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Latest episodes from Second Opinion

An Incubator: The Rights of a Brain-Dead Woman

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2025 4:54


Should a state have the authority to override a woman’s wishes regarding her body—not for her benefit, but for someone else’s?

The Dying Art of Learning from the Dead

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2025 4:59


It’s often hard to let go of traditions, but it's time to rethink the role of anatomy dissections.

Toilets Prevent Disease—If You Can Find One

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2025 4:59


Unhoused people lack safe bathroom access—an issue of public health, safety, and basic dignity we can no longer ignore.

The Persistent Dark Legacy of Eugenics

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025 5:30


For more than a century, there has been a nefarious fascination with engineering society in ways that disadvantage the most vulnerable.

Biden Followed Doctors' Orders – and still got cancer

Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2025 5:29


Evidence-based recommendations from groups like the US Preventive Services Task Force are only as effective as the screening tools currently available.

Unprofessional Behaviors: Catching Bad Habits Early

Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2025 4:57


Medical schools must address unprofessional behavior early, as student misconduct often predicts future disciplinary issues and patient harm.

That Message to Your Doctor Might Come With a Price Tag

Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2025 4:46


Digital communications are playing a larger role in health care, but transparency and equity are being forgotten.

Life, Death, and the Cost of Being a Surrogate

Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2025 4:59


Being a surrogate decision-maker for someone at the end of life isn’t easy, but there are steps you can take to ease the burden. 

Science, Safety, and the Return of Measles

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2025 4:59


Let's examine the evidence and clarify what we really know about measles and why it's important.

Trust, Talk, and the MRI That Wasn't Needed

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2025 4:59


Requesting a test or procedure from a clinician can raise tricky issues

The Dangers of a Broken Heart

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2025 4:56


Takotsubo Syndrome provides strong evidence for the link between mind and heart

Regret in Medicine: The Hidden Burden Doctors Bear

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2025 4:53


Even when things go right, the outcome may not be what was expected.  

One Health, One World, One Essential Partner: USAID

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 4:59


Anthrax – an example of how the US Government has worked to stop the spread of disease

The impact of USAID funding cuts in Uganda

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2025 5:00


Without warning, and with no time to develop alternative approaches, funding just stopped.  People are dying.

Disparities in “Assisted Aid in Dying”

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2025 4:55


Data suggests that barriers may exist with adults being aware of this option for care at the end of life.

Vladimir's Choice – a fable from Eastern Europe

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 4:54


We often make choices that are short-sighted and seem to serve our own interests rather than the interests of all

Significant cuts to Medicaid (MediCal) will have a negative impact on us all.

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2025 4:59


As Congress debates cuts to Medicaid (the health insurance program for the poor and disabled) in order to deliver a tax cut to the wealthy, it risks a cascade of negative effects on our entire health care system.

The US pushes the world backward

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2025 5:00


USAID is a powerhouse of humanitarianism and global security

Will I benefit from that drug?

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2025 4:50


Statistics can be intimidating.  But before you decide to begin a treatment you should ask what the expected benefit will be to you.

Do doctors keep up to date with their medical knowledge?

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2025 4:51


It’s hard to tell, but we have no way to know for sure. 

Will AI replace clinicians?

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2025 4:59


AI is increasingly being used to collect and process clinical information. Whether this is a good thing depends on who you ask.

When is a disease not a disease?

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2025 5:00


When one in three people have an abnormal lab test, does it become a disease?

How Medical Data Bases Lead to Better Individual Treatment

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2025 5:00


By collecting health data across large populations of people, we can identify patterns that help us all.

Thinking of taking one of the new GLP-1 weight-loss drugs?

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2025 4:38


Unfortunately, I can offer no strong advice.  The drugs seem to be effective, but, like with any new drug, we just don’t have all the answers.

Listening to music in Refugee Camps

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2024 4:38


Music has benefits that relate hope and social connections

A tale of two kingdoms

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2024 5:00


Fluoride has proven so successful that it would be crazy to deprive children of its benefits

The risk of a bird flu epidemic

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2024 4:59


The risks are rising, and state and government officials are not taking this seriously.

Does free tuition impact medical student specialty choice?

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2024 5:00


Philanthropy has enabled several expensive private medical schools to offer all students free tuition. Has this changed the practice of medicine?

Drug Promotion to the Public

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2024 4:58


Why do drug companies push drugs to the public that just don’t work?

Doctor, will you pray with me?

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2024 4:14


Medicine and spirituality often interact, but clinicians and patients can often find themselves in very different places.

The importance of standing tall

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2024 4:53


Slouching has a rich history, but its medical consequences need to be better understood. 

As a group, are migrants less healthy?

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2024 4:55


Migration is at an all-time high worldwide. It can impact health in many ways. 

Did the treatment really work?

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2024 5:00


We often have to decide if a treatment we are taking is working and whether or not to continue it.

Food Insecurity

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2024 5:00


How can a country so rich in resources and farm production have people who still go to bed hungry?

Task Shifting

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2024 4:58


A model of eye care to increase access without compromising on quality

Should a mosquito-born illness seen in Los Angeles be of concern?

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2024 5:01


Climate change and increased moisture have altered the habitat for mosquitos.  

The marketing of depression

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2024 4:59


Finding an effective treatment can be tricky, but it need not be a pill.

The role of genetics in depression

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2024 5:01


At present, the role of genetics testing in the diagnosis or treatment of depression is not ready for prime time. 

Protecting Dairy Farms

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2024 4:59


Dairy farmers play a vital role in ensuring the safety of our milk.  But, they all need to make public health their top priority.

Endless gun violence

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2024 4:59


We are not helpless, and the situation is not hopeless.  We can’t wipe out mental illness, but we can enact reasonable gun control to protect the public.

The one disease that has near-universal coverage

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2024 4:57


For those Americans with end-stage kidney disease, insurance coverage is never an issue. Why can’t we provide this universal coverage for others with expensive chronic conditions?

Failing to protect volunteers in research studies

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2024 4:58


Research is required to be evaluated to protect research subjects.  But, in many cases, this is not happening.  

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