Inside Health

A committee advising the Food and Drug Administration in the US has voted to change the way it tests women for cervical cancer by solely using a test that detects Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) rather than also using a standard smear test which looks for abnormal cell changes. The test is likely to become more widely used in the NHS than it is now. What advantages does it offer over smear tests and what difference will it make for women? Dr Mark Porter talks to Jack Cuzick, director of the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine and GP Dr Margaret McCartney about the pros and cons.The HPV virus is responsible for a big increase in the number of oral cancers. Some researchers have even gone so far as to call it an epidemic. Mark talks to head and neck cancer surgeon Andrew Schache from the University of Liverpool to find out more about the reason for the rise in numbers.Also in the programme. You are when you eat. According to some diets, not eating in the evening can help you lose weight. But does the timing of

Is sugar really addictive? As the Chief Medical Officer for England suggests that it is and a 'sugar tax' may have to be introduced, leading experts debate whether the white stuff on our table is really habit forming.How 40 year old research hidden away in a book has thrown new light on a link between iron deficiency and stroke.And why the clue to solving recurrent thrush maybe getting the diagnosis right in the first place.Plus concern about the increase in prescription charges just announced by the government.

Dr Mark Porter investigates a pioneering research project designed to reduce the psychological trauma experienced by more than half of critically ill patients after a stay in intensive care. Why do treatments on ICU cause hallucinations and post traumatic stress disorder in patients months after they leave hospital? Mark talks to the doctor who believes people over the age of eighty are being overtreated to protect them against heart attack and stroke. He finds out why some of the drugs used could increase their risk of falls. Also in the programme, how lens replacement surgery for cataracts is also being used to correct vision. And why are cases of scarlet fever on the rise?

Selenium supplements have hit the headlines with reports that men taking them can increase their risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer. Dr Mark Porter talks to leading expert on selenium, Margaret Rayman, Professor of Nutritional Medicine at the University of Surrey, to find the truth behind the story.Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a disease that kills more people in the UK than breast cancer. It's caused by the thickening and scarring of the part of the lung that forms the barrier between blood and air and can make your chest sound like it's full of Velcro. Mark talks to Luca Richeldi, Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Southampton, about why it can be mistaken for asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - what used to be called emphysema and bronchitis. Also in the programme, as many as 1 in 20 children will experience long term constipation with no underlying cause and which doesn't get better with dietary changes. Mark visits a specialist clinic at Addenbrooke's hospi

Dr Mark Porter investigates the health effects of loneliness and why some researchers believe being lonely is worse for your health than obesity. Also in the programme, as proposed new UK guidelines mean as many as 5 million more people could be prescribed statins to lower their cholesterol how do you work out if you are in this new category of being at risk? Are the current calculators that work out your risk up to the job? Mark also investigates coughs. Does it really make a difference if your cough is viral or bacterial, and why eighty percent of people won't benefit from taking antibiotics for their cough. A recent study has found that long term, repeated exposure to air pollution increases the risk of heart attacks. What does this mean for people who live near busy roads, and who is most at risk? Mark Porter talks to Frank Kelly, professor of environmental health at King's College London about why the microscopic particles in air pollution cause problems for the heart and why he believes cycle routes sho

As NICE issues its latest guidelines for treating osteoarthritis, Inside Health looks at the use of paracetamol to relieve pain and is glucosamine a recommended supplement? Also in the programme, Dr Mark Porter investigates how the latest drug treatments for problem drinking work. And how much do doctors use their gut instinct when it comes to diagnosing patients?

Why testosterone prescriptions are on the increase in the UK and growing concern amongst some doctors that these supplements may be linked to heart attack.Do the hours spent on laptops or tablets before bedtime disrupt your sleep?Dr Margaret McCartney reviews the evidence for later school start times for teenagers to match their natural bodyclocks. And a listener's concern about antidepressants in pregancy - 1 in 30 women take medication for depression whilst expecting a baby, but does the science suggest these drugs are harmful?

As the government calls for a ban on the sale of e cigarettes to under 18s, Dr Mark Porter is joined by Martin McKee, Gerard Hastings and Robert West to discuss who is using them and how they are being advertised. The chairman of NICE, David Haslam has suggested patients should demand more NICE approved drugs from their GP. Mark is joined by David and by GP Margaret McCartney to discuss whether patients really should be more pushy. Also in the programme Mark talks to Mark Emberton at University College London Hospital in London about the PROMIS trial into the benefits of using MRI to scan men's prostate gland to detect cancer.

Recent reports say that as many as 2 million people in England could be eligible for bariatric surgery. Dr Mark Porter investigates if a new gastric balloon swallowed in a capsule could be a valuable new tool for weight loss. Targeted for people whose BMI is lower than those who would be eligible for weight loss surgery, Inside Health finds out what the new balloon involves and asks two NHS bariatric surgeons - Sally Norton in Bristol and Guy Slater in Chichester - is this a boon to the arsenal of weight loss surgeons or is it a just slimming aid?Proton pump inhibitors are a family of drugs which reduce stomach acids to stop the symptoms of heartburn and ulcers. But they are being widely overused according to many gastroenterologists and doctors. Mark talks to gastroenterologist, Anton Emmanuel about the scale of the overuse, the potential side effects of being on them for too long as well as what people can do if they think they should come off the drug.Margaret McCartney and Mark Porter ask whether the anon

As Germany becomes the first country in Europe to pass a law allowing newborn babies to be registered as being of indeterminate sex - neither male nor female - should the UK follow suit?The incapacitating facial pain that feels like an electric shock - a world expert explains Trigeminal Neuralgia.And recurrent indigestion - should more be done to investigate the millions of people troubled with heartburn?Plus a new test for diagnosing diabetes that's causing some confusion.

