21 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 13:26
  The Taliban’s ban on Afghan women attending university is eroding hopes for the future - Ayesha Ahmad, Mohammad Haqmal Br Med J (BMJ)
  An image of a lone 18 year old Afghan woman in Kabul rising up to protest against the Taliban’s ban on Afghan women attending university, revealed a bravery and strength.1On 20 December 2022, the Taliban issued a statement that all Afghan women are banned from attending university. The ban (...)
• 13:06
  John Hawk: global ambassador for photodermatology - John Illman Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/mar21_9/p662/FAF1fahawk170323.faPhoto credit: Tim HawkJohn Hawk, a charismatic New Zealander, spoke with great affection about his mentor, Ian Magnus, who “spawned in the UK the whole new concept of clinical photobiology.” Magnus developed the skin irradiation monochromator. He was also (...)
• 13:01
  The UK government’s attempt to frighten people into covid protective behaviours was at odds with its scientific advice - Stephen Reicher, John Drury, Susan Michie, Robert West Br Med J (BMJ)
  Among the many revelations from recent leaked UK Government WhatsApp messages published by The Daily Telegraph is the fact that Matt Hancock, former health secretary, proposed using fear in order to get the public to comply with covid-19 restrictions. In December 2020, he wrote that “we must (...)
• 12:46
  Closing the gap in childhood immunisation after the pandemic - Isabelle Munyanga?u, Elisa Lopez–Varela, Quique Bassat Br Med J (BMJ)
  Childhood immunisations are among the most cost effective, equitable, and successful interventions of all times. The World Health Organization’s expanded programme on immunisation has ensured that routine childhood immunisations are available in every country, and vaccination is believed to save (...)
• 12:16
  Food tsar resigns, saying that voters are “fed up” with broken food system - Rebecca Coombes Br Med J (BMJ)
  The government’s food “tsar,” Henry Dimbleby, has resigned from his role to speak openly about the Conservative Party’s failure to reform the food system, a move that he said was essential in stemming the tide of diet related disease in the UK.Dimbleby, an author and restaurateur, was the lead (...) -- General practice / family medicine, UK

20 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 12:36
  First hepatitis D medicine is given restricted approval in Scotland after US rejection - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  Scotland has become the first country in the UK to approve a specific treatment for the hepatitis delta virus (HDV), after it granted bulevirtide (Hepcludex) “restricted use” approval for patients with chronic infection and compensated liver disease.1The drug (2 mg powder for injection) will be (...) -- Infectious diseases, UK
• 12:31
  US state legislators propose death penalty for women who have an abortion - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  Republican legislators in South Carolina have proposed a bill to change the state’s laws, making a fertilised egg or embryo a person and charging a woman who has an abortion with murder, which carries a 30 year prison sentence or the death penalty.1 Henry McMaster, the state’s Republican (...)
• 12:30
  Junior doctor strike led to 175 000 postponements, data show - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  More than 175 000 planned hospital appointments and procedures were postponed during last week’s 72 hour strike by junior doctors, show official data from NHS England.1The release of the figures came as BMA leaders agreed to meet England’s health and social care secretary, Steve Barclay, this (...)
• 12:21
  Covid-19: US maternal mortality rose during pandemic - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  Two studies show that maternal mortality in the US dramatically increased during the covid-19 pandemic and was especially severe among racial and ethnic minorities and in rural areas and small cities.12The US already has the worst maternal mortality rate among industrialised countries. The (...) -- COVID-19
• 12:06
  Gene editing: China’s new regulations contain concerning loopholes, experts warn - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  China’s new ethics regulations are a step in the right direction in terms of overseeing gene editing research, but there are concerns that private ventures may not be covered.Joy Zhang, founding director of the Centre for Global Science and Epistemic Justice at the University of Kent, said that (...)
• 10:31
  GP training overhaul aims to boost flexibility, breadth, and quality of training - Adrian O’Dowd Br Med J (BMJ)
  GP trainees should be offered better and broader training alongside enhancements to their knowledge of technology, health inequalities, and areas of care such as mental health, says a report from Health Education England (HEE).1The report on HEE’s vision for the future of general practice (...)
• 09:06
  Trust and transformation: an agenda for creating resilient and sustainable health systems - Hans Kluge, Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Josep Figueras, Martin McKee Br Med J (BMJ)
  Health systems are facing unprecedented challenges as they emerge from the covid-19 pandemic. How they have responded has varied greatly. Just as with SARS in 2003, when some Asian health systems redesigned facilities to be better prepared for a future pandemic,1 we have seen new ways of (...)