#fertility clinic

[mostlysignssomeportents]

A "secure" system can be the most dangerous of all

Two decades ago, my life changed forever: hearing Bruce Schneier explain that “security” doesn’t exist in the abstract. You can only be secure from some threat. A fire alarm won’t protect you from burglaries. A condom won’t protect you from mass shootings. It seems obvious, but how often do we hear about “security” without any mention of who is being made secure, and from which threat?

Take the US welfare system. It is very “secure” in that it is hedged in by a thicket of red-tape, audits, inspections and onerous procedures. To get food stamps, housing vouchers, or cash aid, you must navigate a Soviet-grade bureaucratic system of Kafkaesque proportions. Indeed, one of the great ironies of the post-Cold War world is that the USA has become a “Utopia Of Rules” (as David Graeber put it), subjecting everyday people to the state-run bureacracies that the USAUSAUSA set endlessly ridiculed the USSR for:

https://memex.craphound.com/2015/02/02/david-graebers-the-utopia-of-rules-on-technology-stupidity-and-the-secret-joys-of-bureaucracy/

(The right says it wants to “shrink the US government until fits in a bathtub — and then drown it” — but not the whole government. They want unlimited government bloat for that part of the state that is dedicated to tormenting benefits claimants, especially if its functions are managed by a Beltway Bandit profiteer who bills Uncle Sucker up the wazoo for rubber-stamping “DENIED” on every claim.)

The US benefits system has a sophisticated, expensive, fully staffed anti-fraud system — but it’s a highly selective form of anti-fraud. The system is oriented solely to prevent fraud against itself, with no thought to protecting benefits recipients themselves from fraud.

And those recipients — by definition the poorest and most vulnerable among us — are easy pickings for continuous, ghastly, eye-watering acts of fraud. These benefits are distributed via prepaid debit cards — EBT Cards — that lack the basic security measures that every other kind of card has had for years. These are simple magstripe cards, lacking basic chip-and-pin defenses, to say nothing of contactless countermeasures.

That means that fraudsters can — and do — install skimmers in the point-of-sale terminals used by benefits recipients to withdraw their cash benefits, pay for food using SNAP (AKA Food Stamps), and receive other benefits.

It’s impossible to overstate how widespread these skimmers are, and how much money criminals make by stealing from poor people. Writing for Businessweek, Jessica Fu describes the mad scramble benefits recipients go through every month, standing by ATMs at midnight on the night of the first of every month in hopes of withdrawing the cash they use to pay for their rent and utility bills before it is stolen by a crook who captured their card number with a skimmer:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-06-28/ebt-theft-takes-millions-of-dollars-from-the-neediest-americans

One of Fu’s sources, Lexisnexis Risk Solutions’s Haywood Talcove, describes these EBT cards as having the security of a “glorified hotel room key.” He recounts how US police departments saw a massive explosion in EBT skimming: from 300 complaints in January 2022 to 18,000 in January 2023.

The skimmer rings are extremely well organized. The people who install the skimmers — working in pairs, with one person to distract the cashier while the other quickly installs the skimmer — don’t know who they work for. Neither do the people who use cards cloned from skimmer data to cash out benefits recipients’ accounts. When they are arrested, they refuse to turn on their immediate recruiters, fearing reprisals against their families.

These low-level crooks stroll up to ATMs and feed a succession of cloned cards into them, emptying account after account. Or they swipe cards at grocery checkouts, buying cases of Red Bull and other easily sold grocery products with some victim’s entire SNAP balance.

Some police agencies are pursuing these criminal gangs and trying figure out who’s running them, but the authorities who issue SNAP cards are doing little to nothing to stop the pipeline at their end. Simply upgrading SNAP terminals to chip-and-pin would exponentially raise the cost and complexity that thieves incur.

Indeed, that’s why every other kind of payment card uses these systems. How is it that these systems were upgraded, while SNAP cards remain in mired in 20th century “glorified hotel room key” territory? Well, as our friends on the right never cease to remind us: “incentives matter.”

When your credit card gets cloned, it’s your banks and credit card company that pays for the losses, not you. So the banks demanded (and funded) the upgrade to new anti-fraud measures. By contrast, most states have no system for refunding stolen benefits to skimmers’ victims.

