24 December 2022: I am moving to Substack.com

I am writing my future posts at  https://natpernick.substack.com/.

22 November 2022 - Updated Cancer strategic plan

We have updated our Strategic plan to substantially reduce cancer deaths at https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/ccnstrategicplan.html. This is part of our Curing Cancer Network at https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/curingcancernetwork.html which can be followed on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/curing-cancer-network and on Twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/curingn.

We offer grants of up to $25,000 for research directly related to our Strategic plan. The next grant deadline is 15 January 2023, see https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/ccngrants.html.

22 November 2022 - How to be a successful patient

 
This is my general medical information on cancer or other non routine diagnoses - what do you think?

(a) avoid medical misinformation;
(b) good medical judgment and organizational skills are important for successful treatment;
(c) consider consultations with major medical centers for complex issues;
(d) all of us should try to live every day to the fullest, whether healthy or not.

17 November 2022: Red state refugees

 This is my latest essay, "Red state refugees" on possible population changes in Michigan due to the Dobb's decision reversing Roe vs. Wade and Michigan's passage of Proposal 3 guaranteeing a right to abortion in the State constitution:

https://natpernick.blogspot.com/2022/11/red-state-refugees-nat-pernick-m.html

Of course, it is too early to know with certainty what the effects will be, but I have indicated my thoughts. 

6 November 2022: Post-Roe America - Worse than you think

 I Write About Post-Roe America Every Day. It’s Worse Than You Think.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/05/opinion/election-abortion-roe-women.html

My conclusions:

1. Michiganders should vote Yes on Proposal 3 if they have not already voted.

2. If you believe that the health of girls and women is important, then you must vote Democratic in every election and become more politically active to elect more Democrats. Of course, we are free to write Democratic public officials to oppose positions that make no sense to us. But to vote Republican or to not vote at all is a threat to all girls and women, as discussed in this article and others. See also
https://natpernickhealth.blogspot.com/2022/10/28-october-2022-anti-abortion-laws.html
https://natpernickhealth.blogspot.com/2022/10/24-october-2022-fertilized-egg.html

6 November 2022: The American Cancer Society has changed its mission statement

The American Cancer Society has updated its mission statement, which now reads:

The mission of the American Cancer Society is to improve the lives of people with cancer and their families through advocacy, research, and patient support, to ensure everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. See https://www.cancer.org/about-us/who-we-are/mission-statements.html

The prior mission statement was “to save lives, celebrate lives, and lead the fight for a world without cancer.” 

I don't know the details regarding the change, but I am pleased with this new, more rational mission statement that reflects that cancer is an inherent part of our biology that cannot be vanquished. I had previously criticized the "world without cancer":

The human body is composed of a myriad of interacting networks positioned at critical states, which is required for network flexibility to enable embryonic development, the inflammatory response to trauma and infection and the capability for our species to evolve to a changing environment. However, the tradeoff for maintaining these critical states is that cancer, a type of catastrophic systemic failure, is inevitable. We can reduce its incidence, we can detect it earlier and we can treat it more effectively but attaining a “world without cancer” (American Cancer Society, accessed 13Nov20) is not possible.

Originally posted on 14 November 2020 at 

https://natpernickshealthblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/14/39/, 

reposted at https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/ccnblog/reductionismvscomplexity.html\

28 October 2022: Anti-abortion laws continue to endanger the lives of girls and women

Anti-abortion laws continue to endanger the lives of girls and women by diminishing the number of trainees and likely practicing OB-GYNs in these states, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/27/health/abortion-training-residency-programs.html

Of course, individual girls or women may decide that, based on their religious beliefs, they want their medical care guided by strict Catholic or other religious teachings, even at the risk of their lives. However, the United States does not have a national religion. This means we are free to practice our own religious beliefs or none at all and cannot be forced to adhere to the religious beliefs of others. In this spirit, and based on federal law, an Idaho federal judge recently ruled that physicians can do abortions if, in their judgment, it is necessary to save their patients' lives, regardless of state law, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/08/28/federal-judge-pushback-idaho-abortion-ban/ 

