Second Opinion
900 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★★ - 62 ratingsAn 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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Episodes
Remembering Childhood Trauma
July 06, 2024 07:00 - 4 minutes - 3.16 MBMemory is complicated and many factors impact the retention of distant memories
Contingency management to end addiction
June 16, 2024 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.38 MBWhile paying those addicted to drugs to stop using has its skeptics, studies suggest it has real potential
Pharmaceutical gifts to healthcare providers
June 09, 2024 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.63 MBGifts are unethical and drive up healthcare costs
Delving into the depths of Dental Care
June 02, 2024 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.64 MBMuch of what we know about routine dental care is not based on sound science
Changes coming with artificial intelligence
May 26, 2024 07:00 - 5 minutes - 4.19 MBMedicine has seen many changes over the past 30 years, but AI will be a disruptive game changer.
Medical Tourism
May 19, 2024 13:35 - 5 minutes - 3.71 MBThere are many reasons to go abroad for healthcare, but attention is needed to carefully weigh the risks and benefits.
The impact of antimicrobial resistance on human health
May 12, 2024 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.65 MBThe World Health Organization considers antimicrobial resistance one of the top 10 threats to global health alongside climate change and pandemics.
Improving the environment to improve health
May 05, 2024 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.13 MBThe EPA has just passed some air pollution rules that could improve our American’s health.
Confirmation Bias
April 28, 2024 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.65 MBResearch findings are not etched in stone.
Brain Drain
April 21, 2024 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.62 MBAmerica's dependency on foreign medical graduates, helps us but disadvantages countries around the world.
Those who receive the poorest healthcare in America
April 14, 2024 13:35 - 5 minutes - 3.67 MBThe medical needs of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities are often ignored, and their care suffers.
The importance of bird flu
April 07, 2024 13:35 - 5 minutes - 3.87 MBWe may still have some lingering pandemic fatigue but the new bird flu has the potential for significant harm if we are not careful.
Giving and Receiving Bad News
March 31, 2024 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.54 MBWould you prefer to receive bad medical news in person or over the phone?
The recurrence of measles in a time of misinformation
March 24, 2024 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.64 MBMeasles, a highly contagious disease, is making a comeback in the US and we are not as prepared as we have been in the recent past.
Mistreated and Ignored
March 17, 2024 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.63 MBInstitutional Care for People with Neurodiversity
Batwa indigenous people of Uganda
March 10, 2024 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.25 MBSurviving in the mountainous rainforests of Uganda.
Prevention in Uganda
March 03, 2024 14:35 - 5 minutes - 3.99 MBOn a national level, Uganda has made progress in health outcomes, but certain populations have been left behind.
Why can’t I prescribe a person a home?
February 25, 2024 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.5 MBClassic medical care is a start but not always enough to ensure good health.
Limited Access to Medical Records
February 18, 2024 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.62 MBDespite rules to promote the sharing of medical records, barriers still exist that reduce the quality and increase the cost of healthcare.
Do grades motivate learning?
February 11, 2024 14:35 - 4 minutes - 2.97 MBAs medical schools move to pass/fail grades what impact will this have on tomorrow’s doctors?
The health impact of microplastics
February 04, 2024 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.52 MBThere is a critical need to rethink healthcare delivery to reduce microplastic waste
Superstitions and well-being
January 28, 2024 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.62 MBIt is hard to avoid superstitions, but they are usually harmless and can provide a boost of confidence
Diagnosing ADHD
January 21, 2024 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.49 MBThe condition is difficult to diagnose, and errors drive toward overdiagnosis.
The truth behind spinal cord stimulation
January 14, 2024 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.42 MBIndustry tries to do what it can to keep the secret that these devices just don’t work very well.
In memory of a medical hero
January 07, 2024 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.61 MBSidney Wolfe accomplished far more than most of us mere mortals
Home Testing for Cervical Cancer
December 31, 2023 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.42 MBIf we can decrease the need for pelvic exams and improve the convenience of cervical cancer screening we can increase detection rates
Excessive Radiation from CT Scans
December 24, 2023 14:35 - 5 minutes - 3.67 MBToo many CT scans are unnecessary, and the radiation can cause problems
We don’t have the information we need on prescription drugs
December 17, 2023 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.57 MBIf you are prescribed a drug, how do you find out how effective the drug really is?
Making Hepatitis C treatment available to all
December 10, 2023 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.36 MBNow that there is a highly effective treatment available, how can we assure access to this life saving drug?
Prescription Digital Tools
December 03, 2023 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.54 MBThese tools rely on software to monitor, treat, or prevent disease. They are still in their early stages but we need more data on their effectiveness.
What is a normal part of aging?
November 26, 2023 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.36 MBNot all problems should be attributed to normal aging.
The meaning of gratitude
November 19, 2023 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.55 MBIt turns out that gratitude can benefit physical and mental health.
When to report child or elderly abuse
November 13, 2023 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.45 MBThe consequences of reporting, and not reporting abuse, can be enormous
Hospital Culture and End-of-Life Care
November 05, 2023 14:35 - 5 minutes - 3.67 MBWe need to do better at matching care provided at the end of life to patient’s preferences.
Is gambling a medical problem?
October 29, 2023 13:35 - 5 minutes - 3.67 MBDecreasing problem gambling will require a toolbox of remedies including health care interventions and new policies.
Hospital Discharge- given only a few hours to decide what’s next
October 22, 2023 13:35 - 5 minutes - 4.39 MBHospital discharge can be complicated, and too often, patient’s preferences are not considered.
Do we need black boxes in medicine?
October 15, 2023 13:35 - 5 minutes - 3.67 MBThere are many similarities between medicine and aviation, but one change we need to make in medicine is to develop the equivalent of black boxes to improve the quality of care.
Harm Reduction
October 08, 2023 13:35 - 5 minutes - 4.55 MBWhile not a perfect solution, it has been shown to work.
Substance Abuse Part 1
October 01, 2023 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.35 MBWhat drives substance abuse is complex and treatment requires a dual approach
Vector Borne Disease and Climate Change
September 24, 2023 13:35 - 5 minutes - 3.67 MBClimate change has created unique opportunities for insects to spread disease.
The Popularity of Total Body MRI Scanning
September 17, 2023 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.35 MBThese expensive tests have very little benefit and some important risks.
Intergenerational Trauma
September 10, 2023 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.58 MBTrauma experienced by refugees can have a powerful effect on the biology and behaviors of future generations.
The meaning of being on the “BEST HOSPITAL” list
September 03, 2023 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.62 MBWe need to agree on outcomes for a “best hospital” and then figure out how to measure those qualities.
The impact of positive childhood experiences
August 27, 2023 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.17 MBIt turns out both adverse and positive childhood experiences impact our health as adults.
Emotional Support Animals
August 20, 2023 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.04 MBCertain rules assure that people can live with emotional support animals, but they are different rules than protect service animals.
Medical Research Volunteers are often poorly informed
August 13, 2023 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.61 MBThe FDA has dropped the ball on requiring that studies are properly evaluated for ethical violations
The White Coat Ceremony – only a partial celebration.
August 06, 2023 13:35 - 3 minutes - 2.72 MBPerhaps the white coat is no longer a fitting symbol for a patient-focused modern medical profession.
Religion and Medicine often make strange partners
July 30, 2023 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.34 MBIs our life’s path already written, or can we control behaviors and impact our health?
Ordering drug tests without permission
July 23, 2023 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.58 MBDrug testing for elicit substances should require explicit permission from the patient
The new heavily promoted weight loss drugs
July 16, 2023 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.63 MBLike with all new drugs, – things are never quite what they first seem.