13 chapters across the catalog
New data from the CDC indicates a 2.5% increase in ADHD diagnoses among children aged 5 to 17 since 2019, totaling nearly 6 million children. Medical commentators on Good Morning America suggested the rise is due to decreased stigma and better awareness rather than an actual increase in the condition. However, skeptics point to the role of pharmaceutical marketing in driving parents to seek diagnoses that lead to long-term medication.
Anxiety Screening Recommendations for Children and Adults
A panel of medical experts recommends that all American adults under age 65, and children as young as eight, be screened for anxiety. Anxiety is identified as the "number one diagnosis" in the country, with experts warning that "catastrophic thinking" by parents can be a risk factor for children. The segment explores the normalization of anxiety as a widespread public health issue.
A distinction is made between testing positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and having the clinical disease COVID-19. This is described as the first time in history people are classified as "diseased" based solely on the presence of a virus without clinical symptoms. The situation is compared to the distinction between being HIV positive and having AIDS.
The hosts discuss the statistical disappearance of the seasonal flu, noting that many people now automatically assume any respiratory illness is COVID-19. An anecdote describes a young woman experiencing classic flu symptoms who failed to consider influenza as a possibility due to current social programming.
Retired Thai-German microbiologist Professor Sukharit Bhakdi explains the technical limitations of PCR testing for clinical diagnosis. Bhakdi argues that detecting viral genome fragments in the nose or throat does not necessarily equate to an active infection or the COVID-19 disease. He compares the sensitivity of high-cycle PCR tests to a breathalyzer that might detect trace amounts of alcohol without the subject being intoxicated.
Psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow appeared on Fox Business to suggest that Stephen Paddock may have been on the autism spectrum or had Asperger's syndrome. The hosts criticize this analysis as a "war on crazy" intended to expand background checks to anyone with a behavioral diagnosis.
Howard Dean, a medical doctor, defended his televised diagnosis of Donald Trump despite the Goldwater Rule, which discourages psychiatrists from diagnosing public figures without an examination. Dean compared his questions to Rudy Giuliani's previous public concerns regarding Hillary Clinton's health and medical history.
The hosts discuss the increasing frequency of autism and Asperger's diagnoses among millennials. They express skepticism toward claims that CAT scans can definitively prove a patient is on the autism spectrum, suggesting that doctors are using questionable science to push psychiatric medications and label young people with permanent disorders.
A new CDC report indicates a 30% increase in autism diagnoses, with one in 68 American children now identified on the spectrum. The report notes a significant rise in diagnoses among children with average or higher IQs. The hosts argue that the "autism spectrum" has become a broad business for the pharmaceutical industry and NGOs like Autism Speaks, potentially pathologizing brilliant or non-conformist children.
IBM's Watson AI is being positioned as a solution to a projected shortage of 45,000 primary care doctors by 2020. The hosts discuss how the healthcare system is moving toward an automated model where patients interact with computers for diagnosis and prescription. They argue that this shift, accelerated by the Affordable Care Act, will eventually eliminate the role of the general practitioner.
Connie Hedegaard and the Planet Diagnosis Metaphor
European Commissioner for Climate Connie Hedegaard compares the IPCC report to a medical diagnosis, stating that a 95% certainty of a dangerous disease requires a cure. The hosts criticize this metaphor as alarmist and scientifically inaccurate. They discuss the EU's targets for 2030 and the push for an "energy budget" for the Earth.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) includes a new classification called Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD). This diagnosis is intended for children previously misdiagnosed with ADHD or pediatric bipolar illness. Critics suggest the new category serves primarily to facilitate the marketing of new pharmaceutical treatments, such as Haldol, for pediatric use.
Copenhagen Diagnosis Report and University of New South Wales
The Copenhagen Diagnosis report was released to synthesize climate science published since the last IPCC report, warning of accelerating ice melt and rising sea levels. Domain registration data links the report's website to Stephen Gray at the University of New South Wales in Australia.
