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20/07/2008 - Surgeons could earn pay bonuses (BBC)
Surgeons could earn bonuses for operations under plans being considered by the UK's largest hospital trust.
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20/07/2008 - Gene found that lets you hold your drink (The Scotsman)
RESEARCHERS believe they have discovered two genes which allow people to hold their drink.
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20/07/2008 - Antibiotics crackdown in war on superbugs (The Scotsman)
MEDICINES for hospital patients are to be rationed under radical new plans to halt the spread of killer superbugs.
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20/07/2008 - Grief really hurts (BBC)
How strong emotions can cause physical pain
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20/07/2008 - Autism parents 'infection risk' (BBC)
Caring for children with problems such as autism or Down's syndrome may weaken parents' immune systems [suggested association through stress].
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20/07/2008 - 'One woman, one egg' IVF plan reduces chances of live births (The Independent)
Thousands of couples undergoing IVF treatment will find that their chances of having a baby are vastly reduced under a controversial new technique being promoted by the fertility watchdog, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).
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20/07/2008 - How to tame a teenage tearaway (The Independent)
Teenagers have never been particularly easy but right now they seem out of control. From rocketing knife crimes committed by teens to the suicides in Bridgend, Britain's young people have rarely seemed so troubled [examples of interventions].
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20/07/2008 - Britain's stroke shame (The Independent)
A failure to deal properly with stroke victims is costing Brit-ain billions of pounds a year, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.
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19/07/2008 - The volume of music 'can affect the volume you drink' (The Scotsman)
LOUD music in bars and pubs makes people drink more heavily and quickly, a study revealed yesterday.
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19/07/2008 - Suicide GP insists 'law is an ass' (The Scotsman)
A GP who gave sleeping pills to a patient so she could kill herself, branded the law an "ass" yesterday.
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19/07/2008 - Tummy tuck man (BBC)
One of a growing number who opt for cosmetic surgery [in this case tummy tuck after long term steroids].
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18/07/2008 - Human blood vessels grown in mice (BBC)
Scientists have used human cells to grow new blood vessels in a mouse for the first time, a US journal reports [potential value for human heart surgery].
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18/07/2008 - Kenyans reject circumcision plan (BBC)
Elders from Kenya's Luo community reject a government plan to promote circumcision to stem HIV/Aids.
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18/07/2008 - Vomiting dummy for medic training (BBC)
Medical students train on a dummy which can vomit and sweat and moves and feels like a real patient.
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18/07/2008 - Scan 'detects obsessive disorder' (BBC)
A brain scan could help identify those at risk of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), say scientists.
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18/07/2008 - How breastfeeding releases a trust hormone in mothers (BBC)
Scientists have for the first time shown how a "trust" hormone is released in the brains of breastfeeding mothers.
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18/07/2008 - Hayfever drug for Alzheimer's (NHS Choices)
'Hayfever pill to fight Alzheimer's' is the headline in The Sun. The newspaper suggests that dimebon ' a hayfever pill ''combats memory loss in patients with the brain disease'. The story is based on a study in 183 Russian patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. This study was small and limited to a particular setting and culture, but it highlights the potential of dimebon (previously used as an antihistamine and unlicensed in the UK) in the treatment of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. Larger studies are likely to follow to test how well this drug might work in other countries and with other forms of the disease. Such research will be welcome for a disease with few effective treatments. Where did the story come from? Dr Rachelle Doody and colleagues from Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and other medical and academic institutes across Russia and the USA, carried out this study. Several of the investigators declared a conflict of interest as they were associated in some way with the company Medivation, which manufactures the drug and funded the study. The study was published in the peer-reviewed medical journal: The Lancet. What kind of scientific study was this? This was a double-blind randomised controlled trial that included 183 people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. Patients were aged over 50 years and were recruited from 11 sites across Russia. Brain images (through MRI or CT) taken within 12 months of enrolment were available for each patient. Patients were allowed to take other medication alongside the study treatment, but they were excluded if they had taken other treatments for Alzheimer's disease, such as cholinesterase inhibitors or N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists (amantidine), in the 60 days before the study. People whose dementia was not caused by Alzheimer's disease were also excluded. Patients were randomly allocated to