I believe that medical care of girls and women will get worse in anti-abortion states as "fertilized egg personhood" laws are passed and enforced, which will affect care for all girls and women ages 9 to 59, whether pregnant or not, https://natpernickhealth.blogspot.com/2022/10/24-october-2022-fertilized-egg.html 

As a pathologist, and in collaboration with 1500+ other Michigan health care professionals, I  urge voters to vote YES on Michigan's Proposal 3 on November 8, 2022 to guarantee the right to abortion to Michigan girls and women, https://mireproductivefreedom.org/open-letter/ . 

@NatPpolitics

24 October 2022: Fertilized egg personhood

Fertilized egg personhood

Any proposal to grant “personhood” to fertilized eggs will do much more than eliminating abortion. It may also severely restrict the permissible activities of all girls or women of reproductive age, as indicated below. This is important because many states are proposing to grant “personhood” (i.e. the rights of babies that are born alive) to fertilized eggs (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/31/opinion/abortion-fetal-personhood.html). Although called “fetal personhood”, this terminology is improper because a fetus is defined as 8 weeks gestation compared to 0 weeks for a fertilized egg - thus, fertilized egg personhood is a more accurate term for these laws.

Here are some possible consequences of fertilized egg personhood laws:

1. These laws may ultimately require all girls or women ages 9-59 (i.e. ages at which they could possibly become pregnant), to get regular pregnancy tests unless it is medically impossible for them to get pregnant (i.e. clearly post-menopausal or lacking a uterus or ovaries). This testing would be necessary because society would have an obligation to protect the health of the unborn baby (who has rights equal to that of any person), but this could not be done until its existence is known.

2. This testing would have to be done by the State to protect the unborn baby because the law presumes that the mother may have adverse interests to her unborn baby.

3. It might be necessary to have a separate physician for the unborn baby and possibly even to have a guardian appointed to protect its interests.

4. In some cases, there will be disputes between the best interests and treatment for the two "persons", which the treating physicians may not be able to resolve between themselves. Thus, there may need to be "maternity judges" to settle these disputes.

5. These factors will cause marked changes in the standard of care for pregnant girls or women. Already, in anti-abortion states, pregnant girls or women may suffer delayed or altered care due to miscarriages or medical emergencies (https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/5625050818749205890/4203045862329327302)

6. Every positive pregnancy test that does not result in a live birth may give rise to an investigation and possible criminal charges against the pregnant girl or woman, her friends, family, employer or anyone else who may have contributed to the death of the unborn baby (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/09/01/prosecutions-drugs-miscarriages-meth-stillbirths/). This means that pregnancy will be considered a high risk condition and will limit the activities of pregnant girls or women.

7. Society may presume that any girl or woman aged 9-59 is pregnant to avoid any activities that may harm the fertilized egg person and lead to a murder charge. This also limits the medical care given to girls or women, who are presumed to be pregnant or possibly to become pregnant at any time. Specifically, it might affect treatment for cancer, arthritis (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21120498/) or other inflammatory diseases because treatment (chemotherapy, radiation therapy, anti-inflammatory or other drugs) might damage an unborn baby. 

8. This presumption of pregnancy and the fear of being investigated for murder for any miscarriage will greatly impair the types of activities that people want to engage in with girls or women, including employment. The only activities that may be widely tolerated are those that are safe for pregnant girls or women.

To many of us, these consequences are extremely offensive. However, it is foreseeable that they will occur, at least in some states.

@NatPpolitics

23 October 2022: You probably should not have to pay anything for your colonoscopy

Earlier this year, I had a routine colonoscopy at Henry Ford Health. The cost was about $4,500 and my HAP insurance paid for all but $900. 

At about the same time, I read an article at NPR.org that indicated that under the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare"), I should not have to pay anything if I had insurance, based on this law, see https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/05/31/1101861735/colonoscopy-cost-cancer-screening .

