FOCUS: THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES
Attacks on doctors highlight security dangers in state hospitals
June 12th, 2019 Free State University has resumed training at a Bloemfontein hospital, briefly suspended over security concerns following an incident where a doctor prevented a rape attempt only by virtually biting off her assailant's tongue. UFS briefly...
In milestone trial, experimental drug markedly delays type 1 diabetes
June 12th, 2019 Marking the culmination of a 33-year odyssey, scientists report a milestone in type 1 diabetes: the first time the disease has been markedly delayed in young people at high risk. Presenting at the American Diabetes Association meeting in San...
Study tests the goal of 10,000 daily steps to reduce mortality risk
June 12th, 2019 The goal of 10, 000 daily steps is widely believed to be necessary for health, but this number has limited scientific basis. A large, four-year US study of older women found that while risk of death decreases substantially with more steps taken,...WEEKLY ROUNDUP
CMS announces head of investigation into alleged discrimination
The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) has announced that Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi will head an investigation into alleged discrimination against... June 12th, 2019Patient tied to bench: Don't blame the nurse, says union
The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) in Gauteng has defended a nurse who was implicated in a Mamelodi Hospital incident in... June 12th, 2019Flu season has started but no cause for alarm — NICD
There is no influenza outbreak in South Africa, other than the normal increase of cases expected during winter, News24 quotes the National Institute... June 12th, 2019French medics protest against health budget cuts
Emergency room doctors and nurses have protested outside the French Health Ministry amid strikes at dozens of hospitals across the country as medics... June 12th, 2019Northern Cape premier spends on new ambulances, not limos
New Northern Cape Premier Zamani Saul has made good on his promise to cut spending on cars for his provincial executive, instead choosing to direct... June 12th, 2019The 'worst clinic' in SA is to be refurbished
South Africa’s ‘worst clinic’ which has never undergone renovations its 25-year existence is set to go through refurbishment. According to a... June 12th, 2019Bara security failure: Baby stolen found after tip off
A newborn baby girl stolen at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital was found in Diepkloof after police received a tip off that she was in one... June 12th, 2019Trial looks at MRI scans to predict prostate cancer risk
Hundreds of UK men are trying out a new screening test for prostate cancer to see if it should eventually be offered routinely on the National Health... June 12th, 2019Three UK hospital patients die in listeriosis outbreak
Three hospital patients in the UK have died in an outbreak of listeria linked to pre-packed sandwiches, reports BBC News. Public Health England (PHE)... June 12th, 2019Testing for HIV has doubled diagnosis rates — CDC
Tracing and offering HIV tests to exposed partners and children of people living with the virus led to twice the rate of positive tests than all... June 12th, 2019DoH confirms global ingredient shortage behind ARV stockouts
A worldwide shortage of an active pharmaceutical ingredient is the reason behind the anti-retroviral (ARV) medication shortfall across the country,... June 12th, 2019Ebola outbreak spreads to Uganda
One case of the Ebola virus has been confirmed in Uganda, a Mail & Guardian report says the World Health Organisation has announced. The patient... June 12th, 2019EC Health to take action after pictures of poor hospital food
The Eastern Cape Health Department has come under fire after pictures surfaced on social media of plates of poor-looking food from the Cala and Hewu... June 12th, 2019CARDIOVASCULAR
High daily coffee use not linked to arterial stiffness — large study
In a large middle-aged UK cohort without cardiovascular disease, moderate to heavy coffee consumption — up to 25 cups a day — was not associated...
June 12th, 2019
HIV/AIDS
Following Tx interruption, most children recover immunologically
Just over one in ten (12%) children and adolescents living with HIV in Europe and Thailand take a break from antiretroviral treatment, usually as a... June 12th, 2019Higher drop-out rates at community-based adherence clubs
Antiretroviral treatment adherence club drop-out rates were significantly higher for people attending community-based clubs compared to clinic-based... June 12th, 2019INFECTIOUS DISEASES
More than 1m new curable STIs reported worldwide every day
Every day, there are more than 1m new cases of curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among people aged 15-49 years, according to data... June 12th, 2019NEUROSCIENCE
Electrical current to part of cortex improves memory retrieval
A study by University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) provides evidence that using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to a specific area... June 12th, 2019OBSTETRICS
Music enhances high-level cognitive brain networks in premature infants
Considerably premature infants exposed to music in the neonatal intensive care units have significantly increased coupling between brain networks...
June 12th, 2019
ONCOLOGY
Immunotherapy beats chemo as first-line treatment for head and neck cancers
Immunotherapy used with chemotherapy or on its own is a better first-line treatment for people with head and neck cancer that has returned than... June 12th, 2019PAEDIATRICS
Midday naps: Happier children with higher IQs — cohort study
Ask just about any parent whether napping has benefits and you'll likely hear a resounding "yes," particularly for the child's mood, energy levels,...
June 12th, 2019
PLASTIC SURGERY
Five-year outcomes for face transplant recipients
Brigham and Women's Hospital surgical teams have performed face transplants for people who have suffered from severe facial injuries. The surgery...
June 12th, 2019