One injection dropped LDL by 69 percent. Should we celebrate?

Conditions
September 11, 2025

A new gene-editing therapy just dropped LDL cholesterol by 69 percent — with a single injection. One shot, permanent effect. Cue the headlines: “Game-changer!” “End of statins!” “Revolution in heart disease!”

Here we go again.

Let’s be clear: I’m not anti-innovation. I’m not against gene therapy. I’m against making the same mistake again and again, just with better marketing and shinier tools.

VERVE-102 is the latest miracle-in-a-vial — a CRISPR base-editing therapy that …

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Locum tenens: Reclaiming purpose, autonomy, and financial freedom in medicine

Physician
September 11, 2025

Although locum tenens in medicine has a rich history dating back to the 1970s, many misconceptions and questions continue to foster apprehension in those considering this alternative form of practice. While some view locum tenens providers as unstable wanderers who may have difficulty holding traditional permanent employment, many, such as myself, have taken this intentional path in search of independence and freedom.

From a busy metropolitan hospital in California to a …

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Why doctors struggle with family caregiving and how to find grace [PODCAST]

Podcast
September 10, 2025
YouTube video

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Physician Jessie Mahoney discusses her article “Why physicians struggle with caregiving and how to cope with grace,” reflecting on the unique challenges doctors face when caring for aging parents and ill family …

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Does cycling hurt male fertility?

Conditions
September 10, 2025

Over the past decade, cycling has evolved from a sport into a full-fledged lifestyle. From weekend road warriors to dedicated commuters, millions of men around the world rely on their bikes for exercise, stress relief, and environmental consciousness. But a question often comes up in clinic rooms, whispered more than spoken aloud: “Is all this cycling hurting my fertility?”

It is a valid concern, especially for men trying to conceive. The …

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Portraits of strength: Molly Humphreys and the unseen women of health care

Physician
September 10, 2025

Since spring 2020, Molly Humphreys, a native of Shepherdstown, West Virginia, has photographed workers in and around the Berkeley Medical Center (BMC) and, in the process, has created a rich mosaic of the complex realities of health care in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Specializing in portraiture, Humphreys had never worked in the health care space—that is, until I invited her to partner in …

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When embarrassment is a teacher in medicine

Physician
September 10, 2025

When I arrived in the U.S. as a young physician in the early first week, I didn’t know what “passed out” meant. Or “threw up.” My English was polished—British-style, courtesy of Indian schooling—but I wasn’t prepared for American slang, accents, or sports metaphors. So there I was in a Philadelphia hospital, fumbling through a patient history. I was embarrassed—by my accent, my vocabulary, my uncertainty. But I wasn’t humiliated. That …

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How new loan caps could destroy diversity in medical education

Policy
September 10, 2025

You, there beyond the words of this page. Oh, how I wish I could step beyond this limited medium and have a one-on-one conversation with you, as this matter is of the utmost importance to me. Unfortunately, I can do no such thing. As a result, I must lay out the groundwork by which this spewing of feelings will work henceforth. We medical students are fond of only wasting our …

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From nurse practitioner to leader in quality improvement [PODCAST]

Podcast
September 9, 2025
YouTube video

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Board-certified nurse practitioner Shabeena Hirani discusses her article “From nurse practitioner to quality improvement leader in sleep medicine,” sharing her journey from clinical care to driving systemic change. Shabeena explains how her …

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Litigation stress is real: Here’s how to navigate it

Sponsored
September 9, 2025

MagMutual

This article is sponsored by MagMutual.

