Seven days in medicine: 1-7 May
BMJ 2019; 365 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l2066 (Published 09 May 2019) Cite this as: BMJ 2019;365:l2066
Fertility
More people in UK are undergoing IVF
The number of cycles of in vitro fertilisation treatment in the UK rose by 2.5% from 2016 to 2017 and resulted in more than 20 500 births, show new figures from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. Over 54 000 patients underwent around 75 000 treatments cycles in 2017. Success rates continued to improve, with the average birth rate among women of all ages using their own eggs reaching 22%. Multiple births, the single biggest health risk from IVF, reached a record low of 10%, down from 24% in 2008.
Waiting times
Cancer treatment targets are being missed
A BMA analysis showed a “serious deterioration” in waiting times for cancer treatment in England, causing delays for thousands of patients this winter. In January and February nearly a quarter of patients with cancer had to wait more than two months for their first treatment after an urgent referral by a GP. The 76.2% being seen within 62 days was the worst performance on record against the government’s 85% target. Overall, 6240 people waited beyond 62 days, a 39% rise from the 4501 last year. (Full story doi:10.1136/bmj.l2039)
Pollution
Fresh inquest is granted over child’s death from asthma
The High Court quashed the 2014 findings of an inquest into the death of 9 year old Ella Kissi-Debrah, whose fatal asthma attack was believed to have been linked to illegal levels of pollution near her London home. The original inquest found that the cause of death was acute respiratory failure caused by a severe bronchial spasm. But last year Stephen Holgate, professor of immunopharmacology at Southampton University, said new evidence on the cause of her death …
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