Court is asked to rule on woman who has been in vegetative state for 16 years

Milan's appeals court will be asked on 8 October to decide the fate of 37 year old Eluana Englaro (pictured), who has been in a persistent vegetative state since 1992. This is the latest, but possibly not the last, move in a legal saga that has gone on for nine years since Eluana's father, Beppino Englaro, first started the battle for the legal right to remove her feeding tube.
Other news published on 1 October:

• UK introduces picture warnings on cigarette packets
• UK strategy is "opportunity to see health as a bridge to peace," says chief medical officer
• Acute medical units reduce deaths and stay in hospital, studies show
• Treatment of seizures in babies is hampered by lack of EEG equipment
• Papers show how tobacco companies stopped airline's smoking ban
• China's tainted milk scandal spreads around world
• National research institute publishes directory of top researchers

Antibiotic use in community in Northern Ireland is a third higher than in England

Antibiotic use in the community varies widely across the four countries of the United Kingdom, with use in Northern Ireland more than a third greater than in England, according to a study in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. Major differences were also found among European nations: the level of use in France is double that in England and Germany and almost triple that in Russia.
Other news published on 30 September:

• US health groups protest against proposed government "conscience rule"
• Patient challenges trust's right to deprive her of NHS treatment for buying drugs privately
• World leaders pledge extra $3bn to combat malaria

Polyclinics may damage GP-patient relationship, study says

Polyclinics in England could have damaging effects on the relationship between patients and their GPs, according to a study in the British Journal of General Practice. The findings, from a questionnaire to 279 patients, showed that trust was more likely to be promoted when care was given by the same doctor over a period of time.
Other news published on 29 September:

• Short intensive radiation courses may work as well as standard ones
• Quality improvement scheme hopes to save authority £17m in first year
• EU parliament backs 30 minutes' exercise a day for all children to tackle obesity

Emergency services lack coordination, says healthcare watchdog

Urgent and emergency care services are performing well against individual targets, but the whole system is not working together as well as it could, says England's healthcare watchdog. The map shows the best performing areas in green, better performing in yellow, fair performing in orange, and least well performing in red.
Other news published on 26 September:

• Aboriginal children are still twice as likely to die as other young Australians

Italy plans to publish surgeons' success rates

From next year, surgeons in Italy will have to make their curriculum vitae and surgical success rates available to the public, the country's public administration minister Renato Brunetta has announced.
Other news published on 25 September:

• EU updates its plan to reduce drug misuse
• Ethiopian study shows urban children in areas three times as likely to survive to 18 than rural children
• A third of pharmacies give poor advice, survey finds

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