Blog Tag: Placebo effect 
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Problem In Health News Stories: Therapeutic Misconception
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A story in the San Diego Union-Tribune describes testing of “an experimental therapeutic filtering device being developed.”
Think about it. It hasn’t been proven therapeutic yet if it’s still experimental.
Lawyers use a term, “therapeutic misconception,” which is important for everyone to know about and think about. It refers to study participants perhaps having the misconception that the purpose of the trial is, indeed, therapeutic – when that hasn’t been established yet.
I see news stories commit this error all the time. (more…)
*This blog post was originall...
Source: Better Health - September 3, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: GarySchwitzer Tags: Opinion Cause-And-effect Enthusiastic Language Experimental Health News Stories Los Angeles Times low Omega-3 levels Military Suicides Misconception Observational Study San Diego Union-Tribune Therapeutic Treatment Benefits Source Type: blogs
Heal ThyselfEmail this article to a colleague.
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I was buying groceries in Tesco yesterday morning when the cover of ‘New Scientist’ caught my eye.
The tag line reads, ‘Heal thyself: the real power of mind over matter’.
Well, I bought it, and I read it, and I found it interesting. The article identifies 6 ways that the mind can help the body. You can read most of the article online here, but here’s a digest:
1 Fool yourself- the potential of the placebo effect is huge, and something that we can all use: believing that a glass of water will cure a headache cures the headache, with measurable physiological results such as endorphin release an...
Source: Bah! to cancer - September 1, 2011 Category: Cancer Authors: Stephanie Tags: News new scientist placebo effect self healing stress reduction Source Type: blogs
JAMA Article Begs Key Questions About Case of Contaminated HeparinEmail this article to a colleague.
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There was a recent reminder of the case of the tainted heparin, which begged more questions than it answered. (A case summary is appended to the end of this post, and nearly all our posts are here.) The case is of fundamental importance because it involves the failure of pharmaceutical companies to fulfill their core mission, to supply pure, unadulterated drugs. Three years later, how the heparin was adulterated, and who was responsible are still unknown. JAMA just published a major news article (Kuehn BM. As production goes global, drug supply faces greater risks to safety,...
Source: Health Care Renewal - August 30, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: heparin Baxter JAMA adulterated drugs anechoic effect accountability Source Type: blogs
Chinese Study Compares Flu Treatments: Prescription Drug Vs. Herbal RemedyEmail this article to a colleague.
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During the early days of the 2009 H1N1 influenza A pandemic, the popular herbal formula maxingshigan–yinqiaosan was used widely by TCM practitioners to reduce symptoms. (It’s hard to pronounce and spell, so I’ll refer to it as M-Y.) A new study was done to test whether M-Y worked and to compare it to the prescription drug oseltamivir. It showed that M-Y did not work for the purpose it was being used for: it did not reduce symptoms, although it did reduce the duration of one sign, fever, allowing researchers to claim they had proved that it works as well as oseltamivir.
“Oseltamivir Compared With the Chinese Traditi...
Source: Better Health - August 29, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Harriet Hall, M.D. Tags: Opinion Research Chinese Traditional Therapy Cold Complications Fever Flu Flu Symptoms H1N1 Herbal Remedies Herbs Influenza Maxingshigan–Yinqiaosan Oseltamivir placebo Science Based Medicine Side effects Study TCM Source Type: blogs
2012 and Beyond: The End of the World as We Know ItEmail this article to a colleague.
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We seem to think that mind and spirit are separate, that there is a spiritual realm and a practical realm and that they do not overlap at all - and that the one does not inform the other.But cause and effect still rules and amoral actions in the here and now lead to direct consquences that are suffered by our children and grandchildren. Indeed.. unto the seventh generation.
Source: Graphictruth - August 16, 2011 Category: Autism Tags: Business Ethics environmental ethics cause and effect Source Type: blogs
The Flynn effect in Atkins MR/ID death penalty cases: To adjust or not to adjust? That is the question---on-line PPT showEmail this article to a colleague.
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A copy of my APA 2011 (Div 33) presentation, The Flynn effect in Atkins MR/ID death penalty cases: To adjust or not to adjust? That is the question", which was part of an invited symposium organized by Greg Olley (other participants were Judge Kevin Foley and psychologists Karen Salekin and Tim Derning), is now available for on-line viewing as a PPT slide show at my SlideShare site.This on-line version includes many more slides than presented at the symposium- iPost using BlogPress from Kevin McGrew's iPadintelligence intelligence testing Atkins cases ICDP blog psychology school psychology neuropsychology forensic psycholo...
