John J. Ryan: Solution to medical misinformation is patient empowerment

The role of providers in health care has always been to educate patients about diagnosis, prognosis and interventions. As a cardiologist, I am often asked how to prevent heart disease, what diet is best, how much exercise should people do, among other “heart healthy” questions.More broadly, our colleagues in primary care are asked if doing crossword puzzles decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, if vaccines cause autism, and what natural supplements can cure or help stave o