Modern Medicine Meets Modern Sports
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - As you know, many of my medical reports are generated by articles that are written in leading journals. Today I have a report based on that well-respected medical journal called Sports Illustrated.
Many of you are probably saying 'I read that -- which issue?' Obviously, I am being somewhat facetious but two weeks ago I was reading Sports Illustrated -- the one with the Milwaukee Brewers on the cover -- and couldn't help but notice there was one article looking at new developments in genetic testing that might be able to help parents tell if their six-month old will be the next LeBron James and another article focusing on a minor leaguer caught abusing the performance enhancer HCG thanks to a blood test, raising the issue of why major leaguers aren't being tested for HCG by blood tests.
I think what this shows is that sports have become so lucrative and our nation is so sports obsessed that modern medicine -- once reserved for fighting cancer, looking at helping eradicate birth defects and treating heart disease -- is being dragged into professional sports and for the average sports fan some athlete's latest urine sample may be just as important as their on base percentage.
Reported By Dr. Brian McDonough, KYW Newsradio Medical Editor
