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What a French philosopher can teach us about the patient-doctor relationship

March 04, 2026
March 4, 2026
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Morning Rounds Writer and Reporter

Good morning. Here's a combination of proper nouns you might not expect: Harry Styles and Haruki Marukami for Runner's World. It's quite an existential conversation, shared in segments amid a profile of Styles. "I've been wondering, always, what is creativity?" Marukami asked. "I have been writing books, creating something, for 45 years or so, but still I don't know what creativity is."

policy

Autism researchers form new group, rebuke Kennedy

A group of autism researchers and advocates have formed a new, independent advisory group with a name that's so similar to a federal autism group, you can't assume it's a coincidence. The Independent Autism Coordinating Committee (I-ACC) will hold its first meeting on March 19, the same day that its federally funded doppelganger, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), will meet for the first time in its new iteration.

What's the deal? As you may remember, 21 new members were recently appointed to the federal committee, many of whom have publicly expressed — or belong to groups that have publicly expressed — a belief in the debunked claim that vaccines can cause autism. The new group wants to be a bulwark against potential misinformation from federal health agencies on autism, STAT's O. Rose Broderick reports. Read more from Rose on who's in the new group, why they chose such a similar name, and what their plans are for the future.

commercial determinants

How preschoolers act on an ultra-processed diet 

The more ultra-processed food a 3-year-old eats, the worse behavioral and emotional symptoms they'll show at age 5, according to a Canadian cohort study published yesterday in JAMA Network Open. Researchers found that, among more than 2,000 children, ultra-processed foods accounted for about 45% of energy intake for 3-year-olds. Every 10% increase in energy from ultra-processed foods was associated with more inward-focused behavioral issues like anxiety and depression, as well as externalizing issues like aggression and hyperactivity.

The study adds to a growing body of research connecting the quality of a person's diet with psychosocial health, but more research is needed on the mechanisms behind these associations. And things might get more complicated if the Trump administration decides to codify a definition of ultra-processed foods that differs from the system typically used in research, as STAT's Sarah Todd has reported.

one shrinking number

A curious change in UnitedHealth's latest SEC filing

Last year, when UnitedHealth Group submitted its annual filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, it reported nearly 3,100 subsidiaries. But this week, the company counted just 10 "significant subsidiaries." 

STAT's reporting over the past few years has shown UnitedHealth has voraciously acquired medical clinics, surgery centers, and numerous other companies. But those subsidiaries are now in a black hole, as reporter Bob Herman writes — still in existence somewhere, but invisible. Read Bob's story on how this one shift reflects how American business titans are deciding to disclose only what's absolutely necessary, piggybacking off the Trump administration's explicit goal to slash corporate reporting requirements.

first opinion

What a French philosopher knew about going to the doctor today

An illustration of an abstract human figure walking up steps into an abstract head/brain, leading to another head.

Adobe

When French philosopher and historian Alexis de Tocqueville wrote "Democracy in America," after traveling to the new world in the 1830s, he observed that equality "begets in men the desire of judging everything for themselves." (See: Everyone online saying they'll do their own research.) We want expertise, but resist experts. We look for guidance, but resent hierarchy.

In a new First Opinion essay, entrepreneur and advocate Scott Hamilton argues the same tension shapes one of the most intimate relationships in American life today: the doctor–patient encounter. The tendency to trust our peers isn't rebellion against medicine, Hamilton writes. "It is a democratic reflex." And it's one he has personal experience with, after recovering from a severe traumatic brain injury. Read more from Hamilton on what a French philosopher's analysis of 19th century American culture taught him about his own recovery.

climate

Wildfire pollution linked to higher stroke risk

Heightened exposure to pollutants like ozone and particulate matter during the 2023 Canadian wildfires was associated with both heightened risk of stroke and more severe strokes, according to a study abstract that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting next month in Chicago. Researchers analyzed EPA data on air quality downwind from the fires in Camden, N.J. Ozone and particulate matter levels surged during the fires as compared to the same days the previous year.

Days with above average ozone levels saw an average of 1.25 strokes per day compared to 0.93 on below average days. And on those higher ozone days, there were more hemorrhage (bleeding, as opposed to clotting) strokes and more plaque buildup causing major arteries to harden.

It's the latest in a long line of studies describing the harsh health associations with wildfires. Earlier this year, another study found that pollution from wildfire smoke was linked to 24,100 U.S. deaths per year. 

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What we're reading

  • A new one-a-day-pill holds promise for HIV's 'forgotten population,' NPR

  • Virginia lawmakers push a new approach to a prescription drug affordability board, STAT
  • Parents are spending big to optimize their babies' microbiomes, Wall Street Journal
  • Moderna to pay Roivant up to $2.25 billion to settle patent lawsuit behind mRNA vaccines, STAT

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