Just two weeks ago we were talking about market failures and externalities when we looked at The Institute for Market Transformation. Today we’re going to look at an organization that focuses on a single issue that is dominated by externalities. Antibiotics are truly wonder drugs. They can cure all kinds of ailments. One of their few downfalls is that the more that they’re used, the less effective they become. Now, this isn’t an individual drug resistance, but a worldwide one. If I use an antibiotic today, it may not work as well for you next year. Unfortunately, individual incentives for both doctors and patients lead to antibiotic overuse. The Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics is a Boston, MA based non-profit organization that does exactly what its name says. Their “specialized staff provides field consultations and lend specialized expertise to guide policy makers, provider organizations, and other stakeholders seeking to improve antimicrobial supply, use, and management decisions.”
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I’m constantly amazed by the beauty/cosmetics/consumer products industries. They seem to be constantly coming out with new stuff, yet most of their product developments are just marketing fluff. Yes, some soaps are better for your skin than others, and some shampoos smell better than others, but I rarely get the sense that a new product actually does its job better than its predecessor. Still, we all have our brand preferences. For me, I find the best way to wash my face is with a simple bar of Dove soap, but if you take your face washing a little more seriously, you may want to check out Bellevue, WA based Clarisonic (their parent company is Pacific Bioscience Laboratories, but all of the branding seems to be focused on Clarisonic). They “develop and market products that use sonic frequency to cleanse skin and help reduce dry patches, blemishes, and wrinkles.” Now, sonic technology isn’t something that you’re going to find in a face wash, so maybe there’s something more to Clarisonic’s facial brush skin care system. I’ve never tried it, but if buying it only gets you to spend more time washing your face, it’s already done its job.
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Despite how much complaining goes on about the state of health care in this country, the truth is that we live in a remarkable time for medical treatment—especially in emergency situations. With 911, ambulances, and hospitals, we are extremely adept at addressing urgent medical situations. But what happens when those situations happen somewhere that traditional services can’t reach? That’s where Seattle, WA based Remote Medical International steps in. They provide “equipment, training, telemedicine, and onsite medical care for anyone who works or plays where going to the hospital is not an option.” They are yet another Inc. 500 company that seems to have found a great market niche. Over the past three years, Remote Medical International has increased revenues 1184% to $5.2 million. The coolest thing about that growth is that Remote Medical International is offering services that save lives—lives that may not have been saved just a few years ago.
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One of the wonderful things about running this site is all of the reader e-mails that I get. Some of my favorites are from readers who have had success stories about internships they’ve landed through the site, but I also love it when you guys introduce me to companies or organizations that I haven’t heard of. One reader recently wrote me to recommend The Urban Institute, where he had been temping. It’s a Washington, DC based non-profit that does “nonpartisan economic and social policy research.” They were founded in 1968 in response to President Johnson’s call for “independent nonpartisan analysis of the problems facing America’s cities and their residents,” and they now work in all 50 states and in more than 28 countries.
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Today’s topic isn’t the most pleasant thing to talk about, and it may even give you a case of the “church giggles,” but it’s serious and important. You’ve probably had a time or two in your life where you so urgently needed to use the bathroom that you feared you wouldn’t make it (and I don’t mean #1). Hopefully you made it, and whatever was causing your discomfort eventually passed. Unfortunately, for some people that kind of discomfort is a way of life. People who suffer with Crohn’s Disease, Colitis, and other Inflammatory Bowel Diseases suffer from a variety of digestive maladies that you probably don’t even want to think about. What’s even more frustrating about these diseases than the actual symptoms that come with them is the fact that there is often a lot of uncertainty around diagnoses and there are few, if any, effective treatment options. The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America is a New York City based non-profit organization that raises funds “to support basic and clinical scientific research to find the cause of, and cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis; to provide educational programs for patients, medical and other healthcare professionals, and the general public; and to offer supportive services for patients, their families, and their friends.”
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Today we’re going to start with a mind boggling fact. Half of human deaths since the stone age can be attributed to malaria. Half. Starvation, war, cancer, AIDS, and natural disasters have nothing on a tiny little parasite. Chances are that you grew up in a place without malaria. You may have used insect repellent, but was to avoid having an annoying buzz in your ear and a few itchy bumps on your arms or legs. It wasn’t a life or death situation. Unfortunately, in much of the world—especially Africa—a little bug bite can lead to your ultimate demise. Malaria remains one of the biggest problems that the human species faces with 250 million annual cases and 850,000 annual deaths. This costs African nations $12 billion in lost productivity ever year, while consuming 40% of all hospital expenditures. Malaria No More is a New York City based non-profit organization that believes that fighting malaria is “the best humanitarian investment” that can be made right now. They’ve only been around since 2006, but they’ve already done some great work to curb the damage done by malaria.
