Working Papers on Medical Advances

Case Histories of Transformational Medical Advances

Our case-histories (which we started writing started in 2014) reflect (and helped produce) ideas in my Note on Productive Knowledge (and in this Critical Review essay).

An HBS elective, Lessons from Transformational Medical Advances (LTMA) which I taught in the Spring of 2021 — and which I now teach at Columbia’ University’s Mailman School — connected the case histories, propositions about productive knowledge, and the Critical Review essay.

Links to the case histories, arranged in the order in which they are used in the course, are below.

Introductory

Antibiotic Treatments for Ulcers — (Bhidé, Datar, Stebbins)

HIV Tests and AIDS Treatments (Bhidé, Datar, Stebbins)

Drugs

Tamoxifen — Reducing Breast Cancer Risks (Bhidé, Datar, Stebbins)

Cephalosporins– Fighting Hospital Infections. (Bhidé, Datar, Stebbins)

Prozac — Controversial Blockbuster (Bhidé, Datar, Stebbins)

Procedures

Mammography — Early Detection, Precise Diagnoses . (Bhidé, Datar, Stebbins)

Laparoscopy — Minimally Invasive Surgeries . (Bhidé, Bowler, Datar)

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy — Without Cutting In. (Bhidé, Datar, Stebbins)

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting. (Bhidé, Datar, Villa)

Devices

Computed Tomography — Beyond Traditional X-Rays . (Bhidé, Datar, Stebbins)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging — High Quality and Radiation Free . (Bhidé, Datar, Stebbins)

Ultrasound — Cheap, Versatile and Safe. (Bhidé, Datar, Stebbins)

Promising Contemporary

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy — Living Drugs (Bhidé and Datar

Fecal Transplants — Too Simple to Be Safe? (Bhidé and Datar)

Valedictory

Cicely Saunders and Modern Hospices — A Brother’s View (Bhidé and Datar)