The availability of consumer DNA tests and databases has allowed long-hidden family secrets to be revealed, including mistaken paternity and unknown siblings. It has also taken the anonymity away from some cases of sperm donation. Two experts discuss the ethics of overturning this promised secrecy and the impact that the revelation of secrets can have on entire families.
Mirror Touch Synesthesia
Dr. Joel Salinas has mirror touch synesthesia, a condition involving cross-wiring in the brain. The result is that visual stimuli prompt a response in his touch system. He literally feels it when people experience pain. Salinas discusses how this strange condition works and how he is able to use it in diagnosis.
Medical Notes: Week of September 29, 2019
A look at the top medical headlines for the week of September 29, 2019.
Heat and Violence
Violence increases as temperatures rise in the summer, but are higher temperatures a cause of aggression? New research shows that the answer is yes, especially in family conflict, and that poor neighborhoods bear the brunt of the relationship. Researchers discuss the synergy between poverty, heat, and aggression, and speculate that a warmer world in the future could be a more violent one.
Nail Biting
Nail biting is an extremely common habit, but some people bite their nails so badly and so often that they suffer damage to their hands. Experts discuss why so many of us are driven to bite our nails, what can be done to stop it, and the damage that can occur when we can’t stop.
Medical Notes: Week of September 22, 2019
A look at the top medical headlines for the week of September 22, 2019.
Importing Canadian Drugs
The Trump Administration has proposed wholesale import of drugs from Canada to ease high US prescription drug prices. But since Canada is 1/10 th the size of the US, could it supply enough drugs to make a difference? What’s more, it appears Canadians are opposed to the plan and are devising rules to stop it. Experts discuss pro’s and con’s.
Primary Care And Medical Cost
The US spends more on medical care than other nations while quality still lags behind. A health industry expert explains how increased use of primary care and increased engagement with providers could reverse both trends.
Medical Notes: September 15, 2019
A look at the top medical headlines for the week of September 15, 2019.
Fighting Off Stress at College
College students are facing more stress than ever, but may be less prepared to handle it. As students head back to campus, two experts discuss how students can reduce stress.
Medical Notes: Week of September 8, 2019
A look at the top medical headlines for the week of September 8, 2019.
Sudden Unexplained Death of a Child
Each year, some 400 US children over age 1, most of them toddlers, die overnight for no known reason. Families, longing for answers, often find that their families, friends, and even pediatricians are unfamiliar with this classification of death, or that they even occur. Family members who have lost a child, a medical examiner, and a research expert who has lost a child discuss SUDC.
Tonsil Stones
Some people find that small “stones” are growing on their tonsils. They’re an accumulation of skin cells, food, and other debris. While they are not medically dangerous or painful, they often produce bad breath or sometimes pain. Two expert physicians discuss tonsil stones’ formation and treatment.
Medical Notes: Week of September 1, 2019
A look at the top medical headlines for the week of September 1, 2019.
