National and International News
'Obesity behind maternal deaths'Over a third of women who die in pregnancy or shortly after birth are obese, a report showed.
Daily Mail 12/11/04The Telegraph 12/11/04The Guardian 12/11/04
Health warnings on beer labelsBritain's largest brewer is to put health warnings on its products as part of a drive to promote awareness of sensible drinking.
Daily Mail 12/11/04Daily Mail 12/11/04The Independent 13/11/04BBC Health News 12/11/04
Tobacco giant says 'no cover-up'A tobacco firm has said allegations it covered up evidence of the harmful effects of passive smoking are "false, inaccurate and highly misleading".
BBC Health News 11/11/04
Test could spot Alzheimer's earlyA new nanotechnology-based technique could lead to a test for diagnosing the early signs of Alzheimer's disease.
BBC Health News 12/11/04
Suicidal man wins damages awardA severely depressed man who suffered brain damage when he was hit by a car in a possible suicide bid has won £375,000 in damages from a clinic.
BBC Health News 11/11/04
Shake-up for drug licensing bodyA reform of the way drugs are regulated has been outlined by ministers to make the system more independent.
BBC Health News 11/11/04
Stress 'linked to miscarriages'Stress could be linked to miscarriages, researchers have suggested.
BBC Health News 11/11/04
Most smoking deaths in poor areasMore than 1,600 people in England die each week because of smoking, with the greatest number of deaths occurring in the most deprived areas, a study says.
BBC Health News 12/11/04
Immune system 'stops conception'Men could one day use a contraceptive which uses the body's immune system to prevent conception, say researchers.
BBC Health News 12/11/04
'All at risk from mad cow disease'No one is immune to the human form of mad cow disease, variant CJD, new research suggests.
Daily Mail 12/11/04The Times 12/11/04BBC Health News 12/11/04
Children `respect privacy' of their sperm donor fathersSperm donors should not worry that losing their anonymity will lead to offspring turning up on the doorstep and demanding they play a major part in their lives, according to new research.
The Telegraph 12/11/04
I believe I have provided a gift, not a paid serviceKriss Fearon, 37, has donated eggs three times and describes the procedure as a "gift" to infertile couples.
The Telegraph 12/11/04
Shortage of donor eggs reported by most clinicsA survey carried out earlier this year found that nine out of 10 fertility clinics said they were already unable to meet demand for donated eggs.
The Telegraph 12/11/04
1,000 a time for egg donors
Rated 3 in National and International News on Nov 12, 2004 at 20:34:17 GMT.
Payments for sperm and egg donations could be greatly increased following fears that the end of the right of donors to anonymity will make shortages worse.
The Telegraph 12/11/04
Man dumped after drive from SpainAn English family drove from their home in southern Spain to east London to abandon an ailing grandfather in a hospital casualty department.
The Telegraph 12/11/04
Drugs firms 'are scaring people for profit'A senior member of the Royal College of General Practitioners told MPs yesterday that health scares over osteoporosis and high blood pressure were created largely by pharmaceutical companies intent on selling their drugs.
The Telegraph 12/11/04
Hospital waiting lists fall to 17-year lowThe number of patients waiting for hospital treatment fell by 4,500 in September to its lowest level for 17 years, the Department of Health has said.
The Telegraph 12/11/04BBC Health News 12/11/04The Guardian 12/11/04Daily Mail 12/11/04The Guardian 13/11/04
Doctor's ordersEat leafy green vegetables, nuts and flaxseed to boost your intake of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) and reduce the risk of heart disease. A 16-year study of 76,000 women found that those who ate 1.5 grammes of ALA a day had a 46 per cent reduced risk of sudden cardiac death compared with those who ate 0.7 grammes a day, and were 21 per cent less likely to die of all heart disease.
The Times 12/11/04
Think before you book that flightIf you're suffering from a heart condition, the stress of an exotic holiday can make it worse. So choose your destination with care.
The Times 12/11/04
In briefHALITOSIS CURE People with chronic bad breath caused by a build-up of bacteria on the tonsils can be cured with laser treatment, says a study in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. Researchers used the procedure on 53 people, and in 28 found that the problem went immediately. The rest needed just two or three treatments and only two suffered any recurrence.
BERRY RELIEF Men with the symptoms of an enlarged prostate, such as night-time trips to the bathroom, may find that the berry saw palmetto helps. Harvard Men's Health Watch found that it cut night urination by 25 per cent.
BREAST BOOST Women who breast-feed are less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis, Arthritis & Rheumatism reports. Women who breast-fed for 12 to 23 months during their lifetime had a 30 per cent reduced risk of the condition; those who breast-fed for at least 24 months halved the risk. DIABETIC CONTROL Controlling the blood pressure of diabetics can slow the progress of retina damage. Archives of Ophthalmology says that diabetics whose blood pressure was kept to 150 over 85 had less retinal damage of all types than those with higher blood pressure.
POST-OP HEALING Infusing the painkiller bupivacaine into surgical wounds could speed recovery. A study at the University of Berne found that if bipuvacaine was continually injected for 18 to 24 hours, oxygen levels in the wound increased, improving healing and preventing infections.
The Times 12/11/04
The EthicistMy girlfriend is pregnant and intends to have the baby. She knows that I do not want children at present. She says she is more than happy to have the child and raise it herself, although she has tried to convince me to embrace the situation. Is it ethical to leave her to it?
The Times 12/11/04
Private clubs escape smoking banSMOKING will still be permitted in private clubs exempted from new laws designed to eradicate the habit in most pubs, restaurants and workplaces, it emerged last night.
The Times 12/11/04
Wife dumps Alzheimer's husband in hospitalA BRITISH woman flew her severely ill husband to England and abandoned him in a hospital waiting area because she was unable to care for him.
