UK Health News

Depression Link Diet Drug Approved

2008-06-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

A controversial new diet drug has been approved for NHS use in England and Wales, despite concerns that it may be linked to depression and suicide.

Rimonabant is used by thousands of Britons and, coupled with exercise, could help them to lose up to 10% of their body weight.

Last year the European Medicines Agency voiced concerns that rimonabant may be unsafe for patients already taking anti-depressants. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) acknowledged these concerns, but today gave the go ahead to the drug being made available to NHS patients.

Doctors have been warned that rimonabant should not be prescribed to patients with a history of depression and to be vigilant for the early signs of depression in new users of the medication.

The drug, whose brand name is Acomplia, will only be available on the NHS to patients who have unsuccessfully tried alternative drugs like orlistat.

Rimonabant has been available in the UK since 2006. Since then the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has received 720 reports of adverse reactions to the drug.

Dummy Use Linked to Ear Infections

2008-06-20T04:33:00.000-07:00

Parents should avoid giving their infant a dummy if they are prone to ear infections.

That's the opinion of scientists from University Medical Center, Utrecht writing in the Family Practice journal.

In a five year study the researchers found almost double the risk of recurrent ear infection - known as otitis media - in infants that used a dummy. The study observed 476 infants, of which 216 regularly used a dummy.

There was a 90% increased risk of recurrent ear infections in those who sucked a dummy compared with those who did not.

The researchers suggest that use of a dummy may facilitate the migration of bacteria from the nose to the middle ear, thus heightening the risk of infection.

Lead researcher, Dr Maroeska Rovers, said: "Paediatricians and GPs can use this information in their daily practice - they can dissuade parents from using a pacifier once their child has been diagnosed with acute otitis media to avoid recurrent episodes."

Professor Steve Field, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "This is a very useful piece of research that shows use of dummies in children under the age of four who have a history of ear infections is not a good idea.

"There's no need to panic but - in those children - not using a dummy is likely to prevent recurrence."

Persaud the Plagiarist

2008-06-20T03:40:00.000-07:00

Celebrity psychiatrist Dr Raj Persaud has been found guilty of bringing the medical profession into disrepute by plagiarising some of his publications.

At a General Medical Council (GMC) disciplinary hearing in Manchester Persaud admitted plagiarism but denied that amounted to dishonesty, saying that all of the articles were properly referenced.

The charges mainly relate to material he included in his book 'From the Edge of the Couch'.

Dr Anthony Morgan, chair of the GMC Fitness to Practise panel, said: "You are an eminent psychiatrist with a distinguished academic record who has combined a clinical career as a consultant psychiatrist with work in the media and journalism.

"The panel is of the view that you must have known that your actions in allowing the work of others to be seen as though it was your own would be considered dishonest by ordinary people.

"The panel has therefore determined that your actions were dishonest in accordance with the accepted definition of dishonesty in these proceedings.

"The panel has determined that your actions, in plagiarising the work of others, were liable to bring the profession into disrepute."

Persaud is currently employed as a consultant psychiatrist for the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust.

The GMC will decide what sanctions to impose later today.

Smoking Related Hearing Loss

2008-06-10T08:01:00.000-07:00

Smoking and obesity could be linked to hearing loss, according to a recent scientific study.

Either condition could limit blood flow to the ear, with the extent of damage clearly related to the level of obesity or length of smoking habit.

Unsurprisingly the University of Antwerp led study also confirmed that exposure to high levels of noise remained the biggest risk to hearing.

The study looked at a sample of more than 4,000 men and women aged between 53 and 67. All the participants were given a thorough hearing test and then questioned about their lifestyle.

Lead researcher Dr Erik Fransen said: "The hearing loss is proportional to how much you smoke and your body mass index (BMI).

"It starts getting worse once you have smoked regularly for more than one year."

"Once the damage is done, it's done. It does not repair."

The scientists suggest that smoking and obesity lead to a depletion of blood flow to the ear. This results in a lack of oxygen to the tissues and a build up of harmful waste products.

Amanda Sandford, from the pressure group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said that the results, published in the Journal of the Association for Research into Otolaryngology, should serve as a warning particularly to younger smokers.

She said: "There are so many young people who think that they can give up in middle age and escape some of the other diseases associated with smoking.

"In this case, some of the damage may already have been done."

The study was part-funded by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID).

Unison Agree to Pay Deal

2008-06-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

Members of Britain's largest health union have voted overwhelmingly to accept the Government's latest pay offer.

Unison, representing more than half a million health workers, announced that nearly two-thirds of those who had voted accepted the pay deal. They join the Royal College of Nursing, where 92% of the membership voted in favour of the proposals.

The deal, worth around 8% over three years, would see health workers receive an increase of 2.7% from April and further rises of 2.4% and 2.25% in 2009/10 and 2010/11 respectively. The increase would bring the starting salary for a newly qualified nurse to £20,225 this year.

Several smaller unions, including the Royal College of Midwives, the GMB and Unite, have rejected the pay deal, arguing that it amounts to a pay cut when the price of living is taken into account.

Dr Peter Carter, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said it had recommended the proposed deal to members because it was fair, balanced and "the best deal in the public sector".

"We worked hard to negotiate this deal for our members and it's clear from their response they want us to accept it," he said.

"Some of our lowest paid members, health care assistants and newly qualified nurses will be better off with a pay deal that is worth between 14% and 16%," he added.

Health secretary Alan Johnson said the pay deal had been constructed with "skilled and professional union negotiators".

He added: "The NHS and patients will benefit from pay stability over the next three years that will allow everyone in the service to concentrate on improving patient care even further."

Unison has signalled that it will not hesitate in renegotiating the deal if the rate of inflation continues to rise.

Antibacterial Wipes May Spread MRSA

2008-06-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

Some types of antibacterial wipes used in hospitals may be responsible for spreading MRSA instead of killing it, according to recent research.

Scientists at the Welsh School of Pharmacy observed that MRSA survived on the surface of the wipe and could be transmitted if it was subsequently used for further cleaning.

Dr Gareth Williams, who is presenting the research at the American Society of Microbiology's Annual Meeting in Boston, said he planned to share his full findings with infection control teams.

During his research Dr Williams visited several hospitals to observe how staff used the wipes. He noticed that it was common practice for a single wipe to be used on more than one surface.

Dr Williams commented: "What I found was that staff would wipe one thing, perhaps a bed rail, then move on to several other surfaces, so we went back to the laboratory to see how different wipes performed under these conditions."

The wipes are efficient at cleaning bacteria from the first surface, but were unable to kill the bacteria quickly. This meant that the subsequent cleaning using the same wipe resulted in contamination.

