Post Archive by Month

Vaccines are one the most potent protective medicines we have. They work by encouraging the body to ­protect itself, in almost all cases, against specific invaders like an infection. Vaccines are responsible for ridding the world of many scourges like … Read More

NHS England’s decision to get rid of 17 procedures, including ­surgery for snoring and back pain injections is controversial and has excited comment for and against in the BMJ. It’s a drive to stop doctors doing things we know don’t … Read More

Well now, just how little exercise do you think you need to do? Not very much, it would seem. Less than 10 minutes of brisk walking a day could counteract disability in older people leading to safer walking and less … Read More

Years ago when I suffered badly with migraine I discovered that sex brought almost ­instant relief. I often wondered why, and figured the hormones ­released during arousal, such as ­oxytocin, the love hormone, were ­responsible for the cure. Well, recently … Read More

To this day I remember the gut-wrenching anxiety I felt each morning as I entered school. Was it fear of the ­unknown, fear of failure, fear of feeling like a fool, fear of bullying (I was plump) or some unknown … Read More

When I was running an ­allergy clinic, I often had reason to look at so-called inactive ingredients in ­tablets, capsules, creams and lotions. And even though these ingredients are called inactive, many of them aren’t. They can trigger allergies. Plus, … Read More

A lot of people probably won’t agree with me, but I find ­myself rejoicing in a new plan to help drug users. The reasons I’m in favour of drug-testing clinics is that they’re likely to be very helpful, they’re non-judgmental … Read More

There has been a surge in ­the numbers of teenagers suffering post-­traumatic stress disorder. And one of the serious effects that complicates PTSD is self-harming. Hospital admissions for children who are self-harming have more than doubled in six years. In … Read More

The cervical screening programme has hit a ­roadblock. Many young women are ­delaying or failing to attend cervical screening appointments ­because of embarrassment and a fear that the procedure would hurt them. Could we increase cervical screening rates by allowing … Read More

When I was in my 50s I was a director of a multinational US corporation and had to fly to San Francisco for board meetings each month. With often a nine-hour time change I found the jet lag very difficult … Read More