Behind the Headlines

Smaller paracetamol packs may have reduced deaths

Friday Feb 8 2013

The introduction of a limit on the number of tablets sold in packets of paracetamol has led to a 43% reduction in the number of poisoning deaths, The Independent accurately reports…

'Star Trek' headband for migraine shows promise

Friday Feb 8 2013

'Could this 'Star Trek' headband help banish migraines?' is the question posed by the Mail Online website as they report on a trail involving an electrical stimulator headband which had some encouraging results…

Obesity may cause low vitamin D levels

Thursday Feb 7 2013

"Study finds obesity can lead to lack of vitamin D," BBC News has reported. This fascinating, insightful and accurate BBC story highlights a new danger to add to the long list of problems caused by obesity...

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Being generous linked with lower death risk

Thursday Feb 7 2013

"Being generous can give you more than a warm glow... it protects health and helps you live longer," the Mail Online reports. The news is based on...

Mid Staffs inquiry calls care failings a 'disaster'

Wednesday Feb 6 2013

Most of the UK media has reported on the Francis inquiry into significant failures in care at the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. The report suggests a raft of radical changes...

Disappointing results for new TB vaccine

Tuesday Feb 5 2013

The new tuberculosis vaccine MVA85A has been found to be less effective than initially thought, prompting widespread consternation in the press. The Daily Mail reported that the vaccine...

Could 'healthy' margarine fats be bad for you?

Tuesday Feb 5 2013

A study published today in the BMJ finds that people who followed health advice and ate omega-6 polyunsaturated fats instead of animal fats had higher death rates. This study is likely to cause widespread media comment as it appears...

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Sperm count link to exercise still uncertain

Tuesday Feb 5 2013

Lazy men who spend hours watching TV could be halving their sperm count, according to a number of newspapers. While the reports are based on proper medical...

Sharp decline in UK child epilepsy rates

Monday Feb 4 2013

'The number of children being diagnosed with epilepsy has dropped dramatically in the UK over the past decade' BBC News reveals. Less children being wrongly misdiagnosed, and the meningitis vaccine are thought to be partly responsible…

Does chewing gum aid concentration?

Monday Feb 4 2013

The news that chewing gum could potentially boost brain power has hit the headlines. Both the Daily Mail and the Daily Express covered the story, with the Mail reporting that, "Chomping on gum is good for the brain and can boost alertness by 10%...