Source: Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) - August 8, 2011 Category: Neurologists Tags: Flynn effect newtag Source Type: blogs
The Flynn Effect in MR/ID Capital Cases: Adjust or not to adjust?--That is the question". Select PPT slide imagesEmail this article to a colleague.
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I am in the process of finalizing a PPT presentation for an Atkins related invited symposium at APA conference next week. The title of my presentation is in the slide below. (double lick on images to enlarge)This slide is followed by a few of the introductory slides that related to the first working paper previously posted as part of the Flynn Effect series. Eventually the entire PPT show will be uploaded for on-line viewing. Stay tuned. -iPost made using BlogPress from Kevin McGrew's iPadintelligence intelligence testing Atkins cases ICDP blog psychology school psychology neuropsychology forensic psychology criminal psych...
Source: Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) - July 30, 2011 Category: Neurologists Tags: Flynn effect Flynn effect archive project newtag Source Type: blogs
Chilling Effects: To Blog, or Not, Under the Watchful Eyes of Defense Attorneys for the Hospital Where My Mother Was InjuredEmail this article to a colleague.
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On the travails of being a citizen journalist and medical watchdog:I must admit I almost gave up blogging recently.First, the death of my mother June 6, 2011 from an EHR-related medication continuity error has strained me severely. I took care of her at home since Sept. 2010 in a hospital bed rented for the living room, having promised her (and my father before he passed in 2000) that I would never put her in a nursing home. I kept my promise, but at great psychical cost. It was seriously distressing to watch her suffer and decline, cry, call out for her own long-deceased parents, and to have to administer hospice-supplied...
Source: Health Care Renewal - July 25, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: healthcare IT dangers chilling effect electronic medical records MARSHALL DENNEHEY WARNER COLEMAN Source Type: blogs
How Effective Are Antidepressants?Email this article to a colleague.
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Antidepressant drugs have been getting a bad rap in the media. I’ll just give 3 examples:
On the Today show, prominent medical expert Tom Cruise told us Brooke Shields shouldn’t have taken these drugs for her postpartum depression.
In Natural News, “Health Ranger” Mike Adams accused pharmaceutical companies and the FDA of covering up negative information about antidepressants, saying it would be considered criminal activity in any other industry.
And an article in Newsweek said “Studies suggest that the popular drugs are no more effective than a placebo. In fact, they may be worse.”
Yet psychiatrists are...
Source: Better Health - July 24, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Harriet Hall, M.D. Tags: Opinion Research Antidepressants Clinical Trial Depression Efficacy Efficiency Erick Turner FDA Food and Drug Administration Oregon Health and Science University Over-prescribed Over-used Pharmaceuticals placebo Portland Vete Source Type: blogs
ICDP Flynn Effect Archive Project Updated 6-18-11Email this article to a colleague.
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The Flynn Effect Archive Project has been updated. Click on link to learn more about the project and to access the current version.
Source: Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) - June 17, 2011 Category: Neurologists Tags: Flynn effect archive Flynn effect archive project Source Type: blogs
Gresham and Reschly (2011) on "Standard of Practice and Flynn Effect Testimony in Death Penalty Cases"Email this article to a colleague.
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This article will be added to the FE Archive Project soon....it is long overdue for an update. - iPost using BlogPress from my Kevin McGrew's iPadintelligence intelligence testing Atkins cases ICDP blog psychology school psychology neuropsychology forensic psychology criminal psychology criminal justice death penalty capital punishment ABA IQ tests IQ scores adaptive behavior AAIDD mental retardation intellectual disability Flynn effect psychological assessment standards expert witnesses Generated by: Tag Generator
Source: Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) - June 10, 2011 Category: Neurologists Tags: Flynn effect standards newtag Source Type: blogs
Covert's Anechoic MisadventuresEmail this article to a colleague.
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We have frequently discussed how health care leaders' compensation seems to reflect the opposite of the pay for performance they often tout. One example we discussed recently turns out to be even more vivid than we first discovered.Last week we discussed the case of Mr Michael Cover, the CEO of the small, public Palomar Pomerado Health system in southern California, whose total compensation increased to over $1 mllion a year, while his hospital system was cited for severe, life-threatening medical errors. The current and previous system board chairmen called his work "excellent, and " phenomenal," and asse...
Source: Health Care Renewal - June 8, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: Mismanagement executive compensation perverse incentives Palomar Pomerado Health leadership anechoic effect Source Type: blogs
Narcissism, Celebrity Rehab, and Another Overdose DeathEmail this article to a colleague.
