Evidence-based medicine and ‘value for money’ are two of medicine’s Mum and apple pie principles. But like other principles they are all too readily discarded when they conflict with harsh commercial realities – by which of course I mean drug company interests. Watching the contortions involved in demonstrating that abandoning them do not involve disrespecting […]
I think that studying medicine and working in the emergency services for 10 years undoubtedly influenced my view of the world. During that time I came across so many different people, different characters, and there were so many strong impressions that of course it had an impact on me both as a person and as […]
From day one of training as a midwife, we are taught the importance of the principle contained in the Hippocratic oath of “do no harm”. Yet on a recent trip to Tanzania with the development charity WaterAid we met committed, caring, intelligent midwives forced to work in a way that they knew put the mothers […]
Acne is a near-universal skin disease affecting 85 per cent of adolescents world wide as well as older adults. But although it is ubiquitous, it is a condition that is extremely variable. I don’t think that ‘one-size fits all’ treatments reflect the fact that it is complex condition that requires a tailor-made approach. As a consultant dermatologist […]
The Chancellor’s Budget announcement of a tax levy on soft drink manufacturers was welcomed by most political parties, many health professionals and one widely-smiling celebrity chef. But I have serious reservations. Delivered as a smoke screen to deflect attention from a failing economy, according to the Independent newspaper, it could be viewed as a cynical […]
‘Right, in a few seconds you will fall into a peaceful sleep…’ Words that I heard many times in the few days that I gained work experience in anaesthetics. The question of what specialty I would like to go into is not something that I have ever considered seriously (mainly given that it is such […]
We know that a ‘soda tax’ on sweetened soft drinks works – other countries including Chile, Hungary, France, Latvia, and Berkeley California have already tried it with good results. Mexico saw a 12 per cent drop in fizzy drinks sales within a year of imposing a sugar tax. Taxing soda is simple and easy to […]
I first met Nelson Mandela in the Royal Pavilion at Horse Guards on Tuesday, 9th July 1996 at the beginning of his State Visit to the United Kingdom as President of the Republic of South Africa. As we awaited his arrival, such was Her Majesty the Queen’s concern for his health that she said to […]
Breakfasting on half a grapefruit has long been seen as one of the healthiest ways to start the day, but the idea it could help you lose weight was dismissed as a fad decades ago. The old miracle grapefruit diet popular in the 1980s has been superseded by more ‘scientific’ weight loss diets, including low-carb diets, high GI diets and […]
We know that autism is brain related and researchers know the importance of access to post mortem brains. My charitable Shirley Foundation founded the medical research charity, Autistica which funded the Brain Bank for Autism. I’m proud that my son’s brain is in it and he can help medicine by providing detail that you just […]
Read More… from Brain banks pay dividends for autism research