Uppers cause toxic effects in the lungs - The lungs may be acting as a reservoir for antidepressants, causing toxic effects in the blood and brain, says a recent report from Japan. ...

Ultrasound does not always benefit mother, says bmj - Antenatal ultrasound is widely used to detect major fetal abnormalities such as anencephaly. However, a recent editorial (BMJ,1997; 314: 918) question...

The acid test for a healthy baby - Throughout the world, folic acid has now become the sacred cow of preconceptual health advice because of its apparent ability to reduce the rate of ne...

The afp test - A flawed test in the search for perfection - To reassure women that their babies are healthy, medicine has come up with a battery of tests that look for fetal abnormalities. Some, like amniocente...

Glass Houses: Cancer specialist attacks alternative therapies - Everyone knows the old saying 'People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones', everyone, that is, except Prof Jonathan Waxman, a cancer specialist at...

A disease of intensive farming - Albert Howard, an Honorary Fellow of the Imperial College of Science, was formerly the Director of the Institute of Plant Industry and Agricultural Ad...

Folic acid prevents clefts - Expectant mothers are already encouraged to take folic acid from one month before birth to help prevent neural tube defects. But new research also sho...

Genital warts - Please find me an urgent cure for the genital wart virus! Every doctor or hospital clinic I have spoken to has told me the same thing: that once you g...