Primary Care
March 30, 2026
Confused About Alcohol Safety? I’ll Try to Help. Say, “Moderate.”
Moderate consumption of alcohol by adults is low-risk but fundamentally safe. I provide a review of the supporting research as well as detailed behavioral guidance.
January 22, 2026
Mass. Vaccine Guidance Now Ignoring RFKJr and CDC
The CDC has just removed six important childhood vaccines from the routine schedule. Massachusetts is no longer following the CDC but setting vaccine policy together with other NE states.
December 30, 2025
Better Late Than Never — Correcting Hormone Therapy Misinformation After 20 Years
FDA Commissioner Makary just approved hormone therapy as safe for menopause symptoms in women. This is a welcome announcement though 20 years overdue.
December 28, 2025
Birth Vaccines Beat Hepatitis B — RFKJr Changes Will Bring It Back in Children
All newborns have been protected from Hepatitis B for 35 years by a vaccine given at birth. RFKJr has led the CDC to discontinue that highly successful practice. We can reliably expect thousands more cases of Hepatitis B each year.
December 27, 2025
Shingles Increases Dementia, Shingles Vaccines Reduce It
Shingles is the chicken pox virus reactivated. We now know it increases dementia. Vaccines against shingles have recently been shown to reduce dementia.
December 4, 2025
Vaccine Availability at Risk From RFK Jr. Actions
RFK Jr is narrowing the CDC recommendations for Covid-19 vaccines and has announced his intentions to do the same with many other childhood vaccines. This likely will result in sharply reduced insurance coverage for the vaccines and much higher cost, as well as resurgence of those diseases.
November 7, 2025
Traditional Medicare Is Safer Choice, Medicare Advantage May Not Be
Traditional Medicare with a Medigap secondary insurer is the better choice for complete and more flexible coverage with no deductible surprises compared to Medicare Advantage plans, which appear slightly cheaper but are likely not if you actually have significant illness.
February 28, 2025
Unionizing Doctors Might Save Primary Care
Primary care physicians at Mass General Brigham facilities moved to unionize last fall. I totally support this. Unionization may allow for a revival of primary care, which has barely been functional for the past two decades.
December 23, 2024
Where Does Health Care Money Go? Look at DME!
Durable medical equipment prices paid by Medicare may be 3-4 times that for same device online.
November 29, 2024
Influenza and Covid-19 Vaccine Risk and Benefit in 2024
Influenza and Covid-19 remain substantial infectious diseases which will cause serious disease and death this fall. We have effective and safe vaccines that sharply reduce the risk of serious outcomes. It is clearly a better choice to get these vaccines than not and to protect yourself and your family.
October 18, 2024
Fight Election Anxiety — Disconnect
Political communications are overwhelming in advance of the presidential election. Many people are suffering severe anxiety from advance catastrophication. You can combat that by disconnecting from political communications.
September 18, 2024
Influenza and Covid-19 Shots
Fall is here. Get your Covid-19 vaccine promptly and the influenza vaccine by early November. Both illnesses can be quite substantial and are mitigated or warded off by the vaccines.