Transplant surgery is the surgical removal of an organ, tissue or blood products from a donor that is then surgically placed or infused into a recipient. It’s generally a final treatment option for end-stage diseases, conditions or injuries that haven’t improved with other medical treatments and therefore have no other options left.

Kidney transplants are the most commonly performed, although transplants of the heart, liver, lungs, pancreas, intestine and even face are now available, with the majority of transplants costing the NHS up to ë£50,000[1]. After a transplant, patients usually stay in hospital for around two to three weeks, with most people being able to start returning to many of their normal activities within a few months.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that occurs when the cells in the prostate gland grow out of control. It usually develops very slowly and it may be some years before symptoms start to appear when the prostate is large enough to affect the urethra. The causes of prostate cancer are largely unknown; however we do know that the risk of developing this type of cancer is higher in men over the age of 50 and that men with first degree relatives who have had prostate cancer also have an increased risk.

There are a total of 106,313 dental professionals in the UK registered to the General Dental Council (GDC). Most of these dentists work as general dental practitioners (GDPs) and practice either under the NHS or privately, with the majority doing a combination of both. According to the 2014 register, there are 41,038 dentists and 65,275 dental care professionals (DCPs) currently working in the UK, making dentistry a rich area for medical fieldwork.

When we think of healthcare market research, we tend to think of patients and doctors. We may even think of pharmacists and commissioners if we’re taking a broader view. But one group – a silent army of invaluable helpers – is often entirely forgotten, and that is caregivers. 

They go by a few different names: unpaid caregivers, non-professional caregivers, informal caregivers. These are the family members and friends who take on the task of providing regular assistance to someone who has limited ability to take care of themselves.

Most often these caregivers can be adult children caring for their aged parents, one spouse taking care of the other, or one family member caring for another. In some cases, it may even be a close friend or lifelong neighbour offering essential assistance.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a disease with an unusual history. In the past, the condition was often diagnosed by mothers who noticed their baby’s skin tasted salty when kissed, a symptom scientists used to develop the first diagnostic test in the later 20^th century.

In 1981, when doctors started to notice that an increasing number of gay men were succumbing to opportunistic infections, alarm bells began to ring, yet few could have guessed the terrible impact and global reach of the human immunodeficiency virus.

Since then, an estimated 39 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses, including 1.5 million people in 2013.