Medicine and Science from The BMJ

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Starvation in Gaza is a multi-generational disaster
In today’s episode: Rethinking how we measure the harm caused by the arms industry The life long, and multigenerational, impact of starvation in Gaza What is the appropriate focus on prevention in general practice? The BMJ's international editor, Jocalyn Clark talks about a new series we've just published - examining the arms industry as a commercial determinant of health. Jocalyn also speaks to Mark Bellis, from Liverpool John Moores university about why he thinks it’s time we take the impact of the arms industry on health seriously. The blockade on food reaching Gaza is in place again, risking more starvation. Elizabeth Mahase, clinical reporter for the BMJ, has been finding out about the acute, chronic, and generational impact on the palestinian population. She speaks to Jonathan Wells, professor of anthropology and paediatric nutrition at University College London, and Tessa Roseboom, professor of early development and health at the University of Amsterdam, Marie McGrath former head of the Emergency Nutrition Network, and Chris McIntosh, humanitarian response advisor for the charity, Oxfam. Finally, an analysis we published earlier this year made the case that "tsunami" of preventative care is destabilised the work of GPs. Helen Macdonald was at the Preventing Overdiagnosis conference and spoke to some of the authors - Minna Johansson, associate professor at University of Gothenberg, Stephen Martin, professor at UMass Chan Medical School, and Iona Heath, retired GP and former president of the RCGP. Reading list Arms industry as a commercial determinant of health Starvation is a lifelong sentence: Gaza’s civilians must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law Sacrificing patient care for prevention: distortion of the role of general practice
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CRISPR, stemcell banking, and a football world cup
CRISPR technology has revolutionised biological research, and for the first time it’s out of the lab and into the NHS, as NICE has approved its use as cost effective. Kenneth Charles, senior lecturer in haematology at the University of the West Indies explains how the treatment works, and what concerns he has about it's implementation. Also this week, a new investigation on bmj.com has looked at a number of British companies who are offering to collect children's teeth for stem cell extraction and storage. Freelance investigative journalist Emma Wilkinson explains the "outrageous" claims she found them making. Finally - we’re finishing with the football. Team GB had a strong showing this year - our over 25 men’s team brought the trophy home, and our womans team competed for the first time To explain more about the medical world cup we're joined by Minnan Al-Khafaji, captain of the women’s team, and Jamie Thoroughgood, captain of the men’s team. Read more. Banking baby teeth: companies may be misleading parents with “outrageous claims” CRISPR therapy for sickle cell disease Follow the British Medical Football Team on instagram
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The pitfalls of home test kits
If you’ve been in a high street pharmacy or supermarket recently, chances are you’ll have seen home test kits for all sorts of indications; blood sugar level, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid function, and even some forms of cancer. A new series of article in The BMJ revealing serious concerns with the reliability of these home tests, and raises questions about their regulation. Jonathan Deeks, professor of Biostatistics at the University of Birmingham, joins us to discuss what these tests are, and how his team have rated their usability. Also this week, the sad death of a child in Liverpool from measles highlights the growing outbreak in the UK - and this may be one of the first times many doctors have come across the infection. Frances Dutton, GP at the Small Heath Medical Practice reminds us how to recognise the sign of the infection. Reading list Direct-to-consumer self-tests sold in the UK in 2023 How to recognise and manage measles
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The Future for Physician Associates? | Prof. Gillian Leng
Professor Gillian Leng, President of the Royal Society of Medicine was asked to carry out an independent review into the role of physician and anaesthetic associates. She sits down with Kamran Abbasi, editor in chief of The BMJ, to discuss her findings. In the UK, the rollout of physician associates, NHS staff who took on some of the tasks of doctors, has been both haphazard and controversial. Originally copied from similar roles in the U.S., British PAs were introduced in the early 2000s. The level of clinical responsibility they were asked to take on began to vary around the country, driven mostly by the workforce needs of individual Trusts. The lack of clarity about their roles lead to disquiet with doctors, worry for patients, and an increasingly toxic debate on social media. 01.00 What is the Leng Review? 10:00 Recommendation one: Renaming 14:00 Recommendation two: Easier identification 16:00 Recommendation three: How to work? 20:00 Recommendation four: Diagnosis 25:00 Recommendation five: Oversight & Regulation 32:00 Prescribing and ordering ionizing radiation? 40:00 A failure of workforce planning and vision ? 49:00 The NHS 10 year plan
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NHS 10 year plan dissected
This week we’re focusing on the NHS. On the 3rd of July the UK’s Prime Minister, Kier Starmer finally announced the NHS’ 10 year plan. His Labour government laid out a vision for where the healthcare service should head over the next decade. The announcement has been met with mixed responses. The plan has some good ideas - but a lack of vision combined with scarcity of detail leave many questions about how well its aims can be implemented. In this podcast we're joined by 3 experts to dissect the details of this plan Jennifer Dixon is chief executive of the Health Foundation Katie Bramhall-Stainer is a working GP, and chairs the BMA’s General Practice committee. David Oliver is a consultant geriatrician, and a columnist for the BMJ Reading list News analysis: What is the NHS 10 year plan promising and how will it be delivered? Editorial: Government’s 10 year plan for the NHS in England David Oliver's column: The NHS 10 year plan—more a set of ambitions than a plan
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