Dr Williams said: "What is remarkable is that some of these wipes actually have the words 'kills MRSA' written on the box.

"We found that, under the conditions we observed in actual hospitals, this wasn't the case."

The researchers recommend that wipes are used on a single surface only.

Increase in Dental Abscesses

2008-05-30T03:50:00.000-07:00

An increase in the number of dental patients being admitted to hospital with abscesses is being linked to long-standing problems over access to NHS dentists.

In the past eight years the number of hospital admissions for abscesses has almost doubled to just under 1,500 cases per year.

Reforms to NHS dentists' contracts in 1990 meant that many switched their attention to more lucrative private work. As dentists decreased their NHS workload the number of people registered for NHS treatment fell by six million in the decade 1994 to 2004.

Researchers from Bristol University have used official NHS data to compare the number of abscess admissions in the years 1998-9 and 2005-6.

The team dismissed the suggestion that poor oral health was to blame, pointing out that the average age of the abscess patients, at 32, was too young to support that claim.

Instead they have suggested that changes to the dental system - in particular poor access to NHS dentists - could be responsible for the sharp increase in abscess cases.

Lead researcher Steven Thomas, a surgeon who treats dental abscesses, said the rise in admissions was a "major public health problem".

"Most serious dental infections are preventable with regular dental care. Indeed, this is the rationale for regular dental check-ups.

"Changes in service provision could, therefore, have resulted in reduced provision of routine dental care and access to emergency dental care.

"These changes might explain the rise in surgical admissions for dental abscess."

The Government introduced new contracts for NHS dentists in 2006, but early indications are that it has done little to widen patient access.

Gum Disease Linked to Increased Cancer Risk

2008-05-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

People with gum disease may also be at an increased risk of developing some kinds of cancer, according to recently published research.

Scientists from Imperial College London discovered that male health professionals with a history of gum disease were at 14 percent higher overall risk of developing cancer than those with healthy gums.

Lead researcher, Dr Dominique Michaud, said in Lancet Oncology: "After controlling for smoking and other risk factors, periodontal disease was significantly associated with an increased risk of lung, kidney, pancreatic and hematological (blood) cancers."

Gum or periodontal disease is an infection of the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth. Prior studies have suggested people with periodontal disease are more likely to develop heart disease and diabetes.

The investigation used data collected from almost 50,000 men aged between 40 and 75. The oral health of the men was monitored by the regular completion of medical questionnaires over a 17-year period.

More than 5,700 of the men developed cancer, excluding cases of non-melanoma skin cancers and non-aggressive prostate cancer. The researchers found that men with gum disease had 14 percent higher cancer risk compared to those who did not.

The risks were higher depending on the type of cancer.

Of the men studied those with history of gum disease had a 36 percent higher risk of lung cancer, a 49 percent higher risk of kidney cancer, a 54 percent higher risk of pancreatic cancer and a 30 percent higher risk of having a blood cancer compared to men who did not have a history of gum disease.

In those who never smoked, gum disease was linked with a 21 percent increase in overall cancer risk and a 35 percent higher risk of blood cancers. They found no association for lung cancer in this group.

"The increased risks noted for hematological, kidney, and pancreatic cancers need confirmation but suggest that gum disease might be a marker of a susceptible immune system or might directly affect cancer risk," Dr Michaud said in a statement.

The researchers concluded by saying it was too early to suggest that good oral hygiene can have any effect at preventing cancer but said periodontal disease should be treated nevertheless.

Paint Harmful to Sperm

2008-05-23T04:41:00.000-07:00

Men regularly exposed to the chemicals found in paint may be at heightened risk of infertility, according to recent research.

Men working with glycol-based paints were found to be two-and-a-half times more likely to produce fewer "normal" sperm.

The researchers obtained data from a sample of 2,000 men attending 14 fertility clinics in the UK. Their findings are published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Sperm motility - the amount of movement of individual sperm - is an important factor in overall fertility. There had been fears that exposure to a wide variety of workplace chemicals might affect a man's ability to father a child.

The joint research project between the Universities of Manchester and Sheffield looked at two groups of men attending fertility clinics - those with sperm motility problems, and those without them.

The men were questioned about their jobs, lifestyles, and potential exposure to chemicals, revealing a 250% increase in risk of sperm motility problems among those exposed to glycol ethers.

The risk posed by glycol-ethers was present even when other factors such as smoking, wearing tight underwear and testicular surgery were taken into account.

Dr Andy Povey, from the University of Manchester, said: "We know that certain glycol ethers can affect male fertility and the use of these has reduced over the past two decades.

"However, our work suggests they are still a workplace hazard and further work is needed to reduce such exposure."

However, this was the only chemical linked to fertility problems in men, and Dr Allan Pacey, a fertility specialist from Sheffield University, said that this would ease mens' worries.

"Infertile men are often concerned about whether chemicals they are exposed to in the workplace are harming their fertility.

"Therefore it is reassuring to know that on the whole, the risk seems to be quite low."

Green Light for Bird Flu Vaccine

2008-05-21T14:19:00.000-07:00

A new vaccine that could help prevent an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has been approved by the European Commission.

GlaxoSmithKline's Prepandrix vaccine is the first preventative medication on the market.

The H5N1 strain has caused the death of 234 people since 2003, although it isn't easily transmitted to humans. GSK argue that it's only a matter of time before H5N1 mutates into a more virulent strain, potentially killing hundreds of thousands of people.

Emmanuel Hanon, Head of Flu at GSK's vaccines business, said: "The chances are there will be another influenza pandemic soon. If you look at the twentieth century, a major outbreak happens every 30 to 40 years."

Prepandrix contains an adjuvant, an ingredient that allows a low level of the vaccine's active ingredient to be used in each shot. This makes it easier to manufacture large supplies of the vaccine quickly in the event of an outbreak.

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has recommended that the Department of Health should vaccinate all patients in at-risk groups.

Fears Over Teenage Sexual Health

2008-05-17T05:45:00.000-07:00

Nearly half of under 25-year-olds do not use a condom with a new partner, according to the findings of an alarming new survey.

The National Aids Trust also reported that 200 of the young people questioned admitted to rarely or never using a condom.

The finding has prompted the Trust to call on the Government to raise awareness by allowing condom advertising on the TV and radio before the nine o' clock watershed. The Trust also wants condom awareness to feature more greatly in the school curriculum.

Deborah Jack, chief executive of the Trust, said: "In National Condom Week, the British public need a wake-up call on condom use.

"Too many people don't know the basic facts on how condoms prevent a sexually transmitted infection such as HIV.

"Too many people are inconsistent in how they use condoms and too many people give up on condoms in a relationship without a health check-up, thus possibly harming their health or that of their sexual partner.

