Category Archives: Health Policy

The Legislature and Breast Cancer: Not a Good Match

The Legislature and Breast Cancer: Not a Good Match According to California law, starting on April 1, 2013 (I note that that was April Fool’s Day), women whose mammograms revealed dense breast tissue will get the following notice: Your mammogram … Continue reading

Posted in Breast Cancer, Health Policy, Medical Science | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Telling the FDA What I Think About ALS Drug Trials

As readers of this  blog know, I have taken issue with a number of things related to how ALS drug trials are run. Some people at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) read my blog and the comments to them. … Continue reading

Posted in ALS, ALS Treatment, Health Policy | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Approaching Gun Violence as a Public Health Problem: Who Gets to Have a Say?

Disclosures I’m a public health activist. I am also a member of the ACLU, and committed to the 1st Amendment (and all the other Constitutional Amendments, including the 2nd). This blog argues that some organizations should be excluded from participating … Continue reading

Posted in Health Policy | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

One More Time With Feeling: Can We Be Done With Mammography Screening?

October was long over when the New York Times ran an op-ed about mammography screening and over-diagnosis. The op-ed makes a compelling case for ending population-based mammography screening for breast cancer, based on the on the numbers of women who … Continue reading

Posted in Breast Cancer, Health Policy | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

NBCC — The Promise, the Process and the Problems

I have a reputation as an expert on the breast cancer and breast cancer advocacy organizations, gained during my 15 years as the (now former) Executive Director of Breast Cancer Action. Since it’s once again October — Breast Cancer Industry … Continue reading

Posted in Breast Cancer, Health Policy | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Not So Funny Things Happened on the Way to a Diaphragm Pacer: When “Informed” is Not “Consent” and Related Adventures of an ALS Activist

Regular readers of this blog have read a lot about my adventures trying to get Biogen Idec, the makers of dexipramipexole (dex), to let me get a diaphragm pacer without being dropped out of the dex trial in which I’ve … Continue reading

Posted in ALS, ALS Treatment, Health Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

FDA to ALS Patients: Fuck You

If you like this blog, please pass it on to your friends. Let’s keep the conversation going. I will spare my readers the long saga of my fight with Biogen Idec about the dex trial and my plans to get … Continue reading

Posted in ALS, ALS Treatment, Health Policy | Tagged , , , , | 28 Comments

Fool Me Once, Shame on You. Fool Me Twice . . . : Nothing New at Komen

If you like this blog, pass it on to your friends. Let’s keep the conversation going. Maybe you were wondering what I would have to say about the Chick-fil-A. It’s a good story, but not the subject of this blog. … Continue reading

Posted in Breast Cancer, Health Policy | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Broadening ALS Research to Help Patients III: Make Biogen Idec Walk Its Talk

Like many readers of this blog, I have been exchanging emails with Dr. George Scangos, CEO of Biogen Idec, the company running the clinical trial in which I am a participant. The trial is testing the efficacy of a drug … Continue reading

Posted in ALS, ALS Treatment, Health Policy, Medical Science | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Broadening ALS Research to Help Patients — II

Late last week I posted here a message I sent I had sent to the CEO of Biogen Idec, the company running the dex drug trial I’m in. I encouraged people to write to the CEO, Dr. George Scangos, about … Continue reading

Posted in ALS, ALS Treatment, Health Policy | Tagged , , | 4 Comments