Hi Peter,

I agree with your assessment of the real dirty secret in healthcare but I need to understand the logic behind race norming more. And please remember that I am coming at this problem as a researcher and not a physician so I don't have the same expertise to pull from.

In the example you gave, what data shows that their race would affect their outcome? I understand using age, gender, and socioeconomic factors, but why race?

Part of the reason why I am frustrated is the lack of transparency. I approached the AHA for comment and they did not respond. Nor can I find any research studies that would support using race in the calculator they are using to predict risk. Even above the calculator there is a disclaimer - "This calculator includes inputs based on race, which may or may not provide better estimates, so we have decided to make race optional.”

Optional? To me, that opens up the doorway to discrimination.

And btw, I have a passion for the history and outcome of medicine. If you ever wanted to fact check any of my work or provide a quote, I would really appreciate it. Physicians are busy people and it is really hard to get interviews out of them.

And thanks for the kind words about my art.