• Specific SSRIs and birth defects The association between maternal use of antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), during pregnancy and birth defects has been the topic of much discussion in recent years. Recent meta-analyses and systematic reviews have reached conflicting conclusions, so J Reefhuis and colleagues carried out a bayesian analysis to interpret new data in […]
John Middleton: Cement—Gaza’s forgotten public health need
A delegation of public health professors and specialists from the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) visited Gaza from 5-7 June 2015, and took part in a joint meeting with the School of Public Health of the Gaza Branch of Al Quds University. “We have 35 international aid agencies and […]
The BMJ Today: Money and medicine
• A report by the Kings Fund finds that “clinicians can do more to deliver better health outcomes at a lower cost.” The report points out examples of successful cost-savings and efficiency, such as increases in generic prescribing and day surgery, but finds that more needs to be done and points out opportunities to save more in […]
William Cayley: Diagnosis—what it’s not . . .
“Phew! At least you don’t have something bad.” “I know doc, but what is it?” I’m afraid that in medicine, we too often focus on the former, and not enough on the latter. How often do we see patients admitted to hospital to “rule out” an acute coronary syndrome? How often do we do a […]
Anna Mead-Robson: Welfare cuts and suicide risk
Pity the politician tasked with addressing over a thousand psychiatrists on the state of mental health services. At last week’s International Congress of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, such a fate befell the Rt Hon Alistair Burt, minister of state for community and social care. Braving his audience, Burt acknowledged the current weaknesses within our […]
David Lock: Who has a legal duty to fund post-trial treatment?
If someone has been in a clinical trial, do they have a legal right to ongoing treatment for as long as treatment is clinically appropriate where the clinical trial was a success for that patient? I wrestled with this problem on an individual case recently where a patient got fantastic results from an expensive drug […]
Aditya J Nanavati: A fat(e)al flaw
The concepts of fate and destiny are rooted in the cultural fabric of India. Even though these concepts have provided people with solace in the most difficult times, I believe a closer look is warranted at how they affect medical practice. Very often, while explaining the potential complications of a surgical procedure I hear, “Thanks […]
The BMJ Today: Which paper should The BMJ be most proud of publishing?
• To mark 20 years of being online we asked 20 readers from the UK and around the world—including Jane Dacre, David Haslam, Jocalyn Clarke, and Samiran Nundy—to nominate their top paper published since 1995. You can read who chose what, and why, here. The choices show a wide range of preoccupations and illustrate some key […]
Richard Lehman’s journal review—6 July 2015
NEJM 2 July 2015 Vol 373 11 Liraglutide for weight loss. Like the second Iraq war, we knew for years that it was coming. The propaganda was laid out well in advance. “Obesity is a chronic disease with serious health consequences,” say the NovoNordisk authors. No it’s not, it’s a measure of body weight that […]
Toby Shipway: Too hot to handle—hyperthermia in the V8’s
The spectacle and ceremony of the V8’s came to Darwin recently. Personalised saloon cars, a little like my grandfather used to drive, have been rebuilt and given a mechanical boost to reach speeds of 300kph. They are the showpiece of a touring racecar event that visits a number of racetracks around Australia every year. Preened […]