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On May 27th, 2011, actor Jeff Conaway died from complications of opioid dependence. His death has been attributed to several causes—sepsis, pneumonia, and aspiration among them— but there is little debate over the ultimate cause of his death at the age of 60 years, that being addiction to opioid pain medications.
Mr. Conaway reportedly struggled with chronic pain and addiction to pain medications for a number of years. His situation was particularly tragic—living with severe pain that was relieved by nothing save for a substance with the power to destroy him. Such situations are, unfortunately, not uncommon.
It is ea...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - May 31, 2011 Category: Addiction Authors: SuboxDoc Tags: addiction buprenorphine Chronic pain Public policy recovery Suboxone celebrity rehab Dr. Drew Drew Pinsky Jeff Conaway mirror effect narcissism opioid dependence overdose overdose death Source Type: blogs
The ADHD Effect on Marriage Understand and Rebuild Your Relationship in Six StepsEmail this article to a colleague.
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Price 10.12
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An invaluable resource for couples in which one of the partners suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), this authoritative book guides troubled marriages towards an understanding and appreciation for the struggles and triumphs of a relationship affected by it, and to look at the disorder in a more positive and less disruptive way. Going beyond traditional marriage counseling which can often discount the influence of ADHD, this discussion offers advice from the author’s personal experience and years of research and identifies patterns...
Source: Life With ADHD - May 21, 2011 Category: Other Conditions Authors: ADHD Dad Tags: ADHD Books effect Marriage Rebuild Understand Source Type: blogs
"Running Away from the Problem" of Health Care CorruptionEmail this article to a colleague.
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Despite its likely importance, the very concept of health care corruption remains highly anechoic. Last week's Lancet, however, actually mentioned it, albeit indirectly and ironically.(1) The context was Richard Horton's discussion of a press conference on the final report of the UN Secretary-General's Commission on Information and Accountability for Women's and Children's Health. It appears that accountability, which we consistently advocate, was central to the report:The big conclusion is that a huge accountability gap exists - we have incredibly weak mechanisms to make sure that the billions spent on women's...
Source: Health Care Renewal - May 20, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: global health health care corruption anechoic effect Source Type: blogs
Muzzling Doctors Who Ask Questions About Gun SafetyEmail this article to a colleague.
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Imagine that your 16-year-old daughter has been bullied mercilessly in school, but hasn’t talked to you about it, or spoken about her suicidal impulses. One day, she is brought by ambulance to your local hospital emergency room, having made superficial cuts on her arms while in school. The emergency room physician tries to call you at work, but your cell phone isn’t picking up. The doctor begins her evaluation of your daughter, including an assessment of all relevant risk factors for suicide. Now imagine that the doctor believes she is forbidden by law from asking your daughter whether there are guns in your home ̵...
Source: World of Psychology - May 19, 2011 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Ronald Pies, M.D. Tags: Children and Teens General Health-related Mental Health and Wellness Minding the Media Policy and Advocacy Professional Adolescent Medicine Amendment Right Bill Sb Chilling effect Emergency Room Physician Florida Gov Florida Medi Source Type: blogs
Global Fund Will Not Suppress Discussion of Health Care CorruptionEmail this article to a colleague.
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Some good news to discuss, for a change....We previously discussed losses from corruption reported by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and by the Health Alliance International here. At the time, we noted that some experts in health care corruption praised the Global Fund for being transparent about the effects of corruption.However, last week there was concern that some elements within the Global Fund thought that the best response to losses due to corruption would be hiding them. As reported by the AP (via CBS): A global health fund championed by celebrities and wo...
Source: Health Care Renewal - May 16, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: global health health care corruption Transparency International anechoic effect Source Type: blogs
Indian Medical Association prescribes IT skills for doctorsEmail this article to a colleague.
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The national unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has decided to make its two lakh members across the country, especially senior medical practitioners, more tech savvy. “We have noticed that, unlike young medical professionals, senior doctors by and large lack computer proficiency. They still use paper and pen for their daily records. The project will help such doctors cope with the competitive world and become tech savvy,” said national vice-president of IMA, Dr Devendra Shirole.This is great news - and will provide a huge impetus to the healthcare IT market in India ! Patients and doctor will benefit - and s...
Source: The Patient's Doctor - May 11, 2011 Category: Obstetricians and Gynecologists Tags: Organizations Medicine Health United States placebo India Indian Medical Association Health care provider Source Type: blogs
How can we reduce the side effects of Information Therapy ?Email this article to a colleague.
