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24/07/2008 - Homeopathy prescriptions falling (BBC)
GP prescriptions for homeopathy have nearly halved in two years, figures show.
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24/07/2008 - Suspension for 'suicide' case GP (BBC)
A Glasgow GP is suspended for six months by the General Medical Council after prescribing sleeping tablets to a suicidal patient.
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24/07/2008 - Middle-aged 'fitter' than young (BBC)
Middle-aged men and women in England are more likely to play sport than younger people, research suggests.
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24/07/2008 - Discovery may boost statin safety (BBC)
Scientists have pinpointed the genetic cause of a rare side effect of the cholesterol-lowering drugs statins.
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24/07/2008 - Soy foods 'reduce sperm numbers' (BBC)
A regular diet of even modest amounts of food containing soy may halve sperm concentrations, scientists suggest.
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24/07/2008 - Low uptake mars chlamydia testing (BBC)
Chlamydia screening in England reached just a third of those it should have in its first full year, the BBC learns.
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24/07/2008 - Bloomberg and Gates unite to fight smoking (The Independent)
Bloomberg and Gates announced yesterday that they were joining forces to focus on helping all of us, whether we live in Bangladesh, Beijing, or Balham, kick the habit.
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23/07/2008 - Johnson urges obesity 'movement' (BBC)
Alan Johnson calls for a "national movement" to tackle obesity and warns against "vilifying the extremely fat".
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23/07/2008 - 'Suicide' GP guilty of misconduct (BBC)
A Glasgow GP who prescribed sleeping pills to a suicidal patient is found guilty of misconduct.
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23/07/2008 - Dementia patients' memory probed (BBC)
A study of dementia sufferers indicates they be able to remember more than first thought.
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23/07/2008 - Birth weight 'sets future health' (BBC)
Blood vessel changes linked to poor health later in life can be spotted within a few years in boys born small, say scientists.
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23/07/2008 - MPs pushing abortion rights in NI (BBC)
A group of MPs is seeking to give women in Northern Ireland the same abortion rights as in England, Wales and Scotland.
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23/07/2008 - Detox 'left woman brain damaged' (BBC)
A woman is awarded more than '£800,000 after she suffered permanent brain damage while on a detox diet.
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23/07/2008 - Doctors facing annual assessments (BBC)
Doctors face annual assessments which would mean that licences could be removed from poor performers.
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23/07/2008 - Drug abuse linked to Scotland's higher rate of deaths (The Scotsman)
DRUG abuse is to blame for much of Scotland's higher death rate compared with the rest of the UK, researchers said yesterday.
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23/07/2008 - GPs told to cut antibiotics usage (BBC)
Doctors are told to cut the number of prescriptions they hand out to help save the NHS millions of pounds a year.
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23/07/2008 - Many mental health wards 'poor' (BBC)
Many NHS mental health services are poor, according to a review of the sector by watchdogs.
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23/07/2008 - Doctors 'miss early HIV symptoms' (BBC)
HIV is being spread because doctors overlook symptoms which could reveal the infection, a charity claims.
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23/07/2008 - 'Unacceptable' levels of violence on mental wards (The Independent)
Thousands of seriously-ill mental patients are enduring "unacceptable" levels of violence on overcrowded NHS wards where they are vulnerable to sexual predators, an investigation has found.
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23/07/2008 - 'Orange' pupils prompt crackdown on craze for fake tan (The Independent)
Generations of girls have fought their parents and teachers over the length of their skirts but the growing popularity of perma-tanned celebrities has thrown up a new battleground: how brown – or orange – their skin should be. Inspired by bronzed role models such as Girls Aloud, teenagers are slapping on more fake tan than ever before. So serious is the situation at Baines High School in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, that its acting headteacher has written to parents, advising them to control the tanning habits of their children.
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23/07/2008 - Fast treatment for strokes urged to prevent disability (The Independent)
Thousands of lives could be saved and thousands more saved from permanent disability if all patients with suspected strokes were admitted to a specialist unit and, where appropriate, treated rapidly with clot-busting drugs, an NHS watchdog said.
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22/07/2008 - Pensioners win sight drug battle (BBC)
Three pensioners who launched a High Court bid for a "sight-saving" drug will get it - paving the way for others to receive it too.
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22/07/2008 - New prostate cancer treatment (NHS Choices)
Widespread media coverage has been given to a trial of a new drug abiraterone, which has indicated that it could successfully treat and prolong the lives of patients with the aggressive and incurrable form of prostate cancer.
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22/07/2008 - Salt intake 'is starting to fall' (BBC)
Campaigners say a cut in average daily salt consumption in the UK could help save lives - but people still eat too much.
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22/07/2008 - Alcohol cases 'clog up hospitals' (BBC)
Ministers say 800,000 people a year are hospitalised with alcohol-related problems in England.
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22/07/2008 - Patient UK Wins Place on Pilot Accreditation Scheme (Patient UK)
Patient UK has been chosen by the Department of Health as one of the pilot sites to participate in the testing phase of a new scheme to ensure good quality information across the health and social care sector.
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22/07/2008 - IMF funding 'fuelling TB deaths' (BBC)
Strict loan conditions have been blamed for thousands of extra TB deaths in eastern Europe and former Soviet republics.
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22/07/2008 - Move to pay kidney donors (The Scotsman)
SINGAPORE'S parliament has agreed to look at paying kidney donors and to raise the age limit on deceased donors to 60 as only 50 per cent of necessary transplants ar
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22/07/2008 - Drumming workout proves hard to beat (The Scotsman)
PLAYING the drums in a rock concert puts the performer through a workout as gruelling as that endured by a top professional footballer during a match, exercise scientists r
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22/07/2008 - Drug for deadly prostate cancer (BBC)
Scientists say a drug to treat aggressive prostate cancer may be the most significant advance in the field for 70 years [human trials underway, not yet approved for use].
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21/07/2008 - Tobacco 'could help treat cancer' (BBC)
The tobacco plant - a cause of cancer - may offer the means to treat one form of the disease, a study suggests.
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21/07/2008 - Light therapy toothbrush 'to beat plaque' (BBC)
A mouthwash allows plaque-causing bacteria to be destroyed using nothing more than a bright light.
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21/07/2008 - Drink venues' conduct condemned (BBC)
Alcohol retailers in England are routinely guilty of "irresponsible and harmful practices", a government report finds.
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21/07/2008 - Cancer spread halted by broccoli (The Scotsman)
AN ELDERLY cancer sufferer told yesterday how he believed he had stopped the spread of the disease by drinking a daily tumbler of broccoli juice.
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21/07/2008 - Arthritis drug access 'curbed' (BBC)
Treatments available for rheumatoid arthritis are set to be limited by a drugs watchdog's ruling, campaigners warn.
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21/07/2008 - Skin cancer fear 'may harm bones' (BBC)
Worries over skin cancer means that some people shun the sun altogether - which could increase their risk of brittle bone disease.
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21/07/2008 - Mental health poll reveals stigma (BBC)
Nine out of ten people with mental health problems say they frequently face stigma - most often from those closest to them, says a survey.
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21/07/2008 - World warned over killer flu pandemic (The Independent)
The world is failing to guard against the inevitable spread of a devastating flu pandemic which could kill 50 million people and wreak massive disruption around the globe, the Government has warned.
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21/07/2008 - Doctors criticise surgery bonuses (The Independent)
Doctors' leaders have warned that plans to pay bonuses to surgeons based on the outcomes of operations could discourage doctors from treating high-risk patients.
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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)
This study was small and limited to a particular setting and culture, but it highlights the potential of dimebon in the treatment of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer''s disease.
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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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