When consent is informed - One in five hospital outpatients leaves the consultation without understanding what is wrong with him or what his treatment is going to be, according...

When consent is informed - In early February, the newspapers jubilantly announced the end of the search for a magic bullet that would successfully treat the depression and anxie...

Case study:obstetric cholestasis - Last year, when I was pregnant with my second child, I started itching all over my body, particularly on my arms, hands and feet. It began a couple o...

Vbac success - Many consultants still have a "once a caesarean, always a caesarean" policy. - Scar rupture is the most frequently cited and feared reason for repeat surgery, but the incidence of rupture is minute (Am J Ob Gyn, 1989, 160: 569-73...

Breast implants: safety row - Ignoring mounting evidence of the dangers of silicon gel breast implants, the American Medical Association has endorsed a report recommending their us...

The informed mammogram - Make sure your doctor knows that just because you don't want a mammogram, it doesn't mean you don't want your breasts checked. You can tell your docto...

Chinese herbs for skin conditions - Q:My niece has a very bad skin condition called pityriasis rubra pilaris. It began with mild eczema on her face and hands and three months later deve...

Holy hiroshima! - What radiologists don't tell you - Radiologists almost never seek informed consent before beginning an x-ray or scan, and even when they make a stab at best practice, the patient is oft...