I have Dr. Paul Offit in the virtual studio to discuss seven stories of science gone wrong. The seven discoveries were initially promoted as “stunning scientific breakthroughs” but each one turned out to have a dark side that was harmful to the human race. Some of these “stunning breakthroughs” still threaten the future of our species today.   In the final part of the interview, I ask Paul to comment on some of today’s high-profile health controversies: e-cigarettes, Bisphenol-A, PSA screening for prostate cancer, mammograms, and Genetically Modified Food, and question if perhaps we’re repeating this same “science-gone-wrong” history. Paul presents some practical advice on how we can avoid repeating these same kinds of mistakes as we tackle our top challenges in science and medicine today.

7 Stories of Science Gone Wrong with Paul Offit MD

I’m a skeptic searching for the truth in all matters related to science and medicine, especially where it intersects with economics, politics, and public health. The truth is out there and we’re going to find it together...

Medicine

Science & Medicine

Science

Health & Fitness

Every October, the American Society of Anesthesiologists [the ASA] hosts the largest medical specialty meeting of its kind for thousands and thousands of anesthesiologists from around the world. This year’s meeting is being held in San Francisco from October 13th to 17th. To recognize the importance of anesthesia in the evolution of surgery, and to commemorate the first public demonstration of surgical anesthesia administered to a patient undergoing surgery [by William Morton on October 16th, 1846], called “World Anesthesia Day”, I present a different episode of the Strange Daze podcast each day of the meeting. Today’s Episode is On Pins and Needles. It’s a true story about trying to master spinal anesthesia. While spinal anesthesia can be a beautiful and elegant alternative to general anesthesia, every anesthetic technique has limitations, and dealing with the limitations of spinal anesthesia can be a terrifying experience for the anesthesia resident.

STRANGE DAZE: On Pins and Needles

Every October, the American Society of Anesthesiologists [the ASA] hosts the largest medical specialty meeting of its kind for thousands and thousands of anesthesiologists from around the world. This year’s meeting is being held in San Francisco from October 13th to 17th. To recognize the importance of anesthesia in the evolution of surgery, and to commemorate the first public demonstration of surgical anesthesia administered to a patient undergoing surgery [by William Morton on October 16th, 1846], called “World Anesthesia Day”, I present a different episode of the Strange Daze podcast each day of the meeting. Today’s episode is: Fragile: Handle with Care. It’s a true story about administering my first anesthetic to a baby having a routine hernia repair that devolved into one of the most terrifying cases of my early career. How can a routine anesthetic go so wrong? Truth be told, in about a million and a half different ways.

STRANGE DAZE: Fragile: Handle with Care

Every October, the American Society of Anesthesiologists [the ASA] hosts the largest medical specialty meeting of its kind for thousands and thousands of anesthesiologists from around the world. This year’s meeting is being held in San Francisco from October 13th to 17th. To recognize the importance of anesthesia in the evolution of surgery, and to commemorate the first public demonstration of surgical anesthesia administered to a patient undergoing surgery [by William Morton on October 16th, 1846], called “World Anesthesia Day”, I present a different episode of the Strange Daze podcast each day of the meeting. Todays Episode is Production Pressure. It’s a true story about how in our haste to get a surgery case started we sometimes do things that we shouldn’t do, and at other times, we fail to do the things we should…  In anesthesiology, either error can have serious consequences.

STRANGE DAZE: Production Pressure

Every October, the American Society of Anesthesiologists [the ASA] hosts the largest medical specialty meeting of its kind for thousands and thousands of anesthesiologists from around the world. This year’s meeting is being held in San Francisco from October 13th to 17th. To recognize the importance of anesthesia in the evolution of surgery, and to commemorate the first public demonstration of surgical anesthesia administered to a patient undergoing surgery [by William Morton on October 16th, 1846], called “World Anesthesia Day”, I present a different episode of the Strange Daze podcast each day of the meeting. Today’s Episode is Crepitus. It’s a true story about how incompletely understood and improperly conducted laser surgery can turn a routine knee arthroscopy into a life-threatening disaster.

STRANGE DAZE: Crepitus

Every October, the American Society of Anesthesiologists [the ASA] hosts the largest medical specialty meeting of its kind for thousands and thousands of anesthesiologists from around the world. This year’s meeting is being held in San Francisco from October 13th to 17th. To recognize the importance of anesthesia in the evolution of surgery, and to commemorate the first public demonstration of surgical anesthesia administered to a patient undergoing surgery [by William Morton on October 16th, 1846], called “World Anesthesia Day”, I present a different episode of the Strange Daze podcast each day of the meeting. Today’s Episode is Wrong Assumptions. It’s a true story about a healthy, 37-year-old woman who comes into the hospital expecting a routine delivery of her third baby and ends up in a coma. How can a routine case to go so wrong? In about a million and a half different way. This is just one of them.

7 Stories of Science Gone Wrong with Paul Offit MD

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