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Many medicines are available over the counter ( OTC) . These are usually safe drugs, which have been used for many years . They are effective for common problems; have few side effects; and do not need a doctor's prescription. However, most medicines are still available only with a doctor's prescription. This is because medicines can be powerful , and while they may be very good at treating certain problems, they may also have undesirable side-effects. Experts need to make a decision regarding the risk-benefit ratio of these drugs, so they can select which drugs are so powerful that they can only be dispensed with a doctor...
Source: The Patient's Doctor - May 9, 2011 Category: Obstetricians and Gynecologists Tags: Medicine Health Shopping patient Pharmacy Drugs and Medications Adverse effect Prescription drug Source Type: blogs
Nocebo Effect-Blog Post From FreeLance MDEmail this article to a colleague.
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Here is a post I did for Freelance md it is on the Nocebo effect. Another Website Called Physician Nexus added it to their site. I was invited to post and told I could post on anything I wanted, related to medicine or doctorhood. Well that covers about a billion potential topics. I wanted to cover something out of the mainstream, that you won't see many people write or talk about, for a whole host of reasons. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask or comment.
Source: Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers - May 6, 2011 Category: Dementia Tags: Nocebo effect Guest post physicoan nexus Freelancemd Source Type: blogs
Who Is Really "Bullying?" - Academic Leaders and the Stifling of Critics of Conflicts of InterestsEmail this article to a colleague.
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Universities, which are supposed to discover and disseminate knowledge, ought to be the foremost defenders of free speech and a free press. However, in the past decades, university executives have become notorious for trying to control speech that offends their political sensibilities (for numerous examples, see the FIRE - Foundation for Individual Rights in Education web-site.) It seems that academic leaders get even more upset when their or their faculties' conflicts of interest are criticized, as demonstrated by updates about two important cases we have discussed.Columbia UniversityWe recently post...
Source: Health Care Renewal - May 3, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: institutional conflicts of interest Columbia University University of Minnesota free speech academic freedom anechoic effect Source Type: blogs
Flynn Effect archive project: Two new "in press" Flynn Effect articlesEmail this article to a colleague.
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Two new Flynn effect articles that will be added to the Flynn Effect Archive Project when next updated.Click on images to enlarge- iPost using BlogPress from my Kevin McGrew's iPadintelligence intelligence testing Atkins cases ICDP blog psychology school psychology neuropsychology forensic psychology criminal psychology criminal justice death penalty capital punishment ABA IQ tests IQ scores adaptive behavior AAIDD mental retardation intellectual disability Flynn effect Generated by: Tag Generator
Source: Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) - May 2, 2011 Category: Neurologists Tags: Flynn effect newtag Source Type: blogs
Medicine’s Effects Can Be More Harmful Than HelpfulEmail this article to a colleague.
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It is common to see medication commercials during prime time TV. While some of us take a bathroom break or quick trip to the fridge, those who stay notice a footprint-like segment in the end talking about possible side effects.
Some of these side effects have become national fodder for comedians. But this isn’t funny. As a matter of fact, they sometimes make taking the drug not even worth it. Ratio of dangerous vs helpful sometimes has a negative balance. And again, this is according to the publicly available information. But what about facts we don’t know? Are we supposed to be told everything?
Surprisingly, the fact...
Source: Doctor Kalitenko antiaging blog - April 29, 2011 Category: Physicians With Health Advice Authors: skalitenko Tags: Depression Did You Know? Discussion Sexual Health drug tests FDA side effect side effects Source Type: blogs
Flynn Effect Archive: Kanaya & Ceci (2011) WISC special ed. flynn effect studyEmail this article to a colleague.
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Another new study by Kanaya & Ceci on the WISC Flynn effect in special education populations. Next time the FE Archive Project is updated, this will be added.Double click on image to enlarge- iPost using BlogPress from my Kevin McGrew's iPadintelligence intelligence testing Atkins cases ICDP blog psychology school psychology neuropsychology Forensic psychology criminal psychology criminal justice death penalty capital punishment ABA IQ tests IQ scores adaptive behavior AAIDD mental retardation intellectual disability Flynn effect WISC WISC-R WISC-III Flynn effect archive Generated by: Tag Generator
Source: Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) - April 16, 2011 Category: Neurologists Tags: Flynn effect archive Wechsler batteries newtag Source Type: blogs
"The 'Third Rail' that No One Wishes to Analyze" - Conflicts of Interest Affecting Health Care FoundationsEmail this article to a colleague.