I wrote to Henry Ford Health Systems, who denied my request, and ultimately threatened to send this claim to a collection agency. I then filed a complaint with the Michigan Insurance Commissioner, DIFSComplaints@michigan.gov, see https://www.michigan.gov/difs/about/contact-info (who only responded a week ago requesting more information). It then occurred to me that I should file an appeal with HAP. They took 60 days to respond, but they did agree with me and now the balance is zero (so everything has been resolved).

This was what I wrote to Henry Ford, HAP and the Michigan Insurance Commissioner:

I think this procedure was coded incorrectly.

My understanding is that under The Affordable Care Act, colonoscopies are provided free of charge to patients without cost sharing. This procedure should be coded as Screening, not Diagnostic, and if done properly, there would be no charge to me.

My understanding is that The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has clarified repeatedly over the years that under the preventive services provisions of the ACA, removal of a polyp during a screening colonoscopy is considered an integral part of the procedure and should not change patients' cost-sharing obligations.

Please review and advise.

I hope this information is helpful to you!

18 October 2022: Every eligible citizen should vote in this election

Every eligible citizen should vote in this election. Please forward this article to your friends and family and promote on social media. These short articles give some reasons why:

http://natpernick.blogspot.com/2022/10/16-october-2022-dont-kvetch-vote.html

http://natpernick.blogspot.com/2022/10/14-october-2022-why-vote.html

http://natpernick.blogspot.com/2022/09/27-september-2022-importance-of-voting.html

http://natpernick.blogspot.com/2022/09/12-september-2022-voting-to-achieve.html

In Michigan, voting by absentee ballot already started on September 29. So it's time to get started.

I believe that EVERY community should have a turnout of 80% or more in this election. Towards that end, I have established a Voter turnout challenge for our 8 Next Door communities (Berkley, Ferndale, Huntington Woods, Lathrup Village, Oak Park, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak, Southfield), see http://natpernick.blogspot.com/2022/08/22-august-2022-this-years-southeast.html, but every community should try to get as high a voter turnout as possible.

To register to vote in Michigan, you must be:

* A U.S. citizen
* 18 years old when you vote
* A Michigan resident for at least 30 days
* Not currently serving a sentence in jail or prison

See https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/upcoming-election-information

All Michigan voters have the right to choose to vote in person at their polling place on Election Day or by absentee ballot by mail or in person at their clerk's office. Voters are not required to provide a reason to vote absentee.

Deadlines: 

October 24, 2022: Last day to request an absentee ballot online or by mail. This is also the suggested last day to return absentee ballot by mail to avoid potential for mailing delays. Or you can drop off your ballot at the clerk's office.

October 25 through 8:00 p.m. November 8, 2022: In-person registration with local clerk with proof of residency.

November 8, 2022: Election day is Tuesday, November 8: Polls are open from 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Return absentee ballot to your designated drop box or local clerk’s office by hand
by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8.

See https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/upcoming-election-information

@NatPpolitics

17 October 2022: COVID-19 related gratitude

This post is intended for those who believe in science and vaccines and that COVID-19 is a threat to human health. It is not intended to start arguments!

I tested positive for COVID-19 this past Friday, most likely from going to a pathology conference and walking the exhibit floor talking to ~100 people, almost all of us maskless. 

Positive COVID-19 at home antigen test. The presence of the T line means positivity. It appeared within seconds of dropping fluid from a nasal swap onto the test. The C line is the control, which should be positive or the test process was likely faulty.

Walking in a large group without a mask may have been foolish, but it is hard to talk to people with a mask and the purpose of the trip was to make business connections. My symptoms were mild (I thought it was only hay fever) and I am now taking Paxlovid, which has reduced the runny nose, cough, fatigue and sore throat (there were no other symptoms). I felt the worst about exposing others to COVID before I was diagnosed. The next time I have potential exposure like this, I will quarantine and take a home COVID-19 test before "going out".