Nearly one in three U.S. physicians report having been sued, and in some specialties, a malpractice claim is almost inevitable. When a clinical decision becomes the subject of a lawsuit, it can feel like an attack on your integrity and identity. Having the right support during this time can make all the difference. Litigation support …

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A simple 10-10-10 tool to prevent burnout through mindfulness

Education
September 9, 2025

For the last several years, burnout (a syndrome typically defined as emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and poor efficacy) has been a hot topic in the world of health care. But as a bit of good news, the AMA recently released that the rates of physician burnout are at the lowest they have been since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, I would argue that if 43 percent …

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The crushing bureaucracy that’s driving independent physicians to extinction

Physician
September 9, 2025

As a board-certified neurologist in independent practice for three decades, I’ve watched the soul of medicine slowly erode, not due to a lack of compassion, skill, or science, but from a suffocating bureaucracy that has infiltrated every corner of patient care. Private practice doctors across America are being regulated, pre-certified, audited, and administratively strangled out of existence.

Each week in my office, my staff and I spend countless hours fighting with …

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How community and buses saved my retirement

Conditions
September 9, 2025

It is Saturday, late in July and hot as blazes in Louisville, Kentucky where I live. I’ve been here for many years.

I sit in a McDonald’s restaurant close to my home. The place is just about empty. I am here after a short walk from my house, about half a mile. I am happy to be here—happy, that is, that I can manage to walk this far, even in the …

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How changing your self-talk can transform your entire life

Conditions
September 9, 2025

An excerpt from The Fix Your Internal Language Handbook.

“I talk to myself, and I talk to them. They are not here to listen to me.”

Most of us spend more time talking to ourselves than to anyone else. We use language to think and clarify our thoughts. Whether we are consciously ruminating or thinking on a more subconscious level, we are still using language. We have internal dialogues with ourselves, …

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Why retail pharmacies could transform diversity in clinical trials [PODCAST]

Podcast
September 8, 2025
YouTube video

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Health care executive Shelli Pavone discusses her article “Why retail pharmacies are the future of diverse clinical trials,” highlighting the urgent need to improve representation in clinical research. Shelli explains how barriers …

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Why your clinic waiting room may affect patient outcomes

Conditions
September 8, 2025

A busy waiting room with buzzing lights, cramped-up chairs, and rushed medical staff on the clock can make you feel more anxious about the care you are going to get. Clinic waiting rooms are often the first point of contact between patients and health care providers.

The psychology of waiting

While traditionally considered functional spaces, a growing body of evidence suggests that the design and ambiance of these environments significantly influence patients’ …

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Food is a universal language in medicine

Physician
September 8, 2025

“What is your favorite homemade food?” I ask each patient. Almost always, there is a smile, and the conversation takes off from there. Moms light up describing their special dishes. Patients giggle when I suggest, “Should we have your mom make some for us to share?” Younger kids look at their moms with wide eyes, wondering if it could really happen. Those moments, those faces, are priceless; and they carry …

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The ethical crossroads of medicine and legislation

Conditions
September 8, 2025

Previously, I wrote about politicians regulating medical practice. I support regulations that protect individual or public health. However, when these laws are not evidence-based, misguided or frivolous, and potentially harmful, as occurred when 16 state legislatures permitted over-the-counter sale of ivermectin, they are unacceptable.

There have been instances when pregnant women, who, because of circumstances, were unable to adhere to physician advice for increased bed rest to avoid premature labor, were …

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When doctors breathe the same air: How medical professionals become environmental activists

Conditions
September 8, 2025

In the heart of major cities—from New York to Nairobi, Mumbai to Mexico City—medical professionals are confronting more than fevers, injuries, or chronic illness. Increasingly, they face diseases rooted in environmental exposure. From asthma linked to air pollution to cancers tied to industrial toxins, physicians are witnessing firsthand the impact of environmental degradation on human health. For many, this reality transforms them from caregivers into advocates—environmental activists in white coats.

Doctors …

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Why vitamins should be part of the mental health conversation [PODCAST]

Podcast
September 7, 2025
YouTube video

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Osteopathic medical student Scarlett Saitta discusses her article “Integrating vitamin education in mental health care,” highlighting the growing evidence that nutritional deficiencies can profoundly impact psychiatric outcomes. Scarlett explains how deficiencies in …

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