One in four Americans die before age 70 — not because we lack longevity supplements, but because we've abandoned the basic primary care that keeps people alive.
Why Dying Needs More Than Medicine
15/2/2026 | 4min
Medical Care is often not enough. Doulas are bringing an ancient practice back to modern dying—one family at a time.
Follow the Money: What Super Bowl Health Ads Really Sell
08/2/2026 | 5min
Super Bowl medical ads use celebrity endorsements and fear tactics to promote disease screening - not primarily for public health, but to expand the patient pool for new, expensive treatments.
When Back Pain Strikes: Why Surgery Isn't Always the Answer
01/2/2026 | 4min
Most back pain doesn't require surgery—so why are we spending two billion dollars over a three-year period on it?
The Blue Blood That Saves Lives — But At What Cost?
25/1/2026 | 5min
Every medical injection you've ever received was safety-tested using the blue blood of a 450-million-year-old creature — and we're finally questioning whether that's worth their survival.
An examination of medical ethics and the practitioners who define them. Sign up to receive the Second Opinion topics in newsletter form at kcrw.com/newsletters .