27. What Can Bin Laden Teach Us About Medicine?

FromFreakonomics, M.D.

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27. What Can Bin Laden Teach Us About Medicine?

FromFreakonomics, M.D.

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Length:

29 minutes

Released:

Mar 4, 2022

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

When trust in doctors or the healthcare system is lost, it’s really hard to get back. Bapu Jena explores the ripple effects of a C.I.A. operation to catch Osama bin Laden on medical distrust in Pakistan — and its parallels to distrust in the U.S.

Released:

Mar 4, 2022

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (87)

Each week, physician and economist Dr. Bapu Jena will dig into a fascinating study at the intersection of economics and healthcare. He takes on questions like: Why do kids with summer birthdays get the flu more often? Can surviving a hurricane help you live longer? What do heart surgery and grocery-store pricing have in common?

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46. Should We Trust Hospital Rankings?: Hospitals compete for prime spots on the "U.S. News" rankings — but could those lists be doing more harm than good? by Freakonomics, M.D.
32 min listen
2. Do As Docs Say, Not As They Do: Does having more health information actually change behavior? To test this question, host Bapu Jena explores whether doctors make healthier choices than the rest of us (and he fesses up to an unhealthy habit of his own). From the Freakonomics Radio Network: Exploring the hidden side of everything. by Freakonomics, M.D.
19 min listen
Marathons Can Be Deadly — But Not For the Reasons You May Think: In this pilot episode of a new “Freakonomics of Medicine” podcast, when host Dr. Bapu Jena misses his wife’s 5K run, he sets out to study how road closures and detours on big race days affect people with medical emergencies. by Freakonomics, M.D.
22 min listen
9. Why Fridays May Be Dangerous for Your Health: When researchers analyzed which day of the week most drug-safety alerts are released — and what it means for public health — they were stunned. So was Bapu Jena. He talks with them and a physician this week about the “Friday Effect,” a common problem with big repercussions for the safety of the medications. by Freakonomics, M.D.
20 min listen
Introducing “Freakonomics, M.D.”: How can a marathon be dangerous even if you don’t run the race? Does your doctor follow medical advice any better than you do? Just how dangerous was it to go to a birthday party at the height of the pandemic? These are the kinds of questions that intrigue Dr. Bapu Jena, a rare double threat — he’s both an M.D. and a Ph.D. economist. Each week on Freakonomics, M.D., Jena digs into fascinating research to discover the hidden side of healthcare. by Freakonomics, M.D.
3 min listen
13. When Bapu Met Levitt: Once upon a time, Bapu Jena was a graduate student at the University of Chicago. His most interesting teacher? The economist Steve Levitt. This week on Freakonomics, M.D., a replay of a conversation between Steve and Bapu from Steve’s podcast, People I (Mostly) Admire, where they cover everything from the ethics of human-challenge trials to why Bapu decided to start his own show. by Freakonomics, M.D.
34 min listen
3. Why Are Kids With Summer Birthdays More Likely to Get the Flu?: After struggling to schedule a flu shot for his own toddler, host Bapu Jena went down a research rabbit hole. He discovered that the time of year kids are born has an unexpected and dramatic effect on whether they and their families end up getting the flu. Bapu explains his findings and asks a pediatrician and public health expert what could be done about it. by Freakonomics, M.D.
19 min listen
6. Are Barbershops the Cutting Edge of Healthcare Delivery?: Bapu Jena talks with a barber and a pharmacist whose study brought healthcare to Black men in Los Angeles who were getting haircuts. They discuss its impact on high blood pressure among customers — and how unconventional approaches like this could help build trust. by Freakonomics, M.D.
24 min listen
1. Covid and the “Birthday Effect”: Host Bapu Jena is an economist and medical doctor whose latest research measures the link between birthdays and Covid. He explains his team’s findings, explores the role that kids’ parties may have played, reveals whether politics made a difference, and convinces a Zoom magician to reveal the secrets of making virtual parties awesome. From the Freakonomics Radio Network: Exploring the hidden side of everything. by Freakonomics, M.D.
18 min listen
4. What Do Grocery Store Prices and Heart Surgery Have in Common?: Humans are hardwired to focus on the left digit in numbers. It’s why products are priced at $3.99 instead of $4.00. But does this left-digit bias also affect medical decisions? Host Bapu Jena is joined by a fellow researcher and a cardiologist to explain how left-digit bias shows up in one of the most important decisions a doctor can make, what it means for patients, and what we can do about it. by Freakonomics, M.D.
17 min listen
20. Do Our Politics Need a Doctor?: Bill Frist was a transplant surgeon before serving in the Senate, where he drove controversial legislation on embryonic stem cells and end-of-life care. Did he change politics? Or did politics change him? by Freakonomics, M.D.
33 min listen
7. What Happens to Patients When Thousands of Cardiologists Leave Town?: This week, Bapu Jena presents some hot-off-the-presses research exploring the relationship between how many patients a doctor sees, and how well those patients do. Plus, the surprising impact of annual cardiology conferences that prompted Bapu’s first conversation with Stephen Dubner on Freakonomics Radio. by Freakonomics, M.D.
31 min listen
