Dr. Aaron Carroll explains healthcare policy, medical research, and answers a lot of other questions you may have about medicine, health, and healthcare.
From Healthcare Triage. In the midst of a new measles outbreak, some public officials are spreading misinformation about the disease, and federal funding to combat misinformation is under attack. It’s not great. Here’s the deal with measles and the current ourbreak. Related HCT episodes: 1. Why is Measles Making a Comeback? https://youtu.be/hHNR6lCeCFM 2. Measles Infections…
From Healthcare Triage. Make America Healthy Again, a commission established by President Trump, released a report in May 2025 claiming to have exposed the key drivers of increased chronic disease in children. It points to factors including diet, lack of physical activity, and environmental toxins. Some of the health conditions the report lists include autism,…
From Healthcare Triage. Drugs originally designed to treat diabetes have taken the world by storm with their use in weight loss and obesity treatment. But did you know they might be useful for a lot of other stuff, too? A recently published paper in Nature Medicine aimed to systematically evaluate the benefits and risks for…
From Healthcare Triage. Since the end of World War II, a robust partnership between the U.S. federal government and academic research institutions has fueled countless scientific breakthroughs. This alliance, rooted in a mutual understanding of science’s vital role in national security and societal progress, has kept America at the forefront of global innovation. But recent…
From Healthcare Triage. In 2022, the United States spent $4.5 trillion on healthcare—an astonishing $13,500 per person. That’s a level of spending no other country can fathom. We manage it every year through taxes, insurance premiums, and out-of-pocket expenses. This system touches nearly every part of American life, and we all carry its cost. Private…
From Healthcare Triage. The Lown institute keeps an eye on fraud, waste, and dysfunction in American healthcare, and every year they present the Shkreli awards, named for infamous pharmabro Martin Shkreli. Here we summarize the top 10 terrible operators of 2024. Related HCT episodes: Past Shkreli Awards: https://youtu.be/plNovnhtKWU Be sure to check out our podcast!…
From Healthcare Triage. Can we change our behavior by changing the environment? A lot of junk food is available in the checkout lanes at grocery stores. Most of us are susceptible to it, and just about everybody impulse buys a candy bar now and again. What happens when we control what’s available in checkouts? Does…
From Healthcare Triage. In May 2024 a set of articles were published in the journal Science that focused on the intersection of misinformation and social media. The results, while preliminary in the grand scheme of things, were really interesting (and maybe a little alarming). Related HCT episodes: Vaccine Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkfBg8ML-gImWWzdv3zO1_5wCRReliEQt Be sure to check out…
From Healthcare Triage. There’s been a fair amount of good news on the allergy front lately, including a medication for food allergies that we covered recently, and now some good news for anyone compelled to carry around an EpiPen. A new alternative for people at risk of anaphylaxis is smaller, easier to use, and doesn’t…
From Healthcare Triage. For many of us, a time will come at the end of our lives when we need a specific kind of care to maintain as much quality of life as possible, and to die with dignity. Hospice and palliative care are the topics of this week’s Healthcare Triage. Related HCT episodes: We’re…
From Healthcare Triage. Like it or not, political mudslinging gets heavy around election time, and people come up with all flavors of insults. These aren’t always representative of a person’s actual character or actions, and we think that’s especially true for one we’ve heard this year. Today we’re talking about menstruation and period poverty, and…
From Healthcare Triage. Reuploaded 11/2/2024 with a corrected typo. In most countries, health care systems negotiate drug prices directly with pharmaceutical companies, making crucial drugs more affordable for their citizens. In America, that wasn’t the case until recently. Signed into law in August of 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act made several changes aimed at strengthening…
From Healthcare Triage. The first mRNA vaccine to gain full FDA approval was for COVID-19, but the future could see more of this type of vaccine – including those for cancer. Related HCT episodes: Vaccines: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkfBg8ML-gImWWzdv3zO1_5wCRReliEQt Be sure to check out our podcast! Other Healthcare Triage Links: 1. Support the channel on Patreon: http://vid.io/xqXr 2.…
From Healthcare Triage. The issues surrounding sex testing in sports may seem like a new phenomenon, but this has been coming up at least since women were allowed to compete in the Olympics – so, for like the past century or so. There’s a whole lot of concern over who is allowed to compete in…
From Healthcare Triage. A fairly large percentage of Americans don’t take important medications as prescribed due to issues of high cost and/or low supply. How did we get here, and what can we do about it? Thanks in part to support from the National Institute for Healthcare Management, that’s the topic of this week’s Healthcare…
From Healthcare Triage. Between government funding and pharmaceutical industry spending, billions of dollars are spent annually to bring just a handful of drugs to market. That means some strategic investing is likely going on behind the scenes, and we were curious about the factors driving some of that strategy. Thanks in part to support from…
From Healthcare Triage. In 2020 the expected global expenditure on prescription drugs was somewhere around 1.3 TRILLION dollars, with around $350 BILLION of that spending being done in the United States. The US seems to have a particular issue in this area, with citizens paying much more than their counterparts in similar countries. But why…
From Healthcare Triage. This compilation is a deep dive on the opioid crisis, thanks in part to funding by the NIHCM. Explore the history of opioids, the science of opioids, and learn about how and why attitudes and US policy regarding addiction treatment and opioid control need to change. 0:00 Intro 0:22 A Brief History…
From Healthcare Triage. Maybe not quite all the evidence, but we’ve looked at a lot of the benefits of exercise over the years. While we’re taking a few weeks off this summer, we’re looking back at some of our most popular topics. This compilation of videos looks at exercise research and helps us understand just…
From Healthcare Triage. For some women, a simple shot during pregnancy and then right after labor can prevent a huge amount of suffering for both parents and future children. So what happens when there’s a shortage that prevents that shot from happening? Related HCT episodes: Myths About Pregnancy: Be sure to check out our podcast!…