"We need to educate the whole population in the importance of condoms."

The Ipsos MORI survey found that 49% of Britons don't always use a condom with a new sexual partner.

Some 24% of people questioned who had a new sexual partner within the last two years said they would only stop using a condom once they had both been tested for HIV and other sexually-transmitted infections (STIs).

The results of the survey were released to coincide with National Condom Week.

Fruit Juices Prevent Artery Clogging

2008-05-17T05:06:00.000-07:00

Juice obtained from purple grapes and apples may prevent arteries from becoming clogged, according to a recent study.

Researchers from the University of Montpellier fed hamsters on a fatty diet supplemented by either the fruits, their juice or water.

Hamsters on a fruit-based diet had the lowest risk of developing artery problems, according to the findings published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.

The scientists suggest that the benefit of the juice comes from the high level of antioxidants present in the fruit. Antioxidants in various foods have been regularly cited as being beneficial to heart health.

They looked at how being fed various kinds of fruit affected the hamsters' risk of developing atherosclerosis - the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries that can lead to heart attacks or strokes.

The amount of fruit the hamsters consumed was equivalent to three apples or three bunches of grapes daily for a human. Hamsters given juice drank the equivalent of four glasses daily for a person weighing 70 kilograms (154 pounds).

The apples and grapes had about the same phenol (an antioxidant) content, while the purple grape juice had 2.5 times more phenols than apple juice.

Compared with animals given water, those given fruit or fruit juice had lower cholesterol levels, less oxidative stress, and less fat accumulation in their aorta, the main vessel supplying oxygenated blood to the body.

The team, led by Kelly Decorde, said their findings "provide encouragement that fruit and fruit juices may have a significant clinical and public health relevance."

Viagra Helps Muscular Dystrophy

2008-05-14T04:28:00.000-07:00

The revolutionary anti-impotence drug Viagra may prolong the lives of people with muscular dystrophy, according to recent research.

The findings, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest that taking the drug may ward off the onset of heart failure in muscular dystrophy patients.

Muscular dystrophy is a condition that results in general wasting of the muscles. The weakening of the heart muscles means that the organ is less efficient at pumping blood around the body and patients are more prone to heart failure. The first signs of muscular weakness appear at roughly age five, leading to a progressive loss in the ability to walk by the age of 13.

The research was conducted by scientists at the Montreal Heart Institute.

The team found that Viagra prevents the loss of a molecule, cGMP, which plays a key role in keeping blood vessels dilated. This enhances the supply of blood to the heart and keeps it working strongly for longer.

Dr Marita Pohlschmidt, director of research at the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, said the research was interesting.

However, she added: "It is important to remember that benefits seen in animals do not always translate into human medicine.

"Although this is promising, it is still very early days and we look forward to further research that will demonstrate the impact it might have for people with muscular dystrophy."

Breast Milk Donors

2008-05-14T04:11:00.001-07:00

A hospital is accepting donations of breast milk to help premature babies.

Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital is accepting the donations from new mothers who have returned home after childbirth.

All donated milk will be tested for bacteria, pasteurised and then retested before being placed in cold storage. It will be used by mothers who are unable to breastfeed, providing vital nutrition to sick and premature babies.

The donor mothers must be non-smokers, drug free and will have blood tests before their milk is accepted.

Sister Karen Read of the hospital said: "Breast milk can be stored in the freezer for up to three months, so we are encouraging women who produce more milk than their own baby needs to donate it because it is a valuable source of nutrients and protection against infection for babies."

The milk bank also provides supplies to the Princess Anne maternity hospital in Southampton.

Blood Binned Instead of Banked

2008-05-09T05:14:00.000-07:00

Blood from more than 2,500 donors has been discarded after a National Blood Service (NBS) refrigeration unit broke down.

The blood was being stored at the NBS's site at Southampton General Hospital when the unit stopped working last week. The total cost of the breakdown is estimated at £350,000.

Strict quality control regulations mean that blood must be stored at a temperature of between 2 and 6 degrees Celsius. If blood is exposed to temperatures outside this range it must be destroyed.

A spokesman for the NBS said: "Due to a problem with the refrigeration plant, we were unable to issue red blood cells from our Southampton centre last week (Monday-Thursday).

"The supply of platelets and other products was unaffected and normal service for red blood cells was resumed on Friday 2 May.

"No patients were affected by this event."

The NBS also reassured patients that contingency plans are in place to cover such eventualities and that maintenance checks are performed on a regular basis.

NHS Faulty Weighing Scales

2008-05-04T06:46:00.000-07:00

Hospitals, GP practices and nursing homes have been told to check their weighing scales following reports that defective ones are being used.

The Department of Health has issued the advice following several instances of inaccurate scales being used in the NHS. There are concerns that the wrong dosages of medication could be administered to patients weighed on the faulty scales.

Last month, trading standards officers began the National Medical Weighing Project after initial visits to hospitals found many scales were inaccurate.

They also found equipment was missing and staff did not have access to the right scales for specific tasks.

In February there was a near miss when faulty scales were used to weigh a four-year-old cancer patient to calculate her radiation dosage. Fortunately the error was noticed before the dose was administered.

The Department of Health has directed that all scales used to calculate patient medications must be checked before mid June. Any domestic weighing scales which are being used must also be removed and replaced by medical scales.

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "Patient safety and appropriate clinical care is of the utmost importance.

"We take this issue very seriously and have issued an alert and guidance to all NHS trusts on the proper use of weighing scale equipment.

"We expect clinicians to follow this guidance, use the right equipment and not compromise patient safety."

Leafy Streets Cut Asthma

2008-05-03T07:03:00.000-07:00

Living in a tree-lined street may cut the risk of children suffering from asthma.

That's the opinion of scientists from Columbia University, who found that asthma rates among children aged four and five fell by 25% for every extra 343 trees per square kilometre.

They believe that having nearby greenery encourages children to be more active outdoors. The trees may also improve air quality, although they say the true reason for their observation is unclear.

The study appears in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

US rates of childhood asthma soared between 1980 and 2000, with particularly high rates in poor, urban communities.

In New York City childhood asthma is the number one cause of hospital admissions for children under the age of 15. The researchers found the city had an average of 613 street trees per square kilometre, and 9% of young children had asthma.

Some experts believe that children who are exposed to microbes early in their lives are less susceptible to asthma because they have strengthened their immune systems.

The implication is that if trees make children play outside then they are exposed to more microbes, which may protect them from asthma in later life.

Conversely, trees are a source of pollen which is known to aggravate the symptoms of asthma.

Lead researcher Dr Gina Lovasi admitted the effect, if any, of trees was far from clear.

She said: "There may be something else healthful about the areas that had more trees.