11. Why Do So Many Donated Kidneys End Up in the Trash?: Every year, thousands of people in the U.S. die while they’re waiting for a new kidney, yet thousands of available organs get thrown away. Bapu talks to a kidney doctor and an economics Nobel laureate about why this happens and how the system could improve. by Freakonomics, M.D.
24 min listen
15. The Most “Unique, Excellent, and Promising” Episode: Studies by men published in scientific journals are more likely to include glowing, hyperbolic terms. Bapu talks about this “groundbreaking” research (see what we did there?) in a wide-ranging discussion with physicians and an economist about the gender gap in medicine. by Freakonomics, M.D.
29 min listen
16. An Exit Interview with N.I.H. Director Dr. Francis Collins: The National Institutes of Health is the backbone of health research in the U.S., and Collins has been in charge for more than a decade. Now that he’s stepping down, he ponders the arc of his history-making career, from his leadership of the Human Genome Project to the fight against Covid-19 (not to mention the absolute happiest moment of his life). by Freakonomics, M.D.
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14. Is Uber Good (or Bad) for Your Health?: When you need a ride to the hospital, who should you call? Bapu talks with economist David Slusky about how ridesharing services are increasingly replacing ambulances. Plus, an unexpected reason why rideshares may lead some people to unhealthy behaviors. by Freakonomics, M.D.
26 min listen
8. A Playbook for Beating the Next Pandemic: We dig into why Covid-19 caught us so unprepared and how we can make sure we’re ready for a future public-health crisis with former FDA director Scott Gottlieb. by Freakonomics, M.D.
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17. How Does Retirement Affect Your Brain?: Aging carries a risk of losing our memory, focus, and ability to take care of ourselves and others. Does leaving the workforce worsen that risk? We investigate the research. And…Bapu asks: is it time for dad to retire? by Freakonomics, M.D.
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10. The Mystery of the Man with Confusion and Back Pain: Hear diagnostician Gurpreet Dhaliwal try to solve the case of a patient who came to the emergency room with an unusual combination of symptoms. Plus, we discuss how difficult it is to separate the signal from the noise when treating patients, and how cognitive biases factor into doctors’ decision-making. by Freakonomics, M.D.
22 min listen
12. Where Do All the Bad Ideas Go?: Ideas are currency. This couldn't be more true in academia, where it's the job of researchers to think of questions and, hopefully, find answers. Bapu talks with economists Steve Levitt and Emily Oster about how they come up with ideas for studies, why most never make it off the ground, and what should be done with scrapped projects. by Freakonomics, M.D.
34 min listen
19. Do Your Doctor’s Political Views Affect Your Care?: Since doctors are human, they bring their own beliefs and preferences into the examination room. But they’ve also taken an oath to act in the best interest of all patients. What happens when politics and medicine collide? by Freakonomics, M.D.
29 min listen
5. How to Solve a Medical Mystery: A woman comes to the emergency room with back pain. She’ll leave with an unexpected diagnosis. How does her doctor figure out what’s wrong? Listen as host Bapu Jena puts master clinician Dr. Gurpreet Dhaliwal on the spot to solve a real medical mystery. Along the way, you’ll learn how doctors think and the most important questions they ask. by Freakonomics, M.D.
19 min listen
22. What If TV Isn't Bad for Us?: We now have more access to TV, movies, and streaming entertainment than anytime in history. So what do we actually know about what all that screen time does to us? We look back at some compelling studies that show, actually, it may change us for the better. by Freakonomics, M.D.
33 min listen
37. Can Fear Be Good Medicine?: Fear is a popular tool in public health campaigns. But is it an effective one? Bapu Jena discusses new research on whether we can — and should — scare people into being healthier. by Freakonomics, M.D.
28 min listen
23. Is the Placebo Effect for Real?: In Latin, the word “placebo” means “I shall please.” In the medical world, placebos mean something … well, a little different. Bapu Jena walks us through the thorny world of placebo research and the implications the placebo effect can have for patients. by Freakonomics, M.D.
36 min listen
18. When Is a Natural Disaster Good for Your Health?: A clever study tracking the survivors of Hurricane Katrina came to a bold conclusion: when it comes to your health, place is destiny. So how can the benefits of healthier places be spread to everyone? by Freakonomics, M.D.
28 min listen
36. Bad News — It’s Your Surgeon’s Birthday: Distractions are everywhere — including in the operating room. So, what happens if a surgeon loses focus? A tap dancer, a health researcher, and a surgeon help Bapu Jena find out. by Freakonomics, M.D.
32 min listen
42. The Comedian-Ophthalmologist Will See You Now: Dr. Will Flanary, a.k.a Dr. Glaucomflecken, has always been a comedy fan. During the pandemic, he found an audience. But should doctors be funny with their patients? Bapu Jena asks when laughter is — and isn’t — the best medicine. by Freakonomics, M.D.
36 min listen
29. How to Save a Stranger’s Heart: Cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death globally. What if it doesn’t have to be that way? Bapu Jena walks us through some solutions that can help save lives — and explores why change in medicine can be hard. by Freakonomics, M.D.
32 min listen
30. How Do We Know if Alcohol Is Bad for Us?: Getting solid answers in medicine can be hard — especially when the normal tools are off-limits. Dr. Bapu Jena discusses a research method that’s helping to solve some of science’s most challenging questions. by Freakonomics, M.D.
31 min listen