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I’ve done a good amount of traveling this summer, and it just so happens that a number of the cities that I’ve visited have significant homeless populations. San Diego stands out the most, but there’s also Denver, San Francisco, and my home, Chicago. It showed me how serious mental health issues can become for individuals and communities. Obviously, mental health issues affect people from all walks of life, but with the homeless it’s visible in a way that most other mental health issues aren’t. The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare is a Washington, DC based organization that acts as “the unifying voice of America’s behavioral health organizations.” They support more than 1,700 member organizations and serve the “more than 6 million adults and children with mental illnesses and addiction disorders.”
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Over the past year I’ve seen cancer do a lot of damage, and I know that I will see it do more damage as I move through life. Still, I believe by the time I’m starting to get old, cancer won’t be nearly as much of a worry as something else that we haven’t even heard of yet. It doesn’t seem all that long ago when most cancers seemed like a death sentence, but now the majority of cancers have strong treatment options. The problem with cancer treatment is that its short-term effects are often worse than those of the disease. The Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation is trying to change this. They are a New York City based non-profit organization that was started by thankful patients of an oncologist/hematologist whose name is, obviously, Samuel Waxman. The Foundation is “dedicated to supporting a focused research program to develop targeted cancer cell-specific therapies with minimal toxicity, such as differentiation therapy.”
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As humans we must have some innate level of genetics knowledge. We know to look for favorable traits when we search for a reproductive partner, and once we make that choice, we know that our children are supposed to look at least a little bit like us and share some of our traits. That’s why genetic research is so mystifying. It offers the opportunity to know why we are the way we are. Yet, some think that genetic research hasn’t lived up to its billing. I have to agree that it’s extremely disappointing that with all of the genetic knowledge that we’ve gained in the past 20 or so years, it hasn’t helped us cure any major diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or any form of cancer. However, it still seems that plenty of good has come out of genetics research, and there is reason to hope that a lot more is on the way. Genetic Alliance would agree. They’re based in Washington, DC, and they’re “the world’s leading nonprofit health advocacy organization committed to transforming health through genetics and promoting an environment of openness centered on the health of individuals, families, and communities.”
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Yesterday we talked about how regenerative medicine is making it more and more likely that you’ll be able to heal from a stupid Fourth of July injury. Today we’re going to talk about a company that makes it super simple to make an appointment for a doctor (or dentist) to check out that injury that you’re embarrassed to tell anyone about. The company is called ZocDoc, and they’re based in New York City. They’ll not only help you find a doctor or dentist who specializes in what you need, but they’ll also allow you to make an appointment with just a few clicks. You can even check up on reviews of the doctor before you book him or her, and once you’ve had your appointment, you can add a review. ZocDoc has only rolled out in a few areas so far, so you can’t find any kind of doctor in any city or town, but I’m sure that’s in the plans once the business model gets rolling.
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Last week a friend was telling me that his wife, who is in her residency, was going to have to work in the ER on the Fourth of July. I have to imagine that’s one of the most active nights of the year with injuries from fireworks, barbecues, and gunshots (especially in Chicago). All you need is a little imagination to come up with some nasty scenarios that would have ruined your holiday and left you with a permanent injury like my friend who passed out at a barbecue and now has perfect grill marks on his forearm—yes, that means he put his arm down twice. Usually these types of injuries aren’t funny, and they can be extremely traumatic with lasting consequences. Luckily, we’re entering an age of regenerative medicine in which injuries may not be so permanent. Advanced BioHealing is a La Jolla, CA based company that “develops and commercializes living cell therapies that repair damaged human tissue and enable the body to heal itself.” Their current product is called Dermagraft, and it’s a “a bio-engineered skin substitute that assists in restoring damaged tissue and supports the body’s natural healing process.” Right now it’s FDA approved to treat diabetic foot ulcers, but it appears that Advanced BioHealing also has a product called TransCyte that might be used to treat the kind of burns that fireworks or barbecues could cause.
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