General Interest
Can low-dose aspirin can reduce risk of death from cancer?
6 Apr, 2017 | 15:07h | UTCLow-dose aspirin can reduce risk of death from cancer, research says – CNN (free)
Not so fast: CNN claims aspirin can reduce cancer death risk, falling into observational study trap – HealthNewsReviews (free)
See also: Final Recommendation Statement: Aspirin Use to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease and Colorectal Cancer – U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (free)
One in 10 Pregnant Women With Zika in U.S. Have Babies With Birth Defects
5 Apr, 2017 | 21:46h | UTCOne in 10 Pregnant Women With Zika in U.S. Have Babies With Birth Defects – The New York Times (10 articles a month are free)
See also: 51 Babies Born With Zika-Related Birth Defects In The U.S. Last Year – NPR (free) AND Just released CDC report (free)
We’re at more risk than ever of a global pandemic
5 Apr, 2017 | 21:47h | UTCSeven reasons we’re at more risk than ever of a global pandemic – CNN (free) (RT @AthaliaChristie)
Essentials of Global Health
4 Apr, 2017 | 21:26h | UTCJust Started! Free Online Course: Essentials of Global Health – Yale University and Coursera
Child and Adolescent Health From 1990 to 2015
4 Apr, 2017 | 21:28h | UTCEditorial: Importance of Innovations in Neonatal and Adolescent Health in Reaching the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 (free)
Source: Child Deaths Drop From 14.2 Million In 1990 To 7.3 Million In 2015 – NPR Goats and Soda (free)
Building Next Generation Immunization Supply Chains
3 Apr, 2017 | 19:26h | UTCBuilding Next Generation Immunization Supply Chains – Vaccine Supplement (free)
News release: Global Immunization Impact Constrained by Outdated Vaccine Delivery Systems, Researchers Say – World Health Organization(free)
See also: Battling Infectious Diseases in the 20th Century: The Impact of Vaccines (free – classic 2015 page with interesting infographics) (RT @stefaniei)
This 29 open access articles are part of a special supplement published in Vaccine to address the challenges of Immunization Supply Chains.
Insomnia associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke
4 Apr, 2017 | 21:17h | UTCSource: Insomnia associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke – EurekAlert (free) (RT @CaulfieldTim)
The World Is Unprepared for a Global Pandemic
3 Apr, 2017 | 19:22h | UTCThe World Is Completely Unprepared for a Global Pandemic – Harvard Business Review (free) (RT @glassmanamanda and @BillGates)
Return on investment of public health interventions
3 Apr, 2017 | 19:25h | UTCSource: BMJ News ($)
“For every £1 invested in public health, £14 will subsequently be returned to the wider health and social care economy”. Based on the findings, the authors suggest that cuts to public health services are short sighted and represent a false economy, with substantial opportunity costs.
You Should Appreciate Germs
4 Apr, 2017 | 21:15h | UTCYou Should Appreciate Germs – Gates Notes (free)
Science papers are getting harder to read
4 Apr, 2017 | 19:28h | UTCIt’s not just you: science papers are getting harder to read – Nature (free)
More commentaries on academic writing and the importance of making research understandable to all: ‘It’s time to make sure research is understandable to all’ – The Telegraph (free) AND Scientific language is becoming more informal – Nature (free)
Zika Virus Infection and Associated Neurologic Disorders in Brazil
31 Mar, 2017 | 19:05h | UTCZika Virus Infection and Associated Neurologic Disorders in Brazil – New England Journal of Medicine (free)
See also: Why Were There Fewer Microcephaly Cases from Zika Last Year? – STAT (free)
Source: Global Health NOW Newsletter
In Brazil, there were many fewer cases of microcephaly than expected in 2016. The researchers are trying to find an explanation.
I have cancer. This comic shows how much pressure I feel to be a hero
29 Mar, 2017 | 17:10h | UTCI have cancer. This comic shows how much pressure I feel to be a hero – VOX (free)
Source: STAT Newsletter
Interesting read…
WHO Launches Global Effort to Halve Medication-Related Errors in 5 Years
30 Mar, 2017 | 17:30h | UTCSee also: WHO’s work on patient safety (free) AND WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge on Medication Safety (free) AND WHO Educational materials for medication safety (free)
Putting Patients First by Reducing Administrative Tasks in Health Care
29 Mar, 2017 | 17:13h | UTCSee also: ACP: Stop Saddling Docs With Administrative Tasks – MedPage Today (free registration required)
“It’s time for all those involved in the healthcare industry to reevaluate and reduce the administrative task burden placed on clinicians” (from MedPage commentary above).
