- Email: [email protected]
Rita Giacaman
Perspectives
Ten most wanted Vitamins and Vioxx 1
Do antioxidants prevent cancer? (Oct 2, 2004) Bjelakovic G, Nikolova D, Simonetti RG, et al. Antioxidant supplements for prevention of gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. DOI: 10.1016/ S0140-6736(04)17138-9. Lancet 2004; 364: 1219–28. 2 Vioxx—efficacy over safety (Oct 9, 2004) The Lancet. Vioxx: an unequal partnership between safety and efficacy. DOI: 10.1016/S01406736(04)17198-5. Lancet 2004; 364: 1287–88. 3 Vitamins—don’t jump to conclusions (Oct 2, 2004) Forman D, Altman D. Vitamins to prevent cancer: supplementary problems. DOI: 10.1016/S01406736(04)17153-5. Lancet 2004; 364: 1193–94. 4 Do low-carbohydrate diets work? (Sept 4, 2004) Astrup A, Meinert Larsen T, Harper A. Atkins and other low-carbohydrate diets: hoax or an effective tool for weight loss? DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)16986-9. Lancet 2004; 364: 897–99. 5 Prevention of myocardial infarction (Sept 11, 2004) Yusuf S, Hawken S, Ounpuu S, et al. Effect of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with myocardial infarction in 52 countries (the INTERHEART study): casecontrol study. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)17018-9. Lancet 2004; 364: 937–52. 6 A CRASH landing for corticosteroids (Oct 9, 2004) CRASH trial collaborators. Effect of intravenous corticosteroids on death within 14 days in 10 008 adults with clinically significant head injury (MRC CRASH trial): randomised placebo-controlled trial. DOI: 10.1016/ S0140-6736(04)17188-2. Lancet 2004; 364: 1321–28. 7 Statins for type 2 diabetes (Aug 21, 2004) Colhoun HM, Betteridge DJ, Durrington PN, et al. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with atorvastatin in type 2 diabetes in the Collaborative Atorvastatin Diabetes Study (CARDS): multicentre randomised placebocontrolled trial. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)16895-5. Lancet 2004; 364: 685–96. 8 Aspirin and clopidogrel after stroke (July 24, 2004) Diener H-C, Bogousslavsky J, Brass LM, et al. Aspirin and clopidogrel compared with clopidogrel alone after recent ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack in highrisk patients (MATCH): randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. DOI: 10.1016/S01406736(04)16721-4. Lancet 2004; 364: 331–37. 9 All about sickle cell-disease (Oct 9, 2004) Stuart PMJ, Nagel PRL. Sickle-cell disease. DOI: 10.1016/ S0140-6736(04)17192-4. Lancet 2004; 364: 1343–60. 10 COX-2 inhibitors and heart failure (May 29, 2004) Mamdani M, Juurlink DN, Lee DS, et al. Cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors versus non-selective non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs and congestive heart failure outcomes in elderly patients: a population-based cohort study. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)16299-5. Lancet 2004; 363: 1751–56 . The ten most wanted Lancet articles downloaded from ScienceDirect (see Lancet 2003; 361: 1265. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(03)12982-0) in October, 2004.
www.thelancet.com Vol 364 December 11, 2004
Lifeline Rita Giacaman is an associate professor at the Institute Of Community and Public Health, Birzeit University, Occupied Palestinian Territory, which has pioneered the development of Palestinian public health in cooperation with local social action. She trained in clinical pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, USA, then in social and health policy at Essex University, UK. She has spent 26 years in public-health teaching, research, and development. What has been the greatest achievement of your career? Establishing the Institute of Community and Public Health under military occupation and war-like conditions, with the aim of public health being a force for change rather than a way to help people adapt to miserable life conditions. And the greatest embarrassment? A long time ago, I assessed the health needs of a deprived and isolated community, made recommendations, and left. I returned 3 years later: lack of support and supervision had led to the health worker angering the community. He was kicked out of the village and the health programme died out. A real embarrassment and a learning experience. What is the best piece of advice you have received? From my mother: don’t talk too much, don’t work so hard. But I have never managed either! How do you relax? Singing with the Jerusalem choir, which practises in Ramallah, since we can no longer get to Jerusalem because of the separation wall. Also, my 14-year-old daughter. Once teenagers go through the initial separation/parent rejection phase, they can be quite fun and a learning experience. What is your greatest regret? Following my parents’ wishes: studying science not music. What items do you always carry with you? A USB mass-storage device, which has scans of my family’s official papers. I used to sleep with it next to me in bed during the invasions and bombings of 2002 in fear of displacement. Do you believe in capital punishment? Of course not. A concept that is so uncivilised. Do politics, spirituality, or religion play an important part in your life? Politics, in my country, across the border, in the USA, and in Europe are part of our daily bread and have dramatic effects on daily life and future aspirations. So how could politics not be important? What was your first experiment as a child? Observing the nuns at my Bethlehem convent school. I was shocked to find they were “normal”: they ate, drank wine, talked, laughed, and fought as we did.
