Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A class of degenerative muscle disorders, which includes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and multiple sclerosis. The diseases in the class all result in increasing muscular weakness and lack of muscle control. The causes of MND are not known.  

A term deriving from the fire insurance industry describing the phenomenon that insured buildings are more likely to burn than uninsured ones. This has significance for the health care industry since the same phenomenon applies to utilization of health care benefits – patients are more likely to use a service if they pay for it…

A device used to transfer digital information over analog telephone lines. Its most common application is to connect computer terminals or computers to other computers a great distance away. “Modem” is a word formed from “MOdulate/DEModulate.” Modems are characterized by their speed capability (baud rate), type (synchronous versus asynchronous), and compatibility with various hardware and…

A concept applied to evaluate the difference in risk between two treatments or procedures, particularly in research, when there is very little difference in risk of an undesirable outcome between standard, commonly accepted therapy used for the condition and the experimental therapy under study.  

The economic theory which pertains to forces which deter¬ mine the decisions and actions of individuals, rather than of entire populations. The latter theory is called macroeconomics.  

A companion volume to the Merck Manual, concerning the diagnosis and treatment of disease in aging patients, published by Merck, Sharpe, and Dohme.  

A widely-used reference on diagnosis and treatment of dis¬ ease, published by Merck, Sharpe, and Dohme.  

A post-marketing surveillance program of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in which physicians report on the adverse effects of and product problems with drugs and other medical products after they have been put on the market. A voluntary and confidential program of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for monitoring the safety of drugs,…

A system of diagnosis, and particularly treatment, based upon a specific theory of disease and healing.  

A general method of treatment of disease by means other than surgical; that is to say, “medical treatment” is treatment without surgery (without operation or manipulation).