saying that I understand the basics — that many parents of children with autism believe that autism was brought on by vaccines. And that scientific research has over and over...
View ArticlePatients Don’t Believe the Evidence! What’s Wrong With Us?
The journal Health Affairs reports on a study that finds Evidence That Consumers Are Skeptical About Evidence-Based Health Care. According to the abstract, We found many of these consumers’ beliefs,...
View ArticleUh-oh Video! (Can’t escape it…)
When it comes to TV and video, Al Roker provides one of my favorite quotations: “They say the camera adds 10 pounds. OK. So I figure I must be standing in front of 10 cameras.” Oh, yes, Al. I know how...
View ArticleJuly – a Potentially Dangerous Time for Healthcare
(as published in the Syracuse Post Standard July 5, 2011) Seven years ago this week, I found a golf ball sized lump on my torso that changed the course of my life. After its removal, I was diagnosed...
View ArticleDon’t Let Your Medical Test Results Fall Through the Cracks
(as published in the Syracuse Post Standard August 30, 2011) A few years ago, I changed primary care doctors. The one I left had good credentials. Over the span of a few years and several visits, she...
View ArticleCheck Out Those Health Charities Before You Donate
This column first appeared in the Syracuse Post Standard December 6, 2011 It’s that time of year again. The holidays, of course. But also the end of the tax year, when charities, including groups like...
View ArticleTime to Put a Stop to Drive-by-Doctoring
As many of my readers know, I speak at meetings and conferences fairly frequently, and most often to groups of patients and caregivers. The focus of the talks I give is usually on a patient empowerment...
View ArticleChicken Little, Wishful Thinking and the 24 Hour News Cycle
One frightening and frustrating trend we’ve seen since the 24-hour news cycle became a reality (meaning – since we have all gotten used to, and expect, to get our news updated at anytime, day or night,...
View ArticlePatients Looking Out for Each Other – When Patients Know Best
When oncologists consider recommendations for their patients’ cancer treatment, they will often consider the guidelines published by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. They expect to find the...
View Article
