Lachlan Forrow, associate professor of medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, authored this opinion piece about Brittany Maynard, who took a lethal prescription to end her life, and the healthcare system’s failure in not ensuring that pain management, palliative care and hospice are available to everyone.
Myopia has become something of a minor epidemic: More than 40 percent of Americans are nearsighted, a 16 percent increase since the 1970s. People with so-called high myopia — generally, blurry vision beyond about five inches — face an increased likelihood of developing cataracts and glaucoma, are at higher risk for retinal detachments that can result in blindness. Exactly what is causing the nationwide rise in nearsightedness is not known. David G. Hunter, professor of ophthalmology at Boston Children’s Hospital, is quoted.
In 2013, the National Capital Poison Center reported over 3,000 cases of ingested batteries, with over 2,000 of those occurring in children less than six years old. The button-sized nubs can get stuck in the esophagus, leaving tissue burns, tearing the lining and even causing death. Now, researchers have created a shield that pastes directly onto the the negative terminal of the battery, a prototype of which has proven effective at preventing damage to the esophagus after being swallowed. Jeffrey Karp, associate professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is a co-author of the study.
Last week, the Bertarelli Program, a collaboration between Harvard Medical School and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, announced that it will award a series of grants totaling $3.6 million to launch five research projects in neuroengineering. David Corey, professor of neurobiology, is director of the Bertarelli Program. Jeffrey Holt, associate professor of otology and laryngology at Boston Children’s Hospital, is one of the grant recipients.
A new magnetic-stimulation machine shows promise for the immediate treatment of depression. Michael Rohan, lecturer on psychiatry at McLean Hospital, led the research. Bruce Cohen, Robertson-Steele Professor of Psychiatry at McLean Hospital, is a senior author.
Researchers may be able to improve memory by discharging magnetic pulses on the skull to alter the neural activity at and beneath the brain’s surface. Michael Fox, assistant professor of neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, is quoted.
Marcia Angell, senior lecturer in social medicine, authored this opinion piece about the movement to give dying patients the choice to end their lives.
Black women haven’t benefitted from advancements in breast cancer treatment to the same extent as their white counterparts due to factors that include socioeconomic barriers and lack of access to the most comprehensive health services. Karen Winkfield, assistant professor of radiation oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital, is quoted.
The number of medical malpractice claims paid on behalf of physicians has plummeted since 2002, according to a new study. Allen Kachalia, associate professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is a co-author of the research.
