Humanity has a breadth and depth to it. We are not all the same. It is interesting then how some differences are accepted and others are not. It is particularly interesting how some differences are increasingly been made into diseases. The medicalization of human...
Prostate testing remains controversial. In one camp we have those who are pushing for more testing so that more cancers can be detected. This group feels that prostate cancer is under diagnosed and under treated. In the opposing camp are those who feel prostate...
Easter Sunday is the day when everyone can indulge his or her love of chocolate without feeling guilty-and rightly so. Chocolate is universal. It is said that nine out of ten people say they like chocolate and the tenth is lying. So why is there guilt about...
Over the last 30 years we have seen the rise of preventative health. Some recent studies shine a spotlight on this and raise good questions. A US study questions the cost effectiveness of certain health programs. In Germany it has been suggested that many...
Politicians can be criticized for many things. Being fit and healthy is not usually one of them. The general view of the lifestyle of the average politician would be one of too many meals out perhaps accompanied by a bit too much alcohol. Regular exercise is not often...
The weight loss drug Sibutramine, better known as Reductil had its license suspended by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The agency recommended that the drug should neither be prescribed by doctors nor dispensed by pharmacists. The reason for this was that a trial...
Unless you have been on mars for most of the last twelve months you would have heard about the H1N1 virus also known as swine flu. In response to the perceived “killer” virus, governments around the world ordered mass dosages of a vaccine against the virus in a bid to...
One of the important contributors to a child’s health, both physical and mental is a reasonably stable environment. This for various reasons is not always possible and humans are fairly resilient. When one looks at the requirements people have to go through to be...
Health reform is on the front page in Australia, again. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd revealed a plan for the Commonwealth Government to take over the funding of public hospitals from state governments. Prior to being elected in 2007 Mr Rudd promised to fix the health...
It was interesting to see an editorial in the Vancouver Sun Newspaper questioning the spending of Canadian taxpayers money on Olympic sports. The Winter Olympics were a great success both in a logistical sense for Canada and in terms of medals. The Canadian Olympic...
