Umut Talha, born on 26 January 2011 at the Antoine Béclère de Clamart Hospital near Paris, is the first “child donor” – NOT “medicine baby” as the media would have it – to be born in France. - Saturday 19 March 2011

The political situation in Ivory Coast remains complex and now the country is facing problems with the supply of medicines. Indeed, a serious problem is arising with the antiretroviral drugs that are needed by patients being treated for HIV. There is the logistical problem of course, but not just that. NGOs are concerned about the effects that political instability could have on support from donors… - Friday 18 March 2011

Just one cigarette and the risk of developing lung cancer is already at your door! According to an American study, less than 30 minutes after our first inhalation, the polycyclic hydrocarbons contained in tobacco are at work and attacking our cells’ DNA. In other words, smoking presents a danger from the very first cigarette! - Friday 18 March 2011

It appears that a bacterial protein may be able to penetrate the cell nucleus and reprogramme the genes responsible for activating our immune system. - Friday 18 March 2011

Is there really any point in mothers-to-be to talking to their unborn child during pregnancy? According to Canadian researchers, the answer to this is a most definite “YES”! By placing electrodes on the heads of 16 infants they were able to show that their mother’s voice was indeed “special” for these babies. - Friday 18 March 2011

Do you bite your nails? It’s a bad habit, and it’s not without its dangers either. “Light onychophagy” (as doctors call it) is not of concern in itself, but if it becomes severe and a genuinely compulsive habit, it is essential to seek professional help. - Wednesday 9 March 2011

For children, every room in the house is a playground and ripe for exploration, and the kitchen is no exception. But with all the risks of cuts, burns and poisons, this “playground” can quickly prove to be a minefield. - Wednesday 9 March 2011

Up until the age of 12 months, the main allergens your child is likely to be exposed to are eggs, groundnuts and cow’s milk. Between the ages of 1 and 3, add fish. Eviction diets, i.e. the total removal from the diet of the allergens to blame, is really the only effective treatment for such allergies. In theory, one should be able to identify possible allergens from the labeling on industrially produced foods. - Wednesday 9 March 2011

Selenium is a trace element essential to our metabolism, a vital constituent of certain antioxidant enzymes that plays a role in the fight against free radicals that “attack” our cells and DNA. Selenium also stimulates the immune system and promotes proper functioning of the thyroid hormone. - Wednesday 9 March 2011

Between May 2007 and October 2008, an experiment was conducted in Kenya that involved sending a weekly text message to patients on antiretroviral drugs to ensure they were taking their medication properly. The scheme involved 538 people who were HIV-positive and this cheap, easy way of monitoring observance produced encouraging results. - Wednesday 9 March 2011