A day after I wrote this piece for theconversation.com about psychologists and torture, the New York Times highlighted a newly issued report that details the extent to which senior level members of the American Psychological Association (APA) conspired with the CIA, members of the Bush administration, and the Department of Defense to condone, justify, and protect psychologists who participated in torture.
“Rectal Feeding” is Not a Medical Procedure. It is Torture
See this report from the International Business Times, which makes clear that his activity is torture, plain and simple. It is about exerting control over others, causing pain, and human degradation. Steven Miles, MD, the single most knowledgeable physician about physician participation in torture, is quoted.
http://www.ibtimes.com/what-are-rectal-feeding-rectal-hydration-doctors-call-cia-tactics-torture-1751952
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The Ethics of Doctors and Psychologists Participating in Torture
I was a guest on Radio Boston a couple of days ago. The topic was the ethics of doctors and psychologists participating in torture. The short answer is that physicians should not participate in enhanced interrogations and/or torture in any way, shape, or form.
http://radioboston.wbur.org/2014/12/10/cia-interrogation-techniques
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US News and World Report article
Thank you to US News and World Report for the article they wrote here detailing our findings about how hard it is to find a psychiatrist.
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The Difficulty in Obtaining an Initial Psychiatric Appointment
Reuters reported on our recent study about how difficult it was for us to secure an initial appointment in 3 major US cities: Boston, Chicago, and Houston.
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Radio Boston–WBUR: Mental Health Issues in the Startup World
I was a guest on today’s show:
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Revisiting Marijuana Addiction
In my latest Psychology Today blog I discuss recent medical literature which highlights the likelihood of becoming addicted to marijuana as well as the various consequences for those who over consume it, especially those who do so in adolescence.
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Help for Physicians who have Substance Use Disorders
Most states have physician health programs (PHPs), and physicians who are referred to them are generally bound to do whatever the PHP tells them in order to continue practicing medicine. Thus, PHPs wield a lot of power. The problem with them, however, is that despite their great power, many PHPs operate with little real oversight and as a result the rights and well-being of physicians who are referred to them can suffer.
Read my blog post at Psychology Today here.
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Tagged addicted doctors, addicted physicians, board of medicine, coerced treatment, federation of state physician health programs, FSPHP, help for addicted doctors, impaired physician, medical ethics, NCPHP, north carolina physicians health program, physician health services
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Psychology Today Blog–Psychiatrists Waste Millions of Hours Obtaining Prior Authorizations from Insurers
It is a travesty that insurance companies single out psychiatric patients for this kind of scrutiny. Your physician doesn’t have to call an insurance company to admit you if you are a woman in labor or a kid with appendicitis.
See my blog post here:
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Tagged insurance, medical insurance, pnhp, prior authorization, single payer, single payer health care
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My book Almost Addicted won an award for excellence in medical writing!
Several days ago I received notice that Almost Addicted won the Will Solemine Award for Excellence in Medical Writing by the American Medical Writers Association. This is an award for medical writing that is geared toward a general audience. I am delighted to receive this award and take my hat off to Eric Metcalf whose writing and experience made the book what it is.