Indeed regarding that gal’s gall. I have treated patients I did not like with great respect and they got well and I still didn’t like them. And I doubt they ever knew because they kept coming back to aftercare and spoke highly of the program.
Yes, Dr. Ghandi is both sane and intelligent. She is also caring and compassionate towards her patients. And she published an article concluding that (high quality) masks can, in fact, provide a benefit in some cases when an individual is exposed to COVID19. On the other hand, Dr. Prasad still insists on an RCT before he will recommend them. Would be nice for the two of them to have a "friendly" debate on this issue.
The fact that politics has infiltrated medicine is downright scary. I wonder if a clinician would refuse to treat me based on my beliefs. I have a feeling at some point I will find out / and 15 years ago I didn’t know blue from red, conservative to liberal - now I end up writing my dog in for president (not really, but you get the point). I’m sad that trust in public health has gone the way of all flesh for me (this occurred during the swelling of the opiate epidemic and - at least around here - the public health folks’ desire to put buprenorphine in the water (again, big really but you get the point!). I don’t want my trust in medicine to become sordid. But sadly it might.
What a disgrace, the performance of that resident. Mental note, not going to be my doctor!
Yes, when Trump stated he wanted everything open by Easter, he was derided, mocked, laughed to scorn.
Pre election Kamala Harris said she wasn’t going to take “his” vaccine. Governor Cuomo stated that there must be an independent safety group to oversee the vaccines as soon as they roll out.
Well too bad that never happened.
Senator Ron Johnson sponsored hearings about Early Covid Treatment back in November and December 2020. Senate Homeland Security Hearings for Early Covid Treatment. Watch them. The Democrat co chair presented disgraceful, disrespectful introductory comments and then promptly left the hearings. Our best and brightest doctors, those who did not abandon their patients but inside rose to the occasion, were maligned and censored by MSM.
I only wonder if a Democrat had organized those hearings would things have been different? Probably not so as Big Pharma has financial stakes in NYTImes, funds TV, etc. No EUA if there was other effective treatment.
I am sickened by the needless devastation that has happened to our country, the whole world.
The political polarization in our country is Dangerous. The hatred, self righteous judgement of others who have differing views is toxic. Black and White thinking.
Well, I did not know about the early hearings. That type of sober consideration early on during the pandemic would’ve been course changing, if it had taken hold. Unfortunately, sobriety is the enemy of the ideologue. Ron Johnson! Good to know.
There was a real effort for you not to know. His hearings and the FL Covid hearings only appeared on alternate media after being banned. And no notice from the MSM.
Please keep reading the claptrap coming from RFK Jr. Although I admire some of Senator Johnson's positions, his profound ignorance about medicine. has led to his inappropriate elevation of single anecdotal reports of vaccine reactions to the level of truth.
Don't think Sen Johnson purports to be an expert about medical matters which is why he invited a bunch of experts to come to a hearing. Apparently many of those experts were opponents to the "standard" experts so the NIH experts declined to appear. Since that hearing we have learned that the opposition experts have been more accurate than the NIH experts. What shall we make of that?
In that hearing I learned that VA and DoD records were showing some alarming data trends. Since then there have been "adjustments" to the data. As this winds its way through the courts we will learn more. Something may be amiss.
Regarding RfK Jr, I see he asks questions more than making assessments. He has strong views about Fauci and wrote a well documented book about those views. But asking hard questions ought not to be claptrap. The answers like "trust us" are becoming less acceptable.
my former doctors office were so disgustingly political, I almost left. But the last straw was when my PCP, whom I had been going to for more than 20 years, knowing my mask was giving me a panic attack, looked me in the eye and said, “Masks work.” He explained that there were no colds or flu in the office, and he hoped they would continue masking forever. If I hadn’t been focused on not hyperventilating, I would have asked him if he thought the lack of colds and flu could be due to the fact that they no longer have sick visits in the office? (Patients with symptoms were only seen in the parking lot, by doctors in hazmat suits.) Or maybe because there was no influenza anywhere that year? But that’s when I knew he was thinking politically and not scientifically. I lost all respect for him and his judgment.
Excellent article! This and the one about the 74 yr old chain smoking car mechanic brought me back to subscribe again. Your voice of common sense is VITAL! Keep speaking up!