The Times 12/11/04
Superdads fight for the nursery voteThe two main party leaders spent a day trying to appeal to harassed mothers.
The Times 12/11/04
Seaside towns top teen pregnancy listSEASIDE towns and inner cities are to be targeted in the Government's drive to cut schoolgirl pregnancies after an analysis showed 50 per cent of teenage conceptions are concentrated in the 20 per cent of areas with the highest pregnancy rates.
The Times 12/11/04The Guardian 12/11/04
Couples may get chance to design the 'ideal' IVF babyCOUPLES will be able to choose donated sperm or eggs to create their designer child, under proposals published by the fertility watchdog.
The Times 12/11/04
'Britain has a smoking epidemic'People living in the most disadvantaged parts of England are much more likely to die due to smoking-related diseases, a report has revealed.
Daily Mail 12/11/04The Independent 12/11/04
Personal trainers on the NHSThe fat and unfit could be offered free check-ups and advice in war on obesity.
The Times 13/11/04The Guardian 13/11/04The Telegraph 13/11/04
Faster compensation for ex-minersThe Government has unveiled plans to speed up payments of compensation to former miners whose health suffered from working down pits.
Daily Mail 12/11/04
Parties woo working women with pledges to increase childcareLabour and the Tories tried to capture the votes of millions of working women yesterday with rival pledges to increase availability of childcare for mothers wishing to go back to work.
The Independent 12/11/04
Government retreats on 'super-casinos'Just a handful of "super-casinos" will be allowed to open after ministers signalled an embarrassing retreat on their controversial plans to liberalise gambling laws yesterday.
The Independent 12/11/04
Lib Dems urge NHS smoking banSmoking should be banned on NHS property as a first step to a total ban on lighting up in public, Welsh Liberal Democrats have said.
Daily Mail 12/11/04
Sharper teeth for medicines watchdogThe government yesterday announced sweeping changes to the medicines watchdog body after years of criticism and pressure, banning those who sit on its central licensing committee from having any personal or financial interests in pharmaceutical companies.
The Guardian 12/11/04
More and more are kicking the habitBaz has the gravelly voice of someone who has smoked for a long time: 45 years to be precise.
The Guardian 12/11/04
Compromise on smoking banEngland's smoking blackspots are identified today just days before the government offers a compromise on controlling smoking that is softer than the outright bans in enclosed public places introduced by Ireland and planned for Scotland.
The Guardian 12/11/04
Call to address 'epidemic' among London drug usersEpidemic levels of hepatitis C among London's injecting drug users are a result of the government's "sidelining" of harm reduction drug policy, according to a study released today.
The Guardian 12/11/04
Website helps drinkers tot up their unitsDrinkers will soon be able to calculate how a night out measures up against government advice on sensible drinking.
The Guardian 12/11/04
Fair pay is fair playA decent minimum wage is not just the hallmark of a civilised society, it also makes economic sense, writes Victor Keegan.
The Guardian 12/11/04
Open your mindCritics say Chinese biology and medicine are uncontrolled - a sort of 'wild east'. After witnessing a bizarre operation on a drug addict's brain, David Adam is inclined to agree.
The Guardian 12/11/04
Nano-hope for finding diseases
Rated 3 in National and International News on Nov 12, 2004 at 20:46:13 GMT.
Nanoparticles could allow doctors to detect diseases such as HIV, cancer, BSE and Alzheimer's long before they take hold. The Guardian 12/11/04
Link http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1349559,00.html
comment
Male birth control test succeedsScientists could be on the trail of a reversible male contraceptive that works through the immune system.
The Guardian 12/11/04The Independent 12/11/04
Vitamins: How much can we take?GIVEN the bad press that vitamin supplements have been getting recently, many a devotee will have popped their last pill. The latest study to put the wind up us is from the respected Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in America, which has concluded that taking too much vitamin E may increase your chance of dying early.
The Times 13/11/04
Fruit of the wombSeveral years ago, in response to an appeal on the local BBC news, I donated a batch of my eggs to the nurture clinic at the QMC in Nottingham (Women may get £1,000 for their eggs, November 12). I did not tick the boxes to be kept informed of the progress of the fruits of my womb (sorry, couldn't resist the only opportunity to write that), and asked to be taken off mailing lists. I treated the exercise as a messier version of giving blood - giving easily replaced bits of me for whatever the NHS chose to do with them. End of story.
The Guardian 13/11/04
Ageing population has 'taken ministers by surprise'A senior Labour peer warned yesterday that Government policy on the increasingly ageing population is "profoundly mistaken".
The Independent 13/11/04
Reid sets out vision of public services for consumer-citizensJohn Reid will today warn Labour MPs and activists that they are wasting valuable time squabbling about whether voters should increasingly be treated as "consumers" or "citizens" because they are obviously both.
The Guardian 13/11/04
How parents driven to suicide pact felt they failed daughterNo one could accuse Bill and Wendy Ainscow of failing to highlight the difficulties of raising a child with profound autistic problems.
The Independent 13/11/04
The kitten is a catalystDespite having had cats almost all his life, Ben Fenton developed an allergic reaction when he brought one home for his children.
The Telegraph 12/11/04
MoD urged to recognise war syndromePressure groups across the UK have demanded that the Government recognise Gulf War Syndrome as a genuine illness in light of a new report from the US.
Daily Mail 13/11/04
Youngsters despair as mobiles are removedYoung Britons find it impossible to organise their lives if they are deprived of their mobile telephones, a survey has found.
The Telegraph 13/11/04
18th-century medical notes on showA collection of historic medical manuscripts is to go on public show for the first time in over two centuries after a court ruling, it has emerged.