In other words, all of the anti-fraud in the benefits system is devoted to catching benefits cheating — a phenomenon that is so rare as to be almost nonexistent (1.54%), notwithstanding right wingers’ fevered, Reagan-era folktales about “welfare queens”:

https://blog.gitnux.com/food-stamp-fraud-statistics/

Meanwhile, the most widespread and costly form of fraud in the benefits system — fraud perpetrated against benefits recipients — is blithely ignored.

Really, it’s worse than that. In deciding to protect the welfare system rather than welfare recipients, we’ve made it vastly harder for benefits claimants who’ve been victimized by fraudsters to remain fed and sheltered. After all, if we made it simple and straightforward for benefits recipients to re-claim money that was stolen from them, we’d make it that much easier to defraud the system.

“Security” is always and forever a matter of securing some specific thing, against some specific risk. In other words, security reflects values — it reveals whose risk matters, and whose doesn’t. For the American benefits system, risks to the system matter. Risks to people don’t.

It’s not just the welfare system that prioritizes its own risks against the people it exists to serve. Think of the systems used to fight drug abuse in clinical settings.

Medical facilities that use or dispense powerful pain-killers have exquisitely tuned, sophisticated, frequently audited security systems to prevent patients from tricking their doctors or pharmacists into administering extra drugs (especially opioids). “Extra” in this case means “more drugs than are strictly necessary to manage pain.”

The rationale for this is only incidentally medical. Someone who gets a little too much painkiller during a medical procedure or an acute pain episode is not at any particular risk of enduring harm — the risks are minor and easily managed (say, by keeping a patient in bed a little longer while they recover from sedation).

The real agenda here is preventing addiction and abuse by addicted people. There’s a genuine problem with opioid abuse, and that problem does have its origins in overprescription. But — crucially — that overprescription wasn’t the result of wimpy patients insisting on endless painkillers until they enslaved themselves to their pills.

Rather, the opioid epidemic has its origins in the billionaire Sackler crime family, whose Purdue Pharma used scientific fraud, cash incentives, and other deceptive practices to trick, coerce, or bribe doctors into systematically overprescribing their Oxycontin cash cow, even as they laundered their reputation with showy charitable donations:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/07/12/monopolist-solidarity/#sacklers-billions

The Sacklers got to keep their billions — and people undergoing painful medical procedures or living with chronic pain are left holding the bag, subject to tight pain-med controls that forces them to prove — through increasingly stringent systems — that they truly deserve their medicine.

In other words, the beneficiary of the opioid control system is the system itself — not the patients who need opioids.

There’s an extremely disturbing — even nightmarish — example of this in the news: the Yale Fertility Clinic, where hundreds of women endured unimaginably painful egg harvesting procedures with no anaesthesia at all.

These women had complained for years about the pain they suffered, and many had ended up needing emergency care after the fact because of traumatic injuries caused by undergoing the procedure without pain control. But the doctors and nurses at the Yale clinic ignored their screams of pain and their post-operative complaints.

It turned out that an opioid-addicted nurse had been swapping the fentanyl in the drug cabinet for saline, and taking the fentanyl home for her own use.

This made national headlines at the time, and it is the subject of “The Retrievals,” a new New York Times documentary series podcast:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/22/podcasts/serial-the-retrievals-yale-fertility-clinic.html

If the pain medication management system was designed to manage pain, then these thefts would have been discovered early on. If the system was designed so that anyone who experienced pain was treated until the pain was under control, the deception would have been uncovered almost immediately.

As Stafford Beer said, “the purpose of any system is what it does.” The pain medication management system was designed to manage pain medication, not pain itself.

The system was designed to be secure from opioid-seeking addicted patients. It was not designed to make patients secure from pain. Its values — our values, as a society — were revealed through its workings.

If you’d like an essay-formatted version of this thread to read or share, here’s a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/13/whose-security/#for-me-not-thee

[Image ID: A down-the-barrel view of a massive, battleship-gray artillery piece protruding from the brick battlement of a fortress. From the black depths of the barrel shines a red neon 'EBT' sign.]

Image: Bjarne Henning Kvaale (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oscarsborg_28cm_Krupp_cannon_4_-_panoramio.jpg

CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

[awesomefringey]

what's the Sono from a fertility clinic? what happened?

Brianna posted a pic of her sono/ultrasound when pregnant with Freddie that turned out to be from a fertility clinic. It exclusively deals with parents who struggle with pregnancy and provides fertility and surrogacy programs. Their clients are literally on the opposite side of “I’m so fertile I got accidentally pregnant in a one night stand” if you know what I mean.

