Menu Close

Articles on BMJ journal

Displaying all articles

Heavy alcohol consumption over ten years or more can cause significant brain function problems. But what about casual drinking? Robert Mathews/Unsplash

Research Check: can even moderate drinking cause brain damage?

New research shows an association between moderate drinking and long-term brain impairment. But there are a few reasons to be cautious about these findings.
As part of pandemic preparation, in the early 2000s many countries amassed large stockpiles of the influenza neuraminidase inhibitor Tamiflu. Tony Hisgett/Flickr

Controversies in medicine: the rise and fall of the challenge to Tamiflu

One of the biggest recent controversies in medicine involves the effectiveness of the antiviral drug Tamiflu. Governments have stockpiled the drug but many have raised doubts about its usefulness.
Dire predictions on the future of children’s brains are shocking, not least because of how flimsy the evidence is to support these views. zeitfaenger.at/Flickr

Don’t panic, the internet won’t rot children’s brains

Baseless claims about the damage done to kids’ development create needless panic. And they distract from legitimate, evidence-based concerns with which parents need to engage.
If you’re completely inactive just walking to the shops will help. Alain Limoges/Flickr

Something’s better than nothing when it comes to keeping active

Two articles published in today’s issue of The BMJ argue physical activity guidelines should focus on getting inactive people to move a little rather than having the entire population meet the 150 minutes…
Whether the harms of statins outweigh their benefits depends on how you balance them up. AJ Cann/Flickr

Statins saga shows some of the perils of modern medicine

A panel convened by medical journal BMJ to investigate whether it was right to correct rather than retract two pieces featuring a mistake about side effects from statins has endorsed the journal’s decision…
Used as a weight-loss or body-sculpting supplement, DNP can cause side effects when used in doses recommended by body-building websites. Ian Carroll/Flickr

‘Fat blaster’ drug can give you weight loss to die for

Losing weight is very hard, so it’s not surprising many people succumb to the allure of miracle weight-loss pills and potions available online. But they do so at their own peril, as today’s Emergency Medicine…

Top contributors

More