receive daily dimebon or placebo for 26 weeks. The researchers then assessed cognitive function with a number of different measures, but their main one was a questionnaire called the ADAS-cog which assesses memory, language and coordination. Assessments were undertaken before the study (at baseline), halfway through treatment (at 12 weeks) and at the end of treatment (26 weeks). The researchers then compared the change in cognitive function over time between the groups to determine the effect of dimebon compared with placebo. The researchers also collected information on adverse events. Some patients were enrolled in an extension of this study (up to 52 weeks). Of the 155 patients completing the 26-week phase, 134 of them agreed to this extension, and assessments were available for 120 of these at 52 weeks. What were the results of the study? By the end of the study, patients taking dimebon had improved by about two points on the scale used to assess cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's (ADAS-cog), while those taking placebo worsened by about two points. There was a statistically significant benefit of dimebon on this outcome. A similar pattern of improvement with dimebon and worsening with placebo was seen with the other measures of cognitive function.At 52 weeks, dimebon was still significantly better than placebo on all measures and, with some measures, the effect relative to placebo increased over time. At 26 weeks, self-reported (i.e. not clinically diagnosed) symptoms of depression were greater with dimebon than placebo (though these symptoms did not lead to study discontinuation and were not reflected in a measure of depression that was included as part of the study). Other effects (including insomnia, atrial flutter and muscle pain) occurred more frequently with dimebon, but overall rates were low and the researchers say that 'the clinical significance of this is unclear'. Overall, there was no difference between groups in the number of people who experienced at least one adverse event, and at week 52 there appeared to be more serious adverse events in the placebo group than in the dimebon group. What interpretations did the researchers draw from these results? The researchers conclude that their study has shown that people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's improve when given dimebon compared with baseline and compared with people taking placebo. They suggest that the 52-week results demonstrate a continued and increasing improvement in symptoms. They conclude that the safety profile of the drug is similar to that seen with currently licensed treatments for Alzheimer's. What does the NHS Knowledge Service make of this study? This randomised controlled trial is the best evidence to date of the effects of dimebon for treating cognitive symptoms in people with Alzheimer's disease. The study had sound methods and applied international standards for carrying out research. Although it took place across 11 different sites in Russia (which might mean important differences in the way the study was carried out), the researchers have made an effort to ensure that the study was robust and reliable (each site followed international guidelines for high-quality research). Researchers and participants were unaware of the treatment they were receiving. This blinding is important in reducing bias in a study.'  The research demonstrates a significant improvement in overall cognition in Russian patients with mild-to-moderate disease. The researchers note that studies will be needed to confirm the results in other populations and settings. They say that their Russian sample was on average younger than people usually included in Alzheimer's studies, and that they may have been less likely to be taking other medications alongside their study treatments.'  It is unclear precisely what clinical benefit the two-point improvement on the ADAS-cog represents. Given that the total score on this scale is 70 points, this may represent a small improvement in real-life terms. In summary, this study ' while small and limited to a particular setting and culture ' highlights the potential of dimebon (previously used as an antihistamine) in the treatment of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. Larger studies are likely in the future.
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18/07/2008 - Brain function and tea (NHS Choices)
'A couple of cups of black tea a day can significantly cut the risk of dementia,' reported The Sun. The Daily Telegraph also covered the story, saying that a study had found that people who drank two ...
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18/07/2008 - Health 2.0 empowers plugged-in patients (HSJ)
Consumers are well ahead of the health service in using the web, with patient opinion leaders emerging in many disease areas. Should the NHS engage the public in online dialogue? - asks Daloni Carlisle
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18/07/2008 - Alzheimer's drug trial 'promise' (BBC)
A drug once used to treat hayfever "improves" symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's disease, research suggests.
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18/07/2008 - Hospitals 'could aid crime fight' (BBC)
Hospitals should share information with police when patients are admitted because of a violent attack, a crime expert says.
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18/07/2008 - Public heart shock scheme success (BBC)
A scheme to provide defibrillators in public places in England and Wales should be extended, researchers say.
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18/07/2008 - UK parents most protective in the world (The Scotsman)
PARENTS in Britain are the most protective in the world, not letting their children roam much further than their front gardens, a report revealed yesterday.
