One of my favorite memes on X this week shows two photos – one of war and destruction, the other of a neat tree-lined street with middle-class suburban houses. The caption under the first image read: “This is the reality of life on Earth.” The second caption read: “This is an anomaly that could end at any time.”
It’s a good reminder of how wonderful it is for most people to have it, especially in the context of thousands of years of human existence. It’s also a reminder that many of our fears and obsessions—especially those common on social media and in legislative bodies—are what my daughter calls first-world problems. People are angry about everything because they have serious concerns about innovations that promise to make our lives better.
This may be a grand entry into a mundane topic: self-administered medical tests at home. Thanks to the ingenious inventions and investments of venture capitalists, ordinary Americans can go to CVS and purchase test kits to test for drug abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS, diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol. This should be a blessing for the average person.
But this remarkable development has career worryers uneasy. Washington post Recently, attention has been paid to the “shadow system” of such testing. “Fueled by a regulatory vacuum, Silicon Valley is creating a booming online health market that aims to transcend doctors’ offices,” the report explains. “The craze has angered some doctors who believe bypassing the office could lead to treatments Problems, misdiagnosis or delayed medical care.”
It sounds ominous, but DIY testing is no reason for anyone to avoid their doctor. I recently had a health issue and had a doctor’s appointment. Given that our system is overburdened, the earliest appointment I can get is months away. I bought test strips at the pharmacy, which eased my worries. These tests prompted me to do some research.
Obviously, Google can’t replace a visit to the doctor. But when I went to the doctor and had the necessary lab tests, I learned more and asked a series of smart questions. The official test confirmed my $15 purchase. It’s not a panacea, but DIY testing is a useful tool in the process.
Of course, some people may buy the test and then skip the doctor’s visit. so what? We are all ultimately responsible for our own health. I know people who neglect their health and avoid home exams and doctors altogether. However, we don’t need nannies to limit our access to useful products as a means of forcing these people to see a doctor. By the way, many of those who express concern about these innovations simply want to support the current cartels.
I’ve written about app-based eye exams that allow consumers to get basic checks on their vision and order new glasses. While some eye care startups send test results to qualified ophthalmologists for review, it should come as no surprise to anyone that an organized group of optometrists are lobbying state and federal governments to ban this form of telemedicine . There is no need to be cynical to suspect that the opposition is motivated more by a fear of losing business than by fear that Americans are jeopardizing their vision. This is a common source of resistance whenever some breakthrough invention threatens to shake up established business models.
this postal The article worries about “increasing Scientific innovations can be quickly funded, brought to market, and peddled to consumers online before their health benefits are proven,” noting that “many people see the dangerous Wild West of medical information. Filling the “regulatory envelope” of “vacuum cleaners” with additional rules and government oversight will only slow the development of life-enhancing products and services.
this postal The author could find numerous studies and news reports (including one on his own page) documenting the repeated failures of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which oversees the approval of medical devices, drug safety, and the food supply. Most commonly, the FDA is criticized for its red-tape procedures that delay the release of useful products. Still, the newspaper responded to the FDA’s “warning,” saying “the market for laboratory testing has exploded.”
If we hope to improve health care, we need to relax a stifling regulatory framework that includes unnecessary occupational licensing requirements, restrictions on telemedicine, and restrictions on the scope of practice of professionals such as licensed nurse practitioners. Efforts to expand access to health care invariably run into lobbying groups representing prominent professionals and government agencies dedicated to protecting their turf.
Home testing poses the latest threat to the existing medical order. But they offer potential benefits to Americans, as the co-founder of a cancer-detection startup told Science . postal, you can now act as “the CEO of your own health.” It’s time to rebuke the naysayers, take some responsibility for our own lives, stop worrying about every tiny potential drawback of innovative new ideas, and recognize that we live in an amazing time.
This column first appeared in the Orange County Register.