Insights

<p>Dr. F.D. Toms, a New Jersey doctor, found himself in a bind.</p> <p>Rumors had been running around town that he had been sleeping with another man’s wife. The spurned husband, William Smith, showed up at the doctor’s office demanding to see him.</p> <p>Toms panicked. Seeing Smith charging at him, Toms grabbed a container of <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9C06E4DE1430E132A2575… acid</a> and threw it in Smith’s face. Toms said later that he thought he had grabbed a bottle of ammonia.</p>

<p>ReportingonHealth’s Antidote blogger, William Heisel, recently <a href="../../../../../../../../blogs/bad-nurses-bad-doctors-and-bad-seeds-part-2-favorite-health-stories-2009">posted</a> his 10 favorite stories of the year. Most of them had an investigative bent. Now, it’s my turn.</p>

<p>I started listing <a href="../../../../../../../../blogs/popsicles-popcorn-and-premarin-antidote%E2%80%99s-favorite-health-stories-2009">my favorite stories</a> of the past year, in no particular order, on Dec. 21. Here is the rest of the list.</p> <p><strong>“<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/health/21radiation.html">At VA Hospital, A Rogue Cancer Unit</a>,” Walt Bogdanich, <em>The New York Times</em></strong></p>

<p><em>We have a guest post today from insurance blogger Alan Katz, past president of both the National and the California Associations of Health Underwriters. His <a href="http://alankatz.wordpress.com/">blog</a&gt; is well worth your time if you cover health reform or health insurance. </em><strong><br /></strong></p>

<p>Last week, Antidote spoke with <a href="http://www.upmc.com/MEDIARELATIONS/EXPERTS/Pages/expertspage.aspx?exper…. Doris K. Cope</a>, a seasoned anesthesiologist and pain medicine specialist from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center who is one of the voices behind the new <a href="http://www.lifelinetomodernmedicine.com/ArticlePage.aspx?ID=b07e85fc-d6… Line to Modern Medicine</a> campaign from the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

<p>A few recent stories on how health reform might affect Californians are worth your time: The Los Angeles Times' Lisa Girion's&nbsp; Dec. 18 <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-health-insure17-2009dec17,0,22041…; and Nov. 16 <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-mandates16-2009nov16,0,2437457.st…; on the implications of less-stringent federal consumer protections for Californians, who now enjoy greater protections.

<p><em>Antidote</em> started as a way to share innovative investigative ideas in health reporting, in part by highlighting reporters who have done an exceptional job digging for great stories. Starting this week I am going to list 10 of my favorite stories from the year, in no particular order.</p> <p><strong>“<a href="http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/17/smart-choices-labels-lifestyle-health-… Choices Foods: Dumb as they look?</a> ,” Rebecca Ruiz, <em>Forbes, </em>October 2009</strong></p>

<p>On Thursday, Bay Area News Group (Contra Costa Times, Oakland Tribune, etc.) hosted a live online chat with Dr. David Satcher, former U.S. Surgeon General, and Rich Hamburg, deputy director of Trust for America's Health. Health reporter Sandy Kleffman and I (the science reporter for the chain) moderated it.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Both men responded to questions posted by participants on how Congressional health reform legislation offers an unprecedented amount of funds for disease prevention, and funds for novel programs to improve health by improving neighborhoods. It's archived at:&nbsp;</p>

<p>The American Society of Anesthesiologists wants to change the way people think about pain medicine, both to promote the idea that anesthesiologists are not just experts in the surgical suite and also to prevent addictions and deaths.