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18/07/2008 - Landmark ruling means a better deal for carers (The Scotsman)
A WOMAN who claimed she was forced to resign from her job because she has a disabled son yesterday won her legal battle over discrimination.
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18/07/2008 - First free NHS clinic for gambling addicts opens (The Independent)
The first NHS clinic offering free treatment for gamblers will open in September in what campaigners are hailing as a landmark development in the fight against the growing addiction to traditional and online betting.
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18/07/2008 - Fewer children drink, smoke or take drugs (The Independent)
Teenagers are sobering up – but the improvement is marginal, according to the latest survey of drinking, smoking and drug-taking by young people.
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17/07/2008 - Teen drink and drug use falling (BBC)
Rates of drug taking, smoking and drinking are falling in young teenagers, a national survey shows.
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17/07/2008 - Target to cut MRSA virtually hit (BBC)
The government has almost reached its target of halving MRSA rates, figures show.
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17/07/2008 - Nine in ten patients satisfied with GP access (eHealthInsider)
Nearly nine in ten patients are satisfied with their ability to get through to their GP practice on the telephone, according to the latest survey of almost two million patients.
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17/07/2008 - UK 'trailing other countries on cancer survival rates' (The Scotsman)
SURVIVAL rates from cancer in the UK, including Scotland, are significantly lower than other countries around the world, a study revealed yesterday.
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17/07/2008 - Revealed: How men and women really do have different brains (The Scotsman)
THE saying goes that men are from Mars and women are from Venus, but scientists believe the real explanation for differences between the sexes lies in the structure of their brains.
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17/07/2008 - 'Wide variations' in Ritalin use (BBC)
Prescribing rates for the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drug Ritalin vary widely across England, figures show.
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17/07/2008 - Diabetes limb loss 'could be cut' (BBC)
A discovery by scientists may help reduce the risk of people with diabetes losing a limb.
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16/07/2008 - Malaria gene 'increases HIV risk' (BBC)
A gene which protects against malaria increases vulnerability to HIV infection by 40%, say scientists.
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16/07/2008 - UK patients gain access to their health records from home (PUK)
Following trials, more than 50% of UK GP practices can now offer patients secure Internet access to their medical records. EMIS, the NHS approved supplier which conducted the trials, says the service is likely to encourage better communication between practice staff and patients, and to make people feel better informed about their health.
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16/07/2008 - Welsh NHS streamlining plan (BBC)
The health minister says she is thinking of streamlining Wales' NHS trusts and LHBs into seven bodies.
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16/07/2008 - £286m to improve end-of-life care (The Independent)
The Government launched a new multi-million pound strategy today to support people as they come to the end of their lives.
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16/07/2008 - '£200m medical base for barracks (BBC)
A new '£200m defences medical base to serve the whole of the UK in Staffordshire should be running by 2010.
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16/07/2008 - Self breast examination and cancer (NHS Choices)
It is important that women seek medical attention immediately if they have any concern about changes in their breasts. Early diagnosis and treatment remains the most effective way to reduce the impact of breast cancer.
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16/07/2008 - Nut products and asthma (NHS Choices)
With asthma being highly prevalent among children in the UK, this research will be of interest to the medical community and the population in general. Links were found between asthma risk and daily consumption of nut products, but the study has some limitations.
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16/07/2008 - Mapping health (BBC)
The digital tools fighting malaria in Rwanda
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16/07/2008 - Malaria drug may hit antibiotics (BBC)
Widely used anti-malaria drugs may have an unwanted side-effect - decreasing the power of many antibiotics.
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16/07/2008 - Gene tags 'fuel obesity epidemic' (BBC)
Womb chemicals of overweight mothers raise the risk of their baby being obese, research suggests [Based on experiments in mice].
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16/07/2008 - Promise to improve care for dying (BBC)
Dying people should be given better care at the end of their lives, a cross-parliamentary group says.
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16/07/2008 - Shock therapy health fears (The Scotsman)
THERE are fears about the growing use of shock treatment on mental health patients in Scotland.
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16/07/2008 - Poorer elderly more likely to die (The Scotsman)
THE poorest elderly people are more than twice as likely to die than the richest over a given period, a new study has revealed.
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16/07/2008 - It's good to talk . . '£3m plan offers therapy on the phone (The Scotsman)
SCOTS with mild anxiety and depression are to be given psychological help on the phone and online under plans being unveiled today.
