Anti-Tobacco Activists Hold ‘Menthol Funeral’ in Washington
WASHINGTON — A group of anti-tobacco activists and their supporters held a “menthol funeral” here Thursday, demanding that the Biden administration release a long-delayed final rule banning the sale of menthol cigarettes and other menthol-flavored tobacco products. “Let us bury menthol cigarettes; enough is enough,” said Rev. Horace Sheffield, CEO of the Detroit Association of […]
Opinion | ‘Not Clear If the Juice Is Worth the Squeeze’: What We Heard This Week
“It’s not clear if the juice is worth the squeeze here for taking out a gallbladder.” — Stanley Kalata, MD, MS, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, on research that detected more bile duct injury with robotic-assisted versus laparoscopic cholecystectomies. “Accurate fluid biomarkers, especially if they can be measured in blood, would be […]
Here’s Why Your Wellness Routine Isn’t Complete Without An HIV Screening
The era of prioritizing self-care is here, and the importance of personal wellness has become more apparent than ever. While self-care looks different for everyone —from getting your steps in, to journaling, to practicing yoga—making choices that support your physical and mental well-being is key to helping you live a healthier life. Prioritizing your sexual […]
Medicare Expected to Become Insolvent by 2031, Trustees Say
WASHINGTON — Interest groups here are sounding the alarm about a new report from the Medicare trustees that extended by 3 years the estimate for when the program would become insolvent. “Based on our best estimates, this year’s reports show that the Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund will be able to pay 100% of total […]
Actually, It’s None Of Your Business Why Someone Has Gained Weight
Matt Winkelmeyer / Staff Selena Gomez, pictured here at the 2023 Golden Globes in January, has endured comments about her weight fluctuation since she’s started her medication for lupus. She’s not alone. Last month, pop star and actor Selena Gomez posted a video where she explained that the medication she takes for lupus causes her […]
Why Medicaid Could Be The Next Program Republicans Try To Cut
This article is part of HuffPost’s biweekly politics newsletter. Click here to subscribe. It was a pretty big deal on Tuesday night, at the State of the Union, when President Joe Biden got Republicans to promise they wouldn’t cut Medicare or Social Security. It’s not clear how binding that promise is or whether it even […]
Opinion | Like Many Physicians, I’ve Forgotten How to Relax
Here I am, on vacation at a luxury resort in Hawaii with my wife and two of my four children and their three children. It’s 10 p.m. and I’m beginning to write this essay while everyone is snug and tucked away for the night. Earlier in the day, sitting around the swimming pool, I’m glued […]
Opinion | Learning From the Communications Failure
“What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” In that classic line from the 1967 movie “Cool Hand Luke” starring Paul Newman, the warden (played by Strother Martin) points out that much better communication would keep things moving smoothly — or at least the way he wants them going. For all of us in healthcare, […]
This Is What A Real Agenda On Mental Health Would Look Like
This article is part of HuffPost’s biweekly politics newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Outbursts of gun violence always get Republicans talking about mental health. It would be a lot easier to take that talk seriously if so many of them didn’t have lengthy, well-publicized records of opposing government initiatives to improve mental health care. Texas […]
Opinion | Why I Defended William Husel in Court
A well-known proverb exclaims, “the law is an ass.” When we say “ass,” here we refer to the donkey variety. “Ass” is the origin of the word asinine, meaning stupid, foolish, and obstinate. To be fair to donkeys, this is not justified. Nevertheless, when it comes to the law, rigidity and obstinance are, on occasion, […]