The politicization of science and medicine is one of the most troubling trends of the last decade--and that’s saying something. We have increasingly seen ideological agendas pushed by poorly designed studies and weak data--bad science passed of as irrefutable evidence supporting a predefined correct conclusion. How can we possibly rebuild trust in our scientific and medical institutions when this trend not only continues but seems to be ignored and belittled by the elites that are supposed to be the stewards of them?
I remember your telling this story. I would have reprimanded her. Not fire her, everyone gets a mulligan. But if you are that lacking in judgement, it would be a problem for me. She is in a VA hospital. 90% of people I met in the Army is conservative. But more than that he is a dying patient. WHAT POSSIBLE BENEFIT was there to the conversation besides virtue signaling to everyone. And FOR THAT reason, I would have reprimanded her. Harshly. I know Umich ditched it, but the oath is Do no Harm.
Hansang Bae - Would you have given the resident a "mulligan" if she had made a derogatory comment regarding the patient's race to him? If not, is the political correctness of the comment a more important factor when deciding on the appropriate disciplinary action than the fact that a doctor caused harm to a dying patient under her care.
Yes. I believe anyone can make a mistake and deserves a chance. Especially in a world where anything can be construed as racial/racist. Like being overweight or math -in loony tunes CA. And I am agreeing with you that the first order problem is the arguing with a dying patient on a non-medical point. That's why a harsh rebuke was in order.
The Friday after the election in 2004, Mama was in an East Texas hospital after her Thursday surgery to remove her thymic carcinoma, still suffering severe weakness and pain from the paraneoplastic syndrome. The Harvard-trained on call neurologist made snide comments about the man my mother called "my George Bush."
When he asked her to name animals, she answered, "lions and tigers and bears and horses and Jackasses and Democrats."
As others have commented, the resident confronting the dying patient on a political issue reflects surprisingly poor judgment and immaturity. This involves a real patient over issues that couldn't be more grave. -- not a casual acquaintance at a cocktail party!
I believe the culture at large encourages this sort of behavior these days: Make snap judgments, don't bother exploring the other's underlying beliefs and motivation. This mentality, however, is a sign of a closed reactionary mind, probably the exact opposite of the resident's self-perception. Of course, the whole situation is way out of place considering the context.
As an ICU nurse that has to care for whatever I get assigned to, I think about this a lot…people end up in ICUs for many reasons many of them not “their fault” but also many end up in my nuero/trauma ICU because of avoidable situations (drug use, driving under the influence, getting on a ladder when they are very frail, not taking their meds, not following up on their hypertension, suicide attempts, skateboarding while drunk, and just plain old bad ideas...) but I truly never judge. Judging is NOT my job. My job is to provide very specialized, competent, and (I believe) kind nursing care. That’s it. Who they voted for, whether the are fully vaccinated, what life choices/traumas have occurred before they got to me, are only my business in so far as it aids me to care for them (and their families) best. It makes me sad to know not all healthcare professionals got this memo sent directly to their souls when they decided to take on the work of caring for whomever comes through the doors. This is not to say that I have not been internally conflicted by caring for people that I knew had done truly terrible things (not just voted for the “wrong“ guy) but I am a professional and don’t let my own feelings get in the way of providing excellent nursing care.
Funny you mention 2016 as when medicine went noticeably political. As a financial regulatory professional, that’s around the same time I noticed the banking industry becoming increasingly politicized (it always has been). This is another industry that should not be dictated by politics, but sadly it is.
I’ll add that I’m personally apolitical, but following politics, culture and the economy are a big part of what makes me good at my profession.
I'm glad you were there doctor and think probably so was the patient...and that's what we should all hope for medical settings, and practice. There's a time and a place and it takes some longer than others to realize that.
You and I disagree politically probably on more than a few issues. However, were there more people like you on the left/alt-middle the democratic party would be in such a better place and the reactionaries on the right would also be going about their lives. We need people with courage to stand up. George Orwell literally wrote a book warning us about where we are.
Thank you Dr. Prasad!
I’m still waiting for the Heterodox Doctors’ Cruise.
You and Jay and Leslie Bienen and Monica Ghandi.
We are in desperate need of your sanity and intelligence.
And I’m still shocked that that resident fought with that dying veteran.
Shame on her.
Indeed regarding that gal’s gall. I have treated patients I did not like with great respect and they got well and I still didn’t like them. And I doubt they ever knew because they kept coming back to aftercare and spoke highly of the program.
Shame on that resident is nice; firing her would be better.