A.I. VERSUS M.D
28 Mar, 2017 | 16:52h | UTCA.I. VERSUS M.D – What happens when diagnosis is automated? – The New Yorker (free) (RT @EricTopol)
“In some trials, “deep learning” systems have outperformed human experts.”
Regression to the mean, and its importance in healthcare decisions
29 Mar, 2017 | 16:59h | UTCRegression to the mean, or why perfection rarely lasts – The Conversation (free) (RT @PaulGlasziou)
“Regression to the mean, and its importance in healthcare decisions” (RT @Tammy_Hoffmann see Tweet)
Medical School’s Hidden Flaws and Hard Lessons
28 Mar, 2017 | 16:53h | UTCThe Comics Revealing Medical School’s Hidden Flaws and Hard Lessons – The Atlantic (free)
Source: Global Health Now Newsletter
Very interesting read…
Gates Foundation announces open-access publishing venture
27 Mar, 2017 | 00:59h | UTCGates Foundation announces open-access publishing venture – Nature News (free)
See also: Open science: The findings of medical research are disseminated too slowly – That is about to change – The Economist (free) AND Cooming Soom: Gates Open Research – Bill and Melinda Gates foundation (free) AND Gates Foundation joins shift towards open access platforms – Times Higher Education (free) AND Gates Open Research: the journey continues – F1000 Blog (free)
Another victory for open science.
Telehealth Doctor Visits
27 Mar, 2017 | 00:57h | UTCTelehealth Doctor Visits May Be Handy, But Aren’t Cheaper Overall – NPR Health News (free)
Link to original article abstract ($ required for full-text): Direct-To-Consumer Telehealth May Increase Access to Care But Does Not Decrease Spending – Health Affairs
Costs have increased in this study because 88 percent of telehealth visits represented people who would not have gone to a doctor otherwise.
Surgeries are being performed with the patient awake
27 Mar, 2017 | 00:59h | UTCGoing Under the Knife, With Eyes and Ears Wide Open – New York Times (free access to 10 articles per month)
“More and more surgeries are being performed with the patient awake and looking on, for financial and medical reasons”.
#WorldTBDay, 24 March 2017
24 Mar, 2017 | 17:19h | UTC
#WorldTBDay, 24 March 2017 – Highlights from Today’s Campaigns and Resources
1 – #WorldTBDay – World Health Organization Campaign (free)
See also: WHO’s work on TB (free)
News Release: WHO issues ethics guidance to protect rights of TB patients (free)
3 – #WorldTBDay – The End TB Strategy – World Health Organization (free)
See also: Implementing the end TB strategy: the essentials (free)
4 – #WorldTBDay – Global tuberculosis report 2016 – World Health Organization (free)
News release: WHO report warns global actions and investments to end tuberculosis epidemic are falling far short (free)
5 #WorldTBDay – WHO treatment guidelines for drug-resistant tuberculosis (2016 update) – World Health Organization (free)
See also: WHO resources on drug-resistant tuberculosis (free)
6 – #WorldTBDay – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Campaign (free)
7 – #WorldTBDay – The epidemiology, pathogenesis, transmission, diagnosis, and management of multidrug-resistant, extensively drug-resistant, and incurable tuberculosis – The Lancet Respiratory Medicine (free registration required)
See also: Decades of TB progress threatened by drug-resistant bacteria, warn experts – The Guardian (free)
“Rise of multi-drug resistant strains of tuberculosis could derail global efforts to eradicate the disease, according to a new report”
8 – #WorldTBDay – Open Access Special collection from Elsevier Journals (free)
Alcohol and cardiovascular disease
27 Mar, 2017 | 00:46h | UTCEditorial: Alcohol and cardiovascular disease (free)
See also: Alcohol and the Heart: Moderation Still Best – Generally higher risks seen with no or heavy drinking – MedPage Today (free registration required)
Genetic assessment of age-associated Alzheimer disease risk
23 Mar, 2017 | 17:01h | UTCGenetic assessment of age-associated Alzheimer disease risk: Development and validation of a polygenic hazard score – PLOS Medicine (free) (RT @EricTopol see Tweet)
See also: New Alzheimer’s test can predict age when disease will appear – The Guardian (free)
*Very interesting, but do we want to know?*
#WorldWaterDay (22 March 2017)
23 Mar, 2017 | 17:08h | UTC#WorldWaterDay (22 March 2017): Guidelines for drinking-water quality 2017 – World Health Organization (free)
See also: Drinking Water Fact Sheet – World Health Organization (free) AND Water sanitation hygiene – WHO Programme (free) AND World Water Day 2017 – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (free)