It is a peculiar trait of American politics: long presidential speeches broadcast at prime time. Just as Bill Clinton did thirteen years ago, yesterday, for an hour, President Obama tried to convince the American people that they had more to gain from healthcare reform than they had to lose. After a summer in which the […]
Category: Guest writers
Síle Lane on keeping libel laws out of science
Good science depends on open, critical discussion. Where medical science is concerned, if doctors didn’t voice reservations and medical publishers don’t air disputes, many people might think them irresponsible. But the libel laws in England mean robust criticism brings a risk of ruin that is chilling scientific and medical debates. It does this so effectively […]
Tracey Koehlmoos: How zinc can save 400,000 lives annually
In the August 17th issue of Time magazine, there was an article that discussed the introduction of zinc as a treatment for childhood diarrhoea in Mali. The article has raised international awareness on the lifesaving use of zinc to prevent an estimated 400,000 child lives per year globally. However, two important points were not addressed […]
Richard Smith: A crime against knowledge
Firsthand personal experience of a great crime can make it real in a way that full intellectual understanding will not. Spend two hours in close contact with an African AIDS orphan, and you’ll know what I mean. […]
Helen Carnaghan: ENT is like a lady’s handbag – you never know what you might find!
I am now working in the department of ear, nose and throat (ENT) and I have come across my all time favourite medical saying: “A thyroid is like a lady’s handbag – you never know what you might find!” This was said with glee by one of my consultants during a thyroidectomy. His point being […]
Louise Kenny: Two men down and a ’99 flake
I’ve spent the last week relaxing in Antigua, Guatemala, hauling myself through 6 hours of Spanish lessons a day in a last minute attempt to quell the panic before I start work. I’ve discovered that learning to take a history in Spanish is somewhat like those 3rd year days of worrying; what came after the […]
Carl Heneghan and Matthew Thompson on Tamiflu in children: what’s all the fuss?
Carl Heneghan The last few days has been hectic since the publication of our systematic review in the BMJ on the use of antivirals in children. By now, you are probably aware of the findings given the media interest. Basically, our study raised questions about the usefulness of antiviral flu drugs in preventing and treating […]
Mark Cobain on understanding cardiovascular risk
Amidst all the debate regarding CVD risk scores, Rod Jackson’s recent editorial ‘QRISK or Framingham for predicting cardiovascular risk?’ evaluated the usefulness of two risk scores: QRISK and Framingham. It is worth recalling that it is nearly twenty years since Framingham, the UK’s most widely used risk score was developed. Is it time we reassess […]
Richard Smith on living funerals
As we begin to assimilate the reality of assisted suicide we should also take the next step to living funerals. I’ve never been to one, but a living funeral is exactly as the name implies: the “funeral” is held while the star turn is still alive – but close to death. If the person is […]
James Raftery on the Kennedy report
” Appraising the value of innovation and other benefits: a short study for NICE, ” the report by Sir Ian Kennedy contains one of the best critiques of the new buzz word “innovation” but perversely goes some way to recommending it be included in cost effectiveness. […]