From a Retrospective to the Future: What Reforms are Needed Next?

Healthcare in the US has been a study in evolution. However slow the change has been, the delivery of medical care and treatment of patients is very different in 2016 than it was in 1969. As the Awakenings movie showed us, in the 47 years since, respect and treatment of patients is different, as is management of clinical trials.

Here's a reprise look at how healthcare reform proceeded politically:

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1202111

and here are some other thoughts on the challenges in contemporary comparative effectiveness research, relevant to Monday's movie and to upcoming classes 14 and 15:

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp0901355

and then, there is the commercialization process of our genetic information:

https://www.23andme.com/research/

Ethical or not? Please consider these readings in the context of and respect for individuals, the realities of clinical research funding and other challenges, and the status of the general public's scientific literacy. If we, as a contemporary society, provide genetic and other technical information, does the general population have the knowledge and skills to deal with it?

https://www.23andme.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Search-Branded&utm_content=23c_Search_Paid_Brand&gclid=CPvovdbI6MsCFU5ZhgodjlUOLQ

What do you think?