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16/07/2008 - Obesity 'hikes' pancreatic risk (BBC)
Obese women with most of their excess weight on the stomach, are 70% more likely to get pancreatic cancer, research says.
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16/07/2008 - Breast check confusion a problem (BBC)
Women are still confused about the right way to check their breasts for early signs of cancer, says a charity.
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16/07/2008 - MPs reveal mental health problems (BBC)
Almost a fifth of MPs have suffered mental health problems, a survey suggests.
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16/07/2008 - Online junk-food ads 'targeting children' (The Independent)
Children are continuing to be targeted by junk food companies advertising their products over the internet or through "viral" promotions, despite a ban on television adverts promoting unhealthy food to the under-16s.
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15/07/2008 - City GP faces 'euthanasia' probe (BBC)
A Glasgow GP faces questions over his fitness to practice after being accused of prescribing pills to enable suicide.
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15/07/2008 - Pesticide controls 'unacceptable' (BBC)
A woman who lives near fields in Sussex accuses the government of failing to protect people from pesticides at the High Court.
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15/07/2008 - Firm told to stop marketing 'fat-burning' beads in the UK (BBC)
A firm claiming its "fat-burning" beads triggered "automatic weight loss" is to stop UK promotions.
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15/07/2008 - Asthma risk from pregnancy nuts (BBC)
Mothers-to-be who eat nuts every day may increase their child's risk of developing asthma by 50%, claim researchers. [More research required - experts divided]
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15/07/2008 - Sex infections in young up again (BBC)
Half of the total 6% rise in sexually transmitted infections in the UK in 2007 were among young people.
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15/07/2008 - Shine a light (BBC)
Miners' health and safety tool to save premature babies
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15/07/2008 - HealthSpace set for big expansion (eHealthInsider)
HealthSpace, the government's secure online site for patients, is to be expanded to include shared records and GP appointment booking, according to the Health Informatics Review.
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15/07/2008 - Data Sharing Review has messages for the NHS (eHealthInsider)
Patients who consent to a course of treatment should be presumed to have given 'implied consent' to having their data used for medical research, a review of data sharing across government has concluded.
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15/07/2008 - Score plan to assess risk of hospital admission (The Scotsman)
EXPERTS have developed a system to predict how likely patients are to need hospital care, it emerged yesterday.
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15/07/2008 - Medical miracles gather to mark the 30th birthday of IVF (The Scotsman)
NONE of them would be alive today without the efforts of two pioneering scientists who made IVF a reality 30 years ago this month.
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15/07/2008 - Doctors' pulses racing over patient-care rating website (The Scotsman)
DOCTORS today hit out at a new website encouraging patients to rate their standard of care.
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15/07/2008 - Hospital assault admissions rise (BBC)
The number of people admitted to hospital because of assault rose 30% over a four-year period, a study shows.
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15/07/2008 - Exercise 'slows down Alzheimer's' (BBC)
Being physically fit could hold back the development of Alzheimer's disease, US researchers suggest.
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15/07/2008 - Lab boost for spinal injury rehab (BBC)
A chemical used by bacteria to invade other cells may aid rehabilitation from spinal and brain injury, research suggests [Based on early experiments in rats].
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15/07/2008 - Tuberculosis: For years, cases were falling in Britain – now they're rising (The Independent)
When hard-working City hot-shot Carl Liebel developed a cough one morning, he thought that he would work through it, like always. The last thing he expected was to take many months off work, having co...
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15/07/2008 - Suffering stress? You may have been born anxious (The Independent)
Telling someone of a nervous disposition to calm down is a waste of time, according to scientists who have found that a nervous disposition may be something people are born with [based on research in monkeys].
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14/07/2008 - Concern over GP skin cancer ops (BBC)
A survey finds some GPs are treating serious skin cancer, contrary to guidance advising hospital referal.
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14/07/2008 - Weather and weight (NHS Choices)
Scientists have found that people who are overweight have lower levels of vitamin D in their blood, and that this interferes with normal appetite control.
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14/07/2008 - No alcohol for young drivers call (BBC)
The chief medical officer for England says the legal blood alcohol limit should be reduced to zero for drivers aged 17 to 20.
