Half in US Say God Can Save the Dying

A doctorate does not a doctor make, say many MDs

(NEWSER) - As more and more nurses, pharmacists, and physical therapists are earning PhD degrees, a battle is raging over which health care professionals can use the prestigious title "doctor," reports the New York Times . Nurses especially are pursuing doctorates, eager to increase their pay and promotional opportunities—last year, 153 schools handed out 7,037 doctor of nursing practice degrees, compared to just four schools and 170 degrees in 2004—but PhDs are increasingly required in pharmacy and physical therapy, too. More»

They'll try to see whether physicians give preference to private insurance

(NEWSER) - The Obama administration fears there are too few primary care doctors to go around—so it’s launching a team of “mystery shoppers” to look into the physicians’ availability. The undercover callers will seek appointments at doctors’ offices nationwide to determine ease of access. Some will say they’ve got private insurance, while others will say they’re on public plans; the administration hopes to discover whether doctors discriminate between the two, reports the New York Times . More»

(NEWSER) - An explosion of online forums for the discussion and rating of physicians has doctors fighting back, the Washington Post reports. Afraid of negative—perhaps spurious—reviews on the Web, some MDs are denying care unless a patient signs a non-disclosure agreement. Though opponents call the agreements “illegal, unenforceable, and silly,” others think them necessary in the “Wild West atmosphere” of the Internet. More»

(NEWSER) - A judge in Minnesota allowed 13-year-old Daniel Hauser to return to his parents' custody after they agreed to have him undergo chemotherapy treatments, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The judge allowed the family to pursue alternative remedies along with the chemo for Daniel, who has Hodgkin's lymphoma. The boy and his mom fled to California last week before returning yesterday. More»

But people who abandon faith just 'drift away', new poll says

(NEWSER) - A majority of Americans who have abandoned organized religion "gradually drifted away," a new Pew Forum poll says. The finding surprised experts who expected policy debates or scandals—like clergy sex abuse in the Catholic Church—to fuel people's rejection of a faith. But overall, the survey found Americans more likely to switch religions than drop faith altogether. More»