The so-called opioid crisis (or epidemic, depending upon who you ask) has been a news story for many years now, although its roots go back much further than the political and media attention. Beth Macy’s 2018 book Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America traces the origins of this national catastrophe as […]
The killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson sparked a mix of indifference and bloodlust in the public, reflecting anger towards the healthcare system. However, it failed to incite real change, illustrating deeper systemic issues.
Last night, one of my colleagues brought up the story of an Indiana daycare director who was recently sentenced to 6 months for dosing melatonin to children in her care without the knowledge or consent of the children’s parents. He and another of my coworkers then proceeded to voice the opinion that jail time for […]
Words and thoughts on the state of emergency medicine in the US
A meditation on the failure of emergency medicine when faced with psychiatric crisis
As the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic raged across the country over the summer of 2020, there was no shortage of public health officials, epidemiologists, medical practitioners and statisticians warning that a second wave of the virus could be expected. They implored the public to minimize social gatherings, continue wearing masks when around people and prepare for the […]
No one in their right mind would support the thesis that the American healthcare system, as it exists currently, is not in need of immediate and tremendous repair. The disagreement, as it is with so many issues, comes not from a contention over the issue itself but rather what can or should be done to […]
This has been going on most of this year. . .
Sometimes Twitter can be the catalyst for serious reflection and consideration. In response to a tweet I made about Purdue Pharma (makers of OxyContin and other potent opioid analgesics) being at least partially responsible for leading the United States into its current hellscape of opioid abuse, a fellow Twitter user “liked” my post, but then […]
Over the past 48 hours there has been a significant amount of discussion surrounding an NPR story that says that most pharmaceuticals are safe and effective long after the manufacturer’s expiration date. For those of us who have worked in any retail setting that deals in product freshness and sell-by dates (e.g. supermarkets or pharmacies) […]
Antidote Notes 