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Drug prices: It’s time for change

The angry protests around the 2016 Mylan EpiPen scandal brought into focus the perils for patients when the price of a life-saving drug spikes precipitously. As a Type 1 diabetic who has been dealing with escalating insulin prices my whole life, I was heartened to see the outcry over our country’s anemic attitude toward setting affordable drug pricing policies. My concern now is that, without additional crises to capture the public’s attention, the issue will recede in significance. The realities for patients living under the price-spiral sword have not receded. Diabetics ...

True Christians love Jewish people

My heart was broken when I heard about the massacre at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh last month. I was sitting in my study preparing my sermon when the alert came. I immediately prayed, asking God to protect the people there. It was not until later that I heard 11 precious lives were taken by a very wicked man, and that others, including police officers, were injured. Upon hearing the news, I was both angered at the shooter and sorrowful for those who were injured, killed or now deep in grief. Personally, I cannot understand how anyone can go into a place of worship ...

Listen closely to voices from your empty chair

A stranger appeared just as we were sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner. And he sat in the chair that we always leave empty to symbolize those, who due to death or distance, could not be with us this year. The stranger then began to talk — and even sometimes sing. “Let us bow our heads. Dear Lord, we gather together to seek thy blessings, to remember and to reflect, to share sadness and joy. We draw inspiration from many people and places. From Jackie Robinson, who endured bigotry with grit, grace and excellence. From Lou Gehrig, who faced death with dignity, saying he ‘was ...

Quick cancer treatment reason to give thanks

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful to not have cancer. I hope. Six months ago, my family doctor sent me for a CT scan because I went in to be checked out for something that felt weird which ended up being nothing. However, the CT scan did reveal some nodules in my thyroid. A local endocrinologist did a fine needle biopsy and said one of the nodules was 30 percent suspicious of malignancy. I went to another doctor out of town who did the same test that came back inconclusive and then another test, which revealed the same nodule was about 40 percent suspicious of malignancy. I ...

US primary problem: Doctor shortage

America’s medical system is facing a primary care crisis. To meet our nation’s needs would require almost 15,000 additional primary care doctors. Take into account the effects of aging and population growth, and the shortage will climb to almost 50,000 by 2030. There are thousands of highly qualified students at international medical schools eager to fill this gap. Many are U.S. citizens who are studying abroad and want to return home to practice. To solve America’s doctor shortage, public health leaders must welcome these internationally trained doctors — particularly ...

Prioritize students’ mental health

When a student feels sick during the school day, they visit the school nurse. But if their problem is emotional or psychological in nature, where can they turn for help? That’s the dilemma some Pennsylvania students face when they are bullied by classmates. Tragically, bullying reportedly played in a role in student suicides in Blair, Columbia and York counties this year. These heartbreaking cases of young lives cut short should be a wake-up call to parents, policy makers and school administrators. Although bullying is occasionally mentioned as a factor in school shootings, the ...