Jim Ragsdale of the St. Paul Pioneer Press wrote a terrific column this week, “Rational health care, not rationed.” It begins:
“I invented a device called Jim’s Full Body Scanner. It takes up a city block, which means it cost kabillions to build and operate. But for $50,000 per scan, the Jimmer, as I call it, can give you a cell-by-cell breakdown of your bod. It can show dozens of microscopic changes, giving you a chance to take pre-emptive medical action.
Most of those scanned go right to a conveniently located miniJim Clinic for further tests, a biopsy or two, some minor surgeries or maybe even a pre-emptive transplant. I admit that it’s controversial. We don’t really know if some of the fixes are needed. The eggheads want long-term studies and “evidence” before deciding whether insurers should pay.
“Rationing!” I say. “They’ve put a bureaucrat between you and the Jimmer!”
OK, I didn’t actually invent any such device. I am an aging civilian scribe whose anatomical knowledge is well below average. I imagined the “Jimmer” because it helps me understand the battle over scientific evidence and its relation to the gaping holes into which our health-care dollars disappear.”
Opinions on other issues in news, journals, PR, advertising, marketing
Come on, NY Times; you must do better than this. Important research doesn’t need hype and the “breaking news” BS doesn’t help readers or patients. https://www.healthnewsreview.org/2022/03/nyt-proclaims-breaking-news/
Our editorial team was blessed to have Sharon as a contributor during our best years. As this obit states, she was “kind, patient, wise, thoughtful and generous.” Thank you, Sharon; now rest in peace. https://journalism.wisc.edu/news/in-memoriam-sharon-dunwoody-1947-2022/
We’ve written about the hype of liquid biopsies for years (see link in comment below). And now this…. https://www.statnews.com/2022/01/12/medicare-shouldnt-cover-liquid-biopsies-early-cancer-detection/
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