Health Blog | yew-tree-pharmacy

Lithium in tap water may cut dementia

People with higher levels of lithium in their drinking water appear to have a lower risk of developing dementia, say researchers in Denmark. Lithium is naturally found in tap water, although the amount varies. The findings, based on a study of 800,000 people, are not clear-cut. The highest levels cut risk, but moderate levels were worse than low ones. Experts said it was an intriguing and encouraging study that hinted at a way of preventing the disease. The study, at the University of Copenhagen, looked at the medical records of 73,731 Danish people with dementia and 733,653 without the disease. Tap water was then tested in 151 areas of the country. The results, published in JAMA Psychiatry,

Johnson & Johnson faces $417m payout in latest talc case

Johnson & Johnson has been ordered to pay $417m (£323.4m) to a woman who says she developed ovarian cancer after using products such as baby powder. The California jury's decision marks the largest award yet in a string of lawsuits that claim the firm did not adequately warn about cancer risks from talc-based products. A spokeswoman for Johnson & Johnson defended the products' safety. The firm plans to appeal, as it has in previous cases. "We will appeal today's verdict because we are guided by the science," Carol Goodrich, spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc, said in a statement. The evidence around any link between talc use and cancer is inconclusive. Blood tests spot ovarian c

Japanese fungus spreading in UK hospitals

More than 200 patients in England have been infected or contaminated with a drug-resistant fungus first found in Japan, health officials have confirmed. Hospitals are on the lookout for further cases and are putting in place measures to help control any further spread of the fungus, Candida auris. Public Health England says in some cases patients will have no symptoms, but the infection can cause serious bloodstream and wound infections. So far, no UK patient has died from it. The first UK case emerged in 2013. Since then, infection rates have been going up - although it remains rare. Candida auris is proving hard to stop because it has developed some resistance to the drug doctors normally

BMA chief: NHS is 'running on fumes'

The NHS in England is "running on fumes", the leader of the British Medical Association is warning. Dr Mark Porter hit out at the government at the start of the union's annual conference. He accused ministers of putting patients at risk and "picking the pockets" of NHS staff because of the squeeze on wages. But ministers rejected the criticisms, saying they were putting more money into the health service. Dr Porter launched the attack as doctors gathered in Bournemouth. NHS staff shortages: Why so persistent? You'll wait longer for ops, says NHS boss He said: "We have a government trying to keep the health service running on nothing but fumes. A health service at breaking point. "Run by mini