Yes, Dr. Ghandi is both sane and intelligent. She is also caring and compassionate towards her patients. And she published an article concluding that (high quality) masks can, in fact, provide a benefit in some cases when an individual is exposed to COVID19. On the other hand, Dr. Prasad still insists on an RCT before he will recommend them. Would be nice for the two of them to have a "friendly" debate on this issue.
Who is Bienen?
She does science writing mostly. Very interesting and nuanced on Covid issues and other topics.
The fact that politics has infiltrated medicine is downright scary. I wonder if a clinician would refuse to treat me based on my beliefs. I have a feeling at some point I will find out / and 15 years ago I didn’t know blue from red, conservative to liberal - now I end up writing my dog in for president (not really, but you get the point). I’m sad that trust in public health has gone the way of all flesh for me (this occurred during the swelling of the opiate epidemic and - at least around here - the public health folks’ desire to put buprenorphine in the water (again, big really but you get the point!). I don’t want my trust in medicine to become sordid. But sadly it might.
What a disgrace, the performance of that resident. Mental note, not going to be my doctor!
Yes, when Trump stated he wanted everything open by Easter, he was derided, mocked, laughed to scorn.
Pre election Kamala Harris said she wasn’t going to take “his” vaccine. Governor Cuomo stated that there must be an independent safety group to oversee the vaccines as soon as they roll out.
Well too bad that never happened.
Senator Ron Johnson sponsored hearings about Early Covid Treatment back in November and December 2020. Senate Homeland Security Hearings for Early Covid Treatment. Watch them. The Democrat co chair presented disgraceful, disrespectful introductory comments and then promptly left the hearings. Our best and brightest doctors, those who did not abandon their patients but inside rose to the occasion, were maligned and censored by MSM.
I only wonder if a Democrat had organized those hearings would things have been different? Probably not so as Big Pharma has financial stakes in NYTImes, funds TV, etc. No EUA if there was other effective treatment.
I am sickened by the needless devastation that has happened to our country, the whole world.
The political polarization in our country is Dangerous. The hatred, self righteous judgement of others who have differing views is toxic. Black and White thinking.
United we stand, divided we fall.
RFK Jr has my vote!
Well, I did not know about the early hearings. That type of sober consideration early on during the pandemic would’ve been course changing, if it had taken hold. Unfortunately, sobriety is the enemy of the ideologue. Ron Johnson! Good to know.
There was a real effort for you not to know. His hearings and the FL Covid hearings only appeared on alternate media after being banned. And no notice from the MSM.
Please keep reading the claptrap coming from RFK Jr. Although I admire some of Senator Johnson's positions, his profound ignorance about medicine. has led to his inappropriate elevation of single anecdotal reports of vaccine reactions to the level of truth.
It’s obvious you’ve missed the lengthy Hearing on January 24, 2022 sponsored by Senator Johnson.
Or perused the VAERS reports. Thousands of adverse reactions, not “singular”
Responding to you is akin to casting one’s pearls before swine
Don't think Sen Johnson purports to be an expert about medical matters which is why he invited a bunch of experts to come to a hearing. Apparently many of those experts were opponents to the "standard" experts so the NIH experts declined to appear. Since that hearing we have learned that the opposition experts have been more accurate than the NIH experts. What shall we make of that?
In that hearing I learned that VA and DoD records were showing some alarming data trends. Since then there have been "adjustments" to the data. As this winds its way through the courts we will learn more. Something may be amiss.
Regarding RfK Jr, I see he asks questions more than making assessments. He has strong views about Fauci and wrote a well documented book about those views. But asking hard questions ought not to be claptrap. The answers like "trust us" are becoming less acceptable.
The emails I was getting from
my former doctors office were so disgustingly political, I almost left. But the last straw was when my PCP, whom I had been going to for more than 20 years, knowing my mask was giving me a panic attack, looked me in the eye and said, “Masks work.” He explained that there were no colds or flu in the office, and he hoped they would continue masking forever. If I hadn’t been focused on not hyperventilating, I would have asked him if he thought the lack of colds and flu could be due to the fact that they no longer have sick visits in the office? (Patients with symptoms were only seen in the parking lot, by doctors in hazmat suits.) Or maybe because there was no influenza anywhere that year? But that’s when I knew he was thinking politically and not scientifically. I lost all respect for him and his judgment.
Thank you Dr. P. These truths should be shouted from the rooftops. From your mouth to every ear.
