General Interest
Growing use of smart drugs by students could be a recipe for disaster
1 Jun, 2017 | 18:29h | UTCGrowing use of smart drugs by students could be a recipe for disaster – The Conversation (free)
“Students used to take drugs to get high. Now they take them to get higher grades” (RT @ConversationUK see Tweet)
Cancer drugs are getting better and dearer
1 Jun, 2017 | 18:27h | UTCCancer drugs are getting better and dearer – The Economist (a few articles per month are free) (RT @pash22 see Tweet)
See more articles and commentaries about “financial toxicity” of cancer treatments in our April 27 issue, see #8.
World No Tobacco Day, 31 May 2017
31 May, 2017 | 16:41h | UTCWorld No Tobacco Day, 31 May 2017: Beating tobacco for health, prosperity, the environment and national development – World Health Organization (free)
Press release: World No Tobacco Day 2017: Beating tobacco for health, prosperity, the environment and national development (free)
See more on the Beating Tobacco Campaign in our May 29th issue, see #1.
Healthcare Providers Shouldn’t Come to Work While Sick, but They Do — Here’s Why
31 May, 2017 | 16:35h | UTC
Diagnosis creep: the new problem in medicine
30 May, 2017 | 15:30h | UTCDiagnosis creep: the new problem in medicine – MJA Insight (free)
Related: How to rein in the widening disease definitions that label more healthy people as sick – The Conversation (free)
Science Needs a Solution for the Temptation of Positive Results
30 May, 2017 | 15:31h | UTCScience Needs a Solution for the Temptation of Positive Results – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
The tiny pill which gave birth to an economic revolution
30 May, 2017 | 15:28h | UTCThe tiny pill which gave birth to an economic revolution – BBC News (free)
“A great read—and a powerful reminder that contraceptives are one of the best tools we have to drive economic growth” (RT @melindagatessee Tweet).
Comparison of general obesity and measures of body fat distribution in older adults in relation to cancer risk
30 May, 2017 | 15:27h | UTCComparison of general obesity and measures of body fat distribution in older adults in relation to cancer risk: meta-analysis of individual participant data of seven prospective cohorts in Europe – British Journal of Cancer (free)
Commentaries: Why your waist measurement can predict cancer risk – The Guardian (free) AND Large Waist Raises Cancer Risk – Medscape (free registration required)
Direct-to-Consumer Medical Testing in the Era of Value-Based Care
29 May, 2017 | 15:24h | UTCViewpoint: Direct-to-Consumer Medical Testing in the Era of Value-Based Care – JAMA (free)
See also a recent discussion on direct-to-consumer genetic testing in our April 10th issue, see #5
Others disagree: “Dissing every consumer medical test as “low value”. Sorry, that’s not true. It’s called paternalism” (RT @EricTopol see Tweet)
The Weight Loss Trap: Why Your Diet Isn’t Working
29 May, 2017 | 15:23h | UTCThe Weight Loss Trap: Why Your Diet Isn’t Working – Time (cover story) (free)
“The challenges of weight loss and obesity – really well addressed” (RT @EricTopol see Tweet)
Countries like German and Italy are adopting mandatory vaccination policies
29 May, 2017 | 15:20h | UTCCountries like German and Italy are adopting mandatory vaccination policies
Germany vaccination: Fines plan as measles cases rise – BBC Health News (free) AND German kindergartens must report parents for refusing vaccine advice under new law – Reuters Health News (free)
See also: Italy makes 12 vaccinations compulsory for children and related commentaries in our May 22nd issue, see #2.
Cardiovascular Toxicity of Illicit Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use
26 May, 2017 | 15:11h | UTCCardiovascular Toxicity of Illicit Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use – Circulation (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Anabolic Steroid Use Linked With Myocardial Dysfunction and Accelerated Atherosclerosis – TCTMD (free) AND Chronic anabolic steroid use may damage heart – American Heart Association News (free)
“The findings are a public health concern, given that as many as 1% of young men, not all of them athletes, may use these agents” (from TCTMD above).