The printout had a few more flaws. See a post about it here.

[dailybehbeh]

Behbeh

[apollo41writes]

Goodnight prompt 41/∞

Fandom: Star Wars Prequels Ship: Qui-Gon Jinn/Obi-Wan Kenobi AUs/Tropes: Fertility clinic, A/B/O Prompt: Qui-Gon is feeling older and older with every day that passes. So old he thinks it's a good idea to donate sperm. What he doesn't consider is to fall headfirst for an Omega surrogate pregnant with a baby for a couple that can't have them.

Extra details: Just imaging Omega Obi-Wan sitting all alone in a waiting room and reading a book (probably about politics or about philosophy, because why not).

Alpha Qui-Gon sits on the other side of the waiting room, pretending he's reading a magazine because... He can't masturbate over the cute Omega in the waiting room when he has to actually make the donation, right? The omega is probably someone's mate, for fuck's sake!

But after a while Obi-Wan actually notices him and smiles at Qui-Gon and they strike a conversation. They basically ask each other if they are waiting for someone and Qui-Gon says no, meanwhile Obi-Wan says that he's waiting for the couple he's surrogating for and...

Oh, look, Qui-Gon still has a chance with this cute Omega! Maybe.

[benecare-hospital]

Best IVF & Fertility Hospital | Benecare Hospital

One of life's greatest joys can be experienced organically at Benecare Fertility & IVF Hospital. In vitro fertilization is known as IVF. generally referred to as "assisted reproductive technology" ( ART). To assist your ovaries generate numerous mature eggs that are prepared for fertilization, you must take fertility-specific medications for several months before beginning IVF. Ovulation induction refers to this.

[habithlarry]

Es cierto que B subió una foto de una ecografía de F y se veía que la clínica era una clínica de fertilidad?

Sip, es verdad, por aca te dejo un ask anterior sobre eso y este otro post por aca también.

[onefertility]

A fertility specialist may recommend assisted hatching as part of your IVF treatment. These are some key factors to understand before the procedure.

[kiraninfertilitycentre]

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Fertility Clinic in Chennai

In the journey towards parenthood, choosing the right fertility clinic can make all the difference. If you are searching for the best fertility clinic in Chennai, you have come to the right place. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the factors to consider, helping you make an informed decision.

At Kiran Infertility Centre, we understand the importance of finding a clinic that not only meets your medical needs but also provides empathetic and personalized care. Our brand voice reflects our commitment to creating a safe and supportive environment for you.

When selecting a fertility clinic, it is essential to consider factors such as success rates, accreditation, the expertise of the medical team, and the range of services offered. Our team of experienced doctors and advanced fertility treatments positions us as a reputable choice in Chennai.

In this guide, we will explore these factors in detail, helping you navigate the challenging process of selecting the best fertility clinic in Chennai for your needs. We want to ensure that you have a clear understanding of the essential aspects to consider, empowering you to make a decision that brings you closer to realizing your dream of becoming a parent.

Factors to consider when choosing a fertility clinic

When it comes to choosing a fertility clinic, there are several important factors to consider. These factors will not only impact your chances of success but also ensure that you receive the best possible care throughout your journey towards parenthood.

Researching fertility clinics in Chennai

The first step in choosing a fertility clinic is to research the options available in Chennai. Start by making a list of clinics in the area and gather information about their services, success rates, and expertise. Look for clinics that specialize in the specific fertility treatments you may require, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI).

Accreditation and success rates of fertility clinics

Accreditation is an important aspect to consider when selecting a fertility clinic. Accredited clinics adhere to strict quality and safety standards, ensuring that you receive the highest level of care. Look for clinics that are accredited by reputable organizations such as the Indian Society of Assisted Reproduction (ISAR) or the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH).

In addition to accreditation, it's crucial to review the success rates of the fertility clinics you are considering. Success rates can provide insight into the clinic's track record and the likelihood of achieving a successful pregnancy. However, keep in mind that success rates can vary depending on individual circumstances, so it is essential to consider other factors as well.

Specializations and services offered by fertility clinics

Different fertility clinics may offer a range of specialized services to cater to the unique needs of their patients. Consider the specific treatments and procedures that you may require and ensure that the clinic you choose has the expertise and experience in those areas. Some clinics may specialize in advanced techniques such as preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) or egg freezing, while others may focus on specific fertility issues such as male infertility or recurrent pregnancy loss.

