'As a service provider to the Medical Profession, we feel it is useful to have a topical web page where busy doctors would have the opportunity to catch up with information and views covering subjects which affect their world.

We would welcome additional contributions from active doctors as well as from other sources.

Summer 2010

Weight loss programs better than GPs
Dr Susan Jebb of the MRC has studied weight loss schemes by GPs in the UK, Germany and Australia and found that patients in groups such as Weight Watchers have significantly more weight loss than those led by GPs. Those in the Weight Watchers groups lost an average of 7kg over a year compared with GP patients who lost 3kg. The NHS has started pilots with Weight Watchers. The NHS pays £45 per patient over the 12 week course.

The Cause of Coeliac Disease
Researchers from Oxford and Melbourne have published in Science Translational Medicine that volunteers from their Coeliac clinics were given bread, rye or barley and blood samples were taken six days later to assess immune response. Of the 90 peptides studied three were particularly toxic. A trial is currently underway using immunotherapy targeting these three peptides and the results of the trial are expected in early autumn. Coeliac disease affects about 1% of Western populations with women amounting to about 55% of the total.

Lungs grown in the laboratory
A team from Harvard Medical School reports in Nature Medicine that it has grown rat lungs on a scaffold in the lab and successfully replanted them in a rat. They used the same technique as the Spanish workers who successfully replanted a trachea on a woman in Spain.

The EU food claims law starts to bite
The Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation adopted in 2006 to "ensure that consumers are not mislead by unsubstantiated or exaggerated claims about foodstuffs" is now beginning to bite. Among the many claims rejected are: apple cider improves bowel movement, horsetail plant maintains normal hair, sugar free chewing gum reduces dental plaque and that the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum supports the immune system. Among those well known products in the pipeline are the Actimel, Activa and Yakult drinks.

Low Vitamin D and Parkinsonism
A team from Finland published in Archives of Neurology their study of 3300 individuals. They studied the Vitamin D levels of these people over 30 years and found that those with the lowest levels were three times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those with the highest levels.

Early HIV treatment saves lives
According to a new WHO report HIV deaths could be reduced by 20% over the next five years if treatment begins at 200 CD4 cells per microlitre of blood instead of the current guide of 350 CD4 cells per microlitre. They say that it would also reduce the number of opportunistic infections and actually save money in the long term

Vaccine patch instead of injection
Writing in Nature Medicine, researchers from Emory University and The Georgia Institute of technology say that their patch, which contains thousands of micro-needles, loaded with vaccine produces a more effective immune response than the conventional needle delivered product. The trials were performed on mice with a flu vaccine. They say that the patch needs no medical training to apply and so would turn vaccination into a painless procedure that patients could do themselves

Regular use of mobile phones linked with Tinnitus
A study from The Institute of Environmental Health at the University of Vienna found that those who use their phones for more than 10 minutes per day over the four year period of the study had a 70% increase of developing tinnitus.

Household cleaners and Cancer
A Study from Cape Cod, published in Environmental Health has linked the use of cleaners, especially those with methylene chloride with an increased risk of breast cancer. The report recommends the use of "greener" products which state specifically that they are few of carcinogenic substances.

And finally……………
Man to pharmacist, "I've heard about Viagra, does it work?" Pharmacist "It works really well." Man, "Do you think I could get it over the counter?" Pharmacist, "Well I suppose if you took a big enough dose you might."

Please let us let us have your constructive observations on this page and any views covering other subjects. E-mail, website@locumlink.uk.com or drfrank@locumlink.uk.com . These can be published under a pseudonym for further comment.

Ed