Letters: Dec. 26, 2005

The Year in Medicine

Our year-end overview of the biggest news in medical research and health care drew praise from doctors and patients alike. Some readers let us know about a few breakthroughs we overlooked. Others decried the problems faced by the millions of Americans without health insurance

I enjoyed reading "The Year in Medicine from A to Z" [Dec. 5] and appreciate that valuable update. You missed an opportunity, however, to tell your readers about the minimally invasive technique of carotid stenting for the treatment of carotid-artery blockage. The procedure became available this year, following FDA approval of the devices in 2004. Carotid stenting can be performed in even high-risk patients who are not candidates for surgery. That means perhaps 30% or more of ischemic strokes can be avoided, saving thousands of lives and averting severe physical incapacity. RENAN UFLACKER, M.D. Mount Pleasant, S.C.

Thank you for a solid overview of medical advances that have a high potential for making a significant difference in our lives. Although it is prudent to be aware of medical breakthroughs--particularly vaccines for disease prevention and treatment--it is wiser still to keep in mind that we all have within us the capacity to live fuller and healthier lives. GARY D. GILMORE La Crosse, Wis.

The item on Alzheimer's, welcome as it was, speaks of patients. But attention must also be paid to the sole at-home caregiver--wife, daughter, husband, son--who copes with years of unceasing care for a loved one, as witness to a kind of death in slow motion. We need to better understand the impact of the relentless pressure on the health of those who attend to Alzheimer's patients. That should be the subject of serious ongoing research. What is certain is that as people live longer, Alzheimer's will increasingly dominate our lives. KEITH GLEGG L'Orignal, Ont.

Your article was very comprehensive but failed to mention the biggest problem plaguing the U.S.: our two-tiered health-care system. Although those fortunate enough to have employer-provided health insurance or rich enough to buy it for themselves may benefit from new drugs and technology, there are still 46 million Americans who do not have even basic health insurance. Moreover, it is precisely the new drugs and technology that are driving up the cost of health care, and a lot of that money is going into the pockets of drug-company shareholders. New tools do not necessarily translate into better health. We cannot say we have made true progress in the field of medicine until we fix the appalling inequities of America's health-care system. ELLEN WU Oakland, Calif.

The entry on marijuana stated "research into the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of cannabis bolsters the case for medicinal use of marijuana." The studies cited, however, involved the use of cannabis extracts and synthetic marijuana chemicals, not smoking pot, as some readers might surmise. The research suggests that there are excellent ways to utilize the active ingredients in marijuana without legalizing another lung-polluting substance. The time has come for the prescription use of cannabis derivatives. TERRY K. KAISER San Diego