A few days ago, I interviewed two thoracic surgery specialists -- one based in Austria, the other in Korea -- to discuss perioperative immunotherapy for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The Austrian professor casually remarked, “We use Keytruda (ingredient: pembrolizumab) in the perio
The government aims to make Korea a top-three global clinical trial nation by 2030.While this is ambitious, industry feedback highlights major challenges that must be addressed to achieve it.Especially in the field of chronic diseases, concerns are emerging from various quarters that competitiveness
Many people believe they must chug a protein shake immediately after a workout to promote faster muscle growth and recovery. But when it comes to protein intake, quantity is what matters most. This has been consistently proven across studies. A 2013 U.S. meta-analysis reviewing 20 studies found that
The result of policies influenced by political logic is chaos.A prime example was the government’s sudden decision last year to increase the medical school enrollment quota by 2,000. Announced just two months before the general election, the policy failed to boost voter support as intended and inste
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a bone marrow cancer that arises from hematopoietic stem cells. Without treatment, it is fatal within six months. Yet about two-thirds of patients can be cured with high-intensity chemotherapy, making AML fundamentally treatable.The challenge, however, is that dependi
Who is this information for? This is the most important question when reading health news. Even the same medication can have different effects and side effects depending on the user. Take anti-inflammatory painkillers as an example. For someone in their 20s aiming to build a muscular physique throug
An amendment to the Emergency Medical Services Act reportedly passed during the ongoing National Assembly session, aiming to prevent deaths caused by patients being turned away or shuttled between emergency rooms (ERs).The revision mandates real-time disclosure of emergency bed availability to addre
“Let those who want to run, run. Let those who wish to walk briskly, walk. I won’t stop you. If you don’t want to walk, then rest. I won’t drive you out. But don’t grab others by the ankle -- just stay still.”These words from the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee resurfaced in an old video tha
Among rare diseases, many involve various behavioral disorders. Particularly, there are rare diseases where individuals harm themselves despite having perfectly intact pain perception. The most representative of these is Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. Among the rare diseases I have encountered, this one is a
There are many ways to deal with mosquito bites when they start to itch. However, some are ineffective—and even dangerous.Mosquito bite removers that claim to extract mosquito saliva do not work. By the time the bite site turns red and swells, several minutes have already passed, making it too late
Cutting in line on the road adds stress and speeds up agingI love compact cars. As an adult, I’ve spent most of my life driving compact cars and small electric vehicles (EVs). Recently, I donated my nine-year-old compact EV to its manufacturer and started driving a new orange EV based on a compact-c
In Japan, there’s a term for general internal medicine departments—“komibako,” meaning “trash can.” General internal medicine combines the roles of family medicine and hospital medicine in Korea. This self-deprecating nickname comes from the department that handles patients with overlapping severe c
Controversy is brewing within the healthcare community over the tattoo regulation bill recently passed by the National Assembly. While the core of the bill is to bring tattooing by non-medical practitioners into the formal healthcare system, the main source of the controversy is actually oriental me
There are instances where wards are consolidated due to a decline in patient numbers. For example, if the bed occupancy rates of three wards are each below 70 percent, reducing them to two wards might seem highly efficient, as all patients can be accommodated while medical staff can be reduced by on
There's a common misconception about garlic's sweetness: that it contains three times more sugar than cola. The source of this misunderstanding is broadcast media. On November 12, 2005, KBS's “Sponge” aired a segment stating that garlic has a sweetness comparable to fruit. It claimed garlic tastes s
Wegovy, an obesity treatment, has been prescribed nearly 400,000 times in Korea within just eight months of its launch. On Aug. 14, Eli Lilly entered the Korean market with its rival drug, Mounjaro. With Wegovy use continuing to rise, the introduction of Mounjaro is expected to further accelerate th
How much short-form video content do we watch?A 2024 survey of 1,000 Koreans aged 15 to 59 (2024 Digital Lifestyle Report, Mezzo Media) found that respondents spend an average of 44 minutes per day watching short-form videos. Teenagers had the highest viewing time, averaging 64 minutes per day. On a
Late one afternoon, after filming a talk show, a senior doctor I hadn't seen in ages and I headed to a small neighborhood cafe with just eight chairs. I can't sleep if I drink coffee after noon, so as I wondered what to order, my mind instantly relaxed when I noticed they offered decaf. These days,
One frequent challenge in treating cancer patients, including those with osteosarcoma, arises when patients refuse blood transfusions due to religious beliefs (such as Jehovah's Witnesses). Just a decade or so ago, I promptly and immediately refused to treat such patients when I encountered them. Ev
If there are carcinogens in the coffee we drink every day, it would be big news. On the Aug. 6 episode of tvN's “You Quiz on the Block,” an expert mentioned carcinogens in coffee, sparking debate. However, this claim causes unnecessary concern by overlooking the scientific context, as it lacks infor
