A patient anxiously waited to see me today.  He was concerned that I had prescribed a medication, to prevent a stroke, as a result of his irregular rhythm ,that could cause him to hemorrhage to death.  “It’s all over the TV,” he told me. “I s/… Read full post »

PT Barnum Once Said ……

Before I get to the six percent rule I wish to voice the truth about the statin drugs many of us take to lower our bad cholesterol – the Low Density Lipoprotein ( LDL) component. They… Read full post »

My husband had trouble doing the naughty

Soon after he turned just over forty

So he went to a doctor for testosterone gel

And began to feel stronger and just kind of swell

… Read full post »

In 2009 the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, with the approval of the FDA, laid out a revised code on interactions with physicians. The two most publicized parts of this agreement discussed the free hand-outs and free meals; there was going to be no more free pens for doctors and… Read full post »

While I believe that   medical malpractice is endemic  in the United States, I urge readers also to  understand the burden under which every doctor has to practice.  This burden can be expressed as a simple question: Can anyone be expected to be right 100% of the time?
&n… Read full post »

     I'm handed a business card from a patient of mine who is seeing her new endocrinologist.  On the card is written, "Expert in Diabetes Care , 'specialist in endocrinology', 'affiliated with ______________________  hospital (a world recognized top university hosp… Read full post »

Are the experts giving us bad advice on how low we should treat our cholesterol?  New evidence suggests that they are and that scores of patients may be dying because of it.

     There are many reasons why the cost of our healthcare is so high   but waste plain and simple remains the costliest of all. Many blame the professionals, but few blame the patients, and then only rarely.  A few weeks ago I came across two patients from o… Read full post »

Almost a year ago I posted this blog about the inappropriate marketing ,and what I claimed was the overutilization, of an unproven, very expensive, and potentially harmful drug, Natrecor.  I certainly did not make any friends by posting my opinion, still recieved a few ca… Read full post »

     Androgel may make men stronger and it may make them better lovers but there is recent evidence, especially in men older than 65, that it may kill them.  These were the results of the recent TOMS trial that was so dramatic and alarming that the study wa/… Read full post »

They Prey on the Elderly

This article was published in syndicated column called “Real Medicine by Evan Levine” in 2005.

Shortly after publishing this article I dissolved my affiliation with the covering doctor.  I believe he and his cronies continue to “Prey on the/… Read full post »

In 2010 I removed this post because some ass, some doctor, some quack, someone interested in selling an unindicated service, threatened legal action if I did not remove post.  While I maintain that screening Coronary CT scans are not indicated  and that both the American Heart Associat… Read full post »

Since 2006, many insurers have hired a company called Carecore to help your doctor decide whether or not you, the patient, really need the test that your doctor thinks you should have.  If your doctor wishes you to have a nuclear stress test he can order it only/… Read full post »

Cadillac Meds for the poor while the rest of us accept cheap imitations.
 
 
Expensive brand-name drugs like Lipitor, Crestor, Nexium are having a difficult time maintaining market share because most patients, even those patients with  health insurance, cannot afford them. Co-pays now are… Read full post »

Sam the drug rep:

"Though it is getting harder

to find ways to give gifts to

docs -even docs who know

how to play the game--

there are still

 lots of ways to get docs to

prescribe medications they

really shouldn't… Read full post »

  http://www.televisiontunes.com/Rawhide.html

 open link prior to reading

RAWHIDE!  

I want you to listen to the familiar theme song of the old television show, “Rawhide,” as you read the following words.

Forgive me if for the sake of arg… Read full post »

  
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age where arrogance and duplicity made you rich and selflessness and honesty made you poor.

   
His name is Rick. He didn’t pretend or care to be a good student and with barely a B average i… Read full post »