Daily Mail 13/11/04The Times 13/11/04
NHS prime market for global drugs tradeTHE spiralling trade in counterfeit medicines is threatening the health of millions of Britons as growing quantities of fake drugs are sold to the NHS, according to a report.
The Times 13/11/04
Gulf war illnesses 'link to toxins'The "Gulf War Syndrome" illnesses suffered by combat veterans appear to be linked to exposure to toxins including nerve gas, according to a report published in the US.
Daily Mail 13/11/04
Mandarins get on their bikesMORE than half a million civil servants will be entitled to free bicycles and a complimentary at-work fitness programme as part of the Government's drive to make the public more healthy.
The Times 13/11/04
Check-ups for doctors cost NHS 17m a yearSenior GPs are being paid up to £600 a time for testing their colleagues' competence in an annual appraisal scheme that costs the NHS 17 million a year.
The Telegraph 13/11/04
Psychological bait hooks millions for online phishermenINTERNET fraudsters have adopted advanced psychological techniques to "go phishing" and steal millions of pounds from online bank accounts.
The Times 13/11/04
A bit of bump and grindMost pregnant women probably realise they should avoid skiing and scuba-diving. But what about other, gentler exercise? Peta Bee reports
The Guardian 13/11/04
US report links toxins to Gulf war syndromeTroops who have fallen ill since the first Gulf war may have fallen victim to a ticking toxic timebomb, advisers to the US government said last night.
The Guardian 13/11/04
Hackers blamed for drink website hiccupA website designed to let drinkers keep tabs on their health left its backers with a morning-after feeling yesterday: no sooner was it up than it had stumbled and fallen down, apparently after being targeted by hackers.
The Guardian 13/11/04
Sex with Dr Thomas Stuttaford and Suzi GodsonAfter 30 years apart I was reunited with an old lover. All the feelings returned but at 58 he has aged considerably and his penis and testicles have shrunk to the size of a small boy's. This causes us both enormous frustration. Can anything be done to help?
The Times 13/11/04
Dr Copperfield: Inside the mind of a GP: Why educate patients?I'm not sure how clued up you are on the biological classification of patients. But take it from me that the genus Heartsink comprises only 1 per cent of punters - yet creates 99 per cent of the work. This is particularly true of the significant species of Heartsink - the Entitled Demander. These are the patients who know their rights, pay their taxes and will have your name, sonny. If you've ever met one, you'll know they're not fully evolved.
The Times 13/11/04
No sex please, we are zittishWhy do teens get spots? A new theory says it stops them having babies
The Times 13/11/04
Benjamin Fry: What's wrong with your... Blockbuster?Until recently, I hadn't read a book for a long time - I'd been writing instead. When it was all done and dusted, I realised that I'd not had the pleasure of reading anything but my own twisted piffle for months on end. So I decided to read something from the canon of great English literature - and so, naturally, I bought a copy of The Da Vinci Code. About 27 hours later, I was pale, hungry, tired and no longer on speaking terms with my wife.
The Times 13/11/04
Ask EmmaI am a 23-year-old male who has had severe hair folliculitis since the age of 17; this causes the root to get infected and swell with pus. My doctor has prescribed antibiotics on an ad hoc basis. Is there any natural alternative?
The Guardian 13/11/04
Find your house chiThere's nothing like a feng shui consultant to make you feel really at home.
The Times 13/11/04
A clearer view on glassesSix months ago my daughter, aged 5, was prescribed glasses for school. The problem is that she's got into the habit of leaving them on most of the time. I'm always telling her to take them off but she says it's too much bother. I am worried that wearing her glasses a lot will strain her eyes and that it will reach the point where she can't do without them. What do you suggest?
The Times 13/11/04
Young guns in lab coatsThey're fresh, they're smart and they're going to change our world. Here we introduce the brightest stars in medical science.
The Times 13/11/04
Smoking's leading lightGareth Davis, Britain's biggest tobacco baron, who makes and markets almost half of all cigarettes smoked in the UK, is fuming. "It's about smokers having the right to enjoy a simple pleasure - that's what it comes down to," he says. "Some 25% of the adult population smokes and that is a not insubstantial number. They have been vilified, victimised and pushed into corners for long enough. They pay their taxes - it is not asking a lot to sit down with a pint and a fag quietly in a pub."
The Guardian 13/11/04
Darian Leader: Analyse this: ShopliftingThe arrest of Coronation Street's Jimmi Harkishin on shoplifting charges has propelled yet another well-known face into the wrong kind of limelight.
The Times 13/11/04
Eat as I say, not as I doYou pick at your salad and mealtimes are a bore. So how can you persuade your kids that food is fun?
The Times 13/11/04
Need to know?Researchers this week presented an American Heart Association meeting with excellent trial results for a pill which simultaneously treats obesity and stops people smoking. What made us really take notice was praise from David Haslam, of the National Obesity Forum, who hailed the results as "very impressive", saying the arrival of this drug in Britain was a "mouthwatering prospect".
The Times 13/11/04
Nutrition: Jane Clarke: At your tableIt makes you pee and it's full of caffeine - but drinking tea is good for your heart.
The Times 13/11/04
We can be consumers and citizensMothers struggling to cope with the pressures of family life have been the inspiration for our new policies on public health, but they are also underpinned by a left-of-centre political theory that can be summed up in the phrase: moving from advice from on high to support from next door.
The Guardian 13/11/04
Singletons sickerNEW research from the Centre for Families at Edinburgh University shows that more and more people are living on their own. And the trend to increasing isolation over the past 30 years is accounted for by the younger generations. "I think the rise is partly due to changes in attitudes towards relationships," says the lead researcher Adam Smith. "People are increasingly putting career aspirations before forming a relationship."
The Times 13/11/04
Looking for a new positionExtreme yoga fans want the discipline accepted as an Olympic sport. But does competition have the right karmic spirit?