"For example, trees could be more abundant in areas that are well maintained in other ways."

New York City aims to plant 1 million extra trees by the year 2017.

TB Outbreak Hits Birmingham

2008-05-03T06:36:00.000-07:00

An outbreak of tuberculosis has hit a girls school in Birmingham, according to the BBC.

As many as 30 pupils at Birchfield Independent School for Girls, in the Aston area of the city, have tested positive for the disease.

A single pupil contracted TB last summer and later transmitted the condition to members of their immediate family.

The decision to test pupils at the school, which teaches an Islamic curriculum, was taken in February this year.

Dr Andrew Rouse, a consultant in public health, said there was no need for the public to be alarmed.

The girls affected with the disease will have to undergo a six-month course of antibiotics.

Dr Keith Prowse, chairman of the British Lung Foundation said rates of TB are on the rise in the UK but the disease is normally curable with a course of antibiotics.

"It's vital that immediate action is taken to investigate the TB strain involved and isolate people affected if necessary.

"Drug resistant strains of TB are rising around the world but there have only been a very small number of cases in the UK so far."

Vitamins May Shorten Life

2008-04-16T05:50:00.000-07:00

Recent research casts doubt over the health benefits of taking vitamin supplements.

A review of 67 studies conducted by scientists at Copenhagan University found "no convincing evidence" that antioxidant supplements cut the risk of dying. Their findings also suggest that vitamins A and E could interfere with the body's natural defence mechanism.

The research involved selecting various studies from 817 on beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium which the team felt were the most likely to fairly reflect the benefits of the supplements.

It was thought that these supplements cut the number of free radicals in the body, thereby inhibiting the process of oxidative stress. This damage has been implicated in several major diseases including cancer and heart disease.

The trials subject to the review involved nearly a quarter of a million patients who were either sick or healthy and taking supplements for disease prevention.

After various other factors were considered the Copenhagen scientists concluded that vitamin A supplements resulted in 16% increased risk of dying, beta-carotene a 7% increased risk and vitamin E a 4% increased risk. Vitamin C didn't appear to have any effect and the team concluded that further investigation was required.

The Department of Health (DH) encourage people to get their vitamins from a balanced diet. A DH spokesman said: "There is a need to exercise caution in the use of high doses of purified supplements of vitamins, including antioxidant vitamins, and minerals.

"Their impact on long-term health may not have been fully established and they cannot be assumed to be without risk."

Call For Food Colouring Ban

2008-04-11T06:32:00.000-07:00

The Food Standards Agency has announced plans to ban artificial colourings from hundreds of different food products.

The agency recommended that Ministers called for the removal of six artificial colourings by the end of 2009. The colourings involved are:

Tartrazine (E102)
Quinoline yellow (E104)
Sunset yellow (E110)
Carmoisine (E122)
Ponceau 4R (E124)
Allura red (E129)

These colours and sodium benozate have been linked to child hyperactivity and loss of attention in the classroom.

Dame Deirdre Hutton, chair of the FSA, said: "It is the agency's duty to put consumers first. These additives give colour to foods but nothing else. It would therefore be sensible, in the light of the study, to remove them."

Campaigners have welcomed the move to reduce the number of additives in UK sold foods. Richard Watts, of the Children's Food Campaign, said: "This decision is good news for children and parents, who have known for many years that these additives affect children's behaviour."

Strike Concerns Over Doctors' Accommodation

2008-04-11T06:28:00.000-07:00

Concerns have been raised that junior doctors in Wales could stage a walk out over plans to withdraw their free accommodation entitlement.

The British Medical Association (BMA) requested urgent talks with NHS bosses yesterday, amid fears that debt-ridden junior doctors could face a pay cut and lose their right to live on hospital premises free of charge.

A doctor's entitlement to accommodation is worth an estimated £4,800 a year. The BMA argues that removing this perk of the job and recent sub-inflation pay awards will leave the average junior doctor facing a 20% pay cut.

The junior doctor's committee of the BMA is particularly angered by the Government's refusal to compensate doctors for their loss of accommodation.

Committee chairman, Dr Ram Moorthy, said: "Hospital accommodation was often of a low standard but it was one of the few benefits of working as a junior doctor. Its removal comes at a time when medical students’ debts are growing and junior doctors’ pay packets are shrinking.

"Despite having lost the accommodation for next year, when we requested that junior doctors should be compensated, the Government refused to accept that.

"We’ve gone to the NHS employers to ask for negotiations – to get a rise in salary to compensate for the loss of accommodation."

A spokesman for the Welsh Assembly Government said: "The provision of free accommodation has not been withdrawn from all junior doctors. Doctors in all grades continue to be provided with accommodation at no charge if they are required to live on the hospital site.

"Following consultation with the BMA and other stakeholders, it was decided that the need for all first year trainees to live on site was unnecessary either from a training or service perspective. Other doctors and staff groups are treated exactly the same. In the past many junior doctors did not take up the offer of free accommodation anyway.

"However, we are encouraging trusts to maintain existing contractual arrangements with their junior doctors to provide accommodation at no charge until August 1 to help them complete their rotations. Trusts can also still provide accommodation for free beyond that if they choose."

Negotiations continue between the BMA and NHS employers.

Housework Makes You Happy

2008-04-10T04:05:00.000-07:00

Brisk spring cleaning may make you happier, according to research published today.

The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, also claims that regular exercise in middle age can stave off the negative effects of ageing.

The researchers took a sample of nearly 20,000 people who had completed the Scottish Health Survey and asked them about their exercise habits and state of mind. Almost one-in-five of the respondents were found to be suffering stress or anxiety, according to a commonly used mental health scale.

The study showed that any form of daily exercise reduced the amount of distress, even when factors like long-term health problems and age were taken into consideration.

Participating in weekly sport was found to reduce distress in a third of those questioned. Even moderate exercise like housework, walking or gardening was an effective stress buster in up to 20% of cases.

The researchers concluded that: "Mental health benefits were observed at a minimal level of at least 20 minutes each week of any physical activity, with greater risk reduction for activity at a higher intensity."

A second study published in the journal found that regular aerobic exercise could slow down the biological ageing process by 10 - 12 years. It also said that people may be able to live longer independently if they exercised during middle age and into retirement.

NHS Spends £22 Million on Methadone

2008-04-09T06:59:00.000-07:00

Heroin addicts are being prescribed 1.8 million courses of methadone each year instead of being forced to go "cold turkey".

Included in that figure at least 9,250 prisoners are taking the heroin substitute, which costs local NHS budgets up to £15,000 per course of treatment.

The number of prescriptions has soared 70 per cent from 1.046million in 2004 to 1.784million last year. It is the equivalent of doctors signing 4,890 prescriptions every day.