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DiscussionWhile the data from this case-study were limited, they do suggest that major private foundations that support global health, and by extension, health care, services, and policy research may have institutional conflicts of interest, and their leaders may have personal conflicts of interest. It is possible that these conflicts have steered global health policy to favor vested interests, particularly towards approaches that depend on drugs and devices, perhaps instead of more effective ones using less technology.Furthermore, it is possible that that these conflicts of interest have helped cr...
Source: Health Care Renewal - April 14, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: global health institutional conflicts of interest Johnson and Johnson Sanofi-Aventis health policy Procter and Gamble GlaxoSmithKline anechoic effect Gates Foundation Source Type: blogs
Dense Nasal Hair May Reduce Asthma Risk In Allergy SufferersEmail this article to a colleague.
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Researchers in Turkey found that there is an association between nasal hair density and risk of asthma developing in patients with seasonal rhinitis patients. No joke… They published their findings in the International Archives of Allergy and Immunology in March 2011.
The rate of asthma found in patients with little or no nasal hair was 44.7% whereas only 16.7% of patients with a dense forest of nasal hair had asthma.
They hypothesize that increased nasal hair improves allergen filtration thereby preventing the allergens from irritating the airway. The assumption here being that allergen irritation of the airway can ...
Source: Better Health - April 10, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: DrChristopherChang Tags: Health Tips Research Allergy Asthma Density Development Nasal Hair Otolaryngology Protective effect Risk Source Type: blogs
Antioxidants and Your HealthEmail this article to a colleague.
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Antioxidants are good for your health.
Or at least that is a popular claim.
An antioxidant is any molecule that slows down or prevents oxidation reactions. Originally, oxidation reactions were defined as chemical reactions with oxygen. More recently, oxidation reactions have been described as reactions in which an atom or molecule loses an electron.
Oxidation is a natural part of life. Excessively high antioxidant levels are detrimental to health. Some people have suggested that oxidation reactions contribute to heart disease, declines in cognitive abilities, and cancer.
“Vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene ha...
Source: World of Psychology - March 30, 2011 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Jamie Hale Tags: Aging General Happiness Health-related Mental Health and Wellness Research Adverse effect Angina Anti Oxidants Antioxidant Levels Antioxidants Beta Carotene Biochemist C Vitamin Chemical Reactions Chest Pain Cognitive Abili Source Type: blogs
The Institute of Medicine Releases Reports on Practice Guidelines and Systematic Reviews Which Generate Few EchoesEmail this article to a colleague.
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Two days ago, the prestigious US Institute of Medicine released two reports on important health care issues, clinical practice guidelines and systematic reviews. Systematic reviews of the relevant clinical research have been advocated by evidence-based medicine proponents as the appropriate basis for clinical and policy decisions. Clinical practice guidelines have been advocated by many health researchers, policy makers, and clinicians as the best way to encapsulate the evidence to inform clinical and policy decision making. Both reports suggested series of standards for how systematic reviews and cl...
Source: Health Care Renewal - March 25, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: review articles guidelines Institute of Medicine transparency anechoic effect conflicts of interest Source Type: blogs
Research brief: Another study (German) supporting validity of IQ Flynn effectEmail this article to a colleague.
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This article will be added to the online Flynn Effect archive next time it is updated.Double click on image to enlarge.- iPost using BlogPress from my Kevin McGrew's iPadintelligence IQ tests IQ testing IQ scores CHC intelligence theory CHC theory Cattell-Horn-Carroll human cognitive abilities psychology school psychology individual differences cognitive psychology neuropsychology psychology special education educational psychology psychometrics psychological assessment psychological measurement IQs Corner general intelligence Flynn effect Generated by: Tag Generator
Source: Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) - March 20, 2011 Category: Neurologists Tags: Flynn effect Flynn effect archive project newtag Source Type: blogs
HHS Told To Probe ‘Unethical’ Novartis TrialsEmail this article to a colleague.
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The federal government was asked by a watchdog group to investigate several allegedly “unethical long-term, placebo-controlled studies” for indacterol, a Novartis drug for treating moderate to severe chronic obstructuve pulmonary disease. Why? “The studies were marred by a failure to minimize risk to subjects and inadequate information provided to subjects,” according to Public Citizen.
In a letter sent to the Office for Human Research Protections at the US Department of Health and Human Services, the group alleges there six “unethical” studies in which placebo-control subjects received ...