The Times 13/11/04
More choice for childrenWe welcome the prime minister's commitment in his speech to the Daycare Trust conference that the government's new plans for affordable childcare will include disabled children (Early years: Careful does it, November 12). This is tremendous news for the country's 700,000 disabled children and their parents. At the moment, some three-quarters of parents of disabled children have a problem getting or keeping paid work because they can't find affordable childcare that meets their children's needs. Little wonder that 55% of families with disabled children live in poverty.
The Guardian 13/11/04
Be nice, live longerNICE GUYS really do win, say four new research reports which claim that spiritual types have healthier hearts and better diets.
The Times 13/11/04
How the fit and fabulous stay that way: Jason Piper, 28Jason Piper, 28, gave up rugby for fear of injury - but finds ballet dancing more dangerous.
The Times 13/11/04
Brain tumour detection advancesIt is becoming possible to diagnose brain tumours with greater accuracy thanks to transatlantic discoveries.
BBC Health News 14/11/04
Warning on World Diabetes DaySoaring childhood obesity rates will increase diabetes rates affecting economic development across the globe, international agencies are warning.
BBC Health News 14/11/04
Hospital staff to train as policeA Liverpool hospital is training its staff as special constables in an effort to combat violence on the wards.
BBC Health News 14/11/04
Historic manuscripts on displayA collection of historic medical manuscripts is to go on public show for the first time in more than two centuries following a court ruling.
BBC Health News 13/11/04
'Kangaroo Care' Good for Premature Infants-ExpertsContinuous skin-to-skin contact between a mother and her premature infant appears to help them to thrive just as well as traditional care in incubators, according to a new report.
Reuters 12/11/04
Paxil Appears to Be Effective for OCD in KidsPaxil is a safe and effective treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in children and adolescents, according to the results of a short-term study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Reuters 12/11/04
Blood Transfusions at Birth Often UnneededA significant proportion of blood transfusions given to mothers around the time of birth may be unnecessary, Canadian researchers report in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Reuters 12/11/04
Smoking and Salt Bad for Stomach RefluxPeople who smoke or use high amounts of table salt on their food appear to be at increased risk for gastroesophageal reflux, a disease in which stomach juices flow back into the esophagus, European researchers report. In contrast, tea and alcohol, which have been identified as culprits in past studies, did not increase the risk.
Reuters 12/11/04
Plaques Cut Survival in Young Heart Attack PatientsBlood vessel plaques and the heart's pumping ability influence survival in people under 40 who've suffered a heart attack, new research shows.
Reuters 12/11/04
Cholesterol Drugs May Not Reduce Risk of DementiaNew study findings suggest that the cholesterol-lowering drugs know as "statins" do not appear to lower the risk of dementia or Alzheimer's disease, except possibly in cases of early-onset Alzheimer's disease.
Reuters 12/11/04
WHO Urges More Flu Vaccine Efforts Before PandemicThe World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday urged governments to provide funds to drug makers developing vaccines against a feared influenza pandemic, which could kill millions of people.
Reuters 12/11/04
Sara Lee Unit Voluntarily Recalls Corn DogsBryan Foods, a unit of Sara Lee Corp., is voluntarily recalling about 81,500 pounds of corn dogs because the packaging did not declare the products contained dried egg yolks, which can cause an allergic reaction, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday.
Reuters 12/11/04
Glaxo Vaccine Stops Virus Linked to Cancer -StudyIt's one of the most common cancers in women and kills about a quarter of a million patients each year but scientists said on Friday that a new vaccine could prevent most cases of cervical cancer.
Reuters 12/11/04The Telegraph 12/11/04Daily Mail 12/11/04The Guardian 12/11/04
Canada Not Trying to Kill Web Drugstores, PM SaysPrime Minister Paul Martin denied on Friday that Canada was trying to drive Internet pharmacies out of business, despite Ottawa's recent complaints over drug sales to the United States.
Reuters 12/11/04
Rare meningitis 'treatment hope'A drug treatment combination can reduce deaths from tuberculosis meningitis by up to a third, scientists believe.
BBC Health News 13/11/04
Phone mast 'test case' rejectedThe Court of Appeal has rejected a test case challenging a decision to allow a mobile phone mast near three schools.
BBC Health News 12/11/04The Telegraph 12/11/04The Times 13/11/04
More workers back NHS pay dealA second major trade union has voted to accept a radical shake-up in pay and conditions for NHS workers.
BBC Health News 12/11/04
Relatives of abandoned man foundThe family of an 82-year-old Alzheimer's sufferer abandoned at a hospital have come forward.
BBC Health News 12/11/04The Times 13/11/04The Telegraph 13/11/04
Hopes over food allergy vaccineHopes of developing a food allergy vaccine have been raised after successful trials of a vaccine on dogs.
BBC Health News 13/11/04
Hepatitis C at 'epidemic levels'Hepatitis C among young drug users in London is reaching epidemic levels while HIV cases are "worryingly high", researchers have warned.
BBC Health News 12/11/04
Egg and sperm donor cash proposalEgg and sperm donors could be paid thousands of pounds in expenses under plans being considered.
BBC Health News 12/11/04The Telegraph 12/11/04The Independent 12/11/04The Guardian 12/11/04
Baby Luke loses fight for lifeA nine-month-old baby who was at the centre of a high-profile "right to life" legal case has died.
BBC Health News 12/11/04The Telegraph 13/11/04The Times 13/11/04The Guardian 13/11/04The Guardian 12/11/04Daily Mail 12/11/04The Telegraph 12/11/04
'Toxin link' to veterans' illnessThe illnesses suffered by veterans of the first Gulf War appeared to be linked to toxins including nerve gas, according to a US report.
