In Crimea, heroin users have more to worry about than disputed referendums and suspended bank accounts. Since 1 May, the 803 clients of a methadone programme must go cold turkey, given the region’s policy on harm reduction has now aligned with that of Russia. “A blatant example of health policy being hijacked for political ends […]
Category: The BMJ today
The BMJ Today: It’s time for the Oscars of medicine
Today The BMJ hosts its annual BMJ Awards ceremony at the Park Plaza Hotel in Westminster, London. If you’ve never heard of the BMJ Awards, see it as a kind of Oscars of medicine. They’re the UK’s premier medical awards programme, and their goal is to acknowledge and celebrate the inspiring work done by doctors […]
The BMJ Today: Information for patients and clinicians
Diabetes is among the most common non-communicable diseases in the world, and peripheral neuropathy is the most common symptomatic complication of this disease. Small and large fibers are affected, and patients may exhibit a variety of clinical syndromes, including symmetric distal sensorimotor neuropathy, mononeuropathy (single or multiplex), radiculopathy, plexopathy, and even autonomic dysfunction. In about […]
The BMJ Today: Marking International Workers’ Day
Across the world, celebrations marking the International Workers’ Day herald the onset of May. Having its origins in the ‘eight hour day’ movement, which signifies “eight hours labour, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest,” this day recognises efforts to transform labour policies towards promoting the welfare of workers. Propitiously timed, we have a couple of blogs […]
The BMJ Today: Let’s talk money
Some politicians would have us believe that the UK recession is soon to be a thing of the past, and that an economic recovery is well and truly under way, with all the glorious money that that promises for our public services. But two news stories by Gareth Iacobucci paint a very different picture. The […]
The BMJ Today: Going deaf for a living
There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence that the hedonistic lifestyle favoured by musicians— particularly those of a rock ‘n’ roll persuasion—is not conducive to good health outcomes. But leaving aside such vices as alcohol and narcotics, professional musicians are also almost four times more likely to develop noise induced hearing loss than the general public, according […]
The BMJ Today: Prisoners and medical professionalism
Sarah Kimball and Stephen Soldz’s editorial on The BMJ’s website today raises important questions about medical professionalism when dealing with prisoners. A recent report into the role of doctors in prisons such as Abu Ghraib in Iraq presented some disturbing findings, the authors say. […]
The BMJ Today: Good figures, bad figures, and no figures
New statistics on The BMJ‘s website today show improved cancer survival rates in the UK. Half of patients diagnosed with cancer today will survive for at least 10 years, whereas only a quarter would have done so 40 years ago, figures published by the charity Cancer Research UK show. […]
The BMJ Today: Let me have some information
Appeals for information, transparency, and openness are the focus of three articles recently published in The BMJ. From breast cancer screening leaflets to media reporting and medical training, it seems that a lack of openness threatens to harm patient care. […]
The BMJ Today: The good and the bad news for doctors and patients
When it comes to interacting with patients, most doctors’ working days, regardless of the setting, include a combination of breaking both good and bad news. It is extremely rewarding when, for instance, we can tell patients in hospital wards that they have fully recovered and will be going home soon or, on the other hand, […]