The cost of the treatment is also rocketing - up 38 per cent from £16million in 2004 to £22million in 2006.

Professor Neil McKeganey, from the Centre for Drug Misuse Research, Glasgow, said only around 7 per cent of offenders on methadone courses achieve abstinence after three years.

Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said: "The flawed efforts to manage - not end - addiction make it part of the problem, not the solution.

"We would extend abstinence-based drug rehabilitation to get addicts off all drugs for good."

Sleepless Babies Weight Risk

2008-04-08T12:19:00.000-07:00

Lack of sleep and too much TV increases the risk of babies and toddlers becoming overweight, according to research by US scientists.

Researchers found that babies that slept for less than 12 hours or those who watched more than 2 hours of TV each day had a 16% chance of becoming overweight. This is in contrast with the 1% risk shown by well-slept and TV deprived babies.

The study was conducted by scientists from Harvard Medical School. The team monitored the size and weight of 915 infants over a three year period. Parents were also asked to keep a record of how much TV their infant watched during the study period.

Researchers suggested that lack of sleep may increase the risk of weight problems because it stimulated hormones affecting the appetite, causing the infants to eat more.

Lead researcher Elsie Taveras said: "Mounting research suggests that decreased sleep time may be more hazardous to our health than we imagined.

"We need to investigate this further. But our findings suggest that parents may wish to remove TVs from children's rooms and encourage better quality sleep."

HPV Vaccinations in Scotland

2008-04-08T05:07:00.000-07:00

Young girls in Scotland will be the first in the UK to be offered vaccination against the Human Papiloma Virus (HPV), which can lead to the development of cervical cancer.

From September the vaccine will be available to girls under the age of 18 as part of a £64 million three-year campaign by the Scottish Government.

Scotland's programme comes at least a year before similar schemes for the rest of the UK. Each dose of the vaccine costs about £250 and extra funds will be made available to the NHS boards involved in recognition of the complexity and additional expense incurred.

Girls will receive the vaccine at the age of 12 or 13, with extra catch-up sessions being available for older teenagers who would otherwise miss out.

Public Health Minister Shona Robison said: "This is one of the biggest and most complex immunisation programmes ever undertaken in Scotland.

"But it has potential to deliver tremendous health benefits for future generations of young women, offering them protection against the virus responsible for almost three quarters of cervical cancers."

The vaccine will protect against two particular strains of HPV, types 16 and 18, which are responsible for about 70% of all cervical cancers.

Super Chemists to Treat Minor Ailments

2008-04-06T06:14:00.000-07:00

A network of "super chemists" is set to treat a range of common ailments under plans included in the Government's latest health blueprint.

The centres will have consulting rooms where the pharmacist can deal with a range of ailments including coughs and colds, eye infections, stomach bugs and headaches.

Ministers claim that the new proposals will save the NHS £300 million each year and free GPs for an extra half hour each day. Critics claim that there is nothing new in the proposals, many of which are similar to plans announced in 2005.

The Conservatives said that figures had shown that just 101 of England's 10,000 plus pharmacies had taken up the opportunity to write prescriptions, brought in two years ago. Concerns have also been voiced about the negative effect the new "healthy living centres" could have on small rival businesses.

But Ben Bradshaw, the health minister who unveiled the move in a White Paper yesterday, insisted that the plans would make a better use of trained professionals.

He said: "As 99 per cent of the population can get to a pharmacy within 20 minutes, everyone will benefit."

It is expected that the new super chemists will also provide a range of vaccinations, testing for sexually transmitted infections and take on some of the management of long-term illnesses such as asthma and diabetes.

Bogus Pharmacist Peddles Slimming Pills

2008-04-04T06:10:00.000-07:00

The medicines regulator is investigating the case of a bogus pharmacist who obtained a large quantity of slimming pills and funding from a pharmaceutical company.

Robin Huxley, a salesman from Barnsley, was jailed for 14 months for illegally prescribing the slimming medication Xenical.

Roche, the company that manufactures Xenical, said it believed Huxley was a pharmacist who worked alongside a doctor in a chain of slimming clinics. The company claims to have been the victim of a deception, but a former employee claims that concerns were raised about its practices of dealing directly with slimming clinics.

Dr Ryta Kuzel, the former head of regulatory affairs at Roche, said: "I feel strongly Roche's business practices have put people's lives at risk and they haven't been called to account."

In a statement, Roche said: "We checked the GMC number of the doctor. We had no reason to believe the pharmacist was not legitimate nor had any reasons to check his credentials.

"Companies can sell prescription-only medicines to practices as long as there's a healthcare professional who can prescribe."

Dr Kuzel also knew that Roche had long concerns about Huxley. At one point Huxley was the biggest buyer of Xenical outside the NHS, earning the company £1 million in sales.

But far from intervening when concerns were raised, Roche decided instead to invest and help expand Huxley's slimming business, according to a report by a Roche employee.

The report said: "I would advise against closing down the trading terms. I feel we may be sacrificing sales just because we are scared of the potential of the private sector.

"Rob does have plans to expand to other clinics and on the face of it this seems to be in the interest of Roche."

Two investigations are underway, by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Roche says it is cooperating with both and that there has never been any suggestion of wrong-doing on Roche's part.

Anti-HIV Drug Warning

2008-04-02T05:14:00.000-07:00

A popular anti-HIV drug nearly doubles the risk of heart attack, according to recently published research.

The work, published in The Lancet medical journal, considered over 33,000 people taking a range of HIV combination treatments. It was found that two of the drugs studied, abacavir and didanosine, increased the risk of heart attack - abacavir significantly more so than didanosine.

Lead researcher Jens Lundgren, of Copenhagen University, said: "If the decision is made to consider discontinuation of either drug, then a full assessment of the possible risks and benefits of their continued use should be undertaken.

"Such an assessment must be individualised for each patient.

"It should take into account their underlying risk of heart attacks, the availability of other treatment options after taking into account their history of past treatment and HIV resistance testing, and the safety profile of alternative HIV medication."

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), manufacturer of abacivir, said that their own investigations of the drug had shown no evidence that it increased the risk of heart attack.

Dr Didier Lapierre of GSK said: "GSK takes the finding seriously and is committed to understanding these data more fully and to communicating openly with treating physicians and regulatory agencies globally."

Britain's First Hybrid Embryo

2008-04-02T04:33:00.000-07:00

Scientists in Newcastle have created Britain's first human-animal hybrid embryo in an effort to develop new stem cell treatments.

The scientists combined human genetic information with a cow egg cell producing a hybrid embryo that was 99.9% human, 0.1% cow. The embryos survived for 3 days in a test tube.