BBC Health News 12/11/04Mail on Sunday 14/11/04
Women 'scared' into costly scansDoctors accuse private firms of pushing unreliable new tests.
The Observer 14/11/04
Sellafield sacks man 'too fat for security gates'A man has been sacked from the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant because he is too fat to fit through the security turnstiles.
The Telegraph 14/11/04
Drivers ignore ban on mobilesTHE number of motorists who drive while using a hand-held mobile phone has dropped by only 25% since the introduction of a national ban last year, according to research commissioned by the government, writes Dipesh Gadher.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
Junk food ads for children on television to be bannedMinisters will order television companies this week to come up with a new set of rules to stop children being exposed to advertisements encouraging them to fill their stomachs with unhealthy food or drink, or face an outright ban.
The Independent 14/11/04BBC Health News 14/11/04Politics.co.uk 14/11/04ITV News 14/11/04The Sunday Times 14/11/04The Sunday Times 14/11/04The Observer 14/11/04The Times 13/11/04
Wife in suicide pact returns home aloneThe survivor of a husband and wife suicide pact will fly back to Britain from Tenerife this week.
The Telegraph 14/11/04
GlasgowMale life expectancy: 69.1 years Female life expectancy: 76.4 Smoking prevalence: 31 per cent Participation in sport: 44 per cent (excluding walking) Average annual income: £17,170
The Observer 14/11/04
Hamburger link to brain diseaseThe Irish Republic's first victim of the deadly brain disease variant CJD may have caught it from eating hamburgers, it has emerged.
Daily Mail 14/11/04
East DorsetMale life expectancy: 80.1 years Female life expectancy: 83.4 years Smoking prevalence: 22 per cent Participation in sport: 50 per cent (excluding walking) Average annual income: £23,471
The Observer 14/11/04
Community wardens are 'the future of crime fighting'To her supporters, Liz Lovatt is the future - one of the first of what will eventually be 20,000 crimefighters who will transform our streets and relieve the pressure on over-stretched police forces. To her detractors, she is another example of policing on the cheap, a toothless non-officer who patrols a Kent village by day while the yobs rule the streets by night.
The Telegraph 14/11/04
Anthony Worral Thompson: Without a bit of nannying, we'll never eat properlyI hate the nanny state, but the Government's proposals to cut the scandalous amount of advertising of junk food to which our children are subjected doesn't go nearly far enough. The Independent on Sunday reports today that the Government wants the big food companies to come to a voluntary agreement to cut the amount of advertising of junk food aimed at children.
The Independent 14/11/04
Junk food companies gorge on children's prime-time TV slotsIf your child were to eat all the food advertised during a typical five hours of children's programming, he or she would consume three times the recommended daily amount of calories for a seven- to 10-year-old.
The Independent 14/11/04
Lost chance to make us all healthierLabour is scared of taking real action, says health editor Jo Revill.
The Observer 14/11/04
NHS staff to be trained as specialsStaff at an NHS hospital are being trained as special constables in a fresh offensive to combat violence in the health service.
Daily Mail 14/11/04The Sunday Mail 14/11/04
How do you measure up to Britain's healthiest family (and its most average)?This week the Government will deliver its big verdict on the nation's health, warning that we must all get fit to live longer and save the NHS. Here a very typical family is compared to the official ideal. And below Andy McSmith reveals what the doctor will order.
The Independent 14/11/04
Her health, her cash, her life. Is it anyone else's business?Cigarettes, drink and bad diet could kill off today's youngsters before their parents. This week, a White Paper will address the issues - but ministers fear creating a nanny state. Jo Revill and Gaby Hinsliff report.
The Observer 14/11/04
'God gene' discovered by scientist behind gay DNA theoryReligious belief is determined by a person's genetic make-up according to a study by a leading scientist.
The Telegraph 14/11/04
Junk food ads for children on television to be bannedMinisters will order television companies this week to come up with a new set of rules to stop children being exposed to advertisements encouraging them to fill their stomachs with unhealthy food or drink, or face an outright ban.
The Independent 14/11/04
Shambles of the asylum cheats' charterANWAR RIZVI came to Britain from Pakistan as a teenager. As a first-generation immigrant he has been appalled by the bigotry and intolerance of those people who criticise asylum seekers.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
Flu pandemic vaccines urged forWith the right co-ordination, international commitment and about 13 million dollars, scientists could deliver within a year a candidate vaccine to combat a global flu pandemic, the World Health Organisation said.
Daily Mail 13/11/04
Insider reveals asylum fraudA WHITEHALL whistleblower has criticised the government's immigration policy by revealing the "lies and false excuses" that enable scores of failed asylum seekers to settle in Britain.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
'I begged them on bended knee to save my boy'Ruth Winston-Jones, whose 10-month-old baby, Luke, died on Friday after a court battle over his right to life, told yesterday how she begged doctors on bended knee to save her son.
The Telegraph 14/11/04
How exercise protects the heartAlthough it is widely known that regular exercise makes for a healthy heart, scientists believe they have shown why this might be.
BBC Health 14/11/04
Job file: Dreaming of sex costs the nation 7.8bn a yearTHE next time you find yourself drifting away in a meeting, you may want to consider this: according to YouGov, a research group, one in three people in meetings dreams about sex.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
British men top 'erotic thoughts' pollThey may be more passionate or just not getting enough of the real thing. A study has found British men think about sex more frequently than any other nationality in Europe, writes Roger Dobson.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
Young lotharios face cancer riskMEN who are sexually promiscuous when they are young could be increasing their risk of contracting prostate cancer later in life, a study has found.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
Almost half of adult deaths due to smokingPeople living in the most disadvantaged parts of England are much more likely to die due to smoking-related diseases, a report reveals.
