I’m trying to get hold of the press release or poster or whatever it was from the American Society of Reproductive Medicine that triggered this Guardian article, here: ‘Contraceptive gel could offer alternative to pill’. It’s an opinion piece which says ‘As with the pill, though, these are hormone-based treatments that can have unpredictable consequences […]
Continue Reading →Chilean psychologists
In the BMJ. In all, 33 miners, 69 days, and 26 people sent by the BBC to the San José copper and gold mine to cover their rescue (www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/oct/14/chile-miners-bbc-overspend). The story about the miners trapped deep underground attracted more than 2000 members of the global media to the ringside to watch their individual slow ascent […]
Continue Reading →James Cann and locum doctors
Dragons Den, What they did next: start at about 56.20. Entrepreneur James Caan is visiting one of his businesses. “Let’s get this team going! Let’s get the buzz going!…” (James) “What I think, James, is that it would be really good if you got on the phone and showed us how it’s done…” (lady with telephone […]
Continue Reading →Compression only CPR works
..another study tells it like it is, this one, from JAMA. This isn’t the first bit of evidence that says so, either. Yet every year I have to go and be ‘refreshed’ in the finer points of CPR. We have to pay lots of this, and it is becoming silly – for the last three […]
Continue Reading →Mass effect
I don’t think that most public health messages work effectively. For example; ‘Make a date for cervical screening” “check your breasts” “have you been immunised against flu?” etc, etc. Mainly, I don’t think soundbites tell the whole truth, and I don’t think that mass messaging treats people as individuals. Nor do public health campaigns seek […]
Continue Reading →If you are suffering from…
homophobic bullying and especially if you are still at school, do watch this. Truly heartwarming.
Continue Reading →Bleak October for breast awareness
What do a prawn sandwich, a pair of Laura Ashley pjamas, crocus bulbs and some raspberry chocolate got in common? You can buy them all in aid of Breast Cancer. This is ‘breast cancer awareness month’. I have been attempting to suggest that perhaps it isn’t such a good idea for the last decade at […]
Continue Reading →Emperors with their cuffs rolled up
The DoH ‘Bare Below the Elbows’ theme has been going on for a few years now. The original document, you may remember, is here, from 2007, and stated that research on workwear and infection prevention had been done, was not yet published, but contained the following: “There is no conclusive evidence that uniforms (or other […]
Continue Reading →Best new website
Well done to the people behind NNT.com – good information about Numbers Needed To Treat, all in one place. I will be using this in the day job, so thank you. I’d urge them though, next revision, to think about graphical illustrations which there is research suggesting is best understood by patients. Read the one […]
Continue Reading →“He just looked at it”
An amazing defence for a PCT employee spending his time looking at medical records of patients. This is a prime reason for joining the Big Opt Out – the easier it is for people to access your confidential data, the more it will be done.
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