Several close family members developed Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia before they died. They all required institutional care. Alzheimer’s is an insidious disease that robs the victims of the person they were. It robs them of the people they loved as they forget the names and faces of family and friends. It robs them of their dignity as they can no longer care for themselves and must be fed, bathed, clothed and toileted like a toddler. It sometimes robs them of their legacy, as their care is so costly they have to bankrupt themselves before qualifying for Medicaid coverage.
Author: Devon Herrick
Counterfeit Weight Loss Drugs Endanger Patients and Profits
Semaglutide is in short supply. That is the generic name for a weight loss drug from the class of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. You may have heard of them under the brand names, Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy. Injections are taken weekly, and a month’s supply is around $1,400 if paying cash with a GoodRx coupon. Semaglutide is also prescribed for diabetes that does not respond to other treatments. Obese patients can expect to lose anywhere from 15% to 20% of their body weight. That is why it is in high demand and supplies are tight. The drug class is new and it works. Food cravings fall and patients report forgetting to eat. Oprah even admitted taking it.
Medical Devices Need Better Quality & Regulatory Compliance
A yearlong investigation into medical device safety risks highlighted numerous medical devices either failed or harmed patients in some way. Most medical devices are not approved as drugs are. Rather, an application is made showing similarity to existing devices. If a device is a novel design a de novo request is made with the FDA.
The Dark Side of Telemedicine
I love telemedicine. I have long been an advocate of being able to talk to your doctor on the phone when you have a health complaint. The alternative is often driving across town and waiting in a crowded waiting room with other sick people. I have long believed the natural progression of telemedicine would be (or at least should be) people buying Bluetooth devices that check vital signs and connect seamlessly to your doctor’s computer to make telemedicine even more robust. This would help your doctor know even more about your medical complaint than listening to you on a cellphone or seeing you through a grainy video feed.