Daily Mail 12/11/04
If drink or disease destroy your liver, just grow a new onePatients whose livers are destroyed by alcohol or infection could grow a new organ using their own stem cells after a breakthrough by British scientists.
The Telegraph 14/11/04
'My family came here from Italy in 1750, yet we are classed as beneath even the asylum seekers'"It's paradise, man," said the Romany gypsy Cliff Cadona, 45, taking in the Cadona extended family pitch at the Woodside gypsy camp, at Hatch in Bedfordshire, with a proud sweep of his hand. "This is us. This is what we Romanies are all about," he said. "Lorries. Caravans. Trailers. Forklift trucks. Family."
The Telegraph 14/11/04
Gipsies aren't the only onesAt the end of September, a group of gipsies, backed by the Deputy Prime Minister, persuaded the Court of Appeal that they were entitled to stay in homes they had built without asking for planning permission. Ever since, there has been outraged comment at the way "travellers" are accorded special treatment. They have been allowed to get away with violating planning laws - so the argument runs - in ways that would never be allowed among "the settled community" (as some Labour MPs call the rest of us).
The Telegraph 14/11/04
People should be pleased to have us, says gypsy queen Maggie - the travellers' agentAnyone seeking to park an unwanted caravan on Maggie Smith-Bendell's land had better watch out.
The Telegraph 14/11/04
Superbugs fear hangs over hospitalsMore than two-thirds of people are worried about being hit by deadly superbugs if they have to go into hospital.
The Observer 14/11/04Mail on Sunday 14/11/04
We spend £1.6bn on them a year. But are they doing us any good?Complementary medicines lead to healthy profits, but many do little for the patient.
The Independent 14/11/04
Junk food ads 'banished'Junk food adverts will be banished before a 9pm TV watershed an attempt to fight Britain's obesity crisis.
Mail on Sunday 14/11/04
Backs to the future: staying fit for your jobChronic disability may be needlessly spine-chilling, says Neasa MacErlean.
The Observer 14/11/04
The 'largest ethnic minority in Europe'The gypsy and traveller population in Britain is estimated at 300,000, mainly composed of English and Welsh Romanichal or "Romany" gypsies and Irish and Scottish travellers.
The Telegraph 14/11/04
Racial tensions halt dispersal of asylum seekers around UKThe Government has been forced to stop sending asylum seekers to cities and towns across Britain after being warned by the police that its policy is creating racial tension and violence.
The Telegraph 14/11/04
Those Gucci gypsies and other mythsI have a suggestion. Next time you read an article about Romany people or Travellers in the British press, take out the word 'gypsy' and insert 'black' or 'Jew'. How comfortable do you feel then?
The Observer 14/11/04
US study links more than 200 diseases to pollutionPollution has been linked to about 200 different diseases, ranging from cerebral palsy to testicular atrophy, as well as more than 37 kinds of cancer, startling US research shows.
The Independent 14/11/04
MMR scare doctor planned rival vaccineTHE doctor whose work provoked a worldwide scare over MMR failed to reveal that he was developing his own commercial rival to the vaccine.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
Sainsbury's wheels out health aidSupermarket chain Sainsbury's is planning to use a coloured logo on the front of packs to help shoppers decide if products are healthy.
Mail on Sunday 14/11/04
Computer loophole hits hi-tech NHS trialPART of the trial for the government's multi-million-pound scheme to computerise the National Health Service has been halted over fears that patient confidentiality may be compromised.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
Two-thirds of whites say they are biased against minoritiesTwo-thirds of white people in Britain admit they are prejudiced against at least one minority group, with Gypsies and asylum-seekers the main targets, according to an authoritative study published this week.
The Independent 14/11/04
Ministers clueless on cost of NHS payA FLAGSHIP new pay deal for thousands of medical staff has been launched in Scotland with neither ministers nor health boards knowing how much it will cost.
Scotland on Sunday 14/11/04
Television ban for junk food advertsTELEVISION adverts for junk food are to be banned until after the watershed as part of the efforts to combat the epidemic of obesity in young children.
Scotland on Sunday 14/11/04
Health staff on patrol to stop attacksSTAFF at an NHS hospital are being trained as special constables in a fresh offensive to combat violence in the health service.
Scotland on Sunday 14/11/04
Butt out JohnA FURIOUS row has erupted between Jack McConnell and Health Secretary John Reid over the Scottish Executive's smoking ban.
The Sunday Mail 14/11/04
Nurses work 70hr weeksNURSES are being forced to work 70-hour weeks because of massive staff shortages, according to a leading union.
The Sunday Mail 14/11/04
NHS merges three city trustsSCOTLAND'S biggest health authority are to undergo an overhaul in an efficiency drive aimed at providing improved patient services.
Sunday Mail 14/11/04
The NHS doctors on 1,200 a nightDoctors are earning up to £1,200 a night under new NHS contracts designed to take the pressure off GPs.
Mail on Sunday 14/11/04
Radiographers protest pay reformsHundreds of radiographers planning strike action early next year will march in protest at controversial pay reforms.
Daily Mail 13/11/04
NHS staff to be trained as specialsStaff at an NHS hospital are being trained as special constables in a fresh offensive to combat violence in the health service.
