Euthanasia in Belgium and the Netherlands: On a Slippery Slope?
The slippery slope is an argument frequently invoked in the world of bioethics. It connotes the notion that a particular course of action will lead inevitably to undesirable and unintended consequences. Saying no to the original action, even if that act is moral in itself, may, in light of the slope that looms, be the […]
The Robot Will See You Now: Robert Wachter’s “The Digital Doctor”
Consider Robert Wachter’s vision of the hospital in the not-so-distant future. There will be no more dedicated intensive-care units, because only seriously ill patients will be hospitalized. Rooms will be equipped with wall-size video screens and cameras that allow doctors to expeditiously perform remote examinations. There will be no more nurse call buttons; patients in pain […]
Science, Activism and Truth: “Galileo’s Middle Finger, by Alice Dreger
It is fitting that as I was reading Alice Dreger’s new book “Galileo’s Middle Finger,” news reports were full of “Deflategate,” in which the New England Patriots were accused of doctoring footballs, and the travails of NBC anchorman Brian Williams, accused of fabricating past exploits. Lying and deceit have been around for a long time—forever, […]
Please Stop Making That Noise
I can’t stand it when someone behind me at a movie chews popcorn with his or her mouth open. I mean, I really can’t stand it. I have misophonia, a condition with which certain sounds can drive someone into a burst of rage or disgust. Although only identified and named in the last 20 years, […]
When Patients Don’t Follow Up
Several years ago, I saw a woman with unexpectedly high blood pressure. Her readings were as high as 140/110, way above the normal value of 120/80. Though she was otherwise healthy, she was at risk of a stroke. Because extreme hypertension in young women can be caused a blockage of an artery to the kidney, […]
When Doctors Act on Tradition and Emotion Over New Science
A series of new studies published in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association underscore the complicated nature of new recommendations that could potentially change the basic ways that doctors treat high cholesterol and high blood pressure—two major risk factors for heart disease. They also raise a subject that we physicians don’t like to […]
Alcoholism Through a Doctor’s Eyes
When I teach medical students about alcoholism, it is never easy. Students arrive with preconceived notions and stereotypes obtained from books, television and films — and their personal upbringings — about the subject. So I am especially glad that medical, nursing and other graduate students from my institution, New York University, have been attending the […]
A Nurse Gains Fame in the Days of Polio
In the years after World War II, Eleanor Roosevelt routinely won polls as America’s most admired woman. But in a 1952 Gallup poll, she was beaten by an Australian nurse, Elizabeth Kenny, popularly known as Sister Kenny. Today, Elizabeth Kenny is largely forgotten. But thanks to a new biography by the Yale University historian of […]
Pressing Patients to Change Their Minds
The New York Times (Well blog), May 9, 2013 When my patient Suzy took herself off the active liver transplant list, she was too embarrassed to tell me. I found out from her liver doctors. When I confronted her, we discussed her reasoning. I told her I would continue to support and care for her. […]
A Doctor Goes to Cancer Camp
The New York Times (Well blog), 23 November 2010 I recently had the opportunity to spend a week as the doctor at the Imus Ranch for Kids With Cancer in Ribera, N. M., founded by radio personality Don Imus and his wife, Deirdre Imus. Camps for children with cancer have been around since the mid-1970s. […]