Articles in chronological order
Below is a list of all the current articles published on Behind the Medical Headlines, in the order they were published, most recent item first. If you are looking for something in particular, you can either search, or look through the articles in alphabetical order.
Chronic fatigue syndrome: altered physiology and genetic influences
There has been much debate regarding the cause of CFS/ME. Is CFS/ME caused by poorly understood physical processes or by behavioural responses to everyday life? In this article Dr Fred Nye and Dr Esther Crawley examine some new research which suggests genetic factors may play a significant role in CFS/ME. Read…
Drug-resistant malaria and its treatment
Around 1 million children die in Africa every year from malaria. While many reasons are involved, one of the major factors is that malarial-carrying parasites have developed resistance to most of the commonly used anti-malarial drugs. In this article Dr David Bell and Prof Peter Winstanley review efforts to combat drug-resistant malaria. Read…
‘Full-body’ CT scans: are they worth the cost in money and radiation exposure?
There has been an increasing trend in some countries for the use of ‘full-body’ CT scans as check-ups to screen for possible disease. However, such scans can be very expensive and can also result in unnecessary exposure to radiation. Dr Paul Allan and Jerry Williams review the evidence on the efficacy and safety of ‘full-body’ CT scans. Read…
The pros and cons of SSRI antidepressants
The new generation of anti-depressants, SSRIs, were hailed as wonder drugs when they were first developed, but, in recent years, there has been much concern about possible withdrawal symptoms and a possible link between SSRI use and an increase in suicidal thoughts. How concerned should we be about SSRIs? Dr George Masterton reviews the evidence. Read…
Challenges in Ensuring Drug Safety
In recent years concerns have been expressed about the safety of some commonly used drugs. How safe are the drugs which we use? What systems are in place to monitor and review their safety, once on the market, and are such safeguards sufficient? Dr Keith Beard and Dr Patrick Waller review the evidence. Read…
