A major study was just published in Lancet that addressed the issue of whether or not diabetes screening in primary care improves major health outcomes. This was a 10-year randomized controlled trial!! In other words, this study is the granddaddy of them all in terms of the rigor of its methods....
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Several physicians contribute regularly to BMJ. One of my favorites is a GP in Glasgow named Des Spence. Through their writings, I have gained a glimpse of the challenges faced by GPs in the UK, and the broader culture in which they work. In two of his columns this summer, he...
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We now have even more proof that the annual physical, health check, health maintenance visit, or whatever else you want to call it, is essentially useless. The Cochrane Collaboration recently published a review of the topic. They performed a meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials of annual checkups of 180,000 adults...
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In a recent statement published by the journal Pediatrics, an advisory panel sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the NIH recommended universal cholesterol screening for all children ages 9 to 11. I’m sure they meant well, but this statement means important people in leadership positions have officially...
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Thanks to everyone who wrote me back on some of the “simple” screening tests that “just take a few minutes” that well-meaning special interest groups want family physicians to give away their time to administer. And remember, the family physicians’ nurses are busy also, so if a special interest expects only...
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I thought I’d try something different this week. Instead of me just going blah, blah, blah to the cyber world, I thought I’d ask for help compiling a list. It has always annoyed me when well-meaning special interest groups ask family physicians to give away their professional time and expertise. A...
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