be in good health before being allowed to work," said the
NMC's Stuart Skyte: "But one can be HIV positive
but in good health." Derek Bodell, director of the National Aids
Trust, said that reports of high numbers of HIV positive nurses was "complete
fantasy meant to scare the public," and Joshua Odongo, of the African
HIV Policy Network, said the government's move would only heighten stigma
and discrimination against African nurses working in the UK.
Big herpes rise in Scottish women
Genital herpes infections have risen dramatically over the last 15 years,
particularly in young women, according to a study published in the British
Medical Journal (BMJ). Between 1998 and 2000, 56 per cent of positive
swabs in the west of Scotland tested positive for the virus compared to
33 per cent in 1986 -1988. The BMJ said the biggest rise was among young
women under the age of 25 and pointed to oral sexual practices as the
mode of transmission.
'Ms Viagra' protest
A Kent family is threatening to sue a major drug company because their
surname is the same as that chosen for a new sex drug. Drug firm Eli Lilly
is marketing tadalfil, the successor to Pfizer's Viagra, under the name
Cialis. But Albert Cialis and 11 other family members around the world
are horrified. "Children and female members of our family particularly
stand to be teased about this," he said. Cialis lasts longer than
Viagra and so far is associated with fewer side effects. Renaming the
drug at this stage would cost Eli Lilly around $1.5 million.
Dealers' loot goes to education
Over £76,000 of profits from drug dealers is to be used by the drug
charity DrugScope to educate and inform 'hard to reach' parents about
drugs. The charity received the funds from the Home Office 'Recovered
Assets Fund' and will use the money to develop and pilot ways of informing
and educating parents. Vivienne Evans, head of education and prevention
at DrugScope, said: "It's great
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to see the drug traffickers' profits being redirected to begin solving what they helped create." For details, visit: www.drugscope.org.uk.
