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Second Opinions

Essays and opinions from our readers, always thought-provoking, sometimes controversial

A young boy sits in a bed covered by mosquito netting in Kenya, Africa.

Eradication of Malaria Is Within Reach

Distributing the newly recommended vaccine is the next challenge

An old photo of a man selling elixir.

Medicine Must Sanction the COVID Quacks

Intent doesn't matter when patients are being harmed

Medical school graduates take the Hippocratic oath at a cloaking ceremony.

Which Residency Should You Choose?

Listen to my opinion, and then promptly ignore it

A close up of a job search website on a laptop screen.

The End of Job Security in Healthcare

We need to reverse several dangerous trends

A bottle of double strength L-Arginine 1000 mg tablets on its side, tablets spilled out.

NO Treatment for COVID?

New study suggests arginine supplementation may help in cases of severe illness

A deceased COVID-19 patient is wheeled to the morgue by a male healthcare worker wearing a protective mask.

We Lift Bodies Into the Morgue

The physical and emotional toll of the pandemic on providers often goes unseen

A line cook piles a heap of bacon on to a plate while a waitress waits holding another loaded plate.

Are Restaurants Exacerbating the Obesity Epidemic?

Poor nutritional profiles and oversized portions are expanding America's waistline

Two bags of blood platelets.

The Cost of Blood Platelets Is About to Surge

FDA's flawed new guidance for blood transfusion safety takes effect October 1

A close up of a female nurse鈥檚 blue rubber gloved hands preparing an infusion

Where's the Evidence Guiding Updated Titration Standards?

The regulations threaten the well-being of both patients and critical care nurses

Two white rubber gloved hands pour yellow and blue liquids from beakers into another vessel.

The Technological Marvel of Combination Vaccines

Many questions remain for co-formulating COVID vaccines, but pursuing this now is the right move

A close up of the hand of a Black man in a hospital bed.

Death Disparity in Black Liver Transplant Patients Warrants Action

The survival gap between Black and white patients has only gotten worse

A mature man with a cataract in his right eye.

When Prior Authorization Practices Go Too Far

Congress can reverse a troubling trend that creates patient care disruptions

Four physicians make demands of a weary young female nurse.

The LMNOPs of Caring for the Nursing Workforce

Healthcare systems can do more to prevent staff burnout

Closeup of a nurse holding the hand of a dying patient.

Hospital Visitation Restrictions Are Hurting Patients and Nurses

New protocols and COVID mitigation techniques can enable safe visitation

Five female physicians talking in the hallway.

Medicine Is a Great Career Choice for Women

We can do more to support their entry into and success in the field

Hospital emergency room, a child with an oxygen mask

A Letter From the Front Lines of Quarantining With Kids

As a pediatrician with three sick children, I'm terrified and angry

Photo of a worried female doctor looking through the hospital window.

We're Building the Plane as We Fly It

Health systems and organizations must do more to support the well-being of providers

A female physician in a hair net and goggles puts her pink gloved finger up to her masked mouth in a quiet gesture.

Is Fear of Hospital Retaliation Silencing Doctors?

We must speak out on issues impacting the well-being of our patients and ourselves

A computer rendering of glass-like headphones around a heart with a sound waveform.

Meditations on a Patient's Heart Songs

Listening to the "lub-dub" remains a privilege

A photo of a young man in front of the Williamsburg bridge in New York City.

Let's Not Forget COVID's Lessons on Health Inequality

Even as the pandemic rages on, other battles warrant attention too

A photo of Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA

Mental Health: The New 'Coming Out' in Medicine

Openness about challenges with anxiety, depression can help fight the stigma

A male physician looks over the chart of his male patient who is asleep in a hospital bed in a darkened room.

Medicine Doesn't Stop at the Bedside

Medical organizations and physicians should play an active role in advancing positive change

A close up of a piggy bank in the palm of a female physician鈥檚 hand.

Is Financial Freedom for Doctors Possible?

Making a few financially savvy decisions as an attending can get you there

A nurse wearing a protective mask and hair covering making a fist to the camera.

For So Long, I Put Up With the Abuse

The poor treatment of nurses by patients and hospitals needs to change

A Juul vape pen and packaging and pack of Virginia tobacco flavored pods.

All Eyes on FDA: The Upcoming Regulation of Juul E-Cigarettes

Will the public health be protected?

A photo of Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, MBA

Racism in Medicine Is Alive and Well

Are you a part of the problem or will you be part of the solution?

A young female nurse writes notes during a home visit to her mature male patient, both are wearing protective masks.

Bring House Calls Into the 21st Century

The pandemic highlighted the benefits of home health services for a range of patient populations

A computer rendering of t-cells attacking a COVID-19 virus.

Call in the T-Cell Cavalry to Fight COVID in the Immunocompromised

Preliminary research suggests immunotherapy could play role in protecting vaccine non-responders

A photo of Simone Biles during the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

Simone Biles Is Sending a Message: Olympians Are People First

Mental health is essential to sporting success

A vintage black and white photo of a young boy gargling water in the bathroom.

Can Gargling Protect School Kids From COVID?

Underused interventions may help slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2 when schools reopen

A female therapist wearing a protective mask conducts a session with her female patient.

To Prevent Chronic Illness, Start With Mental Health

The two are inextricably linked

A female surgeon ties her scrub cap in the operating room.

Gender Bias in the OR Is a Hazard to Patient Safety

Conflict and toxicity can make teams more prone to errors

A teen boy with braces yawns and stretches while waking up in the morning

Teens Need Later School Start Times

The pandemic has further highlighted the health benefits

The arms of business men raised up in the air holding fans of $100 bills.

Private Equity Is Ruining American Healthcare

Physicians, patients lose when PE takes over; it's time to take medicine back

The legs and feet of a nurse are visible beneath the bottom of the curtain separating patients in a hospital.

Are Patients Spreading SARS-CoV-2 to Their Hospital Roommates?

A new study explores the data and implications

A young woman reacts with shock and dismay at what she鈥檚 seeing on her laptop.

A Patient Care App Diagnosed Me With Cancer

No one should receive a serious diagnosis this way -- not even a doctor like myself

A young girl sits on her grandmothers lap outdoors, both are smiling.

Medicine Through Abuelita鈥檚 Eyes

Patients are better off when treated with empathy and care

A diverse group of young female campers make heart shapes with their hands under a hand painted WELCOME TO CAMP FELIX sign.

Dear Parents, Kids Need Camp

Providers should talk to parents about summer camp precautions that can keep kids safe and healthy

The vial and packaging for NovoLog (insulin aspart) injection over a Walmart branded background.

Walmart's Low-Price Insulin Is a Band-Aid on a Broken System

Exorbitant drug pricing and inaccessible care require government intervention

A tired male healthcare worker in scrubs and PPE sits in a folding chair and rubs his eyes in a dark room.

You're Not Alone in Your Darkest Hours

Ending the silence on mental health can save the lives of our peers, our patients, and ourselves

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