L.I.F.E. and D.E.A.T.H

In this short, rhetorical article, I offer a thought experiment that seeks to make an analogy between ‘life’ and ‘disease’. This article was written whilst under the influence of Nietzsche, and I hope that readers will not mistake the polemical style and the occasional nod towards humour for flippancy. This is a serious subject, and this article attempts to ask, inexplicitly, a serious question. If we do suspend our subjective value judgements about life, and strip away what might be considered the ‘dogma’ of value in life, what effect might this have on our feelings towards voluntary euthanasia, and what can our reaction to that thought experiment tell us?     

Pharma in the bedroom . . . and the kitchen. . . . The pharmaceuticalisation of daily life

This paper examines the consequences of a new emphasis on lifestyle in the production, marketing and consumption of pharmaceuticals. Over the past decade, a range of medicines have become available that address aspects of lifestyle, while others have been the subject of lifestyle marketing. We argue, with recourse to a broad literature from the social sciences, economics and health services research and from our study of pharmaceutical consumption, that two processes can be discerned. First, there is a domestication of pharmaceutical consumption, with drugs available via home computers, and marketing of pharmaceuticals that focuses upon private or personal conditions and addresses domestic activities such as sex and cooking. Secondly, there is a pharmaceuticalisation of everyday life as the pharmaceutical industry introduces profitable medicines for a range of daily activities and pharmaceuticals come to be seen by consumers as a 'magic bullet' to resolve problems of daily life. We suggest that the pharmaceuticalisation of daily life links the economics and politics of pharmaceutical production to the private lives of citizens.     

Physicians and the state in the U.S.A. and Israel.

The paper focuses on two patterns of policy-making: a professional pattern in which physicians dominate, and a political pattern in which state authorities take the lead. It looks into the causes of the emergence of each of these patterns and their consequences, in terms of the equity of the health services and their efficiency. The U.S.A. and Israel provide examples for the professional and political patterns of health policy making. The causes for the development of the political pattern in the U.S.A. are grounded in the social salience of medical care, in physicians' economic power, and in the individualistic political culture. The politicization of health services in Israel came about owing to the low placement of health on the social agenda, the proletarianization of physicians, and the hierarchical administrative culture. Analysis of the results indicates that Israel portrays more equity in health services. However, in terms of efficiency results are mixed. In both countries, changes are taking place in opposite directions: more politicization in the U.S.A.; less in Israel.     

In My Opinion. . .Dreams--Parents and Physicians

Because children often know how best to meet the needs of children, looking at the hospital through their eyes can be a way to improve patient care Forming a board made up of children is one means of reaching this goal Board members raise issues based on their own hospital experiences or knowledge about hospitals In addition, hospital departments request opinions, suggestions, etc, from children on a variety of topics menus, decorations, educational material, and more The board creates an awareness about the patients and their special needs as children, both within the hospital and in the community.     

Doctors and management. 1. General management and the consultant.

Consultants should expect from the general manager a clear context for their work and the systematic support of the organisation around them. General managers seem to be unable to provide these things at present. There is frustration on both sides. There is avoidable overwork for some doctors and good ideas are not being implemented. This article contains a personal view on what kind of understanding between consultants and general managers might start to make things better.     

The A.D.A. registration examination. Development and operation.

The registration examination is the means by which The American Dietetic Association seeks to determine whether candidates throughout the country have attained a basic level of competence in terms of significant and appropriate areas of basic knowledge. The goal of every registration program is the passing, and thus, the registration of every candidate. If the examination reflects what the Association believes a registered dietitian must know, then candidates who answer correctly the questions on the registration examination will have shown that they are qualified to be registered representatives of the profession.