A Focus
Petition to drop 'premature' criminal charges against Beale and Munshi
January 15th, 2020 Almost 50,000 people have signed a petition for authorities to drop the criminal case against paediatric surgeon Professor Peter Beale and anaesthetist Dr Abdulhay Munshi, says a Post report. They believe the culpable homicide charges against the...
Wealth adds 8-9 healthy years to life expectancy
January 15th, 2020 The wealthiest men and women can expect to live an additional eight to nine years free from disability compared to people in the poorest groups, according to University College London (UCL)-led research. The study analysed data from 10,754 and...
Arrest warrants for specialists a 'direct threat' to healthcare delivery
January 8th, 2020 Unprecedented arrest warrants for two medical specialists accused of medical negligence continues to cause waves, writes MedicalBrief. The SA Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (SASOG) has noted “with great concern the recent arrests”...
Medical profession's opposition to NHI Bill grows
January 8th, 2020 The medical profession is becoming more outspoken in its criticisms of the National Health Insurance Bill among growing concerns over large-scale emigration. The SA Medical Association says doctors “strongly oppose” the legislation in its...
Intermittent fasting may help people live longer
January 8th, 2020 Evidence is accumulating that eating in a 6-hour period and fasting for 18 hours can trigger a metabolic switch from glucose-based to ketone-based energy, with increased stress resistance, increased longevity, and a decreased incidence of diseases,...
CMS move to scrap low-cost plans is 'catastrophic and unconstitutional'
December 11th, 2019 The Council for Medical Schemes has stunned the private health care sector with its decision to scrap by March 2021 the pared-down schemes and primary health-care products used by low-income families, writes MedicalBrief. Providers warn that the...
Faster breast cancer radiation treatment as effective as long course
December 11th, 2019 A five-year multi-centre randomised control trial shows similar recurrence rates of breast cancer in patients treated by accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) over the course one week compared to whole breast radiation delivered over three...
TAC applies to join landmark medical negligence case before ConCourt
December 11th, 2019 The activist Treatment Action Campaign has applied to be heard as a friend of the court in a landmark Constitutional Court case on medical negligence. The appeal, around the legal test for causation, challenges a Supreme Court ruling that makes it...
Deal me in — playing games can protect cognitive skills in old age
December 4th, 2019 People who play non-digital games – such as cards, crosswords and board games – are more likely to stay mentally sharp in later life, a longitudinal University of Edinburgh study found. The participants were part of the Lothian Birth Cohort...
Parliament delays decision on whether to read NHI submissions
December 4th, 2019 The National Assembly’s Health Committee will only consider how to manage the vast volume of written submissions it has received in response to the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill in February, its chair, Sibongiseni Dhlomo, is quoted in...
Landmark study highlights importance of cholesterol monitoring of young adults
December 4th, 2019 Adults as young as 25, not only older people, need to know their “bad cholesterol” (non-HDL) levels so they can change their lifestyle or take drugs to protect themselves against heart attacks and strokes in later life. The landmark study,...
South Africa shines in global overview of HIV/Aids research excellence
November 27th, 2019 A global analysis of four years of HIV/Aids research identifies the US as research leader in the field, followed by the UK and South Africa, writes MedicalBrief. The University of Cape Town is named as the most influential research institution in...
Substantial tax hikes needed to cover NHI – economists
November 27th, 2019 The government would have to hike taxes by an average of 10.8% to fund the National Health Insurance (NHI) to provide the services set out in the Bill before Parliament. That, notes Rapport, is the view of two economists in a study conducted for...
Even slightly raised levels of troponin linked to increased risk of heart death
November 27th, 2019 Even a small increase in troponin, a protein linked to heart attacks, is associated with an up to tenfold increased risk of death, found a large study from the UK National Institute of Health Research Health Informatics Collaborative. The finding...
Global study reveals relatively low cost of SA medicines
November 20th, 2019 In a finding that may surprise many, South Africa ranked among the lowest on the cost of 13 common medicines in a 50-nation study by UK digital healthcare provider Medbelle, writes MedicalBrief. SA came in at 45 with...