Medical misinformation or unnecessary tests can cause a lot of problems and hurt patients. There are some excellent Internet sites such as the Mayo Clinic, but even medical books can have statements that are incorrect. Several years ago an article of mine was published about a Duchenne muscular dystrophy patient who had a child. I had sent blood from the patient, his wife, and child to a prominent geneticist at USC Medical Center to ensure the child was the son of the father. Probably still in medical books today you may read that Duchenne dystrophy males are unable to have children. The Internet has several websites that contain erroneous information, so it is always wise to check with a physician you trust if you have a medical question. When you see an M.D., it is also wise to ask why a specific medical procedure, X-ray, MRI or blood tests are needed. My granddaughter saw an internist for a physical exam at a California medical school. However, the physician did not take a history or do a physical examination but instead ordered a bunch of lab tests, none of which were indicated. The one test she should have ordered was not ordered. She also never called my granddaughter to give the results of the tests. So bad medicine exists even in medical schools. If a new medicine is prescribed, you want to be sure it does not interact with any other medication you may be taking. Too many physicians do not check about interactions. A good pharmacist can help if you have questions. Some medicines should not be taken on an empty stomach, so that is also wise to check.
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Thank you for this post - it is very helpful to have your advice and feel empowered to ask these questions!
Posted by: Jennifer Hinton | August 24, 2020 at 12:52 PM
Dear Jennifer,
Thank you for your comment. Hope you all got home O.K. and the trip went well.
Posted by: Charlotte Thompson | August 25, 2020 at 06:57 AM