Current recommendations advise that parents should give children under five Vitamin D supplements, but most parents do not follow this, and Vitamin D deficiency is now widespread, leading to a resurgence of rickets. To combat this, England's Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies is now recommending that free supplements be available to all children under five.Following the publication of a new Cochrane review into the evidence behind advocating exercise for people who are depressed, there were very different conclusions in the medical press; ranging from suggesting exercise was as good as antidepressants, to the other extreme that there was not much evidence that it helped at all. But is exercise an effective treatment or not? Gillian Mead, Professor of Stroke and Elderly Care Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, was lead author of the review.Fungi occur naturally on our bodies but thrive in warm, damp dark places like shoes. If you have healthy nails and a normal immune system, it is hard for

With news that actor Tom Hanks has been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, how far in advance can doctors predict the onset of the condition and what can be done to delay it.And is obesity a disease? It has been classified as such in America, so what are the implications and should the UK follow suit?Plus the first ever conference on Lyme Disease - the tick borne infection that can cause serious complications.

How would you feel if your child's immunisations were linked to benefits or child care? In Australia, a full set of vaccinations is now a requirement for accessing most types of child care and claiming family tax credit worth around £500 a year. The only exception is if parents ask to be registered as conscientious objectors. Dr Steve Hambleton is President of the Australian Medical Association and explains how well these measures have been received.University of Sydney researchers have just published a new study adding to a body of evidence that pregnant women who see the same midwife require less intervention, have safer outcomes and are more likely to breastfeed their babies. They also save the healthcare system over £300. Professor Cathy Warwick, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, tells Inside Health that adoption of this "caseload" model in the UK has been slow.Around half a million people in the UK have some form of leg ulcer, and up until recently many would have them dressed in the comm

Margaret McCartney reports on confusion around the new Shingles Vaccine - including how old you have to be to qualify and why there's a lack of supply in some GP surgeries.Why readymade drinks combining caffeine and alcohol have been banned in America.Are the tests GP's use to screen for liver damage falsely reassuring?And a leading authority dispels myths surrounding the causes of anorexia.

New research has found an association between Pandemrix, a swine flu vaccine, and a rare sleep disorder in children. Fears about a pandemic of H1N1 flu, so called "swine flu", over the winter of 2009/2010 led to millions of vulnerable people across the UK, including every child under five, being offered a new vaccine. There has since been a dramatic rise in the number of children diagnosed with narcolepsy. Paul Gringras, Professor of Children's sleep medicine and neurodisability at the Evelina Children's Hospital in London, is one of the researchers investigating this link. October 1st marks the start of a mass stop smoking campaign called Stoptober. Last year, 160,000 people gave up for the month, saving themselves £25 million from not buying cigarettes. Inside Health spoke to two of them, Adrian Osborne and Donna Horton. The Traditional Herbal Medicines Registration Scheme was brought in by the Medicines Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in 2005. But there are concerns that the threshold for this

Following Billy Connolly's announcement that he has signs of Parkinson's Disease, Inside Health reports from the World Congress of Neurology in Vienna where early diagnosis is top of the agenda.Suncreams and Cancer. After a long hot summer an evidence based look at whether sunscreens really protect against the lethal forms of skin cancer - melanoma.And slimming pills - why have two regulatory bodies on different sides of the Atlantic made different decisions about two diet drugs?As a new NHS information leaflet 'Helping You Decide' is given to women invited for breast screening, Dr Margaret McCartney - who has criticised previous versions - gives her verdict.And a definitive guide to the only true dental emergency - what to do if you or your child knocks out a front tooth.

As last year's increase in Whooping Cough looks likely to continue judging from data coming out of America and Europe, Mark Porter finds out why it's on the rise and who should be concerned. Fish oils and Prostate Cancer - Inside Health responds to listeners' worried by this recent study and scrutinises the findings that hit the headlines. And weighing up the risks and benefits of screening for Aortic Aneurysms.

Dr Mark Porter reports on NHS Health Checks which are available to everyone between 40 and 74. Public Health England's Professor Kevin Fenton says this could save at least 650 lives, prevent 1600 heart attacks and 4000 cases of diabetes. Inside Health's resident sceptic Dr Margaret McCartney isn't convinced.We examine the truth behind rumours of a blood service sell off.Inside Health visits Addenbrooke's Hospital to answer a listener's query about Crohn's disease.Diabetes in pregnancy is a growing problem with potentially serious consequences for both the mother and baby. Mark meets a team which has developed an app to help women manage their diabetes.

Tailor made artificial hips - why we should learn more from failed joint replacements. The headache that really can be blinding and can cost you your vision unless treated promptly. Plus - why Elton John is waiting two weeks for his appendix operation that has caused him to cancel his European tour.

Prostate cancer and Sir Michael Parkinson's comments this week that the test 'is if you can pee against the wall from 2 foot' - Inside Health brings you the verdict. And stiff painful joints are usually associated with getting old, but imagine being told your toddler has arthritis - Mark Porter investigates. And why the change in doctors' dress code may be doing more for Private Medicine than infection control.