We’ve discussed the corrupting effect of money on the practice of medicine many times on the blog. (Check here, “Follow the Money.“) Thi s article outlines some of the measured being taken to curb the influence of drug money and device industry money on medical practice, and some of the more egregious examples of the [...]
04/12/2013
Dietician Fired from Panel on GMO’s for Pointing out Monsanto Conflict of Interest
Could it be any more obvious? Of course, NYTimes has to play it right down the middle, even though Monsanto has everything to gain, and what does this dietician have to gain? Follow the Money. Again, if GMO’s are so safe, label them. Food Politics Creates Rift in Panel on Labeling By STEPHANIE STROM The [...]
04/04/2013
Progess. Hazard Warning for Bisphenol A
Bisphenol A, chemical endocrine disruptor might get a hazard warning. We’ve been discussing this on the blog for a few years now. (Here, here and here.) (“A flurry of research”, showing it to be harmful may cause “flurries of lawsuits.” Funny.) By now, many environmentally conscious consumers are wary of bisphenol A, a [...]
03/26/2013
Hazards of Robotic $urgery
I’m getting quite crabby posting on the “Follow the Money” theme. Who would have guessed that these expensive robots not only are no better, but can be dangerous? First, Do No Harm. I got a bit of snarky satisfaction from the NYTimes title, “Salesmen in the Surgical Suite.” Click through for the whole thing, I [...]
03/25/2013
Monopoly, It’s the Big Pharma Business Model
This will be awesome for the Drug Companies and awful for patients and their wallets. Given this Supreme Court, they’ll probably let the drug companies do whatever they want. Freedom. (In short, the makers of “blockbuster drugs” will pay generic drug makers to keep their cheaper version off the market in turn for profit sharing [...]
02/26/2013
Bitter Pill: The Horrific Costs of the U.S. Healthcare Industry
From the “Follow the Money” files. Try to read the whole article. While none of this is super surprising, the scope and degree of profit and lobbying, IS astonishing. I didn’t include it here, but the article begins with the outrageous story of a man with cancer who seeks care in Texas. The cold hearted [...]
02/12/2013
Hear, hear! Looking for Environmental Causes of Breast Cancer
Long overdue but so pleased to see this important step. We’ve discussed breast cancer and possible causes here, here, and here. (I don’t like the title of this editorial, since breast cancer “prevention” has become synonymous with mammograms.) Emphasizing breast cancer prevention Monday, February 11, 2013 Until now, federal research on breast cancer has been [...]
