The State of New York is proposing a change in the rules that determine what drugs Workers Comp patients may receive, and when. The new rules are nonsensical and harmful to patients as American Council friend, Dr. Aric Hausknecht, explains.
Policy & Ethics
Open displays of bipartisanship are rare these days and, as such, should be applauded. Unfortunately, a recent example of bipartisanship promotes junk science and bogus health claims, using buzz words like "integrative" and "wellness" that are code for "alternative medicine."
President Eisenhower's concern about the growing "military-industrial complex," referenced in his 1961 farewell address, became part of the cultural lexicon. But less well known is Ike's second warning, about manipulation of academia by political interests, which would change the nature of the “free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery.”
It's time to turn the forces of political correctness against themselves. If society is going to be in the dubious business of banning words, then we ought to do that because they're factually incorrect – rather than politically incorrect. And there's no better place to start than with the abbreviation "GMO."
Scientists are generally regarded as ethical and honest – the polar opposite of politicians. But there's a disturbing trend taking place in the scientific community: retracted papers, often due to fraud. This one, which appeared in the journal Science, focuses on harm to fish from tiny plastic particles. It is a doozy.
When words like "world-renowned" are used in the medical realm (especially by people selling something, like an unnecessary product or procedure), beware. And then prepare yourself with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Scandals, no matter their size or consequence, shouldn't eradicate the basic tenets of doctor-patient privilege.
The odd case of a stricken man arriving at a Florida hospital with no ID, no family member – but with a bold tattoo stating that critical, life-saving intervention be withheld – is serving as a bizarre but essential reminder to the rest of us to raise a difficult, yet frequently-skirted, topic.
A traveler who smokes should be able to wait to light up until he, or she, gets home. But if that's not possible, the nicotine craving can be satisfied with a layover in Europe or Asia.
That a person with such a hostile view toward industry-funded science serves on the editorial board of a major scientific journal is disturbing. That she possesses no academic qualifications to justify her position as "senior editor" is a scandal.
Nearly 60 years ago, a government regulation designed to assure the public about the safety our food supply did just the opposite; it set off a panic that was completely unwarranted. Thanksgiving was ruined for millions because the government created an invalid distinction between the natural world and the synthetic one.
The regulation was called the Delaney Clause. In simple form, it said that if a synthetic chemical could be shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals, it must be banned.
How did a frog that doesn't live in Louisiana get a habitat there? It was part of a sue-and-settle agreement arrangement between the government an environmental group, and it could cause the Supreme Court to dismantle the Endangered Species Act.