Overall, I am grateful. I am grateful that I was able to receive 5 vaccines against COVID-19, without much hassle or bureaucracy and for no charge. I believe these vaccines may have saved my life. As a pathologist / scientist, I know that COVID-19 has killed over one million Americans and that the unvaccinated have a much higher death rate than the vaccinated (https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/united-states-rates-of-covid-19-deaths-by-vaccination-status?country=~All+ages). To me, it was a "no brainer" to get vaccinated and markedly reduce my risk of death, even with the possibility of vaccine side effects. Being vaccinated also reduces the chance I will spread the disease to my friends and family with frail health who might die if they got infected.

I am grateful that I was able to receive an effective treatment for COVID-19 that was easy to obtain and easy to take (5 days of pills in a logical package) for no charge. 

Paxlovid "blister pack". There are 5 packs, each containing 3 pills to take in the AM and 3 pills in the PM. I received the medication in the afternoon and so started with the evening pills.

I am grateful that we have fast, at home test kits for COVID-19, also easy to obtain (I got them in the mail, now at pharmacies), also for no charge. Elsewhere in the world, people are "hoping and praying" that they will soon be able to get vaccines, treatments or test kits in this manner.

Although COVID-19 was the #3 cause of death in the US in 2020 and 2021 (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm, https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7117e1.htm#F2_down), I am grateful that my disease was mild and seems to be going away without any "long COVID" side effects (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects/index.html), although only time will tell.

Thanks to all those in health care, science and government who made the vaccines, treatments and test kits possible and easily accessible.

P.S. I am intentionally keeping the "long links" because I want people to know the sources.

@NatPpolitics

12 October 2022 - Get vaccinated against COVID-19 now

 White House Urges People To Get Updated COVID-19 Boosters By Halloween For Maximum Protection For The Holidays

The AP (10/11, Miller) reports that on Tuesday, the White House “said eligible Americans should get the updated COVID-19 boosters by Halloween to have maximum protection against the coronavirus by Thanksgiving and the holidays, as it warned of a ‘challenging’ virus season ahead.” White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha “said the U.S. has the tools, both from vaccines and treatments, to largely eliminate serious illness and death from the virus, but stressed that’s only the case if people do their part.”

We are so fortunate to be able to get this lifesaving vaccine. Elsewhere in the world, people are begging to get it. If you value your life and those you meet with, please get vaccinated! 

Photo source: https://www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html

29 August 2022: Anti-abortion laws threaten the health of pregnant women

 

Anti-abortion laws threaten the health of pregnant women, as an Idaho federal judge recently ruled, see https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/08/28/federal-judge-pushback-idaho-abortion-ban/ . Physicians need to prioritize the lives of the patients that they are treating.

Of course, you can believe differently, but that is a religious point of view, not a medical one, and the United States does not have a national religion. This means our residents are free to practice our own religious beliefs or none at all, and cannot be forced to adhere to the religious beliefs of others.

21 August 2022: Medical advisory for anti-abortion states

Medical advisory for anti-abortion states 

21 August 2022

 

Pregnant women and girls may want to avoid traveling to anti-abortion states because of adverse health outcomes if they have a medical emergency. See https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/us/abortion-laws-roe-v-wade.html to determine the current status of each state, but note that this changes frequently due to litigation. Prior to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision of the U.S. Supreme Court (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dobbs_v._Jackson_Women%27s_Health_Organization), female patients could rely on a  standard of care that prioritized their health in medical decision making. However, in anti-abortion states, physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other health care personnel now have to consider whether their actions will subject them to criminal prosecution under the anti-abortion laws.

This threat of criminal prosecution is real. In Indiana, its Attorney General threatened an ob-gyn who performed an abortion on a 10 year old from Ohio, even though it was clearly legal at the time (https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3559347-indiana-ag-threatens-license-of-doctor-who-provided-abortion-to-10-year-old-rape-victim/). There is no doubt that some other prosecutors, who are typically elected officials, will use cases to attempt to advance their political careers.

