Author Archives: Science Media Centre
de-regulation of cosmetic non-surgical laser and intense pulse light treatments
The popularity of Laser and Intense Pulse Light (IPL) cosmetic treatments has soared over the last decade, and until recently the use of lasers and IPLs was regulated under the Private and Voluntary Healthcare Act that required any such user to register with the Care Quality Commission. Following Government deregulation in non-surgical situations, experts from The Society for Radiological Protection came to the SMC to express their concerns ahead of the Major World Meeting on Radiation Protection in Glasgow. read more
expert reaction to American Psychiatric Association’s revisions of DSM5
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) announced some revisions of the soon to be published fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This followed substantial unrest in the scientific and clinical community, and wide media coverage following a briefing held at the SMC with accompanying roundup comments. read more
expert reaction to testosterone levels and obesity
At The European Congress on Obesity (ECO) it was announced that raising blood testosterone levels to normal in older overweight or obese men with reduced levels of the hormone causes substantial weight loss and other health gains. read more
expert reaction to Lord Smith’s speech on clean energy
At a keynote speech, Environment Agency (EA) chairman Lord Smith gave his support for the controversial method of shale gas extraction, known as hydraulic fracturing or fracking, qualifying this with the need for simultaneous Carbon Capture and Storage programmes. read more
expert reaction to study of Co-proxamol withdrawal and suicide rates
PLoS Medicine published a 6 year study following the withdrawal of the analgesic co-proxamol in the UK in 2005, finding there was a major reduction in suicides involving this drug, without apparent significant increase in deaths involving other analgesics. read more
expert reaction to study of psychopathy and brain structure
A study in Archives of General Psychiatry found differences in brain structure between people with psychopathy from those with anti-social personality disorder. read more
expert reaction to research into Bisphenol A and monkey mammary gland development
Pregnant rhesus monkeys exposed to the chemmical bisphenol A (BPA) developed altered mammary glands, a study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports. read more
expert reaction to research on “switching off” neurodegeneration in mice
A study in mice suggested a common mechanism underlying nerve cell death in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and prion diseases. Published in Nature, the study suggests an avenue to develop treatments for these diseases. read more
expert reaction to new research into risk of birth defects to babies born using reproductive technologies
The New England Journal of Medicine published a paper which showed that an increased risk of birth defects linked with use of reproductive technologies was generally not due to treatment, but rather due to underlying factors, while unexplained differences in risk varied across different treatments. read more
expert reaction to new research on Greenland glacier
According to a study in Science, a decade-long record of nearly all of Greenland’s major glaciers suggests that that Earth’s sea level may not rise 2 full meters over the next century as previously predicted. read more
how safe is our food?
How do we know the food we eat is authentic – does it really contain what it says on the tin? And, most importantly, how do we know it is safe? Preceding a conference being held by The Government Chemist (at LGC), three experts from LGC came to the SMC to brief the media on the key topics in food science such as nanoparticles, food allergies, genetic testing, counterfeit food and consumer safety. read more
expert reaction to adaptation of an influenza virus
After months of controversy over two research papers which showed how the H5N1 flu virus could be mutated to become transmissible in humans, Nature published the first of the papers following a reversal of NSABB’s decision to restrict publication. read more
expert reaction to Open Letter from GM wheat field researchers at Rothamsted Research
Researchers at Rothamsted Research sent an open letter to protest group Take The Flour Back after it was announced the group were planning to destroy a field trial of GM wheat. Having held a press briefing to launch the field trial, the SMC helped to bring the open letter to the attention of the media and sent out accompanying comments. read more
HS2- what engineers think
The Secretary of State for Transport has now announced that a national high speed rail network – High Speed 2 – will go ahead, providing vital infrastructure links which will boost the economy for generations to come. Three expert independent engineers came to the SMC to discuss their thought on the pros and cons of this enormous and controversial rail project. read more
GP Prescribing Errors – The PRACTICE study
The General Medical Council came to the SMC to announce the results of the PRACTICE study, which investigated the rate of GP prescribing errors, the nature of the errors detected and the implications, and the recommendations they are making as a result. read more
expert reaction to study of berry consumption and cognitive decline
A study of female nurses in the US, published in Annals of Neurology, suggested that eating greater amounts of blueberries and strawberries is associated with a slower rate of cognitive decline. read more
expert reaction to the Royal Society’s new report, People and the Planet
A report on the world’s population by the Royal Society recommended that consumption levels between developed and developing nations must be rebalanced alongside a stabilisation of the world’s population. read more
expert reaction to a new review of mobile phone radiation and health effects by AGNIR
The Health Protection Authority’s (HPA) independent Advisory Group on Non-Ionising Radiation (AGNIR) conducted the largest review yet of published research on the health risks of radiation from radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation, finding that there is no indication of risk. read more
the problem with blood pressure – Europe’s biggest blood pressure conference
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the most important preventable risk factor for premature death worldwide. To coincide with Europe’s largest hypertension conference taking place in London from April 26 to 29, 2012, experts came to the SMC to discuss their latest research. read more
expert reaction to new study of watercress and response to physical exercise
A study in the British Journal of Nutrition suggested that nutrients found in watercress could be beneficial to the body when recovering from exercise. read more