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14/07/2008 - Sleeping soundly 'boosts memory' (BBC)
A refreshing night's sleep may be the best way to boost memory, a study suggests.
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14/07/2008 - Malaria breakthrough in Australia (BBC)
Australian scientists say they have made a discovery that could be a major breakthrough in the fight against malaria.
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14/07/2008 - Mallercise: can you shape up at the shops? (Telegraph)
Exercising at the mall is catching on - and it's more vigorous than it sounds, discovers Neil Tweedie. The ladies who mall-walk are limbering up...
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14/07/2008 - Experts study possible CJD breakthrough (The Scotsman)
EXPERTS at Edinburgh University's National CJD Surveillance Unit are reviewing all of their past research following the discovery of a new CJD-like disease that may have c
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14/07/2008 - Cancer survivor numbers reach 2m (BBC)
Many more UK people than thought either have cancer, or have beaten the disease, says a charity - but they need more long term support.
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14/07/2008 - Nicotine drug 'may slow dementia' (BBC)
Nicotine-based drugs may help delay the moment a person with dementia has to enter a care home, researchers say. [Based on experiments in rats]
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14/07/2008 - Happiness 'immune to life events' (BBC)
Momentous life events, such as marriage or having children, only boost happiness temporarily, say researchers.
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14/07/2008 - Pressures of growing up 'are damaging girls' (The Independent)
Girls as young as 10 are suffering stress, anxiety and unhappiness as they struggle to cope with the pressures of growing up, according to research published today.
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14/07/2008 - Litany of surgical blunders revealed (The Independent)
The cases of 14 brain surgery patients who were the victims of catastrophic errors when neurosurgeons operated on the wrong side of the head are to spearhead a government drive to make operations safer.
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13/07/2008 - Superbug vaccines 'within decade' (BBC)
The government's chief medical officer for England says superbug vaccines should be available within 10 years.
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13/07/2008 - Wii can cure you: hospitals' new game plan (The Scotsman)
IT HAS been blamed for everything from encouraging couch potatoes to repetitive strain injury.
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13/07/2008 - Mothers told to breastfeed children until two (The Scotsman)
EXPECTANT mothers are to be told they should breastfeed children up to the age of two in a bid to boost the health and IQs of Scottish children.
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13/07/2008 - Retinal transplant boosts vision (BBC)
An experimental transplant of foetal cells into the eyes of ten patients with failing sight improved vision in most of them, US researchers say. [Experts disagree about the value of the research.]
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13/07/2008 - NHS: 60,000 medication blunders in 18 months (The Independent)
Medication blunders by NHS staff are killing patients at a rate of two a month and costing the health service £775m a year, a watchdog has revealed.
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13/07/2008 - Cosmetic surgery: Definitely, maybe (The Independent)
Once famous for his stiff upper lip, the average British male might soon be better known for his smooth brow and taut jawline. New figures reveal that the country's plastic surgery clinics are seeing an unprecedented boom in the number of men who are happy to splash the cash on surgery in exchange for a youthful visage and taut tum.
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12/07/2008 - Hospital puts clamp on ambulances (BBC)
A hospital admits clamping non-emergency ambulances for parking infringements and charging £50 for their release.
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12/07/2008 - Further death from C diff bug (The Scotsman)
A NEW death involving the Clostridium difficile bug was confirmed yesterday.
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12/07/2008 - Positive changes (BBC)
Saving nurses time to reinvest in patient care
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12/07/2008 - Virus helps show cancer spread (BBC)
Scientists have used a common cold virus to "light up" prostate cancer tumours in different parts of the body.
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12/07/2008 - Home genetic tests: How much do you really want to know? (The Independent)
A round 2 per cent of the population will suffer from bipolar disorder at some point in their lives. That doesn't sound much. But what if there were a test which would tell you that you were likely to be one of those who will go on to develop it. Would you take it?
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12/07/2008 - Blackburn first in UK to offer free leisure services (The Independent)
A local authority in northern England has become the first in the country to make all its leisure centres and swimming pools free in an attempt to improve the health of its population.
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11/07/2008 - Cave warning on Uganda bat virus (BBC)
The WHO warns people not to enter Ugandan caves after a Dutch tourist contracts a deadly bat-carried virus.
