Comment
Should we pay donors to increase the supply of organs for transplantation?
Yes, says Arthur Matas. Payment for living kidney donation is illegal in most countries. Changing the law to allow payment would help to shorten waiting times, he believes. No, argues Jeremy Chapman, who says that such a step would reduce supply of all organs. Also:
- John Coggon and colleagues clarify the law in relation to non-heart-beating donation.
- Annabel Ferriman recounts her experience as a kidney donor. Hospitals should make the live donation process easier, she says.
- Professors Maqsood Noorani and Leigh Turner call for measures to end "transplant tourism."
Research
Body piercing in England: a survey of piercing at sites other than earlobe
In this national household survey of more than 10
Comment
The emergence of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
Headlines about S maltophilia, including "no antibiotics can stop it" and "rising death toll in hospitals" are unfounded, write Georgia Duckworth and Alan Johnson, from the Health Protection Agency's Centre for Infections in London. In fact, they say, S maltophilia infections are relatively rare compared to infections caused by bacteria such as meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
News
Government pledges extra £34m to tackle health inequalities in England
Inequalities in health persist and, in some cases, have widened, says a new report from the British government. Health secretary Alan Johnson said at its launch that the government's strategy to tackle the problem will target the wider social determinants of health, promoting healthy lifestyles, as well as promoting healthy lifestyules and improving access to services.
News
Coinfection of tuberculosis and HIV poses global threat
The interaction between the twin pandemics of HIV and TB could soon become a "threat to global health security," particularly with the emergence of almost untreatable strains of TB, experts at a United Nations forum have said.
News
Deaths from malaria in children fall sharply in 10 countries
Latest figures from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria show that considerable advances are being made in tackling all three diseases.
Comment
Unrecognised severe vitamin D deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency remains common and may mimic other musculoskeletal disorders or mental health problems, say John L Sievenpiper and colleagues from the Endocrine Unit at Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle Upon Tyne. UK. The US, Canada, Sweden, and Finland already fortify milk with vitamin D. Europe should follow suit, says an accompanying editorial.
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Student BMJ
Risk of surgery for inflammatory bowel disease: record linkage studies
What can you learn from this BMJ paper? Read Leanne Tite's Paper+
