IN THE SUMMER SUNSHINE

Hospital League Tables, Cure for Waiting Lists, Viagra – A New Use?, Drug Abuse, Foetal Therapy, Inhalers Recalled, Henna Tattoos, Road Rage & Food Additives, Gap Year Nutrition, GM Food, Cereal, Morning Exercise, Pathological Demand Avoidance Syndrome, ‘Diabetic’ Junk Food, Maternal Diet During Pregnancy

HOSPITAL LEAGUE TABLES

You may be delighted to find that your local hospital is near the top of the newly issued league tables – or vowing to avoid it completely if it’s near the bottom. But what exactly do they mean? Not a lot if Dr. Theodore Dalrymple is to be believed in his amusing and insightful piece Hospital star ratings: the truth. This week’s British Medical Journal looks at the way the different hospitals are assessed and says that the tables are ‘fundamentally flawed’, read about the statistics behind the headlines in Performance league tables.

CURE FOR WAITING LISTS

On a lighter note this picture in the British Medical Journal shows a new strategy for coping with long waiting times in accident and emergency departments - scroll down to the photo.

VIAGRA – A NEW USE?

A doctor in India has used his ingenuity to save the lives of three premature babies by treating them with Viagra. The babies were all dying because of the poor blood supply to their lungs and the Viagra - which acts as a vasodilator (i.e. it dilates blood vessels) - was used in a final attempt to save the babies after all other treatments had failed. Viagra is a potent vasodilator but perhaps because of its clever marketing and clear link with sexual dysfunction in the layman’s mind the doctor is being criticised for ‘unethical and illegal use of the drug’. There is also the sensitive issue of Third World patients being used in unauthorised and unregulated drug trials but you can’t help wondering if it was still known only as sildenafil citrate there would be such a fuss. Thalidomide has a terrible general reputation but is still used to treat certain skin disorders very effectively as long as the patient cannot get pregnant during treatment. Read Viagra to save 'blue babies'.

CHECK YOUR OWN CHILDREN FOR DRUG ABUSE?

In Spain this week, kits went on sale allowing parents to check their children to see if they are taking illegal drugs. The tests can be done on urine samples and also apparently on discarded sweaty clothes. But would clandestine testing help? Read Home testing kit allows parents to detect their children's drug misuse from this week’s British Medical Journal.

GENETIC TREATMENT IN THE WOMB

The British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology this week reports on advances in the treatment of genetic diseases affecting the bones, muscles skin and joints. The disorder can now be potentially detected before the baby is 10 weeks old and treated by replacing the defective genetic material. Currently the treatment has only been carried out on foetal blood cells but advances could see the foetus itself being cured of genetic disease in the next few years. See Foetal therapy takes a step forward.

INHALERS RECALLED

GlaxoSmithKline has recalled some Becotide, Becloforte and Ventide inhalers manufactured since April 2001. They produce a lower dose of drug than usual. If you have an inhaler and are concerned, you should take it to your local pharmacist who will check it for you. The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has more information.

BEWARE BOLLYWOOD

With the rise of all things Indian in the fashion magazines this summer, and the success of recent films such as ‘Monsoon Wedding’, mothers of teenage girls should be aware that the henna used to paint the delicate skin tattoos can provoke severe allergies. The temporary tattoos may contain high levels of paraphenyldiamine (PPD), which leaves up to 80% of people with life-long allergies to things that commonly touch the skin, including local anaesthetics, cosmetics and sun lotion. Read Alert over 'allergy-causing' henna tattoos.

HERBAL MEDICINE SAFETY NEWS

Parents who use herbal medicine may be interested in a new site set up by the Medicine Control Agency that looks at the safety of herbal products available in the UK. It has a useful list of products about which there have been safety scares including kava kava, which has recently been reported to cause liver damage. Read the information at Herbal safety news. Also read Food Standards Agency - Agency consults on banning of kava kava.

ROAD RAGE AND FOOD ADDITIVES

Geoff Brewer, Chairman of the Additives Survivors Network, says in a letter to the Times this week that road rage could be caused by additives such as E 621 (monosodium glutamate), E 951 (aspartame – the artificial sweetener used in lots of children’s sugar-free drinks), E 223 sodium metabisulphate. (Search under ‘Geoff Brewer at the Times Online site.) If they can have this effect on adults surely the effect on children could be much worse? Do you think food and drinks aimed at children should be additive-free let us know on our message boards. Mr Brewer wants warnings printed on foods containing these additives that they may cause migraines and asthma. Additives Out - Official Website for ASN (UK) has more information and a list of possible reactions to certain E numbers.

GAP YEAR FOOD

If your cosseted teenager is about to embark on a gap year to an undeveloped country and is used to being served nutritious home cooking, this article on staying healthy and eating well when travelling from the Food Standards Agency could be just the ticket. See Food Standards Agency - Mind the gap.

GM FOOD – HAVE YOUR SAY

This week the Food Standards Agency has announced that it will welcome the views of the public in the GM food debate. The Food Standards Agency is Government-run and an excellent source of information. See Food Standards Agency - Consumers debate GM food. They also run a question and answer section on food safety – so if you have any particular concerns ask away – and please let us know as well so we can circulate your worries and their answers. See Food Standards Agency - Ask an expert.

NEWS IN BRIEF

CEREALS AS FATTY AS CHOCOLATE BISCUITS

As well as potentially containing the cancer-causing agent acrylamide (see earlier discussion of acrylamide from 23 July, 21 May and 30 April.), breakfast cereals at the luxury end of the market have been blamed for being too high in fats – read Bowl of cereal can be as bad as eating chocolate biscuits.

EXERCISING IN THE MORNING CAN MAKE YOU ILL

This study was done on competition swimmers so presumably excludes most of the British population, but you can read about it in the Independent.

PATHOLOGICAL DEMAND AVOIDANCE SYNDROME

This is a type of mild autism associated with behavioural problems – read we thought she was naughty but she was ill.

‘DIABETIC’ JUNK FOOD SLAMMED

The Food Standards Agency criticises high street shops for marketing junk food for diabetics. Read about it in the Independent.

THE BUSINESS OF MEDICINE

First, you market the disease... then you push the pills to treat it is a cynical look at the business of medicine and the way new syndromes can be pushed on the public. Desperate parents could be vulnerable targets for this. If you have any experience of or concerns about this topic we’d love to hear from you on our message boards.

MOTHER’S DIET AFFECTS CHILD'S FUTURE HEALTH

Can maternal diet during pregnancy affect your baby’s chance of developing heart disease and diabetes in later life? Read Healthy diets start in the womb.