Behind The Headlines

WHO warns of drug resistant superbugs

Thursday Apr 7 2011

Two major stories on ‘superbugs’ appeared in today’s press. One originates from the World Health Organisation, which dedicated this year’s World Health Day to addressing the issue of the rise of antibiotic resistant infections.

Warning about self-test health kits

Thursday Mar 31 2011

DIY health testing kits have made headlines, with several newspapers reporting that they could do more harm than good. Home test kits designed to detect ailments from high cholesterol to cancer, can be misleading...

Japanese radiation poses no risk to UK

Wednesday Mar 30 2011

Trace levels of radioactive material have been detected in the UK following the recent failure of the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. While some media reports have suggested this could be dangerous, the...

Radiation exposure and iodine tablets

Thursday Mar 24 2011

NHS Direct is receiving calls from members of the public regarding the recent atomic accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. The calls are regarding the use of iodine tablets and salt, and whether...

Fertility techniques for genetic disease examined

Friday Mar 11 2011

BBC News reports that the UK human fertility watchdog is assessing the viability of “controversial” fertility treatments that could give “couples at risk of passing on serious inherited disorders a way to have a healthy child”.

Chemical in food packaging examined

Wednesday Mar 9 2011

Several newspapers have reported that recycled cardboard food packaging could be potentially harmful to health. The Independent said that “the cereal packet on your breakfast table could...

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NICE to update blood pressure guide

Tuesday Feb 22 2011

New approaches should be used to treat and diagnose high blood pressure, according to draft guidelines today published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). The proposed changes include...

NHS failures in elderly care 'not typical'

Tuesday Feb 15 2011

Many national newspapers have reported today on an official report by the Health Service Ombudsman into the care of older people in the NHS. The Daily Telegraph said the report showed that hospitals are “failing to meet even the most basic standards of...

Unhealthy lifestyles linked to UK cancer rates

Monday Jan 24 2011

“British women are more likely to develop breast cancer than females from some of the poorer countries in the world, shocking new figures show,” reports the Daily Express. The Express and several other newspapers...

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Swine flu latest from the NHS

Monday Jan 10 2011

Swine flu is no longer classified as a pandemic but the H1N1 swine flu virus continues to circulate as part of seasonal flu. This news page is not being regularly updated at present as flu cases are within normal seasonal...

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