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Who wants to be the flu doctor?

In this personal view, Daniel Sokol writes, "A couple of weeks ago, some GPs contacted a clinical ethics committee. They cited guidance issued by the Royal College of General Practitioners, the BMA, and the Department of Health: 'Every GP practice must identify the person in the practice who will act as the practice lead on flu pandemic issues.' Once in the front line, this flu doctor may be more exposed to flu patients than his or her colleagues. Perhaps unsurprisingly, none of the GPs in their practice wanted the job." He considers how the lead should be selected.

Also published on 29 June:

From doctor to carer: mission impossible?

Medical Classic: A doctor�s occupation

Vaccine disputes

As the BMA debates mandatory MMR vaccination to help stem the rising number of measles cases in the UK, Rebecca Coombes investigates the anti-MMR lobby in the UK and US in this feature article. Watch Bad Science author Ben Goldacre discuss MMR and the Wakefield case with Colin Blakemore, former head of the Medical Research Council in an accompanying video.

Making information about clinical trials publicly available

The trial registers of the World Health Organization, the US National Library of Medicine, the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials Registry, and many others have started the process towards greater transparency within clinical research. Open access to information on the European EudraCT database will further improve transparency, and provide reassurance to the public that information from studies, made possible by the generosity and support of patients, is being used for the benefit of all, says paediatrician Rosalind L Smyth in this editorial.

Also published on 25 June:

Russia�s healthcare system: in need of modernisation

Intravenous fluids in adults undergoing surgery

Guidelines on intravenous fluid therapy for adult surgical patients have been long overdue. The new consensus guidelines collated by six specialist societies are a welcome recogition of the importance of this treatment - evidence shows that the choice of fluid and resuscitation protocol may materially affect patients' outcomes. However, the 28 recommendations offer a somewhat eclectic mixture of topics. High quality research is needed before guidelines can be reliable and useful say the authors of this editorial.

Watching over the medical device industry

Although all new drugs have to be tested to get regulatory approval, the same is not necessarily true for medical devices. Jeanne Lenzer reports on little known loopholes in the device approval process which mean that manufacturers are not required to submit safety or efficacy data before receiving approval to market their products.

Also published on 23 June:

It is not wrong to say no

Blow your own trumpet

The problems of mankind

Inequalities in men's health

Health professionals need to talk to men about their problems in the sort of language they use and should move primary care into the workplace to make it easier for men to access health services, a debate held by the Men's Health Forum heard last week. You can watch a 20 minute video of the debate, and listen to Deborah Cohen's interview with Ian Banks, president of the Men's Health Forum, in this week's BMJ podcast.

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