Placebo Journal - Medical Humor With A Purpose

Placebo Gazette #159
(Keeping Our Finger On The Prostate Of Medicine)

7/7/10

Germany's Health Care System

Placebo Journal Blog Wins Award

Erections and STDs

Managing Stress in the Medical Office

Placebo Journal Update

Armed and Dangerous

When The Wrong Docs Get In The Game

Bandage Job

Walmart Rolling A Fatboy

1. Germany's Health Care System

The socialized health care system in Germany is running more and more in the red due to "demographic changes" and "progress in medical technology". In other words, more and more people are living longer and there is a debate whether much of the increased medical technology is worth it. How is Germany solving this crisis? Since their system is based on people having "mandatory insurance" they are letting the insurers raise premiums while cutting the profits of doctors, dentists, hospitals and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Sounds a little too familiar, huh? To add to the fun Social Democrat Karl Lauterbach, an opposition health care expert, feels "the government must ask the rich to pay more". Sounds like a page out the playbook that we will be using here in America as well.

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2. Placebo Journal Blog Wins Award

We are proud to announce that the Placebo Journal Blog has taken a top place in the Health Muckraker Best Blog Award category! This honor, part of the HAL Medical Blog awards, is sponsored by Apredica and highlights excellence in investigative reporting. I am not aware of this group but any recognition for us is great. We are proud to be medical muckrakers!

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3. Erections and STDs

Did you know that the risk of getting an STD is higher if you use an erectile dysfunction drug? Well, let's not get the lawsuits ready just yet. It seems that "the fault lies not with the drugs but rather the high risk behaviors of those who request them". If you read the piece carefully you will see that the higher risk groups that were studied were bisexual or homosexual men. In reality, however, it doesn't matter. I have found that in the real world there are young men trying to claim to have erectile dysfunction but really want Viagra or Cialis to enhance sexual activity. That is why it is a black market drug. And now you know the rest of the story. My apologies to the late Paul Harvey, who may or may not have had erectile dysfunction.

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4. Managing Stress in the Medical Office

Bob Cook did a nice piece in the American Medical News about "managing office stress" with laughter. I think you'll like it. How could you not like it since yours truly is quoted multiple times? Here is my favorite one:

Added Dr. Farrago: "If you can't smile during the day, man, you're done."

And who says I no speak so good?

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5. Placebo Journal Update

With the help of a lot of you we are finishing up work on the August issue. Thanks!!!! Any stories that we really like but don't use will go into our October issue. If you are ready to start subscribing to the only medical journal that will make you laugh then click below:

ONLY THREE WEEKS LEFT TO GET IN ON THIS ISSUE!

6. Armed and Dangerous

Well, it didn't take long. Eric Smith, a 36 year old, was using a 3-foot long metal tube to shoot mortars from the street where he lives on Long Island but was unable to get out of the way when he ignited it. His arm was shot off, severing it as the shoulder level. They are now trying to put his arm back on as I type this. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe it is illegal to shoot these things off in NY (at least it was when I grew up there) so I am not sure why he thought this was going to be such a good idea. Lefty, as I now call him, may now get arrested, has lost his arm and will have a massive medical bill when this is all over. Was it worth it? What so wrong with just letting the professionals do it? Happy July 4th everybody!

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7. When The Wrong Docs Get In The Game

A psychiatrist in Oregon who wanted to open an "assisted suicide" house recently had his license suspended. The reason is not for what you think. The Board of Medicine in Oregon ruled that "he cannot, practice" period because he had made so many poor decisions in prescribing drugs. The article linked above must not do justice to how bad he has screwed up because the Board usually doesn't take away a doctor's livelihood that easily. Sometimes there are wrong people who get into the medical business. Another doctor was convicted for manslaughter in Australia for the deaths in three botched surgeries. It seems Dr. Patel had a trail of complaints for decades and now finally has been stopped. Sometimes the bad eggs are removed and that's a good thing.

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8. Bandage Job

Those darn narc seekers are so much fun. They love playing dress up. Here is one dude who went to a pharmacy wrapped in bandages, had his left arm in a cast and sling, and walked with a crutch. After getting some sympathy from the staff he proceeded to rob them of their Oxycontin. They're so cute.

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6. Walmart Rolling a Fatboy

Let the lawsuits begin. If you have been following the Placebo Journal Blog and/or getting the Placebo Journal then you know about my keen interest in medical marijuana. The dilemma is in those states where this drug is legalized for medical purposes. What happens when employers do drug testing? Walmart is now being sued by a man who was using medical marijuana for an inoperable brain tumor and sinus cancer. This will be a huge test case to see what happens. This dude seems like a patient who would need this drug - maybe. My issue is with those unethical doctors who make money on the side giving out scripts to people who really do NOT need this drug. What then?

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Doug Farrago MD

King of Medicine

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