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11/07/2008 - Adults misjudge weight problems (BBC)
Britons are getting worse at judging when they are overweight, a study suggests.
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11/07/2008 - Data discovery (BBC)
How confidential files were found in a disused hospital
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11/07/2008 - Maternity services in the UK (NHS Choices)
'Serious flaws found in NHS maternity care', is the headline in The Guardian. This and other news sources say that mothers and babies are being put at risk, and they go on to list shortfalls in maternity services.
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11/07/2008 - Genetics of autism (NHS Choices)
The Daily Telegraph today reports of 'hopes that a new generation of treatments is about to emerge' for autism. This is based on a new study, which has shown that 'autism could be caused by 'connections' in the brain failing to form properly'.
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11/07/2008 - Tuberculosis scare at university (BBC)
Health experts are screening former students at a Manchester university after a woman is found to have the disease.
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11/07/2008 - Women 'using web for abortions' (BBC)
Some women in countries where abortion is restricted are using the internet to buy medication for a home abortion, the BBC learns.
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11/07/2008 - Personal care plea by medics (The Scotsman)
DOCTORS have called on the Scottish Government to ensure that elderly people have access to free personal care.
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11/07/2008 - City conference doctors tested for superbug (The Scotsman)
NEARLY 200 doctors attending a medical conference in the Capital have been tested to see if they carry the superbug MRSA.
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11/07/2008 - HRT study 'highlights pills risk' (BBC)
Using HRT patches instead of pills could cut the risk of gallbladder complications, a study says.
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10/07/2008 - Operation death stats made public (BBC)
Death rates for patients undergoing major surgery at NHS hospital trusts in England have been published for the first time.
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10/07/2008 - Patients' 'second class NHS' fear (BBC)
Welsh patients feel like second-class citizens when they need health care across the border, a report finds.
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10/07/2008 - Sight-drug battle in High Court (BBC)
Three patients are taking their NHS trust to the High Court to try to force it to pay for a "sight-saving" drug.
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10/07/2008 - Sex lessons in primary school 'would cut teen pregnancies' (The Scotsman)
LESSONS about sex and relationships should start in primary school to try to tackle sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancies, doctors said yesterday.
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10/07/2008 - New warning for mums-to-be on drink and smoking danger (The Scotsman)
DOCTORS have urged mothers not to smoke or drink during pregnancy as it emerged one-in-seven babies born in Scotland requires additional care.
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10/07/2008 - Watchdog urges maternity action (BBC)
Some NHS trusts in England must do more to improve safety, and offer women more choice, says a watchdog's report.
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09/07/2008 - Food diary helps weight loss (NHS Choices)
'Keeping a food diary helps lose weight' is the headline in The Daily Telegraph. Scientists suggest that simply writing down everything that you eat can 'double the amount of weight lost', according t...
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09/07/2008 - Being too fat 'can damage sperm' (BBC)
Obese men have poorer quality sperm, perhaps because too much fat around their testicles causes them to heat up, scientists have suggested.
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09/07/2008 - MS guidelines 'are being missed' (BBC)
The NHS in England is failing to meet national guidelines issued five years ago to improve the diagnosis and care of people with multiple sclerosis.
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09/07/2008 - Doctors to debate NHS 'top-ups' (BBC)
Doctors at the British Medical Association are to discuss the issue of co-payments at their Edinburgh conference.
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09/07/2008 - EMIS extends online patient record access (eHealthInsider)
GP IT system supplier EMIS is extending its online patient record access service to all of its practices.
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09/07/2008 - The new sexual revolution (The Independent)
When the actress Sophia Loren asked her grandmother Luisa when she lost interest in sex, the 80-year-old is said to have replied: "I don't know, dear, you will have to ask someone older than me."
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08/07/2008 - Test to pick out viable embryos (BBC)
A new test to assess the viability of IVF embryos could boost pregancy rates by 15%, say the developers.
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08/07/2008 - Quality care (BBC)
Does the Scottish NHS trump the English version?
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08/07/2008 - Doctor hits out at "unhygienic" TV cookery shows (BBC)
TV chefs are setting a bad example by failing to following basic hygiene standards, public health chiefs say.
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08/07/2008 - MPs' bid to change abortion laws (BBC)
A cross-party group of MPs will attempt next week to end the need for a second doctor to give their approval for an abortion.
