Something practical, something ethical, something ludicrous

Next time you vaccinate an infant—perhaps five minutes after reading this—use a long needle. Linda Diggle and Jonathan Deeks show in a randomised controlled trial that longer needles produce fewer local reactions (p 931). The authors speculate that the longer needle may ensure that vaccine reaches the thigh muscle. We fast tracked this paper because a simple change in practice can produce quick benefits. We hope that can skip the five year delay that often occurs between new evidence and a change in practice.

We also have …