2089
Ten most wanted Vitamins and Vioxx 1
Do antioxidants prevent cancer? (Oct 2, 2004) Bjelakovic G, Nikolova D, Simonetti RG, et al. Antioxidant supplements for prevention of gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. DOI: 10.1016/ S0140-6736(04)17138-9. Lancet 2004; 364: 1219–28. 2 Vioxx—efficacy over safety (Oct 9, 2004) The Lancet. Vioxx: an unequal partnership between safety and efficacy. DOI: 10.1016/S01406736(04)17198-5. Lancet 2004; 364: 1287–88. 3 Vitamins—don’t jump to conclusions (Oct 2, 2004) Forman D, Altman D. Vitamins to prevent cancer: supplementary problems. DOI: 10.1016/S01406736(04)17153-5. Lancet 2004; 364: 1193–94. 4 Do low-carbohydrate diets work? (Sept 4, 2004) Astrup A, Meinert Larsen T, Harper A. Atkins and other low-carbohydrate diets: hoax or an effective tool for weight loss? DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)16986-9. Lancet 2004; 364: 897–99. 5 Prevention of myocardial infarction (Sept 11, 2004) Yusuf S, Hawken S, Ounpuu S, et al. Effect of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with myocardial infarction in 52 countries (the INTERHEART study): casecontrol study. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)17018-9. Lancet 2004; 364: 937–52. 6 A CRASH landing for corticosteroids (Oct 9, 2004) CRASH trial collaborators. Effect of intravenous corticosteroids on death within 14 days in 10 008 adults with clinically significant head injury (MRC CRASH trial): randomised placebo-controlled trial. DOI: 10.1016/ S0140-6736(04)17188-2. Lancet 2004; 364: 1321–28. 7 Statins for type 2 diabetes (Aug 21, 2004) Colhoun HM, Betteridge DJ, Durrington PN, et al. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with atorvastatin in type 2 diabetes in the Collaborative Atorvastatin Diabetes Study (CARDS): multicentre randomised placebocontrolled trial. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)16895-5. Lancet 2004; 364: 685–96. 8 Aspirin and clopidogrel after stroke (July 24, 2004) Diener H-C, Bogousslavsky J, Brass LM, et al. Aspirin and clopidogrel compared with clopidogrel alone after recent ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack in highrisk patients (MATCH): randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. DOI: 10.1016/S01406736(04)16721-4. Lancet 2004; 364: 331–37. 9 All about sickle cell-disease (Oct 9, 2004) Stuart PMJ, Nagel PRL. Sickle-cell disease. DOI: 10.1016/ S0140-6736(04)17192-4. Lancet 2004; 364: 1343–60. 10 COX-2 inhibitors and heart failure (May 29, 2004) Mamdani M, Juurlink DN, Lee DS, et al. Cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors versus non-selective non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs and congestive heart failure outcomes in elderly patients: a population-based cohort study. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)16299-5. Lancet 2004; 363: 1751–56 . The ten most wanted Lancet articles downloaded from ScienceDirect (see Lancet 2003; 361: 1265. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(03)12982-0) in October, 2004.
www.thelancet.com Vol 364 December 11, 2004
Lifeline Rita Giacaman is an associate professor at the Institute Of Community and Public Health, Birzeit University, Occupied Palestinian Territory, which has pioneered the development of Palestinian public health in cooperation with local social action. She trained in clinical pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, USA, then in social and health policy at Essex University, UK. She has spent 26 years in public-health teaching, research, and development. What has been the greatest achievement of your career? Establishing the Institute of Community and Public Health under military occupation and war-like conditions, with the aim of public health being a force for change rather than a way to help people adapt to miserable life conditions. And the greatest embarrassment? A long time ago, I assessed the health needs of a deprived and isolated community, made recommendations, and left. I returned 3 years later: lack of support and supervision had led to the health worker angering the community. He was kicked out of the village and the health programme died out. A real embarrassment and a learning experience. What is the best piece of advice you have received? From my mother: don’t talk too much, don’t work so hard. But I have never managed either! How do you relax? Singing with the Jerusalem choir, which practises in Ramallah, since we can no longer get to Jerusalem because of the separation wall. Also, my 14-year-old daughter. Once teenagers go through the initial separation/parent rejection phase, they can be quite fun and a learning experience. What is your greatest regret? Following my parents’ wishes: studying science not music. What items do you always carry with you? A USB mass-storage device, which has scans of my family’s official papers. I used to sleep with it next to me in bed during the invasions and bombings of 2002 in fear of displacement. Do you believe in capital punishment? Of course not. A concept that is so uncivilised. Do politics, spirituality, or religion play an important part in your life? Politics, in my country, across the border, in the USA, and in Europe are part of our daily bread and have dramatic effects on daily life and future aspirations. So how could politics not be important? What was your first experiment as a child? Observing the nuns at my Bethlehem convent school. I was shocked to find they were “normal”: they ate, drank wine, talked, laughed, and fought as we did.
2089