There is a very old maxim in medicine, which is first, do no harm. Once upon a time this was fairly easy to comply with, as there was little doctors could actually do. Today many tests and treatments can cause or lead to considerable harm. This does not mean they...
A major review of the data behind the anti- flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza was released earlier this month. Governments worldwide spent billions of dollars stockpiling these drugs (Tamiflu particular) to release in case of a pandemic. This was based on them reducing...
A survey has shown that nearly half of American adults believe there are conspiracies in health to cover things up. This sounds crazy but lets reserve judgment for the minute. Here is something that should concern all of us. Whilst we hear about the wonders of...
Sometimes it is just so clear as to why solutions are not found to the various so-called health “crises”. Nobody is asking the right questions and hence nobody finds the right answers. I was at a panel discussion recently. The panel comprised a mixed group including...
We have come to rely on pills to fix all our ills. Yet 75% of the illness burden in western countries is lifestyle related. Realistically the solutions will come from lifestyle changes not pills. We cannot medicate our way to wellness. Whilst this infographic uses...
The G20 met on the weekend. As usual the topic of sustainability of health systems gets discussed. It is a problem facing all countries. The demographics of aging populations coupled with increasingly expensive healthcare makes for a government economist’s nightmare....
