Second Opinion

Second Opinion

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 .

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Second Opinion
Will AI replace clinicians?

AI is increasingly being used to collect and process clinical information. Whether this is a good thing depends on who you ask.

00:03:59
Jan 26, 2025 12:0 AM
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More Episodes

Second Opinion
When is a disease not a disease?

When one in three people have an abnormal lab test, does it become a disease?

00:04:00
Jan 19, 2025 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
How Medical Data Bases Lead to Better Individual Treatment

By collecting health data across large populations of people, we can identify patterns that help us all.

00:04:00
Jan 12, 2025 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
Thinking of taking one of the new GLP-1 weight-loss drugs?

Unfortunately, I can offer no strong advice.  The drugs seem to be effective, but, like with any new drug, we just don’t have all the answers.

00:03:38
Jan 5, 2025 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
Listening to music in Refugee Camps

Music has benefits that relate hope and social connections

00:03:38
Dec 29, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
A tale of two kingdoms

Fluoride has proven so successful that it would be crazy to deprive children of its benefits

00:04:00
Dec 22, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
The risk of a bird flu epidemic

The risks are rising, and state and government officials are not taking this seriously.

00:03:59
Dec 15, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
Does free tuition impact medical student specialty choice?

Philanthropy has enabled several expensive private medical schools to offer all students free tuition. Has this changed the practice of medicine?

00:04:00
Dec 8, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
Drug Promotion to the Public

Why do drug companies push drugs to the public that just don’t work?

00:03:58
Nov 30, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
Doctor, will you pray with me?

Medicine and spirituality often interact, but clinicians and patients can often find themselves in very different places.

00:03:14
Nov 24, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
The importance of standing tall

Slouching has a rich history, but its medical consequences need to be better understood. 

00:03:53
Nov 17, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
As a group, are migrants less healthy?

Migration is at an all-time high worldwide. It can impact health in many ways. 

00:03:55
Nov 3, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
Did the treatment really work?

We often have to decide if a treatment we are taking is working and whether or not to continue it.

00:04:00
Oct 26, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
Food Insecurity

How can a country so rich in resources and farm production have people who still go to bed hungry?

00:04:00
Oct 20, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
Task Shifting

A model of eye care to increase access without compromising on quality

00:03:58
Oct 13, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
Should a mosquito-born illness seen in Los Angeles be of concern?

Climate change and increased moisture have altered the habitat for mosquitos.

 

00:04:01
Oct 6, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
The marketing of depression

Finding an effective treatment can be tricky, but it need not be a pill.

00:03:59
Sep 29, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
The role of genetics in depression

At present, the role of genetics testing in the diagnosis or treatment of depression is not ready for prime time. 

00:04:01
Sep 22, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
Protecting Dairy Farms

Dairy farmers play a vital role in ensuring the safety of our milk.  But, they all need to make public health their top priority.

00:03:59
Sep 15, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
Endless gun violence

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.

00:03:59
Sep 8, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
The one disease that has near-universal coverage

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?

00:03:57
Sep 1, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
Failing to protect volunteers in research studies

Research is required to be evaluated to protect research subjects.  But, in many cases, this is not happening.  

00:03:58
Aug 25, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
Early Hospital Discharge

Hospitals strive for early discharge, but it may not be in the patient’s best interest.

 

00:04:01
Aug 18, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
Is the new test for Alzheimer’s disease worth getting?

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

 

00:03:56
Aug 11, 2024 12:0 AM
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Second Opinion
What elephant seals can tell us about our health.

We still have a lot to understand about bird flu (H5N1), but elephant seals have given us new reasons to worry.

00:04:02
Aug 4, 2024 12:0 AM
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