Doc Gurley

Here are twin news items that strike a powerful chord. First up is a report looking at whether or not doctors are willing to tell patients that, in essence, the game is up. A study shows that only one third of terminally-ill cancer patients say they have a doctor who has discussed end-of-life care. There are lots of slang phrases in medicine for this end-of-life type of discussion: The Death Talk. The DNR discussion. The Big One. Hanging The Black Crepe.

But what I, personally, find offensive in this report… Continue reading Hope and Death

AP News issued a warning to consumers to switch to the new kind of inhalers before the end of the year. In Understatement Of The Year Award-winning fashion, the article states that the new inhalers “tend to cost more.” If you, like me, are appalled at the FDA’s decision to ban generic production of asthma inhalers – and thereby hand a price-gouging sole production agreement (read: brand new patent for the same old drug) to three Big Pharma companies, you may be wondering what you can do with all that frustration. Weed your garden twice as fast? Curl into a victim-ball and hide in the broom closet until hell freezes over drug company execs decide they’re rich enough?

Boycott breathing?

Well, here is a plan for channeling that frustration, because feeling helpless is bad for you – and good for them. Action is the best revenge. Continue reading I’m NOT going to suck it up