To most doctors psoriasis is a disease to be fought, contained, and even cured, but is this far too narrow a view? John Updike, one of the greatest writers in English of the past century, had psoriasis for almost all his life, and he writes in Self-Consciousness: “Psoriasis is my health. Its suppression constitutes a […]
There’s good news finally. India’s new government announced in its budget speech, presented by finance minister Arun Jaitley on July 10 2014, that: “A national programme in mission mode is urgently required to halt the deteriorating malnutrition situation in India, as present interventions are not adequate. A comprehensive strategy including detailed methodology, costing, time lines, […]
What would medical care be like in a genuine free market? Nobel laureates in economics have opposing views. But does India have the answer? There, healthcare has a strong private sector: patients usually pay directly and the insurance industry is just emerging. Milton Friedman believed that markets would work just fine in healthcare. Kenneth Arrow […]
“Where has the time gone?” was the title of a popular song from China’s 2013 Spring Festival Gala, which went viral after China Central Television broadcast it to billions of viewers. Interestingly, the song’s central question was also put to clinical physicians in a recent survey. Chinese physicians have provided medical services and helped patients for many years, but has the […]
As diseases go, bladder cancer has a pretty raw deal. It lacks the attention and research funding given to other urological cancers (I’m looking at you prostate cancer), and—perhaps most worryingly—it is the only one of the top 10 cancers in the UK for which survival is getting worse. One particular problem is delayed diagnosis, […]
The Ashya King case has gone global, and in the UK is assuming Mid Staffordshire proportions. The law, as interpreted, would appear to have totally overlooked the best interests of a gravely ill child: to have parents who love and care for you at your side. Amid the media hullabaloo, unfolding events, heated debate, and […]
As previously mentioned, the European Medicines Agency pulled back on its transparency policy when it published a new draft for consultation in May this year. The European Ombudsman and Glenis Willmott MEP were among many who expressed concern or criticised the new draft policy. A final decision by the management board of the agency has been […]
“What has International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) achieved anyway?” The question posed at a workshop on primary prevention needed answering, since the 21st IPPNW Congress meeting we were at coincided with major wars in Gaza, Syria, and Ukraine. Not even the most ardent members of IPPNW would expect our organisation to prevent […]
The UK Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine lent its support for greater transparency in clinical trials, according to a News article on thebmj.com. President of the faculty Keith Bragman said, “We have a responsibility to patients.” The announcement came alongside publication of a survey of nearly 400 of its members, of which nearly two thirds reported […]
At last, with health secretary Jeremy Hunt’s announcement of new measures being introduced to improve the standard of food in English hospitals, we may finally see better quality food in our hospitals. These changes will see hospitals ranked according to the quality and choice of the food they serve. They will hopefully provide some sanity, […]