There Is No New Normal

Dr. Jane Orient: If we let the experts prevail, will we have a brave new happy transhuman utopia? Or a pile of rubble?

Donā€™ts and Dos on Coronavirus

Jane M. Orient, M.D., gives reader advice on things to do and avoid while the nation deals with the novel coronavirus COVID-19.

The Corona Virusā€”1918 All Over Again?

Dr. Jane Orient: The worst, possibly existential, threat is the stealthy, invisible one that multiplies exponentially. Biological threats proliferateā€”until they run out of susceptible victims.

The Chicken or the Eggā€”and the Rooster

Dr. Jane Orient: Could we get rid of natural, complementary sex, and strong men, without getting rid of humanity?

New Yearā€™s Thoughts from a ā€˜Boomerā€™ Doc

Dr. Jane Orient: To this Boomer, it appears that the younger generation is blaming us for all the Evil in the world, from their perch of ā€œwokeā€ moral superiority.

Medicare for Allā€”No Care for You

Democrat presidential candidates are sparring over how much to expand Medicare. Who will it cover and what benefits could it realistically provide?

Psychiatrists, Impeachment, and Justice

Dr. Jane Orient: Regardless of oneā€™s opinion about President Trump, a self-appointed ā€œIndependent Expert Panel for Presidential Fitnessā€ should concern all Americans.

The Stethoscope Is Not Just a Prop

Dr. Jane Orient: High tech is wonderful and increasingly capable, but if the stethoscope is dying, so is the art of clinical medicine.

Parents Storm State Capitals over Vaccines

Dr. Jane Orient: Parental outrage might cause a reexamination of vaccine orthodoxy. It also raises the question of where to draw the line against the encroachment of our freedom.

Medicare for Bernie

Dr. Jane Orient: Bernie Sanders’ plan does not look like Medicare at all and it appears that he hardly knows anything about Medicare at all.

The Green New Deal: What It Means for Medicine

Dr. Jane Orient: The Green New Deal is not primarily about greening the planet or controlling the climate. Itā€™s about socialism.

Numbering You Wonā€™t Stop the Opioid Crisis

Dr. Jane Orient: The Unique Patient Identifier is ideally suited for government tracking and control of all citizens and would be the end of privacy.

Money Can’t Buy You Health

Dr. Jane Orient: Healing the sick is what medicine is about. The politicians who promise to ā€œfix healthcareā€ can only destroy medicineā€”while bankrupting the country.

Should We Panic over the Measles Outbreaks?

Dr. Jane Orient: Outbreaks have occurred in populations with a near-100 percent vaccination rate. Was it vaccine failure?

Who Is Your Doctor?

Dr. Jane Orient: If you disagree with your private doctor, you can fire him or simply decline to follow his advice. But what if the government is your doctor?

Sacrificing Freedom to Vaccination

Dr. Jane Orient: If government can dictate what you must inject into your own children, what limits can be placed on its power?