Juliet Walker: BMJ in the news

A BMJ research paper reports that drinking hot tea is strongly linked with an increased risk of developing oesophageal cancer. The study was conducted in the Golestan province, northern Iran, where there is a high incidence of the disease. The BBC wrote that, ‘the finding could explain the increased oesophageal cancer risk in some non-Western populations. […]

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Julian Sheather on the case of Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell is more often associated with toppling heels and fashion-pack tantrums than fundamental clashes in human rights, but as we all know, in our celebrity-strewn culture, fame can be a lightning rod, drawing down great matters on otherwise unremarkable souls. While there may be more moving sights than the gyrations of exposure-hungry models seeking […]

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NICE and the influenza antivirals for healthy adults – No, again and again and again

NICE’s  latest technology appraisal of the  flu antiviral drugs (amantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir), published in February 2009  marks the sixth time these drugs have been considered. The timelines are  shown below. […]

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David Kerr on preventing cervical cancer in Africa

I think we have reached a pivotal moment in the fight to prevent cervical cancer in Africa.  This week I organised an international meeting in Oxford, bringing together representatives of the First Ladies of Nigeria and Uganda, African health ministers, pharmaceutical companies, and leading cervical cancer doctors, to map out a strategy for cervical cancer […]

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Domhnall MacAuley on primary care in Canada

When Davidicus Wong (cool name) told of being asked by a fellow passenger on a plane “Are you a GP or just a just a specialist?”, it set the scene for the Impact BC Canadian Health Improvement Forum, which preceded the Institute for Healthcare Improvement meeting (10th Annual International Summit on Redesigning the Clinical Office […]

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Chris Turner on life at Stafford Hospital after the media storm

So it’s the end of week two since the Healthcare Commission report into Stafford Hospital became public knowledge, and the toll is showing. It shows on the faces of staff who feel battered, it shows on the faces of managers who look beleaguered, and most importantly it shows on the faces of our patients who […]

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