When your doctor diagnoses a problem and recommends one or more drugs that advice is based on guidelines, which in turn depend on results from randomised clinical trials. This, in theory, ensures that your treatment will be safe and effective. Unfortunately several studies just published suggest that the evidence can be far from watertight. One […]
How drugs can mess with your vitamins
May 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment
You’ve probably seen warnings that herbs or supplements of one sort or another might interfere with any drugs that you are taking so you should always tell your doctor about them. Sound advice. What you are less likely to know about is that some of the drugs you are taking can reduce the production or […]
10 Secrets – another view
May 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Another view on my book with Patrick Holford “The 10 Secrets of Healthy Ageing” Monty Python’s brilliant ‘Life of Brian’ memorably ended with a row crucified Galileans singing “Always look on the bright side of life”. Being upbeat about getting old seems only marginally less absurd. Literary giants have given it pretty uniformly bad press, […]
Should antibiotics be developed by the public sector?
May 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment
We are running out of antibiotics raising the terrifying prospect of untreatable STDs, hospital superbug infections or tuberculosis. Yet because these drugs are not profitable enough, development by drug companies has almost dried up. So let the public sector research and develop them says a BMJ article. Good idea and what about doing the same […]
Event (Closed): 3 May 2012; Participant at Healthy Ageing Conference
April 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment
College of MedicineConferenceHealthy Ageing: Radical New SolutionsThursday 3 May 2012 At Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists27 Sussex Place, London NW1 4RG 09.00 to 17.15 Closed to the public
Sex, no Drugs and Rock ‘n Roll
April 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment
All you need to remember to age well For more details see The 10 Secrets of Healthy Ageing’ Sex: Staying a reasonable weight, plenty of sunshine for vitamin D and a diet that is lower in carbs will keep your keep both energy and libido up. One of the keys is having a low glycemic […]
Five myths about ageing
April 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment
1)It’s your genes that decide the diseases you’re going to get. The truth is that even genes that raise your risk aren’t a done deal. Some of the genes that push up you risk of various diseases can be changed. And not with high-tech wizardry. You can do genetic engineering on your kitchen table. 2) […]
The 10 Secrets of Healthy Ageing
April 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The big myth about getting old is that there’s nothing good about it. The future is frailer, weaker sicker. It’s downhill all the way. In fact you have choices. The first Baby Boomers hit 65 last year – a Silver Tsunami that is going to keep on coming. Bad for pension providers but great for […]
Tamiflu: evidence-free yet we spent millions on it
April 25, 2012 by 1 Comment
Following up on the article in the Mail today about Pharmageddon – a book that details the way companies hide inconvenient data to the detriment of patients – I was struck by how the Tamiflu saga was a perfect example of what the author Professor David Healy was talking about. It also raises the issue of […]
Drug companies and off label
April 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment
News item from Pulse that following legal challenge by Novartis about off label prescribing of cheaper Lucentis that there is now talk of doctors not being allowed to prescribe off label if there is a licenced alternative. This has nothing to do with protecting patients and everything to do with protecting profits. Off label prescribing has […]
Body of Evidence 
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