 

How does the threat of prosecution alter care of pregnant patients? Some physicians are delaying or altering treatment for ectopic (tubal) pregnancy (https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/07/16/abortion-miscarriage-ectopic-pregnancy-care/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWJpZCI6IjMzMjkyOTg1Ii),  infections (https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/07/26/1111280165/because-of-texas-abortion-law-her-wanted-pregnancy-became-a-medical-nightmare), miscarriages (https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-medication-lupus-e4042947e4cc0c45e38837d394199033), lethal fetal conditions (https://www.wafb.com/2022/08/15/mother-claims-she-was-denied-an-abortion-despite-babys-condition/), maternal cancer (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/mom-abortion-ban-daughter-death-dominican-republic-rcna43600) or other life threatening maternal conditions (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/01/us/abortion-journey-crossing-states.html). It is difficult to predict how this will affect any specific patient because (a) health care personnel may be reluctant to talk about their changing practice patterns, (b) the Dobbs decision is recent and behavioral changes are still ongoing, (c) research studies typically take years to publish. However, it seems likely that care will often be delayed and occasionally altered as health care personnel grapple with their fear of prosecution.

I suspect that, over time, to minimize the risk of prosecution, some health care personnel in these anti-abortion states will presume all women and girls to be pregnant unless proven otherwise and that they will administer pregnancy tests more commonly before starting or continuing treatments that may be dangerous to the unborn. These treatments include immunosuppressive drugs for autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis), cancer treatments (radiation, chemotherapy, other drugs), as well as drugs for more common diseases (acne, bacterial infections, coagulation disorders, high blood pressure, manic-depressive disorder, seizures, see https://www.rxlist.com/teratogenic_drugs/definition.htm, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553086/).  Some physicians may refuse to treat women or girls for these conditions unless it is clear that they cannot become pregnant in the future because they want to eliminate even the possibility of treatment being given during pregnancy and they cannot test every day.

What do you think? I welcome your opinion on how these state anti-abortion laws may affect medical care to women and girls, pregnant or not.

5 July 2022: Every pregnancy in an anti-abortion state is now a potential felony charge

https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/contributors/2022/06/26/supreme-court-abortion-ruling-roe/7724609001/

In anti-abortion states, every pregnancy is now a potential felony charge for all involved, including the pregnant woman, her physicians, friends and family if the pregnancy does not result in a healthy child. For example, a miscarriage is now a potential murder charge for anyone who encouraged or perhaps even tolerated any dangerous activity by or near the pregnant woman, including smoking, drinking, illegal drugs, car accidents, other accidents or any activity that may harm an embryo or fetus. This is particularly true in Texas, which has a bounty system to encourage reporting of abortions and possibly any actions encouraging or facilitating them, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/10/us/politics/texas-abortion-law-facts.html.

In addition, every female from puberty to menopause in an anti-abortion state should consider herself to be under surveillance because anti-abortion fanatics may consider that she is hiding a pregnancy and considering ways to end it.  

Pregnant women who get sick are at greater risk of death or bad outcomes because their physicians will be hesitant to take any action that may hurt the baby and risk a felony charge for themselves. This may be particularly true at Catholic hospitals, which may be much more sensitive to this issue.

Females in anti-abortion states have three choices: (a) do nothing and take your chances that there will be no criminal charges or threats to your health when pregnant, (b) fight to change the laws in your state or (c) move to a pro-choice state. Leaving is hard, but remember that many of our distant relatives left oppressive conditions to come here - moving to another state is much easier than what they went through.

What will you do?

27 June 2022: Curing cancer - Curative cancer treatment based on complexity theory (revised)

I have revised my prior post on Curing cancer - Curative cancer treatment based on complexity theory, see https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/ccnblog/curativecancertreatment.html 

It begins: This essay summarizes my recommendations on how to substantially reduce cancer deaths. In general, we should view cancer as primarily a disorder of a complex biological system that is composed of interacting networks and not as a modular system with faulty parts. I also believe that substantially reducing cancer deaths is primarily a management problem to be solved by identifying and implementing a series of appropriate public policy, medical and scientific tasks, and not by trying to discover a miracle treatment. 