Source: Pharmalot - March 16, 2011 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: Ed Silverman Tags: Uncategorized Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Clinical Trials COPD Novartis placebo Public Citizen Source Type: blogs
Coffee And Stroke: Another Study The Media Got WrongEmail this article to a colleague.
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Here we go again. Headlines across America blaring lines like, “Coffee may reduce stroke risk.”
It was a big study, but an observational study. Not a trial. Not an experiment. And, as we say so many times on this website that you could almost join along with the chorus, observational studies have inherent limitations that should always be mentioned in stories. They can’t prove cause and effect. They can show a strong statistical association, but they can’t prove cause and effect. So you can’t prove benefit or risk reduction. And stories should say that.
USA Today, for example, did not explain ...
Source: Better Health - March 14, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: GarySchwitzer Tags: News Research ABC News Association Vs. Causation Cause-And-effect CBS News Coffee Consumption Correct Medical Language Duke University Medical Center Evidence-Based Health Reporting Gary Schwitzer HealthDay HealthNewsReview.org I Source Type: blogs
A New Venue From a Surprising Source to Discuss "External Threats to Good Decision-Making"Email this article to a colleague.
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A new blog, entitled the Medical Professionalism Blog, signed on last week with a post emphasizing some themes that should be familiar to Health Care Renewal readers:There is an increasing focus on the sustainability of the U.S. health care system based on current cost trends. Predictions are for the health care system to consume 19% of the GDP by 2019. How did we get here?Some point to the overuse and misuse of health care services, inefficiencies and lack of care coordination. Others blame the lack of clinical evidence, primary care workforce and the external threats to good decision-making, such as a toxic pay...
Source: Health Care Renewal - March 10, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: ABIM Foundation evidence-based medicine leadership transparency anechoic effect Source Type: blogs
Ibuprofen-Parkinson’s Study: Few News Organizations Report On It AccuratelyEmail this article to a colleague.
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We’re delighted to see that USA Today, Reuters, and WebMD were among the news organizations that included what an editorial writer said about an observational study linking ibuprofen use with fewer cases of Parkinson’s disease. All three news organizations used some version of what editorial writer Dr. James Bower of the Mayo Clinic wrote or said:
“Whenever in epidemiology you find an association, that does not mean causation.”
“An association does not prove causation.”
“There could be other explanations for the ibuprofen-Parkinson’s connection.”
Kudos to those news or...
Source: Better Health - March 8, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: GarySchwitzer Tags: News Opinion Research American Academy of Neurology Association Vs. Causation Cause-And-effect Disease Risk Dr. James Bower Epidemiology Evidence-Based Health Reporting Gary Schwitzer Health News Coverage HealthNewsReview.org Ibu Source Type: blogs
Getting Out of Our RUC - "An Open Letter To Primary Care Physicians"Email this article to a colleague.
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Since 2007, we have been writing about the secretive RUC (RBRVS Update Committee), the private AMA committee that somehow has managed to get effective control over how Medicare pays physicians. The RUC has been accused of setting up incentives that strongly favor invasive, high technology procedures while disfavoring primary care and other "cognitive medicine." Despite the central role of (perverse) incentives in raising health care costs while limiting access and degrading quality, there has been surprisingly little discussion about the pivotal role played by the RUC. Now there is a movement afoot t...
Source: Health Care Renewal - March 7, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: perverse incentives Medicare RUC reimbursement anechoic effect Source Type: blogs
The Effect of Fine Motor Training Program on the Academic Achievement for Students With AdhdEmail this article to a colleague.
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The Effect of Fine Motor Training Program on the Academic Achievement for Students with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder
Introduction
Fine motor skills involves the ability to control the small muscles of the body and is usually defined as the ability to coordinate the action of the eyes and hands together in performing precise manipulative movements. Manipulative movement such as handwriting is controlled by the central nervous system (Barkley, 1998). Many areas of the brain are involved in the act of manipulating. The act simultaneously controlling the nerves and muscles in the arm, wrist, hand,...
Source: Life With ADHD - March 3, 2011 Category: Other Conditions Authors: ADHD Dad Tags: ADHD Research effect Fine Motor Program Training Source Type: blogs
Five science selectsEmail this article to a colleague.