Daily Mail 13/11/04
Dental body probed over VHI policy snubIRISH dentists are being investigated by the Competition Authority following a complaint that they are opposing the country's first dental insurance plan.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
Are you tanorexic?If you are one of the 3m people hooked on sunbeds, whether to look better or to feel better, it's time to wake up and face the damage, says Anita Chaudhuri.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
Doctors probe Irish beef CJD linkDOCTORS and food experts investigating Ireland's first case of vCJD are focusing on Irish suppliers and producers of beef as the cause of a young man contracting the disease.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
Amanda Ursell: NutritionIt is easy to blame junk food for our bulging waistlines. But now, it seems, the humble electric light bulb could also be a key culprit. Light bulbs artificially extend the day, so the average number of hours we sleep per night has dwindled from 10 a century ago to less than 7 for one in three of us.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
New hospital war on flesh-eating bugNEW guidance to counter the often fatal flesh-eating disease necrotising fasciitis in Britain's National Health Service hospitals is to be issued by the government agency responsible for protecting the nation's health.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04The Sunday Times 14/11/04
Susan Clark: What's the alternative?I am interested in training as a practitioner of the Bowen Technique (a holistic treatment that balances and stimulates energy flows, resulting in a deep sense of overall relaxation), but in researching available courses, it has become apparent there is conflict between the main training bodies. I find this confusing and disheartening, as it is supposed to be about healing. Can you recommend a credible course?
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
80m tobacco holdings of smoking ban councilsLOCAL authorities that would have to enforce the Scottish executive's proposed smoking ban have more than £80m invested in the tobacco industry.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
Body MattersFarmacia's Elixirs Some so-called health drinks are so overloaded with sugar and gas that they are anything but beneficial to our wellbeing. A welcome exception is Farmacia's new range of Active Fruit Elixirs, which taste fruity and contain herbs such as echinacea, to ward off wintry colds, and milk thistle, to detox the liver. Just add water. £6.95 each; 0870 111 8123 WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT Party feet Bunions, blisters and corns sound gruesome - and they are. So book in for Bliss Spa's invigorating High Heal-er foot treatment before you hit the dancefloor. Lower legs are firmly pummelled, while a hot paraffin-wax wrap helps to depuff swollen post-party feet. If you can't get to the salon, stock up on Bliss's cooling Minty Moisture Milk (£21) and massage your feet after each long, Manolo-wearing night. £75; 020 7584 3888 WHAT YOU SHOULD BUY Lavish fitness accessories Who says that fitness gear can't mix the frivolous with the functional? Just look at this bike bell, which is encrusted with Swarovski crystals. Along with a matching water bottle, it would be an ideal stocking filler for cyclists or any fitness fanatic. Bike bell, £20, and water bottle, £25, both by Grace Sport for Sigg; 020 7836 6222
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
Celebrity sex clinic: ContrasexualsHave you been to see the new Bridget Jones movie yet? We don't want to spoil it for you, but she's still counting calories, searching for true love and battling her insecurities with comic ineptitude. It's all very sweet, but Bridget's concerns are decidedly last century. A new female role model is emerging, and there's even a new buzzword to describe her. Contrasexuals (contrary to the female stereotype) are the kind of women who want everything - except to settle down. Their role models - Samantha Jones, the sexually adventurous, financially independent character in Sex and the City, and Nicole Kidman - are strong, forthright, modern gals, who are more interested in personal fulfilment than Bridget's idea of traditional domestic bliss. According to a recent survey, there are about 2m of them out there, and that figure will double in the next 10 years. It's not so much a case of take a letter, Miss Jones, as take a hike.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
Comment: Minette Marrin: There is an alternative to the chaos of childcare'It's the kiddies, stupid." That seems to be the exciting new election strategy of both the Conservatives and the government. Last week the leader of the opposition and the prime minister were both energetically chasing the mummy and daddy vote. They spoke deferentially of "hard-working families" and announced lots of complicated new policies. How the heart sinks.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
Focus: In search of the miracle pillA drug that helps you slim and stay youthful? Lois Rogers reports on new discoveries in the pursuit of the ultimate lifestyle treatment.
The Sunday Times 14/11/04
Low carbs could slim beer belliesAtkins-style diets could be the perfect solution to middle-aged spread in men.
Mail on Sunday 14/11/04
Lib Dems urge NHS smoking banSmoking should be banned on NHS property as a first step to a total ban on lighting up in public, Welsh Liberal Democrats have said.
Daily Mail 12/11/04
Practitioners warned over GOS RegulationsPractitioners were being told to urgently check their future eligibility to provide GOS and claim sight test fees.
www.optometryonline.net 12/11/04
Emergency reliefPatients with emergency surgical problems in a major city centre hospital will see surgeons more quickly after a new assessment unit was opened.
NHS Magazine 12/11/04
Smoke free hospitalsBacking the call for a ban on smoking in public places, a hospital trust is launching a major campaign to help staff and patients quit.
NHS Magazine 12/11/04
Don't let the bed bugs biteHospital cleaners are being equipped with a revolutionary new cleaning system as the fight against infections is stepped up.
NHS Magazine 12/11/04
Nurse-led anniversaryA pioneering nurse-led health centre that includes two GPs on the team has celebrated its first birthday.
NHS Magazine 12/11/04
Meeting the NHS challengesHealth and social care organisations are being offered additional support to help them respond to the needs of a modern NHS.
NHS Magazine 12/11/04
Advantage donor registration hits one millionA leading retailer is celebrating the success of its organ donor registration scheme.
NHS Magazine 12/11/04
Agenda acceptedSweeping reforms in the way NHS jobs are graded and paid have been overwhelmingly accepted by a substantial section of the workforce.
NHS Magazine 12/11/04
PPRS deal to cut NHS drugs bill by 7%The government and the pharma industry have agreed a 7% reduction in the prices imposed on branded, prescription medicines, that will save the NHS £1.8 billion over five years in England alone.
Pharmafocus 13/11/04
Microsoft licensing deal to save NHS 330 millionA new desktop software licensing deal with Microsoft will save the NHS £330 million and improve patient safety, according to Health Minister John Hutton.
Pharmafocus 13/11/04
Altruist foresaw our crisis more than a century agoThey were seen as an obvious blessing but one woman knew pensions would not solve the poor's problems, writes James Bartholomew.
