Miscellaneous News

RSS

Big pharma gets the desired results from medical journals

“Medical journals are an extension of the marketing arm of pharmaceutical companies,” argues Richard Smith, former editor of the BMJ and now Chief Executive of UnitedHealth Europe, in a provocative essay published in the open access international health journal PLoS Medicine.

17 May 2005

Safety belts in police cars may be life threatening

The hypothesis that the personal equipment or the uniform might affect the function of the seat belt in a collision was put to test. The study points out that an alternative, professional use of vehicles ought to be more generally considered in relation to the crash safety aspects.

17 May 2005

Bill Gates calls on world leaders to seize opportunity to improve health

In a major address today to international health officials, Bill Gates said the world now has a "historic chance" to achieve dramatic improvements in health, and called on governments, the scientific community, and the private sector to more aggressively fight the diseases that affect hundreds of millions of the world's poorest people each year.

16 May 2005

Parents of new born convicted of reckless homicide

A newborn baby girl died unnecessarily because her parents rejected medical intervention for their ailing daughter.

15 May 2005

If you want to avoid smoke-filled pubs you will be better off in the south of England

If you want to avoid smoke-filled pubs you will be better off in the south of England than in the north according to a snapshot survey published today by the British Medical Association (BMA). In an attempt to establish just how many pubs will be exempt from laws banning smoking in enclosed workplaces, the BMA found wide regional differences with a strong north-south divide.

12 May 2005

Fertility clinics across the United States already ensure that donated sperm is safe, regardless of the sexual orientation of the donor

The American Fertility Association (AFA) disagrees with the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) sperm donation guidelines, which take effect on May 25, 2005.

12 May 2005

Another thing to add to the fright list - a killer summer for Britain!

Because the Met Office in London are predicting that average British temperatures in July and August this year could be unusually high, with potentially devastating consequences, the British Government has acted to combat a disaster that they feel could threaten thousands of lives - a hot summer.

11 May 2005

UK Chief Medical Officer updates heatwave plan

The dangers of heat were today highlighted by the Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson with the publication of an updated heatwave plan and new public information leaflets.

11 May 2005

Berkeley imposes ban on alcohol at fraternity and sorority events

Growing concerns about alcohol-related incidents have led the University of California, Berkeley, to enact a ban on alcohol consumption at all events hosted by campus fraternities and sororities, officials announced Monday.

10 May 2005

BMA Wales delighted with Assembly committee's smoking conclusions

Welsh Secretary of the BMA Dr Richard Lewis was delighted that the National Assembly's Committee on Smoking in Public Places has recommended a complete ban in Wales.

10 May 2005

Para Red found in more products in the UK

The banned dye Para Red has been found in another 19 food products prompting their withdrawal from the market in the UK.

9 May 2005

FDA seeks to ban gay men from donating sperm

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to the dismay of gay-rights activists, is recommending that any man who has had sex with another man in the previous five years be barred from serving as an anonymous sperm donor.

8 May 2005

Britain recalls 35 more products with Para Red dye

Thirty five products contaminated with an illegal red dye Para Red, that has been linked to cancer, were recalled on Thursday by Britain's Food Standards Agency.

5 May 2005

Does it ever occur to you that Angelina Jolie is really phat?

A weird world of modern slang has evolved since the days when a beautiful woman was a fox, a young man was a dude and couples made out.

4 May 2005

45% of US drug arrests are for marijuana, is this a waste of resources?

A great deal of time and money as well as man-power is spent on chasing after people using, possessing and trafficking in drugs. Since 1990, there have been 6.2 million arrests for marijuana possession and 1 million for marijuana trafficking.

3 May 2005

American Fertility Association launches new phone support service

The American Fertility Association announced the launch of their NEW Patient Appointment Assistance Program -- a free groundbreaking national physician referral and appointment scheduling service that actually connects patients with fertility specialists.

3 May 2005

UK products recalled because of banned food dye

The presence of banned dye Para Red has been found in two products on supermarket shelves and has immediately prompted their withdrawal from the market.

3 May 2005

Couple demand an apology over failed vasectomy

A British woman and her husband have lodged a formal complaint against St Patrick's Clinic for Reproductive Health in Birmingham after her husband's vasectomy has been proved to have failed.

3 May 2005

Heart patient dies the day after a 3,800 kilometre bike ride

After bypass surgery had given him a second chance at life Broc Bebout, 57, a retired engineer, died of a heart attack the day after completing a 3,800-kilometre cross-country trip.

2 May 2005

Shade structure grants help make it safer to have fun in the sun

With warm, sunny weather outside, no one wants to find themselves cooped up indoors, especially children. But heading outdoors without adequate sun protection can lead to a sunburn that lingers long after the outdoor fun has ended. Sunburns are known to have a cumulative effect and can lead to future skin cancers including melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

2 May 2005