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08/07/2008 - Private firms face Scots GP block (BBC)
Ministers in Scotland plan to close what a "legal loophole" in the GP contract that allows private firms to run surgeries.
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08/07/2008 - IVF twins risk 'over-estimated' (BBC)
A US doctor sparks controversy by saying couples having IVF are being "misled" about the risks of twin pregnancies.
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08/07/2008 - Blood pressure 'link to dementia' (BBC)
Controlling blood pressure from middle-age onwards may cut the chances of developing dementia, say researchers.
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08/07/2008 - Out-of-hours unscheduled care hasn't suffered, in spite of what a vocal minority might think (The Scotsman)
RECENT correspondence in this newspaper and elsewhere has highlighted some of the significant challenges that delivering healthcare in remote and rural communities present to
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08/07/2008 - Doctors' chief says England must follow Scots lead on NHS funding (The Scotsman)
ENGLAND must follow Scotland in the way it funds health services, by shunning the private sector and not forcing competition into the NHS, the leader of the UK's doctors s
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08/07/2008 - The pursuit of happiness: it's good to talk... or is it? (The Independent)
A couple of decades ago the advice to those who were depressed and out of work was to get "on yer bike". Today it is as likely to be to get on the couch.
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08/07/2008 - A big fat lie - the nutrition expert who says diets actually cause weight gain (The Independent)
The weight-loss industry is swelling as quickly as our waistlines at the moment, which seems something of a paradox. If body conscious consumers are so happy to buy dieting products, why are we facing an obesity crisis?
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07/07/2008 - New IVF technique (NHS Choices)
'Science thinks big for better IVF' is the headline in The Times. A new technique called intra-cytoplasmic morphologically-selected sperm injection (IMSI) can double the chances of a successful pregnancy, the newspaper says.
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07/07/2008 - Tell donor children early in life (BBC)
Children conceived using sperm donors should be told of their origins at an early age, research suggests.
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07/07/2008 - Diabetes forcing many amputations (BBC)
Around 100 people a week in the UK have a limb amputated as a result of diabetes, a charity has claimed.
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07/07/2008 - Doctors 'under attack' - BMA head (BBC)
The leader of the British Medical Association says doctors in England feel under attack from the government.
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07/07/2008 - Mental health fears over khat use (BBC)
There are fears that the stimulant khat is contributing to mental health problems within the UK's east African communities.
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07/07/2008 - Ruth Rendell speaks out against female genital mutilation (Telegraph)
The novelist is campaigning to stop up to 20,000 girls in Britain being mutilated each year, reports Victoria Lambert.
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07/07/2008 - Beauty of the beetroot (Telegraph)
Scientists have discovered that beetroot has a remarkable effect on lowering blood pressure. Maria Fitzpatrick tries a medically approved new juice.
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07/07/2008 - 10 Minute nutrition (Telegraph)
Nutritional therapist Julia FitzGerald offers easy tips for healthier living. This week: how to treat insomnia.
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07/07/2008 - Superbug hazard as medics 'stopped from cleaning ambulances' (The Scotsman)
PATIENTS are being exposed to potentially lethal superbugs because ambulances aren't being cleaned properly, it was claimed today.
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07/07/2008 - Men face a ticking clock on fatherhood from age 40, study claims (The Scotsman)
MEN have a biological clock which starts to tick when they turn 40, a new study suggests.
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07/07/2008 - Talking therapy plans under fire (BBC)
A government drive to increase the number of cognitive behavioural therapists is flawed, a group of experts warn.
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07/07/2008 - 'Miscarriage rate rises with age of father' (The Independent)
Women with older partners may be at higher risk of suffering miscarriages irrespective of their own age, according to a study that has linked the increased chance of a failed pregnancy with men over the age of 40.
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07/07/2008 - Half of Britons believe NHS will cease to be free at point of use (The Independent)
Half the public believe they will have to pay directly towards their NHS treatment within a decade, a survey by the British Medical Association reveals.
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07/07/2008 - Doctors fume at glamorisation of smoking in films (The Independent)
Film stars who smoke on screen should attract the attention of the censor in the same way as they would if they were engaged in extreme sex or violence, doctors say.
