FOCUS: THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES
Uncertainty over many aspects of NHI but govt 'ready' for corruption
August 14th, 2019 Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize says the authorities are ready to tackle the threat of large-scale corruption to the National Health Insurance scheme, writes MedicalBrief. There is concern also over already escalating medical emigration, differing...
Emotional Support Animals pose legal, ethical and professional challenges
August 14th, 2019 The booming popularity of an increasingly exotic array of emotional support animals (ESAs) has created legal, ethical and professional challenges for the therapists who certify them. The American Psychological Association has published a study...BREAKING NEWS
Anti-competitive acts in UK to cost SA's Aspen almost R190m
South African drugmaker Aspen Pharmacare’s share price dropped to its worst level in five months, after the company said it had settled with UK... August 14th, 2019WEEKLY ROUNDUP
Procedure to delay menopause by up to 20 years
A medical procedure that aims to allow women to delay the menopause for up to 20 years has been launched by IVF specialists in Britain, reports The... August 14th, 2019FDA notifies companies to remove hookah products from the market
The US Food and Drug Administration has told four companies to remove 44 of their flavoured e-liquid and hookah tobacco products that do not have the... August 14th, 2019Northern Cape Health splurges R11m on 25 TVs that stand unused
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union report that Northern Cape Health bought 25 flat-screen televisions at a cost of R11m... August 14th, 2019SA weighs shorter treatment for patients on Roche cancer drug
The Health Department is considering shortening breast cancer treatment for patients eligible for Roche’s costly trastuzumab, in the wake of a... August 14th, 2019Ministers reassure SA Cabinet that Ebola risk is low
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor and Health Minister Zweli Mkhize both briefed the Cabinet last week about the... August 14th, 2019Disappointment as NHS Scotland rejects use of cystic fibrosis drug
People with cystic fibrosis in Scotland will continue to be denied potentially life-extending drugs after they were rejected for use by the National... August 14th, 2019UK introduces wearable tech to monitor those at risk of diabetes
Thousands of people in England at risk of contracting type 2 diabetes will receive wearable tech to help monitor their exercise level, The Guardian... August 14th, 2019DERMATOLOGY
Higher vitamin A intake linked to lower skin cancer risk
People whose diets included high levels of vitamin A had a 17% reduction in risk for getting cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, the...
August 14th, 2019
ENDOCRINOLOGY
Reduced carbs help type 2 diabetics regulate blood sugar levels
Patients with type 2 diabetes improve their ability to regulate blood sugar levels if they eat food with a reduced carbohydrate content and an... August 14th, 2019GERONTOLOGY
Losing hearing in middle age may increase dementia risk
Hearing loss in middle age is associated with higher odds of cognitive decline and dementia in later years, Reuters Health reports a large study in... August 14th, 2019GYNAECOLOGY
Vaccine for genital chlamydia shown to be safe and effective
The first ever early clinical trial for a vaccine for genital chlamydia has shown it to be safe and effective at provoking an immune response....
August 14th, 2019
HIV/AIDS
Financial incentives for education help to improve HIV prevention
Financial incentives linked to education help Eswatini to find an innovative way of preventing HIV infections and pregnancy among adolescent girls... August 14th, 2019Voluntary licensing agreements transforming HIV treatment
In 2014, ViiV Healthcare, a pharmaceutical company dedicated to ending the HIV epidemic, and the Medicines Patent Pool, an organisation funded... August 14th, 2019NEUROLOGY
Big-data analysis shows no correlation between vaccinations and MS
A large German study finds vaccination not to be a risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS). On the contrary, they consistently suggest that... August 14th, 2019Beds are leading cause of non-fatal head injuries in US infants
A vast report, looking at the products and activities associated with non-fatal traumatic brain injuries for youngsters aged up to 19, in 66 US... August 14th, 2019NUTRITION
Eating mostly plant-based foods may be linked to better heart health
Eating mostly plant-based foods and fewer animal-based foods may be linked to better heart health and a lower risk of dying from a heart attack,... August 14th, 2019OBSTETRICS
Home births as safe as hospital births — international study
A large international study led by McMaster University shows that low risk pregnant women who intend to give birth at home have no increased chance...
August 14th, 2019
PSYCHOLOGY
War metaphors in cancer treatment may do more harm than good
The ubiquitous use of war metaphors when referring to cancer may do more harm than good. The Guardian reports that this is according to research into...
August 14th, 2019