Have you ever waited for the results of a medical test and wondered what it would show? You may have consoled yourself, as the days stretched into weeks, that “no news is good news. I would be told if the results were bad.” Unfortunately, some medical practices miss informing patients even about abnormal test results, not out of malice or negligence, but because they don’t have a reliable system in place.
The Obama administration has brought new leadership to many of the government’s top science programs. Dr. Linda Birnbaum tells us of her vision for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program.
We take your questions about prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements and home remedies.
Guests:
Lawrence Casalino, MD, PhD, is Chief of the Division of Outcomes and Effectiveness Research in the Department of Public Health at Weill Cornell Medical College. His research on doctors informing patients of test results was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, June 22, 2009. The photo is of Dr. Casalino.
Linda Birnbaum, PhD, DABT, ATS, is Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program.