The Telegraph 13/11/04
NHS failing to care for chronic pain sufferers, GPs saySCOTTISH doctors struggle to help thousands of patients a year whose injuries have left them in constant pain, an investigation has found.
The Scotsman 13/11/04
Health body in major shake-upScotland's biggest health authority is to undergo a major overhaul aimed at improving services for patients.
BBC Health News 14/11/04
Reid pushes 'personal ambition'Individual ambition is the way to improving Britain, Health Secretary John Reid is to tell a conference.
BBC Health News 13/11/04
Smoking deaths across England, 1600 per weekHealth Development Agency publishes first local figures revealing unacceptable differences across the country.
Medical News Today 13/11/04
Fury as nurses work 'illegal' 80-hour weekSCOTTISH nurses are working illegal 80-hour weeks due to chronic staffing shortages. Despite the introduction of workplace laws to restrict shifts, some are signing up for more than 40 hours as bank and agency staff on top of their regular 40-hour week.
Sunday Herald 14/11/04
Locum hospital staff cost NHS Scotland 11m THE cost of staffing Scottish hospital wards with locum consultants has soared to more than £11 million, the Sunday Herald can reveal.
Sunday Herald 14/11/04
Cheshire and Merseyside News
First aid for air medicsA FLYING ambulance service which receives no government funding has begun an awareness and fundraising campaign with a £500 gift from telecom company NTL.
Weekly News 11/11/04
New non-executive director joins TrustSOUTHPORT & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust has welcomed a new face on the board.
Southport Visiter 10/11/04
5,000 fines for smokers
SMOKERS who light up in Liverpool face fines of up to £5,000 under the planned smoking ban.
Liverpool Echo 12/11/04
Jumpers needed for kangaroo kidsA COUPLE has called on Chronicle readers to take up their knitting needles and help them give a million premature babies in South Africa the chance of survival.
Chester Chronicle 12/11/04
Funnyman's flu messageKEN Dodd has a message for anyone in Formby who hasn't had their flu jab yet this autumn - it's not too late to get yourself protected!
Formby Times 11/11/04
Health staff on patrol to stop attacksSTAFF at an NHS hospital are being trained as special constables in a fresh offensive to combat violence in the health service.
Scotland on Sunday 14/11/04The Daily Mail 13/11/04 BBC Health News 14/11/04
Lancashire and Cumbria News
Ex-chairman's hope for hospicePENDLESIDE Hospice founder Muriel Jobling last week announced she was to step down as chairman of the organisation and take up the role of president. She spoke to reporter RACHEL EXTANCE about her decision. . .
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 13/11/04
Multi-million pound health centre planPLANS for a multi-million pound health centre in the heart of Accrington have been submitted to Hyndburn Council.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 13/11/04
Let's get rid of this 'filthy habit'I FEEL I must respond to Tony Fitzgerald's tirade (Letters, November 5) against the modern-day constrictions on smokers and smoking. Apart from lambasting all and sundry, his stance seemed rather one-sided and missed alarming fundamentals about this filthy habit.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 12/11/04
Justifying a smackMRS C McAllister belongs to an anti-smacking group striving for the ban.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 12/11/04
Smacking should be made illegalYES, make it illegal to hit children, No-one deserves to be hit but people need to think before phoning social services without concrete evidence that a child is being abused.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 12/11/04
Greater Manchester News
MRSA bug link to op woman who diedAN elderly woman was found to have the superbug MRSA following an operation on her hip, an inquest heard.
Bury Times 12/11/04
Family doctor suspendedA FAMILY doctor at a Prestwich medical centre has been suspended.
Bury Times 12/11/04
I was scared and in painI RECENTLY had a colostomy operation at Wythenshawe Hospital. I live in Bury, however, and before surgery the surgeon told me that there would unfortunately be no stoma care for me after I left hospital, as Bury PCT do not employ a stoma nurse.
Bury Times 12/11/04
Health vacancyTHE board of the Bolton Primary Care Trust will be advertising for a new non-executive director.
Bolton Evening News 13/11/04
Health warning on booze labelsBEER drinkers will today face health warnings on the bottles of their favourite tipple.
Manchester Evening News 12/11/04
Health on wheels to beat heart problemsPEOPLE who suffer from heart problems are being told to get on their bikes - with the encouragement of free cycles.
Bolton Evening News 13/11/04
Five-day wait to see if tot had superbugA TEENAGE mother who was told she had MRSA after giving birth was left waiting for five days to find out whether her baby had the potentially deadly superbug.
Manchester Evening News 12/11/04
Osteopath guilty of assaultsAN osteopath has been convicted of indecently assauting five male patients.
Bolton Evening News 12/11/04
Deprived areas linked to smokingSMOKING is more closely linked with deprivation than unemployment, according to health chiefs in Bolton.
Bolton Evening News 13/11/04
Capital of smoking death tollSMOKING kills more people in Greater Manchester than anywhere else in England, according to official figures released today.
Manchester Evenign News 12/11/04
Nurses leading way with diabetes careNURSES at the Royal Bolton Hospital are pioneering the way diabetic patients are assessed before operations.
Bolton Evening News 13/11/04
Van full of drugs is stolenA VAN containing thousands of tranquillisers has been stolen by an opportunist thief.
Bolton Evening News 12/11/04
New scanner aims to cut waiting listsBOLTON is to get a mobile MRI scanner for 12 months in an attempt to cut waiting lists.
Bolton Evening News 13/11/04
Legalise euthanasia, says man with weeks to liveA CANCER sufferer who has been given weeks to live is pleading for euthanasia to be legalised.
Bolton Evening News 12/11/04
New hope for the patients who faintA MANCHESTER doctor is to open the world's first clinic to check the heart of patients who faint.
Manchester Evening News 13/11/04