Excellent article! This and the one about the 74 yr old chain smoking car mechanic brought me back to subscribe again. Your voice of common sense is VITAL! Keep speaking up!
I loved these two essays too. ❤️
The politicization of science and medicine is one of the most troubling trends of the last decade--and that’s saying something. We have increasingly seen ideological agendas pushed by poorly designed studies and weak data--bad science passed of as irrefutable evidence supporting a predefined correct conclusion. How can we possibly rebuild trust in our scientific and medical institutions when this trend not only continues but seems to be ignored and belittled by the elites that are supposed to be the stewards of them?
I remember your telling this story. I would have reprimanded her. Not fire her, everyone gets a mulligan. But if you are that lacking in judgement, it would be a problem for me. She is in a VA hospital. 90% of people I met in the Army is conservative. But more than that he is a dying patient. WHAT POSSIBLE BENEFIT was there to the conversation besides virtue signaling to everyone. And FOR THAT reason, I would have reprimanded her. Harshly. I know Umich ditched it, but the oath is Do no Harm.
Hansang Bae - Would you have given the resident a "mulligan" if she had made a derogatory comment regarding the patient's race to him? If not, is the political correctness of the comment a more important factor when deciding on the appropriate disciplinary action than the fact that a doctor caused harm to a dying patient under her care.
Yes. I believe anyone can make a mistake and deserves a chance. Especially in a world where anything can be construed as racial/racist. Like being overweight or math -in loony tunes CA. And I am agreeing with you that the first order problem is the arguing with a dying patient on a non-medical point. That's why a harsh rebuke was in order.
The Friday after the election in 2004, Mama was in an East Texas hospital after her Thursday surgery to remove her thymic carcinoma, still suffering severe weakness and pain from the paraneoplastic syndrome. The Harvard-trained on call neurologist made snide comments about the man my mother called "my George Bush."
When he asked her to name animals, she answered, "lions and tigers and bears and horses and Jackasses and Democrats."
I love your Mom's sense of humor.
As others have commented, the resident confronting the dying patient on a political issue reflects surprisingly poor judgment and immaturity. This involves a real patient over issues that couldn't be more grave. -- not a casual acquaintance at a cocktail party!
I believe the culture at large encourages this sort of behavior these days: Make snap judgments, don't bother exploring the other's underlying beliefs and motivation. This mentality, however, is a sign of a closed reactionary mind, probably the exact opposite of the resident's self-perception. Of course, the whole situation is way out of place considering the context.
As an ICU nurse that has to care for whatever I get assigned to, I think about this a lot…people end up in ICUs for many reasons many of them not “their fault” but also many end up in my nuero/trauma ICU because of avoidable situations (drug use, driving under the influence, getting on a ladder when they are very frail, not taking their meds, not following up on their hypertension, suicide attempts, skateboarding while drunk, and just plain old bad ideas...) but I truly never judge. Judging is NOT my job. My job is to provide very specialized, competent, and (I believe) kind nursing care. That’s it. Who they voted for, whether the are fully vaccinated, what life choices/traumas have occurred before they got to me, are only my business in so far as it aids me to care for them (and their families) best. It makes me sad to know not all healthcare professionals got this memo sent directly to their souls when they decided to take on the work of caring for whomever comes through the doors. This is not to say that I have not been internally conflicted by caring for people that I knew had done truly terrible things (not just voted for the “wrong“ guy) but I am a professional and don’t let my own feelings get in the way of providing excellent nursing care.
Thank you Dr Prasad for addressing the elephant in healthcare facilities across the country.
Funny you mention 2016 as when medicine went noticeably political. As a financial regulatory professional, that’s around the same time I noticed the banking industry becoming increasingly politicized (it always has been). This is another industry that should not be dictated by politics, but sadly it is.
I’ll add that I’m personally apolitical, but following politics, culture and the economy are a big part of what makes me good at my profession.
I'm glad you were there doctor and think probably so was the patient...and that's what we should all hope for medical settings, and practice. There's a time and a place and it takes some longer than others to realize that.
You and I disagree politically probably on more than a few issues. However, were there more people like you on the left/alt-middle the democratic party would be in such a better place and the reactionaries on the right would also be going about their lives. We need people with courage to stand up. George Orwell literally wrote a book warning us about where we are.
Tribalism has brought us to this point and I pray that we the people can turn it around.