The very essence of DIY culture is self-empowerment: acquiring new skills to do things yourself, like re-tile a bathroom or fix a leaky faucet. But what happens when the DIY approach is extended to something as complex and potentially dangerous as medicine?
In this episode, we hear from a growing number of patients taking their health into their own hands, trying everything from brain stimulation to homemade wound salves. Hear from a man who developed a cure for chronic infection in his garage, learn why so many are flocking to DIY medicine, and how one researcher carefully evaluates patients' DIY approaches.
Also heard:
- Bradley Burnham recounts the years of nightmarish skin infections that led him to develop a unique wound treatment in his garage. Burnham is the founder of Turn Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical and medical device company focused on advanced wound care.
- Anna Wexler, a medical ethicist at the University of Pennsylvania, discusses her research into the DIY medicine movement, the motivations of its members, and the thorny ethical challenges it poses for scientists and physicians.
- We've all heard about the basics of good nutrition: eat fruits and vegetables, get enough fiber, and avoid sweets. But what if healthy eating means different things to different people? What if you could tailor your diet to your body's specific needs and sensitivities to not only improve your health but also treat chronic diseases? We discuss these issues with Raina Goebel and other experts in the field known as “precision nutrition.”