We have a tendency to think that everything which is new, as an improvement on that which is old. Whilst new inventions can improve our lives I am talking about changing things that work quite well for no reason other than something new has turned up. Previously I...
This video shows graphically how many people are helped by taking certain medications for “risk reduction” . This figure called “the number needed to treat ” is rarely quoted because it would make more people question the need for...
A fortnight ago I wrote about how the role of cholesterol in heart disease was being challenged. There was also a challenge to the widespread prescribing of statin medications. And to cap it off we saw a near hysterical reaction of some health authorities to this. The...
Science fiction quickly becomes science fact these days.The communicator from Star Trek is now everyones mobile phone. And the health industry is getting involved through apps and mobile technology helping people better manage their health.Looks like the future is...
A headline about lack of hospital beds or people missing out on care is always popular. Often statistics are used to show that certain sections of the population are getting less access to treatment than other sections. It reinforces the sense of crisis about the...