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
Treating loneliness
August 08, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.59 MBLoneliness is everywhere and seems to be growing more common. The treatment isn’t medication but social connections.
After a diagnosis of lung cancer
August 01, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.11 MBAre there benefits of stopping smoking once diagnosed with lung cancer?
Do people have an ethical right to have cosmetic surgery?
July 25, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.38 MBGovernment insurance is provided to people for medically necessary care. But, when care is not necessary should it still be provided as a benefit?
Refugee Mental Health
July 18, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.4 MBRefugees are at high risk for all the stress of changing cultures while being without their usual supports. A bit of prevention may ease their integration into American society.
We need more training slots for medical residents
July 11, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.15 MBBut, in creating new slots we need to grow health care delivery in places where the need is greatest and the trainees will have the greatest impact on improving the community’s health.
The double standard of medical marijuana cards
July 04, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.6 MBFederal laws are putting many of our young adults in a bind and creating new disparities in health care.
Live-Streaming Primary Care
June 27, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.36 MBDo the advantages of telemedicine suggest it is an innovation that should last past COVID?
Estimating the chance of disease
June 20, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.65 MBIt turns out that clinicians are not very good at estimating the probability of illness which leads to unnecessary care.
Estimating the chance of disease
June 20, 2021 13:35 - 3 minutesIt turns out that clinicians are not very good at estimating the probability of illness which leads to unnecessary care.
Mistaken approval of Alzheimer’s Drug
June 13, 2021 13:35 - 5 minutes - 3.67 MBAducanumab is not just a drug that doesn’t seem to work, but it is an enormously expensive drug but provides false hope to desperate families.
Marketing low value products
June 06, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.31 MBIf COVID-19 has taught us anything, one lesson is that we need to rethink allowing promotions for treatments that are overdone, unnecessary, or not proven effective.
Using incentives to drive health care
May 30, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.07 MBFor years we have used incentives and disincentives to drive people toward specific behaviors. Is driving toward COVID immunization any different?
Selecting your type of health care provider
May 23, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.31 MBRather than selecting a health care provider based on ability and training, people often rely on demographic data and look for someone they think is like them.
The Promotion of Medical Devices
May 16, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.41 MBFor years pharmaceutical companies have provide gifts and kickbacks to doctors who prescribed their drugs. Medical device manufacturers are now playing the same game and it’s costing all of us.
Involving Palliative Care too late
May 09, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.11 MBAsking health care providers a simple question is surprisingly accurate at predicting how long a person has to live and this information can make a big difference in how people chose to live what time they have left.
Protecting victims of domestic violence
May 02, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.32 MBIt is time to re-look at laws intended to protect victims of domestic violence as they have had unintended consequences
Hospitalizing someone against their will
April 25, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.14 MBInvoluntary hospitalization is not an easy decision to make and involves balancing ethical, moral and legal issues while trying to protect a person and society.
Overtreatment of common infections with antibiotics
April 18, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.34 MBIt turns out the number of days providers treat common infections with an antibiotic is simply too long.
The conflicts of interest between academic medical centers and medical industries
April 11, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.44 MBFor years there has been a symbiotic relationship between these two giants but its time for increased transparency and some guiderails governing appropriate behaviors.
The complexities in diagnosing mental illness
April 04, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.46 MBMaking a diagnosis of a mental illness can be difficult and there is a great overlap between normal and illness.
The Complexities of Cannabis Use
March 28, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.34 MBLike any drug, cannabis has risks and benefits. Unfortunately, we are still limited in our knowledge of both.
Unequal access to palliative care
March 21, 2021 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.18 MBPalliative care has much to offer in wrap-around services but it is being enormously underused particularly for people with illnesses other than cancer.
The impact of open medical records
March 12, 2021 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.27 MBA new law requires all medical records including clinician’s notes to be freely available to patients. Depending on your perspective this is either a long overdue transparency benefit or a hinderance to good medical care.
Accuracy of newly approved cancer drugs
March 07, 2021 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.15 MBWhy is that results from drug research studies are so much rosier than the experience using those same drugs in the real world?
Unplanned pregnancies and contraceptives
February 28, 2021 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.34 MBLong acting reversible contraceptive (LARC’s) are under-used and often too expensive for many women – but this significantly restricts a woman’s contraceptive autonomy.
