A "virtual" model of all the biochemical reactions that occur in human cells has been created.
Some NHS operations may need to be paid for in the future.
Women who take folic acid supplements early in their pregnancy can substantially reduce their baby's risk of cleft lip.
Saturday surgery disappeared from GP new contract for 6% pay cut.
Drug company cover up evidence about the safety of the anti-depressant drug, Seroxat.
A website is to be set up by the Government in July to give patients more surgery choice.
Alzheimer's vaccine delivered through a patch has been shown to be safe and effective.
Cynicism can increase the risk of heart disease.
Women could halve their risk of breast cancer by eating high fibre diet.
Switching off the gene involved in cell division can prevent cancer growth.
NHS Consultation on private clinics to carry out diagnostics and minor treatment.
The Government is creating a website for patients to rate doctors and hopsitals.
Get a dog if you want to live a healthier life.
Better training for GPs, practice nurses and dieticians to tackle the problem of food allergy.
Proposal - GPs' high earning to be capped.
A new strain of MRSA is spreading rapidly in Britain.
Folic acid supplements can improve cognitive function in older adults.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Friday, January 19, 2007
The lavatory is the winner of the BMJ poll
In the BMJ poll, readers have voted sanitation (15.8%), put forward by Professor Johan Mackenbach, Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam , the greatest medical breakthrough since 1840, followed by antibiotics ( 14.5% ) and anaesthesia ( 13.9%).
Some doctors disputed the result of the poll but the BBC presenter of the series "What the Victorians did for us" said that the "sanitation was a deserving winner."
The biggest group of voters were doctors ( 28.6% ) and the public ( 21.8% ).
See the full ballot results.
Some doctors disputed the result of the poll but the BBC presenter of the series "What the Victorians did for us" said that the "sanitation was a deserving winner."
The biggest group of voters were doctors ( 28.6% ) and the public ( 21.8% ).
See the full ballot results.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Health News - 15 january 2007
Bilingualism can delay onset of dementia.
Is Statins linked to Parkinson's ?
A mutated gene, SORL1, is linked to Alzheimer's.
GM hens' eggs could help fight cancer.
Common cold virus could destroy cancer tumors.
Blood test has proved highly effective in predicting the risk of heart attack or stroke in patients with coronary heart disease - JAMA.
Men who have had gonorrhoea are twice as likely to develop bladder cancer- British J Cancer.
Spicy foods such as pepper can kill cancer cells.
Using your instincts is better than thinking too hard.
Drinking tea without milk could have more health benefits - European Heart J.
Artificial skin that is germ-resistant and could save the lives of severe burns victims.
New stem cells have been extracted successfully from amniotic fluid surrounding the developing foetus - Nature.
IPPR report - "a better NHS will be one with fewer hospital beds overall" and shortening hospital stay could save £1bn.
There should be better testing of anti-obesity drugs as the long-term impact of the drugs was not clearly known - Lancet.
Hercceptin reduced death rates among women with early HER2-positive breast cancer but with some serious side effects - Lancet.
Shortage of GPs and nurses in 4 years due to job cuts in the NHS across England
Hospital told to dealy operations to ease debts
Diathermy raises substantially the risk of giving birth early, doctors should consider using alternatives - BJOG.
GPs are being forced to use referral management centres to refer patients to hospital.
A potentially cheaper version of an existing Hepatitis C drug by altering the molecular structure .
Is Statins linked to Parkinson's ?
A mutated gene, SORL1, is linked to Alzheimer's.
GM hens' eggs could help fight cancer.
Common cold virus could destroy cancer tumors.
Blood test has proved highly effective in predicting the risk of heart attack or stroke in patients with coronary heart disease - JAMA.
Men who have had gonorrhoea are twice as likely to develop bladder cancer- British J Cancer.
Spicy foods such as pepper can kill cancer cells.
Using your instincts is better than thinking too hard.
Drinking tea without milk could have more health benefits - European Heart J.
Artificial skin that is germ-resistant and could save the lives of severe burns victims.
New stem cells have been extracted successfully from amniotic fluid surrounding the developing foetus - Nature.
IPPR report - "a better NHS will be one with fewer hospital beds overall" and shortening hospital stay could save £1bn.
