The term antibiotic was first coined in 1941 by Selman Waksman to describe any small molecule made by a microbe that antagonizes the growth of other microbes. The antibiotic age occurred with the development of other agents such as tetracycline, streptomycin and chloramphenicol from soil bacteria; amongst others. Modern medicine ...
So this is going to be a very different kind of post. (New month, new me! Right?) I’m going to share some of my ideas about global citizenship; and how I feel about navigating life in both a sensory, intentional and intellectual way. Let’s hope I don’t ruffle too many ...
In the past three decades obesity in the United Kingdom has increased three-fold, emerging as one of the UK’s most prominent public health challenges. Obesity is largely a lifestyle and behavior associated condition, although there are also some genetic factors. Obesity is measured by a standard anthropometric measurement of known ...
Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic disease of global concern, resulting in over 55 000 deaths annually. Whilst standard post-exposure treatments are estimated to prevent hundreds of thousands of fatalities, these are not without shortcomings. Recent immunological research into novel treatments has revealed promising results. Published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, the research paper this article comments on has been described as groundbreaking. (I dare say, most notably by those enchanted by the spell of the [magical] monoclonal antibody: still one of the coolest cocktail party topics in immunology.)
Let’s discuss why investors in the pharmaceutical industry should start investing in drugs, therapeutics and medical devices aimed at treating, managing and ameliorating diseases affecting middle income countries in particular and the ‘global south’ in general.
Child survival. The dramatic improvement in child survival globally has brought babies per woman to as low as 2.2 in Bangladesh; 2.3 in India and 3.97 in Ethiopia. These are not anomalies. This is the norm. Furthermore, in cities, such as the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, the number of babies per woman is less ...
This week on GHW we're dissecting the myth of overpopulation as a global health issue.
I’m back! And this is the fifth and final edition of my ‘Obesity in the UK‘ series: Conclusions on Causes and Consequences of Rising Obesity Levels in the United Kingdom. Throughout this series, we have explored causes and consequences; physiological, behavioral, economic and social. All references are available upon request. So, here’s my sum up: A ...
I don’t like to say it. But I will be taking a tiny hiatus from writing. I am, as ever, dedicated to contributing to this discourse with well researched pieces. Thank you very much to all who read – my readership has grown so much recently and I am grateful to you all. I am ...
In my opinion, the consequences of increasing incidence of obesity fall into four key dimensions: individual, societal, structural and economic. This is Part 4 of my Obesity in the UK series. If you missed Parts 1, 2, or 3 - mainly dealing with the consequential factors of obesity.
I went back and watched the French president’s full speech at this month’s G20 meeting in Hamburg, in the original language, in an attempt to gain an understanding of the point he was trying to make. Aware that the noise of the ‘soundbite’ media can often drown a well-intentioned message. I also listened to the ...
