Category: British Medical Journal

UN report warns that AIDS epidemic is still out of control Hugh Matthews A report published this week by the United Nations and the World Health Organisation shows that there has been little progress in preventing the transmission of AIDS. New drugs have increased survival times for patients in developed countries, but in some parts […]

Writing a book—a personal experience – Letter to the Editor Adam Jacobs EDITOR–Albert’s article on how to become a book author struck a chord with me, as I have been through the experience he describes.[1] I was talked into writing a textbook after meeting a publisher at a party, and did so largely without thinking […]

Report calls for elimination of tuberculosis in the US by 2010 – Statistical Data Included James Ciment Ten years after issuing its “Strategic plan for the elimination of tuberculosis in the United States,” the Advisory Council for the Elimination of Tuberculosis has revisited the topic with a new report calling for “new and improved diagnostic, […]

Public health conference – Medicopolitical Digest Linda Beecham Proposals for revalidation attacked Public health doctors believe that the General Medical Council’s proposals for revalidation are flawed and unnecessary. And the opposition to the proposals was largely responsible for the overwhelming vote of no confidence in the GMC (see p 1626). At last week’s conference of […]

Ovarian cancer screening may increase survival Richard Woodman New data suggest that screening for ovarian cancer may increase survival in women found to have the disease, but it will be at least another six years before larger studies can confirm the extent of the survival advantage. The findings are based on a pilot feasibility study […]

Preventing pressure sores – Statistical Data Included – Letter to the Editor Amanda Hahn Good nursing care should prevent pressure sores EDITOR–Bliss and Simini state that “postoperative epidural analgesia … has been associated with the development of severe sacral sores in elderly patients.”[1] Pressure sores may develop as a result of decreased sensation and mobility, […]

Do candy cigarettes encourage young people to smoke? – Education and Debate Jonathan D Klein Advocates of public health care consider candy cigarettes (cigarette sweets) one example of the way in which international trademark or copyright laws are violated to promote tobacco products to children.[1 2] People with vested interests in confectionery and tobacco have […]

What was it like for you? – Soundings Kevin Barraclough What was it like for you? It’s all rather strange, this millennium business. I have to confess that I am one of those rather sad people who will happily retire to bed at l0 pm on New Year’s Eve with a book and some malt […]

When to act on the evidence – Getting Research Findings Into Practice, Part 2 Trevor A. Sheldon Trevor A Sheldon, Gordon H Guyatt, Andrew Haines There is increasing interest in providing evidence based health care–that is, care in which healthcare professionals, provider managers, those who commission health care, the public, and policymakers consistently consider research […]

Eradicating Helicobacter pylori in non-ulcer dyspepsia may not be cost effective – Letter to the Editor Giulio Formoso EDITOR–Finding that patients with dyspepsia gain modest benefits from eradication of Helicobacter pylori, Moayyedi et al conclude that this intervention “may be cost effective.”[1] This conclusion should be taken with quite a bit of healthy scepticism. They […]