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How to Find Trustworthy Science and Health Information – Today, we’re overwhelmed with sources of information, with hundreds of television stations and millions of Web sites, and it can be hard to figure out what to trust. Google recently tweaked its search algorithm to bring higher quality sites to the top of its searches, but even then, how do you know what’s good? Here are some questions to ask when evaluating the trustworthiness of science and health information (though many apply to other areas of life)
Placebo vs Pain – Researchers are elucidating the many mechanisms that go into measured plac...
Source: Sciencebase Science Blog - March 2, 2011 Category: Medical Scientists Authors: David Bradley Tags: Science chemistry Health IYC2011 literature news NMR pain paper.li papers placebo research sciencebase six social-bookmarking spectral stories Source Type: blogs
Border Bias: How to Beat ItEmail this article to a colleague.
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When we lived in Indiana, our first house was quite ordinary but had one feature some found a little odd: one edge of our little lot was the Michigan state line. An errant frisbee throw required one to retrieve the disc from another state. There was absolutely nothing to distinguish that lot line from any [...]
CommentsCommentsRelated StoriesDoes Paper Outweigh Digital?Seating Secret: How To Soften Up Your ProspectsThe Last Name Effect: Why Zimmerman is Impatient
Source: Neuromarketing - February 24, 2011 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Roger Dooley Tags: Neuromarketing Neuroscience Research border bias border effect henri tajvel mishra Source Type: blogs
The Placebo Effect: Study Shows Positive Attitude Can Be Better Than MedicineEmail this article to a colleague.
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Even if your drugs are worth their money, new research suggests that the placebo effect is worth at least as much. A new study published in Science Translational Medicine reveals that a patient’s thoughts and beliefs can make or break a medicine, even if it’s been clinically tested and approved.
From the BBC, here’s a summary of the tests that were administered to measure the effects of drugs vs. mindset:
Heat was applied to the legs of 22 patients, who were asked to report the level of pain on a scale of one to 100. They were also attached to an intravenous drip so drugs could be administered secretly.
T...
Source: Healthbolt - February 23, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Briana Rognlin Tags: FEEL alternative medicine placebo effect Source Type: blogs
The Placebo EffectEmail this article to a colleague.
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Everything you wanted to know about the placebos.
Thanks Life in the Fast Lane
No related posts.
Source: Dr Shock MD PhD - February 23, 2011 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Dr Shock Tags: General Medicine placebo effect Source Type: blogs
Placebo WeirdnessEmail this article to a colleague.
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Check out @ProfessorFunk's kinetic typography take on the utter weirdness of placebos, based on information from @BenGoldacre's superlative book, Bad Science.
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - February 20, 2011 Category: Emergency Medicine Doctors Authors: Chris Nickson Tags: Education Science Video bad science ben goldacre kinetic typography placebo professor funk Source Type: blogs
Looking for a Free RideEmail this article to a colleague.
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By John SamplesThe Harris Poll finds that most Americans favor cuts in foreign economic aid, foreign military aid, spending by the regulatory agencies generally, space programs, subsidies to business, and federal welfare spending. All good stuff.
On the other hand, a significant plurality opposes cuts in defense spending. Fewer than one in four favor cuts in federal education spending or health care. 11 percent favor cutting Social Security payments. Over one-third favor spending more on education, health care, and Social Security.
How seriously should we take these results?
Simple observation of Cong...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - February 16, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: John Samples Tags: Cato Publications Government and Politics Tax and Budget Policy cause and effect defense spending entitlement spending free rider problem Source Type: blogs
"You Can't Say That" - Non-Disparagement Clauses and the Anechoic EffectEmail this article to a colleague.
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Here is another example of why health care organizations' leaders are different from you and me, and why that may not be a good thing for health care. A few days ago, the San Jose (California) Mercury News reported on the upcoming departure of a local hospital CEO:El Camino Hospital's handsomely-paid president and CEO Kenneth Graham is out of a job, the hospital announced Thursday afternoon.Graham's contract will end June 30 'without cause, at the request of the hospital's Board of Directors,' according to a statement released to the media.Until then, Graham will continue to fulfill his duties as the hospital's top a...
Source: Health Care Renewal - February 14, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: hospitals executive compensation confidentiality clause non-disparagement clause El Camino Hospital transparency anechoic effect Source Type: blogs
Are We Rational Animals? Part 2Email this article to a colleague.
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This is the second in a two-part discussion about human rationality. Click to read Part 1, Are We Rational Animals?.
Intelligence as a predictor of rationality
Some may be surprised to learn that high levels of intelligence do not necessarily indicate high levels of rationality. In fact, some people may rank high in intelligence while low in rationality. There is more to sound thinking than intelligence.
