Contents: January 2005
Editorials
Suicide pacts and the internet
The internet can influence suicide and attempted suicide, Sundararajan Rajagopal takes a look at cybersuicide pacts and dyadic death
Post-communist transition and health in Europe
Transition has yielded important insights, which need to be better documented argues Kristina Fister and Martin McKee
News
Kentucky governor signs death warrant despite medical association guidance
Can medical students learn empathy at the movies?
Medics worldwide: news and opportunities from the IFMSA
Education
10 minute consultation: Newly diagnosed hypothyroidism
Ref's eye for the fast guy
One of the most controversial rules in football is that of offside. However, a possible explanation for this is that the human eye and brain are incapable of processing all the necessary visual information to apply the rule, argues Francisco Belda Maruenda
Clinical exam skills: A handy sign
Pub medic: Bad breath
Have you ever wondered what makes your breath smell bad in the morning? Raghav Chawla finds out about halitosis
PUZZLE: ENTEROPATHIC ARTHRITIS
Careers
What happens after foundation programmes?
Any firm answers are still a long way off, as Deborah Cohen finds out
15 minute interview: CAPD of good hope
Understanding personality type: How do you make decisions? Thinking and feeling
In the fourth article of her series, Anita Houghton explains how people prefer to make decisions either on the basis of logical analysis (thinking) or what matters to the people involved (feeling), and how both approaches are needed for good decision making.
Life and loathes of a new doctor: The riddle fiddle
Papers
Paper plus: Does the cannabinoid dronabinol reduce central pain in multiple sclerosis? Randomised double blind placebo controlled crossover trial
Leanne Tite takes you through a randomised double blind placebo controlled crossover trial
Life
Bad medicine
Medical students study hard with the intention of making people well. Yasmina Dadi asks if medicine is making you sick
Barriers to better care for people with AIDS in developing countries
WHO's 3 by 5 initiative to increase access to antiretroviral drugs to people with AIDS in developing countries is highly ambitious. Some of the biggest obstacles relate to delivering care. Andrew S Furber and colleagues explain
Sound of silence
Involvement in university political life can make students key targets of repressive regimes, as Raghav Chawla explains
Jumping the queue
Should medical students get preferential treatment in the NHS? Kate Mandeville considers the arguments for and against
Good relations
Medical knowledge can make it difficult to be an objective relative, as Julie Sladden explains
Letters
Hospital work is not family friendly
Poor women unknowingly act as GTAs in India
Drug company reps do not target students
We should make the most of drug company marketing
Drug companies are good teachers
Low carb diets: evidence not rhetoric is needed
NICE will give evidence about diets
