Don’t Follow the Money

Dr. Erika Schwartz, a New York internist, rightly chastises the New York Times for a long article about stroke (part of a series on major causes of death) that says nothing about prevention. Schwartz attributes the over-emphasis on treatment to relative cost: Treatment is far more expensive than prevention. Memo to Gina Kolata: Don’t follow the money.

This is a genuine problem with self-experimentation: It costs almost nothing. No status-enhancing grant is required to do it. One of many ways that science is at odds with human nature.

3 thoughts on “Don’t Follow the Money

  1. Thank you Seth!
    You are correct and your approach to helping people loose weight with natural, awareness enhancing methods works. I can attest to it and I am a conventional doctor who got fed up with a system that more often harms than helps.
    DrErika

  2. Thanks, Erica. “A system that more often harms than helps” — I think you have put your finger on the problem. The less obvious effects turn out to be more damaging than the more obvious effects are beneficial. I was watching a movie this morning that begins with an old man taking a handful of pills. “Please don’t let my old age turn out like that,” I thought to myself.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *