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InsightsPatients Apr 1, 2026
“I’m Lucky I Had the Network” — A Physician Becomes the Patient | Dr. Karla Loken
Karla Loken, DO, OBGYN, FACOOG:
OB-GYN for 20+ years. Former Head of Clinical Development at Hologic, Disease Area Partner at Roche, VP Medical Affairs at HerMD, CMO at FEMSelect. Now running Loken Associates (medical affairs consulting). Diagnosed with appendix cancer — a 1 in 200,000 diagnosis. One month post-surgery. Returning to share what the system looks like from the other side.
In Today’s Episode We Discuss:
- Why life sciences M&A is essential to driving innovation forward
- Why She Went Public with Her Cancer
The Physician Network That Got Answers in Hours - 2-3 Months for a Colonoscopy — With Cancer Inside You
- Every Patient Is an N of One
- Treated Differently Because She’s a Physician
- Survivor Guilt Is Real
- The Light Side of the Dark Side
- Insurance Keeps People from Screening
- “Your Brain Is Still Valuable”
- Advice: Bring Someone, Write It Down,
- Find a Navigator
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