Entire document: https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/ccnblog/curativecancertreatment.html Let me know of any comments or questions (but I cannot answer patient specific or treatment questions).

17 May 2022: Mental Health Awareness Month

May is mental health awareness month. This message is from the Michigan Dept of Health & Human Services:

If we’ve learned anything from the pandemic, it’s that our mental health and physical health go hand-in-hand. We’ve learned, as outlined in Governor Whitmer’s Mental Health Awareness Month proclamation at https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/proclamations/2022/04/29/may-2022-mental-health-awareness-month?utm_campaign=&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery, that mental health affects how we think, feel and act; how we handle stress; and how we relate to others and make choices. Dr. Debra Pinals, MDHHS Medical Director for Behavioral Health and Forensic Programs, recorded a short video message encouraging us to stop and think about that—and know that help is available if needed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymHvJZm_jh0

One source of help is the MDHHS Stay Well program, which was created in the early days of the pandemic and still offers services and resources to help you manage emotional distress. Here are a few:

* The Stay Well counseling line still provides emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Dial 1-888-535-6136 and wait for the prompt to press “8”. Counseling is free and confidential.

* “Cultivating Joy” video series. Visit Michigan.gov/StayWell and click the black button that says Video Resources. You’ll find a collection of short, animated videos designed to help you rediscover optimism and hope.

* The “Be Kind to Your Mind” discussion group meets weekly on Zoom. Anyone can join for a chance to connect with other Michiganders who’ve been weathering the proverbial COVID storms. Register at https://bit.ly/3PilXrV.

Remember, there’s no shame in seeking help if you’re struggling emotionally. In fact, it can keep serious mental health issues at bay. So, here’s to your health – both mental and physical.

16 May 2022: Another threat to the health of women and girls

I find these articles to be disturbing:

* Abortion foes push to narrow ‘life of mother’ exceptions,
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/05/13/abortion-ban-exceptions-mothers-life/

* What the “Life of the Mother” Might Mean in a Post-Roe America, https://www.newyorker.com/science/annals-of-medicine/what-the-life-of-the-mother-might-mean-in-a-post-roe-america

We want our physicians to be focused on what is in the best interest of the patient. Health care becomes more dangerous to patients when physicians must also consider possible criminal prosecution, loss of their medical license or loss of hospital privileges for providing optimal care to their patients.

For those of us who place primary importance on the health of the women and girls in our life or in society, I think we need to get more involved politically, in some way. I am circulating the petition for the Michigan Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative, https://mireproductivefreedom.org/, and urge all who care about this issue to get more involved, in some way. What are you doing?

@NatPpolitics

30 April 2022: Adult versus childhood cancer

I have revised "Curing cancer - Adult versus childhood cancer', see https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/.../adultvschildhoodcan.... This brief article compares cancer in adults to cancer in children and adolescents focusing on numbers of deaths, clinical (microscopic) types, survival rates, etiology (how they arise) and curative treatment. Click at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/onz6IND to sign up for our monthly newsletter.

12 April 2022: Curing cancer - reductionism versus complexity

 I have updated my article: Curing cancer - Reductionism versus complexity. It begins:

In 1971, President Richard M. Nixon announced the beginning of the "war on cancer" in the United States. Fifty years later, despite massive government expenditures and testimonials that the war on cancer "did everything it was supposed to do", cancer is still a leading cause of death with high mortality from cancer of the lung, colon, pancreas and breast.

Our war on cancer has failed because our basic approach to biology is wrong. Biologic thinking has traditionally relied on reductionism, the theory that the behavior of the whole is equal to the sum of the behavior of the parts. Based on this theory, sophisticated systems are presumed to be combinations of simpler systems that can be reduced to simpler parts; this implies that disease is due to flawed parts and treatment merely needs to identify and repair or destroy the damaged parts. Although logical and rational, reductionism does not accurately describe the functioning of complex systems, including human biology.

Rest of article, https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/ccnblog/reductionismvscomplexity.html