Popular Articles

Next Year's Rising Health Costs May Not Be Slowed By Reform
"Employers who offer health insurance coverage could see a 9 percent cost increase next year, and their workers may face an even bigger hit, according to a report Thursday from consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers," the Associated Press reports. Workers concerned about losing their jobs" and their insurance, while it lasts - are using more health care than usual, contributing to rising costs, the report says. As the costs increase, employers are also likely to shift more of the burden to employees. "A total of 42% of employers surveyed said they would increase employees" share of costs," the AP reports.

Homeopathy At Risk Of Being Lost In Translation
Homeopathy risks being subsumed by modern medicine, argues a historian of science. Not only does this means that homeopathy"s heroes have become mere footnotes in history, but it could limit homeopathy"s potential to contribute to the treatment of today"s pressing medical problems, she says.
News of the day
Early Mental Illness May Be Revealed By MRI Mapping Of Brain
John Csernansky wants to take your measurements. Not the circumference of your chest, waist and hips. No, this doctor wants to stretch a tape measure around your hippocampus, thalamus and prefrontal cortex.
Medical Devices

Possible Government Rethink On NHS Private Finance Initiative Welcomed By UNITE, UK

A possible government rethink into the "flawed and expensive" private financing of NHS hospitals has been welcomed by Unite, the largest union in the country. Unite, which is campaigning strongly against the privatisation of the NHS, was commenting on an interview by health minister, Lord Darzi in which he said the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) "needs to be looked at." Lord Darzi told BMA News: "That model of funding may have been the right model but I have no doubt that the Department (of Health) will be appraising whether that it is still the model for the future or whether there are other, better models." "Quality is a moving target and PFIs have been very successful and might be in the future but it needs to be looked at." Unite National Officer for Health, Karen Reay said: "At long last, the government is beginning to realise that PFI is a flawed and expensive exercise that continues to consume billions of pounds in costly contracts for the enormous profit of private companies. This is money that could be better spent on frontline services for patients and clients." "Lord Darzi comments are to be welcomed - there is a chink of light at the end of the tunnel. However, when he talks about "better models for the future", we hope he means that the PFI experiment is abandoned, and not that the whole sorry process should be accelerated. We shall be seeking clarification from government on this point." Karen Reay welcomed the results of a BMA News survey which revealed that more than 90% of doctors were worried about the future of their local health services if they were left to market forces. She said: "This shows that right across the health service from GPs to health visitors to ambulance staff there is a broad coalition of health professionals opposed to the creeping tide of marketisation of the NHS." The Patchwork Privatisation of Our Health Service - a special report can be downloaded from http://www.unitetheunion.com/health and then clicking on Unite Health Sector web page: http://www.unitetheunion.com/health. Unite The Union


Add your comment:
Name:
Site address: http://
Your message:
Enter today\\\\'s date, 2 digits
(spam protection):