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06/07/2008 - Concerns over foreign transplants (BBC)
A London hospital is referred to healthcare watchdogs over the number of liver transplants carried out on foreign patients.
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06/07/2008 - Male biological clock 'ticks too' (BBC)
Scientists say there's more evidence that men, like women, have biological clocks affecting when they can have children.
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06/07/2008 - BMA urges tougher tobacco rules (BBC)
The British Medical Association's annual conference hears calls for a range of tough measures to rid the UK of smoking.
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06/07/2008 - Polyclinics 'not a threat' to GPs (BBC)
GP surgeries will not be forced to close when polyclinics open, the health minister has said.
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06/07/2008 - BMA chief against private drugs (BBC)
The head of the British Medical Association says top-up care should continue to be banned.
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06/07/2008 - Sly smokers spark more pub inspections (The Scotsman)
PLANS to scale down smoking inspectors are to be scrapped after new research suggested many pub customers are lighting up during lock-ins.
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06/07/2008 - Scots mother rolls out her canine therapy to help autistic children (The Scotsman)
A MOTHER who helped her autistic son communicate by using their family dog has launched a scheme to help other Scottish children with the condition.
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06/07/2008 - MP bids to outlaw abortions for club foot or cleft palate (The Scotsman)
ABORTIONS carried out because babies have a club foot or cleft palate could be banned under plans to be put before MPs later this month.
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06/07/2008 - Confusion over law halts Scots organ transplants (The Scotsman)
SCORES of desperately ill Scots have been denied organ transplants because of mistakes by medical staff and confusion over the law, Scotland on Sunday can reveal.
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06/07/2008 - Donor children 'emotionally well' (BBC)
Children from assisted conception do as well emotionally as those conceived naturally, research suggests.
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06/07/2008 - A chair to aid breastfeeding in public (BBC)
Student Nicola Hart hopes her new chair will make the cafe experience less daunting for breastfeeding mothers.
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06/07/2008 - GPs 'bullied' into longer surgery hours (The Independent)
Doctors will this week accuse ministers of "bullying" them into seeing patients at weekends and in the evenings, as government figures reveal they are far behind targets for offering treatment outside office hours.
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05/07/2008 - Prevention is cure (BBC)
How the NHS could do more to stop people getting ill
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05/07/2008 - Doctors' chief says Scottish hospitals need 1,000 more consultants (The Scotsman)
AROUND 1,000 more consultants are needed in Scotland to improve outcomes for patients, the leader of the country's doctors has told The Scotsman.
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05/07/2008 - Gender 'impacts on transplants' (BBC)
Women who get a replacement kidney from a male donor are more likely to reject the new organ, scientists suggest.
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04/07/2008 - Red wine and quality of life (NHS Choices)
'Red wine drug could make elderly more vigorous but not live longer,' is the headline in The Daily Telegraph. A research study has found that an extract of red wine did not appear...
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04/07/2008 - Four-way split (BBC)
Why the UK now has different NHS systems
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04/07/2008 - Call for prescription charge end (BBC)
Three quarters of people in the UK want to see prescription charges scrapped in England, a BBC poll suggests.
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04/07/2008 - Health boards 'risk being swallowed up' (The Scotsman)
PLANS to "twin" Scotland's three island health boards with mainland authorities could be the start of the "slippery slope towards centralisation", opponent
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04/07/2008 - Sporting 'heart screening' call (BBC)
Screening sportsmen for signs of hidden heart conditions could save lives, a study has concluded.
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04/07/2008 - 'Deadliest' malaria rising in UK (BBC)
More cases of the most dangerous type of malaria are being brought back to the UK from trips, official figures show.
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04/07/2008 - Relax in style: 10 ways to beat stress (The Independent)
Alternative therapies - what's behind the names?: Aromatherapy; Acupuncture; Hot stone massage therapy; Reflexology; Flotation; Reiki; Qigong; Meditation; Swedish/Thai massage; Shiatsu - And what do ...
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03/07/2008 - US 'pregnant man' has baby girl (BBC)
An American man who was born female but underwent gender realignment surgery, gives birth, US media report.
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03/07/2008 - 'Mental risk' of Facebook teens (BBC)
Children growing up with social networking websites may have a "dangerous" view of the world, says an expert.
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