Diagnostic accuracy of post-mortem CT
26 May, 2017 | 15:07h | UTCEditorial: Targeted coronary post-mortem CT angiography, straight to the heart (free)
Commentary: Digital autopsies should be standard for probable natural deaths, says study – The Guardian (free)
Reducing Risk After Cancer: Healthy Lifestyle (and Tree Nuts)
26 May, 2017 | 15:06h | UTCAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2017 Annual Meeting
Can cashews keep colon cancer patients alive? Study says yes — but cautions abound – STAT News (free) AND Reducing Risk After Cancer: Healthy Lifestyle (and Tree Nuts) – Medscape (free registration required)
The lap band for weight loss is a tale of medicine gone wrong
25 May, 2017 | 15:02h | UTCThe lap band for weight loss is a tale of medicine gone wrong – VOX (free)
See also a recent study showing high complication rates of laparoscopic gastric band surgeries in our May 23rd issue (see #7)
Human papillomavirus vaccines: WHO position paper
25 May, 2017 | 14:48h | UTC“WHO update on HPV vaccine. Short summary – it’s very safe, very effective, widespread implementation recommended” (RT @michaelgheadsee Tweet)
Factors Associated with Pediatric Mortality from Motor Vehicle Crashes
25 May, 2017 | 14:47h | UTCCommentaries: 43 Percent Of Children Who Died From Car Crashes Were Improperly Restrained – NPR Health News (free)
World Health Assembly elects Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as new WHO Director-General
24 May, 2017 | 14:44h | UTCCommentaries: World Health Organization gets first leader from Africa – Nature News (free) AND WHO elects first ever African director-general after tense vote – The Guardian (free) AND World Health Organization Elects a New Director General from Ethiopia – TIME (free)
Just one alcoholic drink a day may increase breast cancer risk
24 May, 2017 | 14:39h | UTCDiet, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Breast Cancer – American Institute for Cancer Research (free PDF)
News release: Just one alcoholic drink a day increases breast cancer risk, exercise lowers risk – American Institute for Cancer Research, via EurekAlert (free)
Commentaries: Today’s alcohol and breast cancer headlines are wrong: Here’s how news reports could have done better – HealthNewsReview(free) AND ‘Half a glass of wine every day’ increases breast cancer risk – BBC Health News (free) AND Just One Drink a Day Raises Breast Cancer Risk – Medscape (free registration required)
Pediatricians Advise No Fruit Juice Until Kids Are 1
23 May, 2017 | 14:31h | UTCCommentaries: Pediatricians Advise No Fruit Juice Until Kids Are 1 – NPR Health News (free) AND Pediatricians Say No Fruit Juice in Child’s First Year – New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
Trans-fat – The Worst Fat in the Food Supply
24 May, 2017 | 14:36h | UTCThe Worst Fat in the Food Supply – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
See also a recent study and commentaries on the effects of trans-fat bans in our April 23rd issue (see #1)
Trans-fat bans seem to be reducing cardiovascular deaths.
Effect of Statin Treatment vs Usual Care on Primary Cardiovascular Prevention Among Older Adults
23 May, 2017 | 14:32h | UTCEffect of Statin Treatment vs Usual Care on Primary Cardiovascular Prevention Among Older Adults: The ALLHAT-LLT Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA Internal Medicine (free) (RT @EricTopol see Tweet)
Editorial: Risks of Statin Therapy in Older Adults (free)
Commentaries: Older adults may not benefit from taking statins to prevent heart disease – Medical News Today (free) AND Pravastatin Doesn’t Improve Clinical Outcomes in Seniors – Physician’s First Watch (free)
Patients > 65 years with moderate hyperlipidemia and hypertension had no benefit from pravastatin for primary prevention. “A nonsignificant direction toward increased all-cause mortality with pravastatin was observed among adults 75 years and older” (HR 1.34; 95% CI, 0.98-1.84; P = .07).
Reoperation and Medicare Expenditures After Laparoscopic Gastric Band Surgery
23 May, 2017 | 14:25h | UTCReoperation and Medicare Expenditures After Laparoscopic Gastric Band Surgery – JAMA Surgery (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Following gastric band surgery, device-related reoperation common, costly – Science Daily (free) AND Safety, Effectiveness of Gastric Banding Called Into Question – Medscape (free registration required) AND 1 In 5 Gastric Band Surgeries Require Corrective Operations – American Council on Science and Health (free)
Science Has Begun Taking Gluten Seriously
19 May, 2017 | 18:06h | UTCScience Has Begun Taking Gluten Seriously – The Atlantic (free)
Original article: Long term gluten consumption in adults without celiac disease and risk of coronary heart disease: prospective cohort study – The BMJ (free)
“New research from Harvard and Columbia says gluten does not cause heart disease. Why is that even a question?”
Italy passes law obliging parents to vaccinate children
19 May, 2017 | 18:07h | UTCItaly makes 12 vaccinations compulsory for children – BBC Health News (free) AND Italy passes law obliging parents to vaccinate children – Reuters Health (free)
Related: Embrace the facts about vaccines, not the myths – World Health Organization (free) AND World Immunisation Week: The Rise of Anti-Vaccine Movement and What it Means for Public Health – Independent (free) AND The riskiest vaccine? The one that is not given – Science (free)
“If children are not vaccinated by the age of six, the school starting age, their parents will be fined” (RT @anetrid see Tweet)