Dr. Len's Cancer Blog

I can’t  get my mind off an article that appeared yesterday on the front page of the Wall Street Journal.

The headline is pretty straight forward: “Philip Morris Readies Aggressive Global Push.”

The content is close to as scary as it gets.

Attached to the article is a smiling picture of the soon to be anointed head of Philip Morris International, a gentleman named Louis Camilleri.  I suspect he is smiling because he is probably going to make a ridiculous amount of money.

To me, Mr. Camilleri is the next generation of the merchant of death.

An article and editorial in today’s New England Journal of Medicine puts the issue of insurance, access to care and preventive medical services squarely on the front lines of the health care debate.

In what is a deceivingly simple and elegant analysis, the authors show that in Medicare managed care plans, increasing insurance cost-sharing and copayments leads directly to reduced use of a clearly necessary and effective medical service, namely screening mammograms for the early detection of breast cancer.

The authors show that as co-payments and co-insurance for screening mammograms are implemented and increase, there is a direct correlation with fewer women getting this valuable medical service which we know can save lives.

And, to make matters worse, the women who were more likely to be subjected to these cost-management tools were more likely to be poor, to be black, and to be less educated.

Back in December when I wrote about my screening colonoscopy, I made some personal notes about what I thought was important with regard to getting healthy and staying healthy.

At the top of the list was the need to take individual responsibility for your health, along with having an identifiable source of regular medical care, such as a primary care physician.

This week, the American Cancer Society is urging everyone to take charge of your health by understanding what you and your family need to do to reduce your risk of cancer, and to stay healthy by sticking with healthy habits.

The Society’s Great American Health Check (found online at www.cancer.org/greatamericans ) is designed to help you know what you need to know to do what you need to do to accomplish your goals to improve your health during 2008.

A giant in medical research has passed on.

Judah Folkman, MD, died Monday.  News reports suggest that a heart attack was the cause.

What is special about Dr. Folkman is that he embodied many of the scientific attributes that have helped move medical research and cancer treatment forward over the past several decades, and possessed many of the personal qualities that many of us admire.

There is no doubt left that second hand smoke is dangerous to your health. 

As a result, many organizations and individuals have worked diligently on several fronts to get state legislatures and local governments to pass smoke-free laws and ordinances. 

There is no getting around the fact that many of us have come to expect smoke-free environments where we work, where we shop and when we go out to eat.

So what happens when there is blatant violation of the law?

My wife and I found out this past weekend.  The answer, at least in Georgia: not much.

My heart is saddened. A friend has lost his battle with cancer.

My friend’s name was Ralph Rothwell.  He was in his late 50’s.  He died Friday morning from complications of his disease.

In so many ways Ralph was a special person.  And, in so many ways he was typical of the millions of people who have fought their own battles with cancer and have touched every one of us.