Medical research in the United Kingdom
The formation of the National Institute for Health Research has made the field vastly stronger and the country is now placed second only to the USA, reports Mark Nicholls
Healthcare politics
Controlling antimicrobial resistance
There is no other way: We need a comprehensive approach, with everyone living up to their responsibility to combat this serious health threat in their respective areas. The most basic instinct of every living organism is survival. What selects one organism or species over another, in fact, is its capacity to withstand any kind of adverse condition that comes its way – what scientist Herbert…
The UK pharma industry
In the lead up to further talks on medicine pricing, Stephen Whitehead, Chief Executive of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has accused the UK government of being too focused on encouraging breakthrough drugs at the expense of significant gains for patients from incremental innovation in medicines. ‘The government wants to target resources at big breakthroughs, but…
EU vote on Health Technology Assessment: a step forward
The European Parliament has voted today in favour of the EU Cross-border Healthcare Directive. Eucomed, the European medical technology industry association, welcomes the adoption of this Directive which creates, amongst others, a legal basis for Health Technology Assessment (HTA) cooperation between member states. The association is especially looking forward to actively participating in the…
Article • Personnel matters
Nurse migrations
Training healthcare personnel is not cheap; losing these human resources to other countries can prove even more costly. Where and why are nurses on the move?
Swine flu spreads
Swine flu has been confirmed in a number of countries and it is spreading from human to human, which could lead to what is referred to as a pandemic flu outbreak. Pandemic flu is different from ordinary flu because it's a new flu virus that appears in humans and spreads very quickly from person to person worldwide. On Wednesday, the World Health Organization raised the pandemic threat Level to 5…
SPAIN: Reduced radiotherapy procedures
Andalusía - Surgery and chemotherapy have overtaken radiotherapy for cancer treatments.
Laughing gas likely cause of babies' deformities
Inhalation of anaesthetic laughing gas was blamed for the deformation of six babies born in the Leyenburg Hospital, The Hague. Report: Michiel Bloemendaal
Article • In vitro fertilisation
Watch out for IVF identity fraud
Hospitals and fertility clinics across Europe are to be warned that safeguards must be implemented to prevent impostors gaining access to IVF treatment.
Catholic medics and human rights
Poland - Many medical workers may soon be ethically challenged by a decision made in Europe's Court of Human Rights regarding a woman who had been refused an abortion there.