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Biomedical subjects

Lars Werkö

Publications and source records attributed to Lars Werkö.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

[How long can a life be? Longevity not a matter for health care alone; today a host of companies would lure us with remedies said to postpone aging].

Studies of changes in longevity address two main questions. Firstly, why does life expectancy vary in different parts of the western world? Secondly, what are the prospects of human longevity: a life span of no more than 85-90 years on average, or the possibility of reaching much higher ages? The study of longevity and its relation to changes in social circumstances, health care and the number of available general practitioners might be of importance for health care planning. Sweden has a special responsibility to use its unique system of health statistics for such studies. The increase in longevity has inspired many scientists to try to commercialize the results of their studies in various models, and to sell products that are supposed to prolong life. "Science of longevity medicine" is a concept from which serious researchers want to distance themselves.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

[The medical literature stands to gain from critical appraisal. Commercialism and non-contextualized results under scrutiny].

Medical journal editors should put more effort into presenting scientifically correct reviews in a manner that appeals to the target audience which stands most to gain from them. In the future we need more expertly designed medical articles. All authors should present their respective conclusions. Results of controlled studies should always be presented in relation to current knowledge in the field, in order to better guide the reader in his or her daily practice. The discussion section should provide an overview of potential issues raised by the results, as well as suggestions indicating ways forward in relation to these findings. Critique and opinions emerging after publication of a study must have an impact on the way in which results are used in clinical practice. In order to reduce commercial influence, leading journals have elected to publish only those articles for which authors affirm that sponsoring companies have had no influence on the report itself.

Commerce↗
PubMed2002

[Ethics committees bear a responsibility for patient information. Informed consent implies that the patient understands what he has consented to].

A cornerstone in health care is the duty to inform patients not only of their right to partake in decisions about their care but also of the various options for treatment. This applies particularly in clinical research, for which the Helsinki Declaration has defined patients' rights. Informed consent is of great importance both in routine care and in clinical research. Directives defining informed consent in relation to clinical trials have been issued by The EU Commission. The Department of Health and Social Security in England has also published several documents governing patient consent. Even if information is given to the patient it is not always comprehended. In one study of cancer treatment about one third of the patients had misunderstood the information in certain respects.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