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Our monthly online science series continues with a two-part series with retired oncologist and Society member Dr. Carol Portlock exploring failures and success across the history of modern medicine.

The success of medical science is based on learning from the past, but many problems persist, especially inequalities in access and care in minority communities. Join us to learn about the failures of medicine and medical institutions, and how we can work to make successes and advances available to all.

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Recommended Readings & Resources

Race is not biologic – Race in American Medicine: New DNA information and its impact
https://scienceandsociety.duke.edu/does-race-exist/
https://www.cambridge.org/core/blog/2025/08/29/race-isnt-biological-so-why-do-so-many-still-think-it-is/

Examples of Failure in Medicine:

The New England Journal of Medicine’s podcast “Intention to Treat” has an 8-part unit titled “The Race Equation” available here.

1. Henrietta Lacks
Book: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks By Rebecca Skloot, 2010
Recent article: https://stanfordbloodcenter.org/the-complicated-history-of-hela-cells-henrietta-lacks-legacy-in-biomedical-research/

2. Pain management in minority populations
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12164869/

3. Menthol cigarettes never discontinued Except in Massachusetts, California and Washington DC
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/menthol-tobacco/index.html

4. Cancer Alley and Shreveport, Louisiana
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/sep/14/us-companies-methane-pollution-rankings
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2025/the-shocking-hazards-of-louisianas-cancer-alley

Examples of Present Success in Medicine:

1. Mammography and AI
https://intelligentimaging.ucsf.edu/news/intersection-breast-cancer-and-ai

2. Prostate evaluation with Ultrasound and AI
https://med.stanford.edu/radiology/news/2025-news/ai-tool-boosts-detection-of-clinically-significant-prostate-canc.html

3. HPV vaccine prevents cervical cancer and some head&neck cancers
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hpv-infection/in-depth/hpv-vaccine/art-20047292

4. Blood test to detect Pre-eclampsia
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/03/health/pregnancy-preeclampsia-test.html

5. Sickle Cell Disease
https://patienteducation.asgct.org/understanding-cell-gene-therapy/conditions-treated/blood-disorders/sickle-cell-disease

6. Chronic Hepatitis B
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/28/health/hepatitis-b-chronic-bepirovirsen.html
https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis-surveillance-2022/hepatitis-b/table-2-6.html

7. Pancreas Cancer
https://www.uchealth.org/today/new-pancreatic-cancer-drug-daraxonrasib/

Challenges for the Future in Medicine:

1. CTE: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, the damaging brain condition detected in football players, boxers, military,etc
https://www.bu.edu/cte/about/frequently-asked-questions/

2. Reducing heart risks with a pill
https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/articles/year-2026/feb-experimental-pill-bad-cholesterol.html