Catching a yawn is linked to age, study shows

Finally proof that I'm still young, as the BBC report that 

'People are less likely to yawn when others do as they get older, a study has found.'

I'm young! Because I started yawning just reading this report, for once I'm not bring sarcastic...

More here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-26587535

Hymenoplasty operations women virgins again increased NHS costs

Because the NHS has a bottomless pit of money to spend! Hymenoplasty and breast enlargement are generally not necessary medical procedures, but are for religious, cultural or personal pride reasons.
I don't want to pay for others to have this sort of operation, especially when people are dieing because the NHS won't fund life saving cancer treatment. Priorities, priorities...
More here http://www.closeronline.co.uk/2012/06/rise-in-ops-to-make-women-virgins-again

Do you think that mohels charges too much for performing a bris?

How much does a mohel charge? I have no idea but it can't be as much as is reported at Healthcare Savvy where I read:

'I have recently had an interesting experience which left me completely shocked.  This is not a posting about whether or not to get a circumcision, just at the astronomical costs involved.

My son was born 14 mo ago and because he was born in a Birth Center, he could not get circumcised at birth.  Our hospital (Cambridge Hospital in MA) does not have a pediatric surgeon for this procedure so we were given a referral for a doctor at Mass General (Boston, MA).  When I called Mass General to get a quote on the price, I got the following:
$23,000
(includes Facility, Physician, Anesthesia)

This procedure is less than 30 minutes; the doctor himself even stated that this is one of the easiest procedures.  I’ve researched prices for other countries and found a high of $1200.

We are insured so presumably my insurance (Harvard Pilgram/United) has a discounted rate but I’m not able to get access to this price.  The insurance would presumably cover 80% of the cost but I would be responsible for co-insurance, deductible, and who knows what else.

It took 15 calls and 3 hours to get the information relating to the $23k.  It’s ridiculous that it takes this long but also that a hospital could charge this much.'

$23,000 seems rather steep to me for what is after all just a little snip! I cannot believe that a mohel charges even 1% of that.

Public Service Announcement re Nurofen Plus

The The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a warning:

'Reckitt Benckiser (UK) Ltd has received three reports of rogue Seroquel XL 50mg tablets in cartons of three different batches of Nurofen Plus tablets. We understand cartons of Nurofen Plus tablets contained only rogue cut-down blisters of Seroquel XL tablets and no Nurofen Plus tablets were present. The rogue Seroquel XL tablet cut-down blisters included parallel imported tablets (from two different PLPI companies) and originator product.'

Is that important you may be asking. Well yes it is as Nurofen is a pain-killer whilst Seroquel is a prescription-only anti-psychotic drug used to treat disorders that include schizophrenia, mania and bipolar depression.

The Nurofen Plus batches to look out for are:

Pack size	Batch number	Expiry date	PL	First distributed
32 Tablets	13JJ	03/2014	00327/0082	30 April 2011
32 Tablets	57JJ	05/2014	00063/0376	21 June 2011
32 Tablets	49JJ	05/2014	00063/0376	1 July 2011

Does homeopathy work?

Dara O'Briain on alternative medicine


Mitchell & Webb in the 'Alternative' medicine A&E ward

Art imitating life, and/or vice versa

Yesterday morning I read about the poor Swedish teenager who was struck down by a "one-in-a-million" allergic reaction to household paracetamol. Eva Uhlin was 15 when she contracted Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, a rare skin condition that is potentially fatal and meant that over a few days she lost most of the surface of her face as her skin blistered and then turned into scabs. The skin on parts of her chest, arms, back and stomach also fell away. At one point the damage to her face was so bad her lips grew together as skin formed a scab over her mouth.

Yesterday evening I watched "House" Series 5 Episode 23 "Under My Skin" in which bizarrely the patient contracts Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis as a result of being given antibiotics; what are the odds of seeing that incredibly rare condition in the media twice in a day?

Face transplant 'double success'

The BBC are reporting that

"Successful results from two more face transplants will speed progress towards similar operations in other countries, say experts."

Hold on, do you mean that this......



... wasn't a documentary?


John Travolta and Nicolas Cage overacting to an incredible degree in "Face/Off".

Organ donation and the move to "presumed consent"

Take a listen to tonight's Moral Maze on Radio 4's "listen again" feature. Absolutely fascinating and just what the BBC should be producing. Some seriously good arguments against what Gordon Brown's government is proposing. What the penultimate witness had to say really scared me.

Have a listen and think about what actually do we mean by death.


Having listened to the programme, do you think Michael Buerk fancied the first witness? The man was positively gushing.