“To Err is Human” Report Statistics Widely Accepted and Cited In 1999 when the Institute of Medicine published the “To Err is Human” Report (pdf) citing that 98,000 Americans die each year from medical mistakes, the medical community disparaged the report. However, the number is widely…
Statin Use Linked to Cataracts If you’re like one of the millions of other Americans currently taking statins for heart disease, you might be interested to know of a recent study that found a link between statins and the development of cataracts. The study,…
Hospitals Source of Most Antibiotic-Resistant Infections Recently the Centers for Disease Control released a report revealing that the rate of infectious infections resistant to antibiotics is on the rise and the main culprits are hospitals. An estimated 2 million people in the U.S. get drug-resist
Brain-Eating Amoeba Found in Louisiana Water Supply The so-called brain eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, has been in the news very frequently over the past couple of years. The most recent case involved 12-year-old Kali Hardig who survived the deadly infection and is set to return…
New Concerns About Robotic Surgery When I underwent robotic surgery several years ago for prostate cancer, I was pleased. But new reports suggest that the robotic machines used during the surgery are causing issues–serious issues–for some patients. Take, for example, Erin Izumi who underwent robot
Jury duty is very important, if not the most important civic duty in a free society. But senior citizens should beware of phone calls claiming that they will be arrested for ignoring their civic duty when they haven’t even received a summons in the mail.…
Fizzing Yogurt Recalled Chobani, the popular brand of Greek yogurt, is recalling a batch after consumers complained of fizzing upon opening the product. The company began pulling the product from supermarkets across the country and says that it believes that the fizzing is caused by…
Internet Addiction is no Laughing Matter The media loves to make political figures like Anthony Weiner and athletes like Tiger Woods the butt of every joke for their struggles with Internet addiction. But in reality Internet addiction is no laughing matter, whether it includes pornography,…
Heart Attacks Leading Cause of Death According to the Centers for Disease Control, heart attacks are a leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S. Each year, 1.2 million Americans suffer a heart attack and many of them die. A heart attack…
Dangers of Acetaminophen Overdose are Real Some people seem to think they can pop as many Tylenol pills as they want without consequence. However, acetaminophen overdose is linked with some milder, and more serious consequences including abdominal pain, appetite loss, convulsions, coma, nausea, swe
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Faces Lawsuit Eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia are serious mental health problems. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield seems to think otherwise and is facing a class action lawsuit that accuses the insurer of violating California law which requires…
BMI May be All Wrong We’ve had it all pound into our heads that fat is bad and lean is good. Obesity is linked to heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and a host of other health problems. The Body Mass Index (BMI) is touted as…