Cost and affordability of fertility treatments

Fertility treatments can be expensive, and it is crucial to consider the cost and affordability when choosing a fertility clinic. While cost should not be the sole determining factor, it's essential to have a clear understanding of the expenses involved, including consultation fees, diagnostic tests, medications, and the actual fertility treatments.

Before planning, inquire about the clinic's pricing structure and any financing options that may be available. Some clinics may offer packages or discounts for multiple cycles of treatment, which can help reduce the financial burden. It's also advisable to check if the clinic accepts insurance or offers any reimbursement programs.

Location and convenience of the fertility clinic

The location of the fertility clinic is another important factor to consider. Fertility treatments often require multiple visits, including consultations, monitoring appointments, and procedures. Choosing a clinic that is conveniently located can save you time and reduce the stress of traveling long distances, especially during the crucial stages of treatment.

Consider the proximity of the clinic to your home or workplace and the availability of parking or public transportation options. Additionally, find out if the clinic offers flexible appointment schedules to accommodate your needs.

Consultation and communication with fertility clinics

Once you have narrowed down your options and identified a few potential fertility clinics, it is essential to schedule consultations. Consultations give you the opportunity to meet with the medical team, ask questions, and assess the overall level of care and communication.

During the consultation, pay attention to how the clinic's staff interacts with you, how well they listen to your concerns, and how responsive they are to your questions. Open and transparent communication is vital throughout the fertility treatment process, so ensure that you feel comfortable discussing your doubts, fears, and expectations with the clinic's team.

Making the final decision and getting started with your chosen fertility clinic

After considering all the factors mentioned above, it is time to make a final decision and choose the fertility clinic that best aligns with your needs and preferences. This decision can be daunting, but remember that you have done your research and considered all the essential aspects.

Once you have chosen a fertility clinic, schedule an appointment to get started with your treatment. The clinic's team will guide you through the necessary diagnostic tests, treatment plan, and the steps involved in your specific fertility journey. Remember to be patient and trust the expertise of the medical professionals as you embark on this life-changing path towards parenthood.

Choosing the right fertility clinic is a crucial step in your fertility journey. By considering factors such as accreditation, success rates, specializations, cost, location, patient reviews, and communication, you can make an informed decision that gives you the best chance of achieving your dream of becoming a parent.

Remember, every individual's fertility journey is unique, and what works for one person may not necessarily work for another. Trust your instincts, seek support from your loved ones, and have faith in the process. With the right fertility clinic by your side, you will be one step closer to realizing your dream of starting a family. Best Fertility Doctor in Chennai

Disclaimer: The article provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice. It is essential to consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any decisions regarding fertility treatments.

[news4dzhozhar]

[allaboutitsolutions]

Best Fertility Clinic in India For Successful Conception |Nova IVF Fertility Nova IVF Fertility, a leading fertility clinic, offers cutting-edge assisted reproductive technology in India, striving to fulfill the dreams of parenthood.https://www.novaivffertility.com/

[risefertility]

Increase Your Chances of Conceiving with RISE Fertility :

https://risefertility.com/ Fertility preservation can help women with cancer diagnoses increase their chances of conceiving exponentially after completing treatment. By preserving reproductive material, a fertility specialist can offer fertility treatments that may not have been possible before. In vitro fertilization is often seen as a last resort for couples struggling to conceive. However, fertility preservation can help some couples avoid IVF altogether. It can also prove less timely and costly than IVF.

[gaudiumivf]

Leading Infertility Hospital in Bangalore

Discover Gaudium IVF, the leading infertility hospital in Bangalore, India, offering unparalleled treatments such as IVF, ICSI, and remedies for PCOS, Endometriosis, PCOD, and IUI, all at an affordable rate. Renowned for successfully managing numerous failed IVF cases, schedule a complimentary consultation with our fertility expert to receive personalized IVF advice and guidance over the phone. Trust Gaudium IVF for exceptional infertility care in Bangalore.

[benecare-hospital]

Best Fertility & IVF Hospital in Pune - Benecare Hospital

Benecare Hospital is one of the best Fertility and IVF hospitals in Pune. We help people with infertility and reproductive difficulties with the latest futility technology. Fertility is the capability to produce seeds through reduplication following the onset of sexual maturity.