By Gareth Iacobucci
Our roundup of the health news headlines on Thursday 19 August.
Significant news in the Guardian this morning, which reports that ‘hundreds of lives a year' will be saved if the NHS embraces a transplant revolution involving patients receiving donated kidneys that were previously rejected as inadequate.
Also in the Guardian, we read that a fitness-to-practise hearing for the German locum Dr Daniel Ubani – who caused the death of a patient whilst working his first out-of-hours shift in the UK - was cancelled by a judge yesterday, with German medical authorities warning it may now never be possible to 'dispel doubt' over his competency.
The Independent reports on a potential breakthrough in spotting tuberculosis, with the development of a blood test that can tell doctors whether someone is likely to develop the condition.
In the Telegraph, we read that a generic judge (they're everywhere in the DD today) has criticised a council for trying to force contraception on a women with a low IQ, warning that the move had 'shades of social engineering'
Also in the Telegraph is the news that young people who are overweight (or 'fat kids' as health minister Anne Milton would no doubt call them), get little exercise or who smoke are 3.4 times more likely to have frequent headaches than those with no 'negative lifestyle factors'.
The Mail reports that 'psychedelic party drugs' like LSD could combat depression and treat cancer, according to scientists. How on earth will this square with the Mail's Say No To Drugs stance...?
It's usually more likely to be associated with Titchmarsh and Dimmock, but peony could also ease the side effects for patients undergoing chemotherapy, according to the Mail.
And this may raise a few eyebrows over in cynics corner, but The Mail reports that being married can actually make you more relaxed. Keith from Gwent is the first wag on the button, proclaiming, ‘clearly they never met my ex-wife'. He's here all week...
Spotted a story we've missed? Let us know, and we'll update the digest throughout the day...
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