Dr Penna

This is nice speech from Steve Jobs in Stanford.

I have seen some contrasting articles in BBC health news section. They are contrast in the way they were reported.

First article was published on 9/1/07

Doctor quizzed over patient death Link
A doctor has been arrested over the death of a Wearside hospital patient. Dr Vijay Anand Harikrishnan, 27, has been suspended from Sunderland Royal Hospital, pending the investigation into the death of… (a patient) (in Sep 2006)

I felt quite sad about the patient and family. I sincerly hope investigation will find what exactly happened for this elderly stroke patient, who was in coma since april 2006. (according to website)

Note: Investigation is still pending. Doctor who was named as culprit was asian, and his name appeared in the news. The story made me feel that this doctor is probably the culprit.(even though investigation is not complete)

Compare the above news article to another one appeared on the 10/01/2007

Misdiagnosis led to malaria death

The death of a Cardiff University student from malaria could have been prevented, a coroner has said

……

The inquest heard from Dr Ashley Croft, one of the UK’s leading experts on tropical diseases, who called for procedures to be strengthened

He said: “It was a diagnosis that shouldn’t have been missed but it was, with tragic consequences.

“Something in NHS protocols needs to be strengthened. The fact information about her trip to Uganda got lost is quite wrong.”

………..

Recording a narrative verdict, Mary Hassell, coroner for Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, said: “I have no hesitation Matti died from malaria.

“In that sense she died from a natural cause, but in this situation it doesn’t adequately reflect the sequence of events.

“On 22 January, she was told during telephone conversations with the NHS Direct and the out of hours doctor service, she had flu. This was not the case.

“On 23 January she was told during a face-to-face consultation she had flu. This was not the case.

“Matti died on 26 January from cerebral malaria.

“It was not diagnosed because health professionals did not elicit the information she had been in a high-risk malarial area, or they elicited the information but did not recognise the significance of this.”

I felt that both the articles points out one thing, misdiagnosis and mismanagement. But in the first article they appear to blame a doctor (by name) even when investigation was not completed, no strong evidence was shown. In the second there was failure(confirmed by coroners report) by whole system including NHS direct, Out of hours GP service, and face to face consultation with a doctor who failed to elicit history and make a diagonsis. ( No name and shame - may be confidentiality). But why such difference no one knows !

This is an extreme case of the hospital advertisemets by an uk based web site called europa-international.net. The advertisement is as shown below

Link:http://www.europa-international.net/superdraw.php
Welcome to the World’s first ever cosmetic surgery superdraw giving you the chance to change the way you look and feel forever.

Our monthly cosmetic surgery superdraw gives away one cosmetic procedure to someone in the UK worth up to the value of £6,000 - towards a cosmetic procedure of your choice.

For just £1.50, you can enter our draw by calling 0907 004 0069 answer the simple question and follow the instructions. Alternatively, text 88833 to enter - see below for further information. It’s that easy.

Note: This site uses premium numbers which takes more money from the people, ecourages multiple application by individuals, and sends patients to Prague for operations.

This is strongly critisised by various bodies including BAAPS (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons)

Link
In the words of Douglas McGeorge, consultant plastic surgeon and President of the BAAPS “I am appalled at this new scheme but unfortunately not surprised. Companies are plumbing new depths to take advantage of a growing interest in plastic surgery by launching unscrupulous marketing gimmicks which violate not only an established code of ethics where financial and date-linked incentives are prohibited, but also common sense.”

Note: I feel there is some conflict of interest.

But any way this news makes me feel health is considered more in terms of bussiness. Which is not good for future of profession and patients.

More comments are welcome for this post.
Vote for this news Prize draw for cosmetic surgery - Can you belive it at medinews

Bulimia Nervosa one of the eating disorders (episodes of binge eating, followed by self induced vomiting) may be associated with excess testesterones in their body.

BBC
Dr Sabine Naessén, from the Karolinska Institutet suggests some women with the condition may have too much of the male hormone testosterone.

Half the bulimics treated for this imbalance reported less hunger, and fewer cravings for fatty, sugary food.

Dr Naessén claims that three out of 21 bulimics treated this way became completely free of the eating disorder.

But the study a shown only contained 21 patients and of them only 3 was completely free of the disease following hormone treatment. I am not sure how statistically significant this study is. But as said in the news Hormone imbalance may be the cause of the disorder in some cases.

Discuss about “Bulimia Nervosa may be associated with Hormonal Disorders” at medinews.co.uk.