Women ’should not have right to home birth if at risk’
August 3, 2010
The right of women to choose whether they have home births is being questioned by a top medical journal.
The Lancet said mothers-to-be should not be able to opt for them if they put their babies at risk - under UK law women can override medical advice.
HIV rate rises among over-50s
July 26, 2010
There has been a big increase in the number of people aged 50 and over catching HIV, latest figures show.
The over-50s infection rate in England, Wales and Northern Ireland more than doubled in under a decade - from 299 new cases in 2000 to 710 in 2007.
US military curbs ‘reduce’ Afghan attacks in some areas
July 24, 2010
The skeleton has a key role in regulating blood sugar and may be the underlying cause of diabetes in some people, say US researchers.
A study in mice found that the breakdown of old bone to make way for new bone growth also helps to keep a healthy level of glucose in the blood.
Vaccine patch may replace needles
July 19, 2010
A vaccine patch could cut out the need for painful needles and boost the effectiveness of immunisation against diseases like flu, say US researchers.
The patch has hundreds of microscopic needles which dissolve into the skin.
Tests in mice show the technology may even produce a better immune response than a conventional jab.
Amnesty warns of healthcare crisis in North Korea
July 15, 2010
North Korea is failing to provide the most basic healthcare needs for its people, Amnesty International warns.
An investigation by the human rights watchdog found barely functioning hospitals, poor hygiene and epidemics made worse by widespread malnutrition.
Many people were also too poor to pay for treatment, the report citing North Koreans and health workers said.
Link between inactivity and obesity queried
July 8, 2010
Researchers have challenged the assumption that a lack of exercise causes children to put on weight.
An 11-year study of more than 200 children in Plymouth suggests the effect is the other way around - that getting fatter makes them inactive.
Pregnant women ‘must take vitamin D supplements’
July 5, 2010
Pregnant women in the UK should be told to routinely take vitamin D supplements, researchers say.
The team at University College London Institute of Child Health says official bodies currently offer conflicting advice.
Pregnant women ‘must take vitamin D supplements’
July 5, 2010
Pregnant women in the UK should be told to routinely take vitamin D supplements, researchers say.
The team at University College London Institute of Child Health says official bodies currently offer conflicting advice.
Genes predict living beyond 100
July 4, 2010
US scientists have developed a way of predicting how likely a person is to live beyond the age of 100.
The breakthrough, described in the journal Science, is based on 150 genetic “signposts” found in exceptionally long-lived people.
The Boston team created a mathematical model, which takes information from these signposts to work out a person’s chance of reaching 100.
‘Old swingers’ at high risk of sex infections
June 28, 2010
Partner-swapping swingers could be bringing sexually transmitted infections into the general population, Dutch researchers warn.
Of 9,000 sexual health clinic patient consultations, 12% were with swingers, with an average age of 43.