X-Message-Number: 31150
From: "John de Rivaz" <>
Subject: Statistical illiteracy among physicians
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:47:14 -0000


It's a largely unknown problem that applies not only to uneducated people but to
the highly educated, including physicians, journalists and politicians. 
Statistical illiteracy among physicians causes over-treatment, overdiagnosis and
increased health care costs. It also affects patients, whose hopes can get 
unnecessarily raised by the claims that they read in medication advertisements. 
Statistical literacy should be taught in school beginning in the primary grades.

more on



http://www.sciencenews.org:80/view/generic/id/38364/title/Sound_reasoning_requires_statistical_understanding


I think similar view have been expressed by Robert Ettinger and others on this 
list. Maybe this article will help.


However "opt out" organ donation, as suggested, may have a problem in that it is
embarrassing or difficult for cryonics people to do the necessary form filling.
It has a big positive in my view that logically,  the freedom to "opt out" of 
post mortem dissection for the purposes of determining the cause of death 
automatically follows.

-- 
Sincerely, John de Rivaz:  http://John.deRivaz.com for websites including
Cryonics Europe, Longevity Report, The Venturists, Porthtowan, Alec Harley
Reeves - inventor, Arthur Bowker - potter, de Rivaz genealogy,  Nomad .. and
more

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