Mitosis: Too Much of a Good Thing (Can Be Bad)

Too much of a good thing is wonderful? A conceptual analysis of excessive examinations and diagnostic futility in diagnostic radiology.

It has been argued extensively that diagnostic services are a general good, but that it is offered in excess. So what is the problem? Is not "too much of a good thing wonderful", to paraphrase Mae West? This article explores such a possibility in the field of radiological services where it is argued that more than 40% of the examinations are excessive. The question of whether radiological exami...

Selenium supplementation in critically ill patients: can too much of a good thing be a bad thing?

A recent study by Forceville and colleagues evaluated the effect of high-dose selenium administration as a treatment for septic shock. The study was negative and conflicts with existing clinical data regarding selenium administration in critically ill patients. Perhaps the key to understanding the differences between these discrepant observations lies in considering the dose and timing of selen...

Why Studying Rare Diseases Is So Important: Do You Know of This Disease?

Some diseases affect many people and are of course very bad. Some other diseases affect just a few people and are called rare diseases. This sounds like a good thing but... if you are one of the few people affected by a rare disease, this is not a good thing! It is actually very bad because, often, pharmaceutical companies are not interested in developing a treatment for you because too few peo...

Book Abstract: How to Write an Emergency Plan by David Alexander; Reproduced by Permission

In 2002, David Alexander wrote Principles of Emergency Planning and Management. Long a standard reference work in that book he described the processes of preparing for and responding to disasters, crises, and civil contingencies. He based the work on principles because he wanted to dissociate it from any particular system of emergency management. Then, as now, many books in this subject are tie...

Physical Activity: Can There Be Too Much of a Good Thing? Running title: Huxley; Physical activity and cardiovascular risk