A National Ethics Committee: Findings on Health Issues and Recommendations
March 1989
in “
The BMJ
”
TLDR Taking calcium may help elderly with osteoporosis, birth control with levonorgestrel doesn't increase heart attack risk, Salmonella can cause arthritis, a national ethics committee is recommended, and sulfasalazine might help with a hair loss condition.
The document from 1989 presents findings on various health issues, concluding that pharmacological doses of calcium may help reduce bone loss in elderly osteoporosis patients, though further proof is needed. It reports no increased risk of myocardial infarction in women using levonorgestrel-containing oral contraceptives, based on a study of 632 women. An observed rise in reactive arthritis cases is linked to Salmonella enteritidis infections. The document also advocates for the establishment of a national ethics committee to oversee local ethical committees' standards and monitoring. Additionally, a letter to the editor describes a case where a 34-year-old woman with alopecia universalis experienced hair regrowth after being treated with sulfasalazine for rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting further research into sulfasalazine's potential benefits for alopecia areata.
