http://www.podtech.net/home/831/famed-analyst-investor-and-silicon-valley-guru-andy-kessler-on-the-end-of-medicine Fri, 24 May 2013 15:57:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 http://www.podtech.net/home/831/famed-analyst-investor-and-silicon-valley-guru-andy-kessler-on-the-end-of-medicine#comment-126988 Philip Snyder Sat, 28 Apr 2007 05:18:35 +0000 http://www.podtech.net/home/831/famed-analyst-investor-and-silicon-valley-guru-andy-kessler-on-the-end-of-medicine#comment-126988 As a 4th year medical student and, formerly a lawyer, I am confident that Mr. Kessler is on a rabbit trail that will never pan out across the spectrum of diseases he suggests. His ideas sound wonderful, but he is missing a fundamental problem. Diagnostic tests inevitably incur false positives and false negatives, and to greatly simplify, as you improve on one, you amplify the other. So, for example, as whatever algorithm you want to concoct becomes better at predicting disease and reducing false negatives, the false positives will go up. People will be treated unnecessarily and that often is harmful. There's a word for that--iatrogenic. This is nothing new and well-known in medical research. Thus, silicon is hardly going to displace MDs. But, it may foster lots of unnecessary and iatrogenic care that will drive the cost of medicine far beyond where it already is today. In addition, it will provide new fodder for the med mal lawyers. Truly, medicine is an art and a science. As a 4th year medical student and, formerly a lawyer, I am confident that Mr. Kessler is on a rabbit trail that will never pan out across the spectrum of diseases he suggests. His ideas sound wonderful, but he is missing a fundamental problem. Diagnostic tests inevitably incur false positives and false negatives, and to greatly simplify, as you improve on one, you amplify the other. So, for example, as whatever algorithm you want to concoct becomes better at predicting disease and reducing false negatives, the false positives will go up. People will be treated unnecessarily and that often is harmful. There’s a word for that–iatrogenic. This is nothing new and well-known in medical research. Thus, silicon is hardly going to displace MDs. But, it may foster lots of unnecessary and iatrogenic care that will drive the cost of medicine far beyond where it already is today. In addition, it will provide new fodder for the med mal lawyers. Truly, medicine is an art and a science.

]]> http://www.podtech.net/home/831/famed-analyst-investor-and-silicon-valley-guru-andy-kessler-on-the-end-of-medicine#comment-34710 ed burke Fri, 15 Dec 2006 17:42:58 +0000 http://www.podtech.net/home/831/famed-analyst-investor-and-silicon-valley-guru-andy-kessler-on-the-end-of-medicine#comment-34710 Andy should know about Dr. Nichols and the Tempus Clinic. 408-354-0801, Los Gatos Founded in 2002 ...Dr Mike is way ahead of the curve and practicing what Andy is preaching. Early detection viz. technologically available tools.. means better chance of cure. Andy should know about Dr. Nichols and the Tempus Clinic. 408-354-0801, Los Gatos
Founded in 2002 …Dr Mike is way ahead of the curve and
practicing what Andy is preaching. Early detection viz. technologically available tools.. means better chance of cure.

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