Rapid Responses to:

NEWS: Susan Mayor Doctors urged to present views in an objective way to the media BMJ 2005; 331: 1289 [Full text]

Rapid Responses: Submit a response to this article

Rapid Responses published:

Are thiazide diuretics rate poison?

Sverre E Kjeldsen   (23 December 2005)

Re: Are thiazide diuretics rat poison?

Lynn Eaton   (26 December 2005)

Are thiazide diuretics rate poison? 23 December 2005
Sverre E Kjeldsen, Professor of Cardiology Department of Cardiology, Ullevaal University Hospital, N-0407 Oslo, Norway Send response to journal: Re: Are thiazide diuretics rate poison?	As a member of the 2003 European Society of Hypertension - European Society of Cardiology Guidelines Committee, and current president of the European Society of Hypertension I am a believer of thiazide diuretics in the treatment of hypertension. Your paper in the December 3, 2005 issue on "Doctors urged to present views in an objective way to the media" is malignant and totally desinformative, and the facts have been circumvented by people who want to compromize me and others who argue against the Norwegian Government cutting expences and reducing social reimbursement of costs for treatment of severe hypertension. In this context I have critized the ALLHAT trial in USA which discontinued randomized treatment in 50-60% of patients and that was not suited for making conclusions regarding the treatment of hypertension in Europe. Further misquotation by a journalist who was not present at a medical debate and widespread inhability by members of the Council for Medical Ethics of the Norwegian Medical Association are parts of the same story. Maybe BMJ may do some investigations before printing news that are in fact based on biased and exstreme political opinions (Jørund Straand, GP) in a local conflict they have no insight into? Competing interests: None declared
Re: Are thiazide diuretics rat poison? 26 December 2005
Lynn Eaton, Acting news editor BMA House, Tavistock Sq, London Send response to journal: Re: Re: Are thiazide diuretics rat poison?	I'm assured by Susan Mayor, who wrote our story, that she obtained English translations of the ruling by The Council for Medical Ethics of the Norwegian Medical Association and The Norwegian Medical Association's Code of Ethics for Doctors. She also telephoned Professor Kjeldsen to discuss the story before it was published to get his side of the story, but did not receive a response to her calls or messages. Competing interests: Acting news editor, BMJ