The ultimate aim is to be able to create embryos that survive for 6 days so that stem cells can be harvested which can be grown into mature tissue.

Professor Colin Blakemore, the former head of the Medical Research Council (MRC), said: "These preliminary reports give hope that this approach is likely to provide stem cells for research without the use of human eggs or normal human embryos. The new Bill is intended to confirm the arrangements for regulation of this important area of research."

The Catholic Church has described the research as monstrous and is bitterly opposed to it on the basis that it meddles with nature.

The Prime Minister is under increasing pressure to grant a free vote on the controversial Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, which will allow widespread development of human hybrid embryos for research purposes.

Processed Meats Increase Bowel Cancer Risk

2008-04-02T04:12:00.000-07:00

Eating just one sausage or three rashers of bacon a day can increase the risk of developing bowel cancer by one fifth.

That's the opinion of Prof Martin Wiseman, the medical and scientific advisor for the World Cancer Research Fund (WRCF). Prof Wiseman said there was a convincing link between the consumption of processed meats and cancer.

Meats under the spotlight include those processed by smoking, curing or the addition of preservatives - things like salami, ham, bacon and hot dogs. Hamburgers and minced meat with added salt, colouring or chemical preservatives also fall under suspicion.

Prof Wiseman said: "We are more sure now than ever before that eating processed meat increases your risk of bowel cancer.

"Whether it is bacon or ham, the safest amount to eat is none at all."

The evidence also suggests that red meats like pork, beef and lamb contribute to bowel cancer, although not as much as processed meats.

Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK, affecting 1 in 20 Briton's at some time during their life. It is second only to lung cancer in terms of mortality and 100 new cases of the disease are confirmed every day.

Report Highlights Teenage Drinking

2008-03-28T07:23:00.000-07:00

A new study has revealed that teenagers drink an average of 44 bottles of wine or 177 pints of beer each year.

The study, conducted by academics at Liverpool John Moores University, found that as many as 40% of teenagers living in poor areas binge drink by consuming more than 5 units of alcohol in one session.

Just under half of the 10,000 children questioned drank at least once a week, with 40% of girls and 42% of boys later involved in violence. The report also found that children from poor areas were almost one-and-a-half times more likely to become involved in drink-related violence than those from more affluent backgrounds.

Professor Mark Bellis, co-author of the report, said: "These figures highlight the sheer quantity of alcohol being consumed by under-age drinkers across the North West.

"Sadly, there is still practically no information publicly available on what is a safe amount of alcohol for children to consume or on how parents can best moderate their children's drinking.

"Without a clear message that under-age drunkenness will not be tolerated, we will continue to see the high levels of alcohol bingeing and related violence identified in this study."

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "Tackling the culture of harmful and binge drinking is a priority for Government and we are working with the alcohol industry and other stakeholders to implement a comprehensive strategy to tackle it.

"These include a new public information campaign, an independent review of alcohol pricing and promotion, toughened enforcement of underage sales and more help for people who want to drink less.

"Alcohol education continues to be a vital element of our approach.

"Our guidance to schools is clear that pupils' education about alcohol and its effects should start in primary school, before drinking patterns become established and should be revisited as pupils' understanding and experience increases."

The report is the latest in a long string of publications that highlight the dangers of excessive drink.

Government Tackles Tired Drivers

2008-03-28T04:57:00.000-07:00

The Government is launching a new campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of driving whilst tired.

According to the Government as many as one in five car accidents on Britain's roads are the result of driver tiredness. A recent YouGov survey shows that only 18% of drivers pull over for a rest after yawning at the wheel, 22% of drivers plan breaks into their journey, 26% of drivers go for more than four hours and 4% go for more than seven hours without taking a break.

Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: "Being tired at the wheel is a proven killer. People who drive for work are particularly at risk, but there are simple steps we can all take to make our journeys safer.

"Plan regular stops into a long trip, and if you find yourself yawning, pull over and take a break - this could make the difference between life and death."

The Government's THINK! campaign advises motorists to take a 15 minute break every 2 hours that they drive.

Pregnant Women Warned on Drink

2008-03-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has warned expectant mothers not to drink alcohol during the first three months of pregnancy.

The advice comes in the wake of limited evidence that drinking during the early stages of pregnancy could heighten the risk of miscarriage.

The guidelines advise women that do choose to drink during pregnancy to limit their alcohol intake to only one or two units once or twice each week. A unit of alcohol is the equivalent of about half a pint of beer or one single measure of spirits. A small glass of wine contains around one-and-a-half units of alcohol.

NICE Deputy Chief Executive, Dr Gillian Leng, said of the new guidelines: "Doctors and midwives should advise women to avoid drinking alcohol when trying to get pregnant and during the first three months of pregnancy because there may be an increased risk of miscarriage,

"If they do choose to drink alcohol while pregnant, women should also be advised to drink no more than one to two UK units once or twice a week."

The Department of Health and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) advise expectant mothers that the safest option is to avoid alcohol altogether.

Today's advice follows the Department of Health's earlier announcement that drinking just one glass of wine a day could raise a middle aged woman's chances of developing breast cancer by 60%.

Fraudulent Dentist Struck Off

2008-03-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

A North Yorkshire dentist who masterminded a £450,000 fraud against the NHS has been removed from the Dental Register.

David Heppleston, 45, who practiced in Scarborough, committed the fraud by claiming for 800 phantom patients and also for bogus work on real patients. He was jailed for four years back in 2006, although this was subsequently cut to only two-and-a-half years on appeal.

The true extent of Heppleston's deception could be nearer to £613,000, but a plea bargain reduced the number of fraudulent claims taken into account by the court. He was caught after NHS fraud investigators became suspicious at the abnormally high number of tooth crowns he was claiming payment for.

In 2002 Heppleston appeared on TV quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire where he won £64,000.

A disciplinary committee of the General Dental Council said that: "In determining the appropriate sanction the committee has considered all the options in turn, starting with the least serious.

"It decided that neither conclusion of the case nor postponing judgement would adequately reflect the gravity of the fraud.

"The committee considered and rejected suspension as being inadequate to protect the public interest.

"This fraud diverted money from the treatment of patients and was a gross breach of trust.

"It has therefore decided to direct the Registrar to erase the name of David Geoffrey Heppleston from the Dentists Register."

Heppleston had sent a letter to the GDC apologising for his crimes and pleading for leniency. He will be allowed to reapply to the Dental Register after one year.

Cold Medicine Overdose Fears

2008-03-27T06:08:00.000-07:00

Cough and cold remedies aimed at very small children are being removed from the shelves today amid fears about the risk of overdose.

The Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has ordered that six products be permanently removed from sale for children under the age of two years. The products in question are:

Buttercup Infant Cough Syrup
Boots Chesty Cough Syrup one-year plus
Boots Sore Throat and Cough Linctus one-year plus
Calcough Chesty
Children's Chesty Cough
Asda Children's Chesty Cough Syrup

These products will be removed from open shelves and will not provided by pharmacies for very young children. Around another 100 products will temporarily be removed from the shelves until such time as their packaging includes a warning that they should not be given to children under two.

According to the MHRA since 1981 there have been five deaths of children under the age of two where cough and cold mixtures may have been a factor. Concerns have also been raised in the US about the risks posed by parents administering too much of these medications to their youngsters. There is also a fear that parents could accidentally overdose their children by giving them two different products containing the same active ingredients within a short space of time.

MHRA spokeswoman Sara Coakley told the BBC: "It's a precautionary measure. They are not dangerous."

"If they had been dangerous, we'd have had them off the market in seconds. Nobody should panic.

"There's nothing wrong with these medicines, it was the way that they had been given."

In future any person buying these medications will be questioned about the age of the sick child that the product is intended for. Children under the age of two are particularly susceptible to overdose due to their small size.

NHS Glove Allergy Warning

2008-03-26T05:19:00.000-07:00

The NHS has been urged to switch to a different type of latex glove following concerns over asthma and allergies.

The recommendation, by the Royal College of Physicians and NHS Plus, comes in the month after a Health Care Assistant was awarded a six-figure compensation payout after being forced to quit her job because of a latex allergy.

Tanya Todd was forced to quit work at Scarborough General Hospital after suffering a severe allergic reaction to the glove material. Ms Todd claimed that she had never been warned of the dangers of latex and was never told to reduce her exposure to the gloves after her symptoms developed.

The guidelines recommend switching to powder-free forms of the glove, which contain only a tenth of the latex content of powdered gloves.

Dr Syed Ahmed of East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "The optimal management of latex allergy in the workplace has been unclear for a long time.

"We're delighted that our work has looked comprehensively at all the research and has established evidence-based guidelines to address this important issue."

It is believed that as many as one in six health workers suffer from latex-related problems at some time during their career.

Insurance Warning for UK Medical Tourists

2008-03-25T15:13:00.000-07:00

Tens of thousands of UK medical tourists are placing themselves at financial risk by failing to ensure their journeys abroad are adequately insured.

Most standard travel insurance policies do not include cover for pre-planned surgery, so if anything does go wrong it could be the individual left to pick up the bill. There has been a huge boom in so-called medical tourism by UK citizens. The Government estimate that last year as many as 70,000 people took advantage of cut-price cosmetic and elective medical surgery deals overseas.

A poll conducted by the Post Office showed that 36% of last year's UK medical tourists underwent surgery without having checked the details of their insurance policy beforehand. Such an oversight could have left them with large and unforeseen medical expenses.

Helen Warburton, head of Post Office Travel Services, warned: "We urge travellers planning to travel abroad for surgery to be honest with their insurance provider about their plans and ensure they are open about any pre-existing medical conditions.

"It's vital to read the small print of travel documents carefully before you travel to ensure you are covered if you need to make a claim."

Cod Liver Oil Eases Arthritis

2008-03-25T13:27:00.000-07:00

Scientists have uncovered further evidence that cod liver oil can be used to reduce the pain of arthritis.

The research, published in the journal Rheumatology, was conducted by academics at Dundee University and the city's Ninewells Hospital. The study showed that nearly 40% of rheumatoid arthritis sufferers taking cod liver oil were able to cut their daily dose of anti-inflammatory drugs with no apparent worsening of their symptoms.

Many patients with arthritis take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to relieve the symptoms of their condition, but these have been linked to a wide range of side-effects including the increased risk of heart attacks, strokes or gastrointestinal bleeding.

Researcher Professor Jill Belch said: "This study offers hope to many patients for whom cod liver oil can offer a natural pain treatment without the harmful side-effects associated with anti-inflammatory drugs.

"It reinforces previous research that has shown cod liver oil, and its high contact of omega-3 essential fatty acids, to have significant anti-inflammatory properties in patients with rheumatoid arthritis."

Previous research has shown the benefits of fish oils in staving off heart disease, cancer, depression and Alzheimer's disease in the elderly.

Viagra Reaches Decade

2008-03-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

Viagra, the famous anti-impotency drug which has changed the sex lives of millions of men and women, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration ten years ago this week.

The drug, the first ever oral treatment for erectile dysfunction, was actually discovered by mistake. Dr Brian Klee, senior medical director at Pfizer, told French news agency AFP: "Originally, we were testing sildenafil, the active drug in Viagra, as a cardiovascular drug and for its ability to lower blood pressure.

"But one thing that was found during those trials is that people didn't want to give the medication back because of the side effect of having erections that were harder, firmer and lasted longer.''

Viagra has been a huge commercial success, with widespread usage by over 30 million men in 130 countries netting Pfizer £1.5 billion each year. It is estimated that 9 Viagra tablets are sold every second.

Last year here in the UK around 17 million Viagra prescriptions were dispensed at a cost of £58 million to the NHS.

Clampdown on Cigarette Displays

2008-03-24T04:25:00.000-07:00

Retailers may be forced to remove cigarette displays from their stores under the latest push to cut smoking.

The new proposals also include a ban on cigarette vending machines in pubs and restaurants serving under 18 year olds and measures to make it easier to sell nicotine replacement gum and patches.

Public Health Minister, Dawn Primarolo, told the BBC: "We want to protect our young people, so we have to look at all of our responsibilities - retailer, government, producer, families, individuals, how we can discourage them from starting to smoke in the first place.

"If that means stripping out vending machines or removing cigarettes from behind the counter, I'm willing to do that."

The Government are keen to prevent youngsters from taking up the habit, citing research findings that people who start smoking at the age of 15 are three times more likely to die of a smoking related illness than someone who starts in their late 20s.

A public consultation on the new proposals is due to start in May.

Concern Over Female Muslim Medics

2008-03-23T13:20:00.000-07:00

Some female Muslim medical students are flouting tough new hygiene rules aimed at stamping out hospital superbugs.

The new guidelines, issued by the Department of Health, require that medical staff are bare armed in the operating theatre and roll up their sleaves while washing their hands. The measures are deemed necessary to halt the spread of infections like MRSA and Clostridium difficile. Some Muslim women believe that baring their forearms is immodest under Islam.

Incidences of non-compliance have been highlighted at several UK medical schools. Academics from Liverpool University revealed that female Muslim students working at the Alder Hey hospital had objected to rolling up their sleaves.

Similar concerns were voiced at Leicester University, where minutes from a medical faculty meeting commented that: "A number of Muslim females had difficulty in complying with the procedures to roll up sleeves to the elbow for appropriate handwashing."