The health risks of eating chicken eggs
February 21, 2021 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.09 MBThere as been lots of controversy on the health impact of eating eggs but some recent good studies suggest we may finally be reaching consensus.
The impact of stigma on sex workers
February 14, 2021 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.29 MBSex workers often experience stigma both related to their occupation as well as to mental health issues they may face.
Treatments that just don’t work
February 07, 2021 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.28 MBWhile it often seems better to do something, there are times when it may be better to do nothing – such as taking Vitamin D or Homeopathic medicines.
Trauma and adversity can lead to resiliency
January 31, 2021 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.32 MBSometimes it seems that we risk being overwhelmed by all that is thrown at us. But, resiliency is an important life skill that can be learned from interacting with those who are resilient.
Does this treatment really work?
January 24, 2021 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.59 MBNext time you are being prescribed a drug or offered a procedure, ask the doctor, “what does research suggest is the likely benefit I can expect from this intervention”?
The Shkreli Awards for health care dysfunction and greed.
January 17, 2021 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.57 MBEach year the Lown Institute calls for nominations from health care experts, journalists and others. This year an outstanding panel of judges selected 10 egregious examples of profiteering.
Entitlement and COVID
January 10, 2021 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.49 MBAre some people more deserving than others? Should queues and priorities apply to everyone or should some people be able to jump ahead?
For those with chronic pain - does surgery lead to improvement?
January 03, 2021 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.21 MBWhile it depends on the pain and the cause, on average surgery for chronic musculoskeletal pain does not result in less pain compared to those who received no surgery.
Rationing care in times of COVID
December 27, 2020 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.27 MBChoices of who gets limited resources in health care are never easy as there are bound to be winners and losers. But, rationing policies need to be open and involve the stakeholders.
How are you doing?
December 20, 2020 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3 MBThis friendly phrase can send the wrong message.
The advantages of wastewater epidemiology
December 13, 2020 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.63 MBWastewater-based epidemiology is an approach to providing real-time information on our exposure to certain diseases using pooled waste water extraction (aka “sewage”).
Crossing your fingers – superstitions in medicine
December 06, 2020 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.3 MBSuperstitions and magical thinking can help protect us from what we know is out ther
Domestic Violence in times of COVID
November 29, 2020 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.51 MBResearch shows that DV increases during hard economic times, social isolation, and around the holidays – creating a perfect storm.
Gut Feelings
November 22, 2020 14:35 - 4 minutes - 2.94 MBWhile they may not be scientific, gut feelings can often be right.
The benefits of continuity of care
November 15, 2020 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.18 MBKeeping the same doctor has many benefits but it can also increase the length of your life.
Changing the recommendations for colon cancer screening
November 08, 2020 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.46 MBAs the rates of colon cancer shift it may be time to alter the screening recommendations. But there are some unintended consequences.
The impact of bullying
November 01, 2020 14:35 - 4 minutes - 3.45 MBWe’ve seen bullying taken to new levels. The impact on civil society is profound and will be long lasting.
What happens to all that PPE we discard?
October 25, 2020 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.28 MBWhile PPE is lifesaving, it is creating environmental damage for the future.
Psychiatric hospitalization as a risk factor for premature death
October 18, 2020 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.46 MBWe’ve got a broken mental health care system which seems unable to protect many with great needs.
Lessons from the bedside for American policy makers
October 11, 2020 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.56 MBDr. Nathan Link explains how the medical science of decision-making has lots to offer America’s leaders.
Shame and how it keeps us from improving
September 27, 2020 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.33 MBWe need to change how we care for people with type two diabetes, but unless we admit we need to change people’s health will suffer.
Inappropriate Hysterectomies
September 20, 2020 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.5 MBThe inappropriate removal of an immigrant’s uterus is not that surprising in that it seems to be part of a much larger trend across America.
Inappropriate use of the emergency department
September 13, 2020 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.38 MBReducing ED use isn’t as simple as it sounds, and there are competing conflicts of interests.
In the pursuit of happiness
September 06, 2020 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.33 MBHappiness is not a momentary sense of joy but a sustained sense of life satisfaction.
Food Safety and Security in times of COVID
August 30, 2020 13:35 - 4 minutes - 3.47 MBDespite a sufficient food supply too many people remain hungry.