The World Health Organisation are stating that Northern Nigerian authorities in Kano are willing to restart vaccination with polio vaccine. A vaccine produced in Indonesia has been found to be acceptable. While the unfounded allegations of a conspiracy by the US depopulate Northern with contaminated vaccines has not been withdrawn, at least vaccination will [...]
A surprising story in the Independent about the rise in popularity of the humble pork scratching. Apparently, the obsession with the low-carb Atkins diet has paradoxically made these fatty bits of pig skin a healthy snack option, although I feel it is only fair to remind you of their provenance:
Traditional scratchings come complete, if [...]
Michael Fitzpatrick, a voice of reason on the MMR issue, has had his new book published on MMR vaccine and autism. In an article in Spiked online Michael Fitzpatrick explains why MMR is a political issue:
“Fitzpatrick places the MMR controversy in the context of the collapse of traditional left and right politics, and the [...]
“In the past two years one child at the age of three has died of heart failure secondary to extreme obesity,”
The quote comes from Dr Sheila McKenzie, a consultant paediatrician at the Royal London Hospital. It was made in the context of a House of Commons Select Committee report on obesity. Starting [...]
The Vancover bus incident that I suggested was one of the first mass psychogenic illness related to the War on Terror, appears to have been confirmed as a “textbook” case:
the ongoing investigation has produced no evidence that there was any poisonous substance on board the bus.
…
“They found the substance on the bus that was [...]
This blog will have to move server in the next few days, time permitting. Although I have exported a back-up of the entries, the outcome of this move will be somewhere in the continuum between “no noticable change” and “complete destruction”.
Still, whatever happens it will not be as bad as the news from Norman [...]
As Arab Janjaweed militia continue to attempt to purge the Darfur region of Sudan, killing men, women, children and even the unborn (with the Sudanese governments support) what possibly could make things worse for the people of Darfur?
How about a Polio outbreak?
The failure of Northern Nigeria regions to carry out a vaccination programme [...]
We are half way through Bike Week in the UK, where commuters are encouraged to abandon their cars and cycle to work. I must admit I was unaware of this event, when I recently decided to start cycling to work. Cycling is surprisingly less bother than I thought it would be, only fractionally slower [...]
One safety issue with methotrexate has finally been dealt with. There have been cases reported in the literature of confusion between 2.5mg tablets and 10mg tablets. References about this problem are in a paper I published on methotrexate safety, with some collegues, last year. The MHRA and NPSA in the UK have issued [...]