Today is Clinical Trials Day. Celebrated around the world on or near May 20, Clinical Trials Day commemorates the date when, in 1747, James Lind started the first clinical trial to test citrus fruits as a treatment for scurvy. This year’s campaign from the NIHR is OK To Ask, which encourages patients and carers to inquire about research opportunities […]
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Celebrating International Nurses Day #IND2016
International Nurses Day, celebrated on 12th May each year and coinciding with Florence Nightingale’s birthday, marks the important contributions nurses make to society. As the single largest group of health professionals, nurses care from the first moments of life right through to the final days. To show our appreciation of the work that nurses […]
Radiotherapy during surgery could save millions of travel miles and tonnes of CO2
…plus free up thousands of hours for women with early stage breast cancer, every year One targeted dose of radiotherapy given during surgery to remove early stage breast cancer could save millions of travel miles, enough CO2 emissions for a 100 hectare forest, and free up thousands of hours of women’s time, concludes research published […]
Prenatal exposure to cannabis, overdiagnosis, and counterfeit medicines: Most read articles in April
Prenatal exposure to cannabis, public definitions of overdiagnosis, and counterfeit medicines in Peru The Top 10 Most Read papers list this month contains a number of new entries, many of which have been published within the current issue. They come from a wide range of of areas and some have attracted attention via press release, blogs and discussion […]
Hospital self-harm cases have steadily risen among men in England since 2008
But only half of those going to hospital afterwards get mental health assessment The number of hospital cases of self-inflicted harm, such as cutting and overdosing on prescription meds, has risen steadily since 2008 in England among men, reveals research published in the online journal BMJ Open. But only around half of those who go […]
Metal hip replacements implanted since 2006 more prone to failure
Higher rate of issues in manufacturing process since this date may be to blame, say researchers Metal on metal hip replacements implanted since 2006 are more prone to failure and the need for further surgery, finds research looking at revision rates at one hospital trust for the DePuy Pinnacle device, and published in the online […]
What is ‘overdiagnosis’? Public meanings and misconceptions
A recent study published in BMJ Open found less than 3% of the British public could define the meaning of overdiagnosis correctly. We talk to lead author Dr Alex Ghanouni about his research. Stories about the ‘overdiagnosis’ of medical conditions regularly make the headlines. “GPs to trial new tests for asthma amid concerns about overdiagnosis” […]
Ultra-processed foods, drinks marketed to children, and cannabis use in psychosis: Most read articles in March
Ultra-processed foods and added sugars, the content of drinks marketed to children, and cannabis use in first episode psychosis March was a busy month here at BMJ Open, with many new papers entering the Top 10 Most Read. In at number one this month is a popular paper which was press released and saw a lot […]
Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to low birthweight and intensive care
As drug gains social acceptance, doctors and women need to be better informed, say researchers Use of cannabis during pregnancy is linked to low birthweight and the need for intensive care, reveals an analysis of the available evidence, published in the online journal BMJ Open. As cannabis becomes more socially acceptable, it’s important that prospective mums-to-be and […]
Sugar content in fruit drinks marketed to kids “unacceptably high”
Almost half of products assessed contain entire daily recommended maximum intake The sugar content of fruit drinks—including natural fruit juices and smoothies—is “unacceptably high,” with smoothies among the worst offenders, finds research published in the online journal BMJ Open. Almost half the products assessed contained at least a child’s entire daily recommended maximum sugar intake […]