There should be better testing of anti-obesity drugs as the long-term impact of the drugs was not clearly known - Lancet.
Hercceptin reduced death rates among women with early HER2-positive breast cancer but with some serious side effects - Lancet.
Shortage of GPs and nurses in 4 years due to job cuts in the NHS across England
Hospital told to dealy operations to ease debts
Diathermy raises substantially the risk of giving birth early, doctors should consider using alternatives - BJOG.
GPs are being forced to use referral management centres to refer patients to hospital.
A potentially cheaper version of an existing Hepatitis C drug by altering the molecular structure .
Thursday, January 11, 2007
UK PubMed Central is live
UK PubMed Central (UKPMC) is now live and freely available, the database holds over 620,000 full-text articles.
Based on PubMed Central (PMC) , the U.S. National Institutes of Health free digital archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature, UKPMC provides a stable, permanent, and free-to-access online digital archive of full-text, peer-reviewed research publications.
Based on PubMed Central (PMC) , the U.S. National Institutes of Health free digital archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature, UKPMC provides a stable, permanent, and free-to-access online digital archive of full-text, peer-reviewed research publications.
GP surgery put health education videos on YouTube
A GP surgery in Wales has launched a series of health education films on YouTube to help educate patients. YouTube is a free online video service that allows users to view and share videos that have been uploaded by its members.
United Press International said "the visual element of YouTube makes it easier to explain treatments and interventions that are difficult to describe in other Web-based formats such as discussion groups..... medical experts warn against using YouTube as a replacement for professional guidance."
To view the health education videos at YouTube, you may need to install a newer version of Flash. Contact your IT Department if you have difficulty in installing the free sotftware.
United Press International said "the visual element of YouTube makes it easier to explain treatments and interventions that are difficult to describe in other Web-based formats such as discussion groups..... medical experts warn against using YouTube as a replacement for professional guidance."
To view the health education videos at YouTube, you may need to install a newer version of Flash. Contact your IT Department if you have difficulty in installing the free sotftware.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
How Web 2.0 is changing medicine
There is an interesting editorial in the BMJ Christmas issue, BMJ 2006;333:1283-1284 (23 December) about the development of Web 2.0 and its impact in medical content.
"Web 2.0 brings people together in a more dynamic, interactive space ....... The new environment features a highly connected digital network of practitioners where knowledge is not limited or controlled by private interests."
Many medical schools, medical journals as well as physicians have embraced the opportunity the emerging technologies offer in sharing, creating and disseminating medical knowledge as well as exhanging opinions in real time. Some popular examples of Web 2.0 include blogs, wikis, RSS feeds, podcasts etc.
Many quick responses to the editorial are in favour of the Web 2.0 : the interactivity of Web 2.0 will help doctors make better decisions and empowered patients, medical information and updates can be pushed far more effectively. A few warn that using these creative tools requires responsibility and the collaboration of medical information needs verifying and certifying so that users can trust and rely on it.
"Web 2.0 brings people together in a more dynamic, interactive space ....... The new environment features a highly connected digital network of practitioners where knowledge is not limited or controlled by private interests."
Many medical schools, medical journals as well as physicians have embraced the opportunity the emerging technologies offer in sharing, creating and disseminating medical knowledge as well as exhanging opinions in real time. Some popular examples of Web 2.0 include blogs, wikis, RSS feeds, podcasts etc.
Many quick responses to the editorial are in favour of the Web 2.0 : the interactivity of Web 2.0 will help doctors make better decisions and empowered patients, medical information and updates can be pushed far more effectively. A few warn that using these creative tools requires responsibility and the collaboration of medical information needs verifying and certifying so that users can trust and rely on it.
What is the greatest medical breakthrough?
BMJ is launching a competition to decide the greatest medical breakthrough to mark the relaunch of the BMJ.
100 nominations by readers have been received and 15 shortlisted including :
anaesthesia, antibiotics, chlorpromazine, computers, DNA, EBM, germ theroy, imaging, immunology, oral rehydration therapy, the pill, risks of smoking, sanitation, tissue culture and vaccines.
What do you think is the greatest medical milestone? Read the shortlisted milestones and vote for the winner.
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