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Second Opinions

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

A photo of Chris Van Gorder, EMT, MPA

How to Prevent and Respond to a Cyberattack: From a Health System That Lived It

The surge in health system breaches should prompt action

A photo of Cornelia Griggs, MD and the cover of her book The Sky Was Falling

A Health System in Critical Condition

An excerpt from the new book, The Sky Was Falling

A close up photo of a man wearing scrubs and holding a tiny graduation cap.

It's Match Week, but That Won't Fix the Physician Shortage

Short-term legislative solutions can help today in the face of stagnant systemic change

A photo of a female virologist marking samples with a marker in a laboratory.

Banning Gain-of-Function Research Would Do Far More Harm Than Good

A House-passed bill could stifle the potential for revolutionary medical advancements

A photo of the interior of a dead mall.

Can Dying Shopping Malls Fix Medical Deserts?

Repurposing malls can increase care access for marginalized communities

A night photo of the emergency entrance to a hospital.

The Ethos of Emergency Medicine Hangs in the Balance

A Supreme Court ruling could impact how pregnant patients are treated in certain states' EDs

A photo of a paper New Zealand flag flying above an ashtray.

Up in Smoke: What Happened to New Zealand's Tobacco Ban Plan?

It appears the new government is making an embarrassing attempt to fend off a budget shortfall

A scanning electron microscope image of a respiratory syncytial virus

Congress Should Simplify Medicare's Vaccine Coverage

All ACIP-approved vaccines should be covered by Medicare Part B

A photo of a teen girl laying on the couch and talking to her therapist via her laptop

Teen Therapy and Psychiatry Online: Hit or Miss?

It's time to expand school-based mental health services

A photo of a judges gavel and a stethoscope lying on a doctor鈥檚 coat.

Flawed Medical Malpractice Legislation Can Have Deadly Consequences

A current lawsuit in Florida offers an alarming case study

A computer rendering of a strand of RNA wrapping around a syringe and a Covid virus

The Misleading Headlines Behind the New COVID Vaccine Safety Study

The study just confirms what we already knew

A computer rendering of robot hands touching data on a holographic display.

AI in Healthcare: Navigating the Crossroads of Innovation and Equity

Tech solutions should be aimed at boosting efficiency and care access

A photo of a Canadian flag flying from the porch of an inn in Gulfport, Florida.

FDA Authorized Florida's Drug Importation Plan. Naysayers Are Balking.

It's not an efficient solution

A photo of police vehicles on the street in Monterey Park, California.

What We Can Learn From the 2023 Lunar New Year Shootings

Asian American and Pacific Islander communities should be included in future research

A photo of a hospital palliative care unit sign.

Palliative Care Has a Branding Problem

Changing how it's perceived can break down silos

A photo of surgeons preparing a donor kidney for transplantation

Do Organ Transplants Cause Personality Changes?

Anecdotal evidence suggests a real possibility, but more research is needed

A photo of Uch茅 Blackstock, MD

Misdiagnosed: Did the Color of My Skin Play a Role?

An adapted excerpt from Blackstock's new book, Legacy

Computer renderings of COVID, RSV, and flu viruses

When It Comes to Isolation, COVID Shouldn't Be Singled Out From the Pack

It's time for CDC to update its guidance

A photo of a young woman wearing headphones in New York City.

Primordial Prevention Can Protect Black Women's Cardiovascular Health

Let's block the risk factors before they start

Photos of Leah Houston, MD, and Brittany Busse, MD

Two Women Physicians Find Empowerment Through Entrepreneurship

It takes great determination to successfully navigate the challenges along the way

A photo of a female healthcare worker changing a bandage on a senior man lying in his bed at home.

Hospital-at-Home Could Be a Double-Edged Sword

Equity and infection prevention are cause for concern

A photo of radiation immobilization masks hanging in a closet.

Cancer Patients Caught in the Crosshairs of Hospital Consolidation

Policymakers must rein in anti-competitive tactics

A photo of boxes and blister packs of Paxlovid

COVID's Latest Adaptation: It Has Lulled Us to Sleep

My doctor's refusal to prescribe "just-in-case" Paxlovid speaks volumes

A photo of a rainy street running through a suburban neighborhood.

Do Your Patients Know Where You Live?

Healthcare professionals have a right to privacy, too

A photo of a female police officer and a female Child Protective Services worker interviewing a little boy.

Child Protective Services Is Being Weaponized Against Our Black Patients

HHS must institute more oversight of medical professionals making repeated calls

A photo of a Hawaiian shaved ice.

Spread 'Aloha' in Healthcare

Let's work toward a more idyllic vision of our system

A photo of a needle exchange program on the street

Doing Away With Needle Exchange Programs Won't Prevent Drug Use

This is where the principle of harm reduction becomes important

A photo of a female physician typing on a laptop next to her pregnant patient.

Prenatal Care Shouldn't Begin in the ED

We must address barriers to early and appropriate care

A photo of a flight attendant on an airplane.

Medical Schools Are Not Preparing Us to Care for Autistic Individuals

It's time for that to change

A photo of a spilled container of gummy vitamins

Medicine or Candy? Let's Reevaluate the Vitamins We Offer to Kids

Children should give standard pills a try before turning to alternatives

A photo of young male and female physicians talking in a hallway.

In the Face of Misogyny in Medicine, Be a Better Person

Physicians who report professional mistreatment should not be shamed

A photo of blue rubber gloved hands dipping a multi-drug test strip into a urine sample.

Think Twice Before Drug Testing Your Black Patients

It's time for a bias check

A photo of a box of Ivermectin tables sitting on a case of of boxes.

What Does AI Say About the Claims on Ivermectin for COVID?

We put the technology to the test

A photo of a young couple holding their baby.

A Hidden Cost of a Career in Medicine: Barriers to Building a Family

Institutions can take steps to support students and staff who want children

A photo of a female radiologist prepping her female patient for a mammogram.

'We Caught It Early': Blessing or Burden?

Cancer screening has its drawbacks

A photo of a female physician talking on a phone in a hospital.

Why Are We Letting Insurers Dictate Patient Care?

Prior authorization is wreaking havoc on patient health

A photo of Diane N. Solomon, PhD, PMHNP-BC

In the Marrow of My Bones

Honoring the memory of one of my earliest patients

A photo of FDA headquarters at White Oak Campus in Silver Spring, Maryland

How Much Do Physicians Really Know About FDA Drug and Device Regulation?

More education is clearly needed

A computer rendering of T-cells attacking growing cancer cells.

When a Revolutionary Cancer Treatment Causes Cancer

The potential benefits of CAR T-cell therapies still far outweigh the risks

A photo of the gate to the Auschwitz Concentration Camp Memorial

Medicine, Nazism, and the Holocaust: Essential Lessons for Health Professionals

Let's take this Holocaust Remembrance Day to reflect

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