The blog of Freedom and Individual Rights in Medicine (FIRM)
My latest Forbes column is now out: "Should Doctors Be Required To Tell The DMV If You Have Dementia?"
This is another example in which a well-intended law may create perverse unintended consequences. As a friend noted, "Mandatory reporting laws of any kind are fraught with danger. One reason is that, from the patient's point of view, they can blur the lines between talking to your doctor/nurse and talking to a cop."
My latest Forbes column is out: "Why You Shouldn't Swallow Magnets".
I discuss who should (or shouldn't) swallow magnets. Hint: If you are reading this, it's not you.
My latest Forbes is now out: "How Much Basic Math And Health Statistics Should Legislators Know?"
How much basic math do legislators know?
The Royal Statistical Society asked 101 members of the U.K. Parliament in 2021, “If you toss a fair coin twice, what is the probability of getting two heads?” The correct answer is, of course, 1/4 or 25%.
However, only 52% of the MPs got the answer correct. On the bright side, this is an improvement from 2011, when only 40% of the MPs got the answer correct.
My first thought when I learned about this study: I would love to know how U.S. congressmen would perform with the question...
My latest Forbes is now out: "Using Artificial Intelligence To Predict Individual Health Outcomes".
The use of voice data to predict early Type 2 diabetes was especially surprising me.
My latest Forbes column is now out: "Some Physicians Receive Thousands Of Dollars A Year From Drug Companies; Should You Be Concerned?"
I discuss the federal Open Payments database which tabulates financial interactions between physicians and drug/medical device companies. I also discuss how patients should be cautious about interpreting what they learn about their doctors, and whether such payments constitute a conflict of interest.
My latest Forbes column is now out: "A Celebration Of Dr. Robert Bartlett, The ‘Father Of ECMO’"
I offer a tribute to Dr. Robert Bartlett, an innovator and a legend of US surgery. (And a former professor of mine when I was a student at University of Michigan Medical School.)
My latest Forbes column is now out: "The Unsettled Science Of Covid-19".
I discuss some recent controversies over Covid-19, including natural immunity, the efficacy of mask mandates, and the "lab leak" hypothesis -- and what that means for the concepts of "consensus" and "misinformation".
My January 2023 Forbes column is out: "The Power Of Ordinary English To Improve Healthcare".
I discuss how the skillful use of ordinary English language instead of medical jargon can improve patient understanding and outcomes.
My latest Forbes column is now out: "Should We Punish Physicians Who Spread Covid-19 'Misinformation'?"
[W]hen it comes to offering dissenting opinions — even mistaken opinions — on health-related public policy, I favor keeping the hand of government regulation relatively light rather than overly heavy...
My latest Forbes column is now out: "How The Bernoulli Effect Can Help Patients And Physicians".
My piece was inspired by this awesome 2-minute video:
@wolf_science Bernoulli’s Principle. #science #firefighting #fan #teachersoftiktok #learnontiktok ♬ original sound - Wolf_Science
My latest Forbes column is now out: "Traffic Safety Signs May Be Hazardous To Your Health".
I cover some fascinating behavioral science research showing how traffic safety signs can create unintended -- and sometimes deadly -- consequences. 