Below is a list of rational thinking tasks and their association with cognitive ability/intelligence from Stanovich (2010, p.221).
Tasks that fail to show associations with cognitive ability
Noncausal base-rate usage...
Source: World of Psychology - February 12, 2011 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Jamie Hale Tags: Brain and Behavior General Personality Psychology Research Amp Anchoring effect Animal Intelligence Animals Belief Benefit Cognitive Ability cognitive science Conjunction Covariation Denominator Dominance Fallacy Framin Source Type: blogs
The Last Name Effect: Why Zimmerman is ImpatientEmail this article to a colleague.
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WARNING: If your last name starts with a letter from R to Z, you may be more susceptible to urgent-sounding sales pitches. As a direct marketer, I tried all manners of segmenting my mailing lists. Some of the best ways to slice and dice names were buying behavior – recency of last order, number of [...]
CommentsWasn't aware of that study at the time, but we avoided “A” ... by Roger DooleyThere's been an interesting and similar study I found in “The ... by Gabor WolfPlus 2 more...Related StoriesWhat’s in a Name? Lots!University Neuromarketing Lab OpensIt Really DOES Pay to Schmooze
Source: Neuromarketing - February 9, 2011 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Roger Dooley Tags: Neuromarketing Neuroscience Research implicit egotism last name effect names scarcity slate Source Type: blogs
After Publicity About Losses from Corruption, Now Will Any Health Charities Start Anti-Corruption Initiatives?Email this article to a colleague.
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Over the last few weeks a series of stories appeared about how corruption siphons off money from worthy global health initiatives. Corruption Depletes Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and MalariaThe story that first got attention was from AP:A $21.7 billion development fund backed by celebrities and hailed as an alternative to the bureaucracy of the United Nations sees as much as two-thirds of some grants eaten up by corruption, The Associated Press has learned.Much of the money is accounted for with forged documents or improper bookkeeping, indicating it was pocketed, investigators for the Global Fund to Figh...
Source: Health Care Renewal - February 8, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: global health health care corruption Doris Duke Foundation health care foundations anechoic effect Gates Foundation conflicts of interest Source Type: blogs
Best of Our Blogs: February 8, 2011Email this article to a colleague.
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From where I am sitting, the view is great. The sun is shining. It is 70 degrees. There is a light breeze and a warm summer vibe in the air.
Yet regardless of what the weather is outside, when mental illness is an issue, what is going on inside carries more weight.
Did you ever get exciting news — you got the job you wanted, your boyfriend proposed, or you found out you were having a baby — and felt wonderful despite the rain pelting on the windowsill? Or in contrast, have you ever felt horrible even when it was warm and summery outside?
If you are suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), then the weat...
Source: World of Psychology - February 8, 2011 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Brandi-Ann Uyemura Tags: Best of Our Blogs Bad Weather Better Than Sex Creative Mind Depression Domino effect Downward Spiral Emotions Exciting News Experiences External Situations Having A Baby Job Life Satisfaction Light Breeze Mental Health Ment Source Type: blogs
Health Care Corporate Disinformation Campaigns: Wendell Potter's "Deadly Spin"Email this article to a colleague.
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I wish I had gotten to this earlier.... In 2009, Wendell Potter, a mild-mannered former chief of public relations for for-profit health care insurance company Cigna, testified before Congress about how insurance companies manipulated public opinion to support corporate vested interests. insurance companies make promises that they have no intention of keeping, how they flout regulations designed to protect consumers . . . and how they ‘purge’ small businesses when their employees’ medical claims exceed what underwriters expected[Kendall]In November, 2010, he published a book entitled Deadly Spin on this to...
Source: Health Care Renewal - February 2, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: health care reform deception health insurance public relations disinformation anechoic effect Source Type: blogs
Impact of CHC intelligence theory beyond psychometric sandboxEmail this article to a colleague.
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I have made numerous posts about the CHC theory of intelligence now being considered the consensus psychometric model of the structure of intelligence (click here for latest)The conclusion that CHC Theory is the consensus psychometric model of the structure of intelligence is reinforced by a diverse set of activities that have occurred beyond the boundaries the CHC-focused research and test development. Select examples are listed below:• In a methodological research review, Reeve and Blacksmith (2009) used the CHC taxonomy to code the type and proportion of ability indicators present in published factor studies that soug...
Source: Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) - January 25, 2011 Category: Neurologists Tags: Flynn effect CHC intelligence theory x Flynn effect archive project Beyond CHC newtag Source Type: blogs
