Imaging technique sheds new light on the composition of the brain of moderate cannabis users
...ects on brain structure and integrity. The authors warn however, that more research is necessary, both in a larger group of people and to see the effects of heavier use....Residents report less fatigue, better care under 80-hour work week mandate
...jective outcome measures. In addition, researchers warn that their findings cannot necessarily be generalized nationally and that future studies should measure whether this shift in perceptions carries on over time....Early diagnosis key to melanoma cure
...rs the only hope of cure for people with melanoma, warn senior doctors in this week's BMJ. Melanoma is a deadly but potentially curable type of skin cancer, largely thought to be caused by excessive and intense intermittent exposure to sunlight. The incidence of melanoma is rising faster than any other ca...Measures of health inequalities are misleading
...nd up improving the health of the richest fastest, warn researchers in this week's BMJ. The UK government's health inequalities policy aims to improve the health of the poorest fastest. But the way health gaps are currently measured gives a misleading impression of progress, argue health economist Allan L...Concern over rising preterm births
...associated with early birth. Now doctors in the UK warn that, if these trends are real, the impact for society is considerable. Preterm deliveries account for fewer than 1 in 10 births but result in 75% of neonatal deaths and most neonatal intensive care admissions, write Andrew Shennan and Susan Bewley o...Harsh famine ahead for NHS, warn experts
... end, we need to prepare for a harsh famine ahead, warn health economists in this week's BMJ. In 2000, the Labour government initiated a programme of NHS investment unequalled in any other healthcare system. Almost seven years on, the spending has improved services, but these improvements have not kept p......lish ever-expanding fields of responsibility, they warn that the general surgeon's role as provider of holistic trauma care risks being fatally eroded. They believe that the UK's surgical institutions should fundamentally re-examine the issue of trauma training for surgeons. "In particular, Britain needs ...No evidence that referral management centres can deliver
...ment centres can improve the NHS referral process, warn experts in this week's BMJ. Referral management centres have been developed to monitor, assess, and redirect referrals between primary and secondary care. They are being heralded as a means to achieve a more efficient referral process that can match ...Federal law should require ID of stores that sold recalled food, study suggests
...id, and grocery stores that go out of their way to warn consumers about potentially harmful products could find customers appreciate the information and become even more loyal customers. However, Hooker said, this theory remains untested and deserves further research. Hooker is continuing his work on thi...Time for Britain to adopt universal hepatitis B immunisation
...tries with high rates of infection. However, they warn that targeting vaccination at immigrants could be seen as stigmatising and divisive. Instead, they suggest that, as population movements increase, control of infectious diseases must be supported by regional and global strategies. Several European c...Beta carotene slows decline in lung power associated with ageing
...effects of heavy smoking on the airways. And they warn that heavy smokers whose dietary intake of antioxidants is low, "are probably at very high risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)."...Increased age, certain procedures associated with increased complications after bariatric surgery
...cations. The findings suggest that surgeons should warn older adults and those considering duodenal switch procedures of the risks involved, the authors write. "While some investigators have suggested a specific age limit as an absolute contraindication to bariatric surgery, we do not employ such limits ...Commercial interests driving standards for formula milk
...e strongest driver of what goes into formula milk, warn child health experts in this week's BMJ. Professors Berthold Koletzko and Raanan Shamir describe a meeting in Bonn, Germany in November 2005 to revise the standard on infant formula. The meeting involved government delegations, non-governmental organ...Scientists discover how coffee can reduce risk of pancreatitis
...are also hoping that these findings can be used to warn against the dangers of binge drinking. Some of the effects of the non-oxidative alcohol products on isolated pancreatic cells cannot be reversed, explaining why excess alcohol intake can be so dangerous."...Thalidomide should be added to treatment combination for multiple myeloma
...ombosis, neurological toxic effects and infection, warn the authors. Dr Palumbo concludes: "After 50 years of unsuccessful attempts to find new and more effective treatment approaches suitable for most patients with myeloma, our results lend support to the use of thalidomide in the initial treatment of el...Poor clinical handover threatening patient care
...dering the system prone to misses and near misses, warn doctors in a letter to this week's BMJ. The introd...dering the system prone to misses and near misses, warn the authors. They favour a post-take bedside ward round, not only from a medicolegal point of view, ...Concern over rapid rise of chronic kidney disease
...dwide and is becoming a global healthcare problem, warn experts in this week's BMJ. In the United Kingdom, the annual incidence of end stage renal disease is around 100 per 1,000,000 population. This figure has doubled over the past decade and is expected to continue to rise by 5-8% annually, but it still...Stanford doctors spotlight fatal flaw in multiple sclerosis drug trial
...nette Langer-Gould, MD, and Lawrence Steinman, MD, warn of the pitfalls of testing a drug with unknown side effects in patients who would do fine without the drug. The drug in question is natalizumab, which has the brand name of Tysabri. In November 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fast-tracked...Breast screening information should be more balanced
... of invitations gave an appointment date, but they warn that this gives the impression that participation is a public duty. They believe that information material should convey the message that a decision not to attend is not irresponsible. "We believe that the information included with invitations should......reatening the future of cancer research in Europe, warn experts in this week's BMJ. The EU clinical trials directive, implemented in 2004, was intended to protect patients and improve research standards. But many investigators were worried that the labour intensive, bureaucratic, and expensive endeavour o...