An examination of medical ethics and the practitioners who define them. Sign up to receive the Second Opinion topics in newsletter form at kcrw.com/newsletters .
Philanthropy has enabled several expensive private medical schools to offer all students free tuition. Has this changed the practice of medicine?
Why do drug companies push drugs to the public that just don’t work?
Medicine and spirituality often interact, but clinicians and patients can often find themselves in very different places.
Slouching has a rich history, but its medical consequences need to be better understood.
Migration is at an all-time high worldwide. It can impact health in many ways.
We often have to decide if a treatment we are taking is working and whether or not to continue it.
How can a country so rich in resources and farm production have people who still go to bed hungry?
A model of eye care to increase access without compromising on quality
Climate change and increased moisture have altered the habitat for mosquitos.
Finding an effective treatment can be tricky, but it need not be a pill.
At present, the role of genetics testing in the diagnosis or treatment of depression is not ready for prime time.
Dairy farmers play a vital role in ensuring the safety of our milk. But, they all need to make public health their top priority.
We are not helpless, and the situation is not hopeless. We can’t wipe out mental illness, but we can enact reasonable gun control to protect the public.
For those Americans with end-stage kidney disease, insurance coverage is never an issue. Why can’t we provide this universal coverage for others with expensive chronic conditions?
Research is required to be evaluated to protect research subjects. But, in many cases, this is not happening.
Hospitals strive for early discharge, but it may not be in the patient’s best interest.
For those with worrisome symptoms the test might be useful, but it has problems when used to screen people for disease who have no symptoms
We still have a lot to understand about bird flu (H5N1), but elephant seals have given us new reasons to worry.
The wait can be long, and our thoughts often turn to the worst-case scenario
We are regularly bombarded with advertisements promoting unproven and non-approved dietary supplements. Congress has chosen to look the other way.
Medical and Spiritual Professionals are like two ships passing in the night
Memory is complicated and many factors impact the retention of distant memories
While paying those addicted to drugs to stop using has its skeptics, studies suggest it has real potential
Gifts are unethical and drive up healthcare costs
Much of what we know about routine dental care is not based on sound science