Phones, Breasts, and Vaccines.

The report on the dangers of using mobile phones has been published in the BMJ, and frankly it tells us very little. The cohort sample did not include those who use them for business, who would be the heaviest users, one would think. So not to include these users is a glaring error surely, as in most things, dose dependency would be a significant element of any dangers.  Considerable heterogeneity in the cohort sample also leads one to the belief that significant factors unrelated to mobile phone use, could be at play or simply that those with a subscription may not even use their phone or use it infrequently or with some device that moves it from their head. This study then proves little and reinforces the tenet in scientific study that 'correlation (and observation) does not prove causation', or in this case does not prove any absence of harm. My advice then, for what its worth, is to avoid prolonged conversations, use some form of earpiece to move the mobile away from your brain, and eliminate their use by young children.Oh and wait for some real evidence of any lack of harm, before you drop your guard.

Breast Cancer is again in the news with further evidence of the harms attendant on Mammography Screening. The cited study highlights the increased liklihood of 'false positives' in line with the frequency of mammograms. And the recent Swedish Study reports that screened women had a higher incidence of breast cancer than did those who were not screened and of course the study, published in the 'Lancet' has a pay wall, except for the abstract. Is it any wonder then, that women have little information of an unbiased nature available to them, when this important study is virtually hidden from view, with little or no publicity attached. So the impossibility of informed choice continues. Mette Kalager's  comment in the same journal is telling. Is it not time that the facts were presented to women so as to enable them to discern dogma from fact?

Vaccines rear their dubious benefit once more now the 'flu season is with us once more. Health Professionals (sic) are entreating all over 65, pregnant women and the vulnerable to get their 'jabs'. I have to confess that I don't do it  (there's a surprise then) because I feel it to be worthless. The vaccine offered is not comprehensive for many 'flu strains nor is it tested fully for safety, so I'll take my chances, keeping my Vitamin D3 levels high. Recent studies  have shown little effect for vaccines for the elderly or indeed for those less so.  To be frank, I would be loath to give these vaccines to anyone. They are symptomatic of the interfering nature of the state to govern our health by diktat or worse, 'nudging', without any foundation of the intervention as having value. Most are ( in my view) worthless or even dangerous.

I am capable of acting in my own best interests and I do not need the ambivalent support of the State to guide me toward the best outcome for me. So I told the GP, when he 'hounded' me, as to why I hadn't taken up their generous (and incentivised) offer of a 'flu vaccination, to read the science, and politely suggested that he was just trying to fill the quota and thus get the money. I was astounded when he actually agreed. I think that some Doctors are as much victims of the system that tries to turn citizens into a vulnerable client of the state bureaucracy of health as are we all. Not that I view that as an excuse. Just 'following orders' has never been a worthy defence, even for a Doctor (sic).