Number 5 in the USA Today catalog of medical changes in the past 25 years is (imagine a drum roll playing – and CYMBAL CRASH!) — antidepressants are the most popular drugs. Read more on Antidepressants Are Popular — And Dangerous…
Filed under medicine, News, prescription drugs by on Sep 9th, 2011. Comment. 
The first thing you get when you “in-process” into the Army — at least the first thing I got — was dog tags. I had to decide if I wanted my religion on my dog tags, and tell the lady at the typewriter what kind of funeral I wanted. For all my ups and downs, I decided I would die Jewish, and get a traditional funeral, and make the Army find a rabbi. I could put that on them with no thought of guilt. I had the option of putting my faith on my dog tags. I was warned, in the most dispassionate possible way, that some enemies of the United States of America would kill me if it said “Jewish.” I chose a resolution some co-religionaries had chosen in World War II. I chose “Hebrew,” feeling more in common with the ancient faith than with the heavily politicized modern tripartite (Orthodox, Conservative and Reformed) ways of filling congregations.
Then I got my “Geneva Convention” card — Lavender and black and white, it said in 22 languages, roughly the equivalent “Don’t kill me. I’m a doctor.”
Filed under Doctors, Education, News by on Sep 9th, 2011. Comment.
I eagerly add my name to the list of those who want to pay tribute to those who perished in the horrific tragedy of 9/11/2001, and also to those who assisted in any way, to those survivors who were spared by either chance or the dedication of the heroic people who responded and tried to help.
As a former EMT working my way through medical school and a veteran of the US Army medical corps, I honor those who volunteer to serve, and are called upon in times of extreme need.
There are many others rushing to praise the 9/11 responders, seeking glory for praising and honoring our American heroes, and it may not be a bad thing — for one level of human need.
Filed under politics by on Sep 11th, 2011. Comment.
If there is one time to get scared, it is when a drug company, a government agency, a popular magazine article or – heaven forbid – your doctor says a metabolite is “better” than the drug it came from.
Filed under prescription drugs by on Sep 22nd, 2011. 3 Comments.
Most people don’t seem to understand how disability benefits work – and that includes doctors as well as patients. There’s a very good reason for that. The system is screwy.
Thinking that your own regular doctor might be prejudiced and just dish out disability benefits ad infinitum so you never have to go to work (Gee – where did the government get that idea?) the patient is sent to an outside doctor to do an evaluation.
I’ve done plenty of those in my day. I’ve done them for veterans and for Social Security and for worker’s comp and even such exotic things as employee plans for large corporations (such as GM and Ford) and unions (like the Railroad Workers). Read more on Diagnosing For Dollars…
Filed under Diagnosis, News by on Sep 30th, 2011. Comment.