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The Economics of Everyday Things: Animal Urine: In the newest show from the Freakonomics Radio Network, host Zachary Crockett explores the hidden side of the things around us. This week: One creature’s trash is another’s cash. (Or, how one man found profit in pee.) by Freakonomics, M.D.
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Tom Brady, A.D.H.D., and a Really Bad Headache (Bonus): A sneak peek at Bapu's new book, Random Acts of Medicine, available now from Doubleday, and an announcement about the show. by Freakonomics, M.D.
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78. Do Kids Cause Divorce?: Couples get divorced for all kinds of reasons. Is having kids one of them? Bapu talks about research that investigates what happens to parents who unexpectedly have twins. Plus, an announcement about the future of the show. by Freakonomics, M.D.
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77. They Make Minimum Wage. They Could Save Your Life.: Doctors and nurses get most of the attention — but a new study suggests we can improve health care by raising wages for a group of workers who are often overlooked. by Freakonomics, M.D.
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76. Is a Spoonful of Sunlight the Best Medicine?: In hospitals, a softer pillow or a nicer room might be more than just amenities — they could improve outcomes for patients. by Freakonomics, M.D.
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75. What Is Sugar Really Doing to You?: Americans eat a lot of sugar — and it’s hard to determine how it affects our health. Bapu explains how a new study uses data from the 1950s to help solve the mystery. by Freakonomics, M.D.
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74. How Does Playing Football Affect Your Health?: It’s not a new question, but it’s a tricky one to study. Bapu explains why, and talks about how an N.F.L. labor dispute helped him get some answers. by Freakonomics, M.D.
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73. Who Pays for Multimillion-Dollar Miracle Cures?: The most expensive drugs in the world are treatments for genetic diseases. And more of these cures are on the horizon. How will anyone be able to afford them? by Freakonomics, M.D.
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72. What’s Stopping Us From Curing Rare Diseases?: Breakthroughs in biotech that seem like science fiction are becoming reality. Why aren’t more patients benefiting from them? by Freakonomics, M.D.
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71. What Do COVID-19 and Cancer Have in Common?: mRNA vaccines helped bring the pandemic under control. Could they also train the immune system to fight cancer? by Freakonomics, M.D.
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69. Home Sweet … Hospital?: We take it for granted that, when people are acutely ill, they should be in the hospital. Is there a better way? by Freakonomics, M.D.
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68. The E.R. Doctor’s Dilemma: Figuring out which patients to hospitalize and which to safely send home can be tricky. Is there a way to make this decision easier for doctors — and get better outcomes, too? by Freakonomics, M.D.
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What Can We Do About the Hardest Patients? (Ep. 51 Replay): A small number of patients with multiple, chronic conditions use a lot of resources. Dr. Jeffrey Brenner found a way to identify and treat them. Could it reduce health-care spending too? by Freakonomics, M.D.
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67. Why Did This 60-Year-Old Man Collapse at the Supermarket?: Bapu tries to stump master clinician Dr. Gurpreet Dhaliwal with a medical mystery. by Freakonomics, M.D.
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66. Does Health Insurance Make You Healthier?: It’s a surprisingly hard question to answer. Bapu talks with a health economist about a natural experiment that led to some unexpected findings. by Freakonomics, M.D.
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65. How Do Pandemics Change Health Care?: At the start of the 20th century, there weren’t many hospitals in the U.S. That changed in 1918, thanks to the Great Influenza pandemic. Its effects on health care are still being felt today. Which makes us wonder: will the impact of Covid-19 also be felt 100 years from now? by Freakonomics, M.D.
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63. What Medicine Gets Wrong About Race: Some diagnostic tests give distorted results for Black patients. How are doctors trying to change that? by Freakonomics, M.D.
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62. Dr. Ashish Jha Anticipated a Pandemic. He Didn’t Think It Would Look Like This.: Bapu talks to White House Covid Czar Dr. Ashish Jha about becoming a household name, studying pandemics, and the frustrations of politics. Also, when will he be out of a job? by Freakonomics, M.D.
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27. What Can Bin Laden Teach Us About Medicine?

27. What Can Bin Laden Teach Us About Medicine?

Description

Titles in the series (87)

More Episodes from Freakonomics, M.D.