Andrew Thompson

How To Make A Mountain and A Mint Out of, At Most, A Molehill: Statin Drugs

Practices of unknown value account for a sizable portion of the increased expense of modern medicine. Some of them involve the use of expensive diagnostic procedures and equipment, which, once in place, require being used to justify their cost. Other procedures seem innocuously inexpensive but are so often and widely administered that the total cost of using them is considerable.

The Genomics Revolution in Medicine: A Case of Extreme Information Overload

“The cure is just around the corner” mentality has been given a dynamic boost and new meaning by what might be called “the age of the genome.” Any and every currently unconquered chronic condition and debilitating disease can conceivably be vanquished by the new technology — even aging. Our daily informational diet is spiced with announcements, television programs, editorials, and magazine articles promoting new, possible cures and enhancements of the human condition. We are told that we are on the threshold of a marvelous new world where we will unlock the secrets of life and improve on it in almost every conceivable way, ranging from conquering disease to growing vitamin-rich, disease-resistant, fast-growing, new crops, to cleaning up our wastes by genetically-engineered bacteria. Exciting times indeed for scientists involved in this epic research and for those of us with great expectations.

The Dubious Merits of Screening for Cancer of the Breast and Prostate

In the previous chapter we questioned the value of statin drugs in dealing with coronary heart disease. This chapter will extend our skeptical reevaluation to screening and treatment procedures for breast and prostate cancer, two of the most prominent cancers in First World countries. Massive screening programs have been instituted for each, and these programs have been strongly promoted by health authorities, politicians, movie stars, and many other prominent persons. It is unorthodox, if not blasphemous, to take a contrary public stance. However, one important item has been overlooked in this juggernaut campaign. The research that has been done leaves serious question marks as to the value of screening for these cancers.