Dr Charles Tannock, a Conservative MEP and former hospital consultant, said: "These students are being trained using taxpayers' money and they have a duty of care to their patients not to put their health at risk.

"Perhaps these women should not be choosing medicine as a career if they feel unable to abide by the guidelines that everyone else has to follow."

A statement by the Islamic Medical Association insisted that covering all parts of the body, apart from the face and hands, was one of the fundamental principles of the religion.

Dr Majid Katme, spokesman for the IMA, said: "No practising Muslim woman - doctor, medical student, nurse or patient - should be forced to bare her arms below the elbow."

"Exposed arms can pick up germs and there is a lot of evidence to suggest skin is safer to the patient if covered. One idea might be to produce long, sterile, disposable gloves which go up to the elbows."

Hospital acquired infections affect around 10% of the UK patient population.

GPs in Dark Over MRSA

2008-03-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

Almost one in five family doctors admit to having a poor knowledge of MRSA, according to a survey conducted by GP Newspaper.

An amazing two thirds of the 169 GPs questioned said they had not received any information about how to treat someone suspected of having the condition. Of the third that did have some information, nearly all had requested it.

Just over half of the doctors questioned thought it was a good idea to test their patients for community acquired MRSA - a condition which occurs in otherwise healthy individuals who have not recently undergone surgery or been in hospital.

MRSA bacteria give rise to skin and soft tissue and can lead to other complications like pneumonia. The community acquired variant is treatable with a much wider range of antibiotics than the hospital superbug.

Prostate Cancer Scare

2008-03-22T06:05:00.000-07:00

More than 500 Camarthenshire men have an anxious wait ahead of them after a routine quality control inspection revealed potentially fatal mistakes in prostate cancer testing.

The men were given the all clear after being referred for biopsies based on the suspicious findings of earlier blood tests. Two errors were discovered in the testing carried out by Camarthenshire NHS Trust at the West Wales General Hospital on the outskirts of Camarthen. The biopsy material collected is now being referred to an outside agency for further examination. Only biopsies taken this year are affected and no other samples tested by the hospital's pathology lab.

Paul Barnett, Chief Executive of the Trust, said: "The Trust would like to publicly apologise for any distress this may cause. The necessary steps are being taken to ensure that any errors are dealt with."

The men in question will have to wait for up to seven weeks for their biopsy samples to be retested, although if mistakes have been made the number is likely to be very small.

Middle Aged Women Warned of Drinking Risk

2008-03-22T04:11:00.000-07:00

An alarming new study suggests that middle aged women drinking just one glass of wine a day increase their risk of breast cancer by 60%.

The findings, to be published by the Department of Health later this year, show that women who drink more than the recommended 14 units of alcohol each week, the equivalent of 7 glasses of wine, were at least 60% more likely to develop breast cancer than those who drank within the guideline amount.

Stronger wines and variable measures have led to confusion over how many units of alcohol drinkers actually consume. A large glass of wine can now contain almost 4 units of alcohol, which means only a few drinks in a session can take someone perilously close to the safe weekly limit.

The Government is launching a new advertising campaign highlighting the health risks associated with excessive drinking. The £10 million campaign, to be shown on billboards, TV and in cinemas, signals a shift in emphasis from the anti-social aspects of alcohol such as drink driving towards the health impact.

Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said: "Women who regularly drink too much are 50 per cent more likely to develop breast cancer and many drink too much simply because they have no idea how many alcohol units they are consuming.

"They don't know how many units they are drinking and they don't know that, at 3.5 units, that large glass of Rioja they drank last night actually took them over their daily amount."

The study, of almost half a million people, clearly highlights the relationship between excessive drinking and the cancer which claims 16,000 lives in the UK each year. Worryingly the study also reports that drinking just one large glass of wine each day is enough to raise the risk of developing breast cancer by 10%.

GPs' Pay Hits £110,000

2008-03-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

The average General Practitioner's pay has doubled over the last 20 years, according to the latest official figures released by the NHS.

The information, published in the NHS Information Centre, shows that in 1985/86 GPs earned the equivalent of £51,000 in today's money. In 2005/06, the second year of the new GP contract arrangements, the average family doctor made just over £110,000 including income from private work. It is estimated that 307 GPs made more than £250,000 in the year 2005/06 - more than double the number in the previous year.

But despite the apparent increase in GPs' earnings the British Medical Association remain sceptical about the validity of the figures.

Dr Laurence Buckman, Chairman of the Association's GPs' Committee, said: "These are now historical figures relating to the planned increase in pay for GPs under the new contract.

"In recognition of the way family doctors' pay had fallen behind in the years leading up to the new contract, the government negotiated a system in which pay would rise significantly in the contract's second year.

"Since then, GPs have been singled out and their pay has been frozen with not even a cost of living increase in resources for their practices."

The GPC also pointed out that the Information Centre's figures cover not just earnings from being an NHS GP but also from non-NHS work such as insurance examinations, death certification and out of hours cover.

Earlier this month GPs voted to accept contract changes which would compel them to open their surgeries for longer hours and at weekends.

Drug Resistant TB Arrives in UK

2008-03-21T09:40:00.000-07:00

XDR-TB: Traditional antibiotics just don't cut the mustard.

Doctors in Glasgow have diagnosed what is believed to be the UK's first ever case of extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB).

A Somalian man is undergoing treatment for the disease at the city's Gartnavel General Hospital. The thirty-something year old asylum seeker entered the UK sometime last year. He was routinely screened for infectious diseases before being allowed passage into the UK. It is believed that x-ray examination reveal old TB scarring on his lungs, but he was allowed to continue into the country because the disease was apparently inactive.

Domestic cases of TB are increasing but this is the first time the XDR strain has been detected in the UK. Just as the name suggests this strain does not respond effectively to traditional antibiotics.

A spokesman for Gartnavel General Hospital said: "We can confirm a case of drug-resistant tuberculosis is being treated at the hospital.

"We are in touch with all close contacts of the patient, and where appropriate they will be screened.

"The strain is not any more infectious than normal TB. The main concern is that it is resistant to antibiotics, which makes it much harder to treat."

The first ever reported case of XDR-TB was back in 2006 shortly before 53 virtually untreatable cases of the disease were reported in South Africa.

The XDR strain of the disease, although requiring an alternative approach to treatment, is no more contagious than normal forms of the disease which are spread via the air or by close personal contact.

Dr Jim McMenamen, a consultant epidemiologist at Health Protection Scotland, told the BBC: "I don't think that there's any risk to the general population because we have taken very prompt measures to try and manage the chance of this person spreading the infection to others."

Welcome to UK Health News

2008-03-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

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