- Study: Too much niacin may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. It helps me combat vertigo.
- A person younger than 18 shot and killed another child somewhere in the United States once a day, every day — on average last year. (NYT)
- Study: Teens turn to drugs because of stress.
- Are cancer patients being overdosed with cancer drugs?
- Among millions immunized, largest Covid vaccine study yet finds links to health conditions.
Category: Health Economics & Costs
Annual Exams are Often a Complete Waste of Time and Money
There has long been a belief that preventive medical services save money. The theory holds that if Americans’ primary care physicians ordered more preventive medical screening services we would not only be healthier but the cost of the preventive care would be more than offset by the savings from more serious care avoided. In other words, the cost of a colonoscopy would be offset by not getting colon cancer. The only problem with the theory is that it is wrong.
Tuesday Links
- Under no-give, no-take, people who sign their organ donor cards get priority should they one day need an organ.
- Social spending as a percentage of GDP has increased in basically every country that we have data for over time.
- Is there a relationship between penis length and IQ? HT: Tyler
- Masturbation is healthy.
- Why are so many pedestrians getting killed? Are cell phones to blame? (NYT)
Some People Are Exceptional in Old Age… Others, Not So much
The risk of mental decline increases with age. Dementia and mental decline have been in the news lately largely because of the presidential election. President Biden will be 82 by the time the next president is sworn in, while former President Trump will be 78. By the time the next presidential term ends, they will be 86 and 82 respectively.