- Evidence that blogging is effective.
- Eating disorders: They’re on the rise and people with one type of disorder often transition to a different one.
- Americans seeking health care are increasingly likely to get it from people who aren’t doctors. While a nationwide physician shortage has been mounting for decades, nurse practitioner numbers have tripled since 2010.
- In a first, the FDA has granted conditional approval for a new drug to extend lifespan. The manufacturer only has to prove safety. Proof of efficacy can come later. The catch: the drug is only approved for dogs. I have argued for this for humans for 40 years.
Category: News and Events
An Old Scourge is Back (several actually)
Syphilis infections are soaring in the United States. Once thought to be nearly eradicated, it’s making a huge comeback.
Tuesday Links
- Health Care Innovation. Accolade offers services that sound similar to Medici, which I wrote about at Forbes recently. CEO Raj Singh says that although most people have a primary care doctor, it typically takes 30 days to get an appointment. With Accolade they can get a video consultation in 15 minutes. Like Medici, they offer second opinions on more serious health care procedures. See Singh’s interview with Matthew Holt. Best line: In the near future, “every company will be an AI company, or they will be out of business.”
- Genes Matter. Study: “a one standard-deviation increase in parents’ looks is associated with a 0.4 standard-deviation increase in their child’s looks.” And since looks and income are correlated, a “one standard-deviation difference in parents’ looks generates a 0.06 standard-deviation difference in their adult child’s earnings, which amounts to additional annual earnings in the U.S. of about $2300.”
Monday Links
- More on what happens when the global population starts shrinking.
- Are we eating too much meat?
- By a 2003 act of Congress, the government’s contribution to Medicare from general revenues is never supped to exceed 45% of the program’s cost. So why has this law never been enforced?
- “Research suggests the [weight loss] medications may pay for themselves or even save money in the long run, by preventing heart attacks and strokes that lead to huge hospital bills.” Yet health plans around the country are dropping coverage. (NYT)