Telemedicine can reduce carbon footprint: A study of videoconference users at a telemedicine service designed to improve cancer services in Wales shows that in one month at one centre a total of 20 800 km of car travel was avoided, equivalent to 2590 kg of carbon dioxide emissions. “We estimate that 48 trees would take a year to absorb that quantity [of carbon dioxide],” say the authors (Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare 2009;15:137-8, doi:10.1258/jtt.2009.003010).

Teenage admissions for alcohol poisoning rise in Netherlands: More and younger Dutch teenagers are being admitted to hospital with alcoholic poisoning, a national register of paediatricians from 60 hospitals throughout the country has …