This week's This week in the BMJ

	Severely addicted heroin users benefit from heroin maintenance programme [Full text] FREE

	Delays occur in referring and treating malignant spinal cord compression [Full text] FREE

	Parents involved in research welcome hearing the results [Full text] FREE

	GPs management decisions are influenced by patients' social problems in 17% of consultations [Full text] FREE

	Adapt and survive: the NHS at 50 [Full text] FREE

Editorials

This week's Editorials

	Our feet set on a new path entirely
	Julian Tudor Hart
	BMJ  1998;317:1-2 [Extract] [Full text] [PDF] [Request Permissions]

	The jewel in welfare's crown
	Nicholas Timmins
	BMJ  1998;317:2-3 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Imagining futures for the NHS
	Richard Smith
	BMJ  1998;317:3-4 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	On the way to Calvary
	Rudolf Klein, Alan Maynard
	BMJ  1998;317:5 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Getting evidence into practice
	Fiona Godlee
	BMJ  1998;317:6 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

Letters

This week's Letters

	Hypertension treatment and control in sub-Saharan Africa
	Justin Burdon, R W Montgomery, Richard Walker, N Unwin, K G M M Alberti, Richard Cooper, Walinjom Muna
	BMJ  1998;317:76 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Ion channels
	Jaideep J Pandit, Marc E Laniado, Paul D Abel, El-Nasir Lalani
	BMJ  1998;317:77 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Mistaken subdural cannulation can produce Horner's syndrome
	Ian Makkison
	BMJ  1998;317:77 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Incorporating patient preferences into clinical trials
	Klim McPherson, Iain Chalmers, Sarah Clement, Jim Sikorski, Jennifer Wilson, Bridget Candy, David J Torgerson, Bonnie Sibbald
	BMJ  1998;317:78 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Potential biases do not affect results of waiting time study
	Bernard Dowling
	BMJ  1998;317:79 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Temporary pacing before permanent pacing should be avoided unless essential
	David J R Hildick-Smith, Michael C Petch
	BMJ  1998;317:79 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	People at risk of coronary heart disease should not be denied treatment with effective drugs for purely financial reasons
	T M Reynolds, A S Wierzbicki, M A Crook, N E Capps
	BMJ  1998;317:80 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Dilemmas exist in withdrawing ventilation from dying children
	Mark Hatherill, Shane M Tibby, Kim Sykes, Ian A Murdoch
	BMJ  1998;317:80 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Prescribing patient information leaflets may be better than prescribing drugs
	T Kenny, R Wilson, I N Purves
	BMJ  1998;317:80 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Substitution of another opioid for morphine
	Marie T Fallon, Bill O'Neill, M K Makin, J E Ellershaw
	BMJ  1998;317:81 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Consideration of short term consequences of heavier babies is important
	Michael Geary
	BMJ  1998;317:81 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Genetic counselling must be non-directive
	Robert Aston
	BMJ  1998;317:82 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Private practice should mirror the NHS
	R E Atkinson, Derek G Machin
	BMJ  1998;317:82 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Only minority of doctors supported idea of state funded health service in 1945
	Thurstan Brewin
	BMJ  1998;317:82 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

News

This week's News

	New safeguards planned for psychiatric patients
	Clare Dyer
	BMJ  1998;317:7 [Extract] [Full text] [PDF]

	Dobson promises extra cash for NHS
	John Warden
	BMJ  1998;317:7 [Extract] [Full text]

	Our love-hate relationship with the NHS
	BMJ  1998;317:8 [Extract] [Full text]

	In brief
	BMJ  1998;317:10 [Extract] [Full text]

	Ombudsman criticised GPs
	John Warden
	BMJ  1998;317:10 [Extract] [Full text]

	Regional networks for Scotland
	Bryan Christie
	BMJ  1998;317:10 [Extract] [Full text]

	Elective caesarean and zidovudine cuts HIV transmission
	Scott Gottlieb
	BMJ  1998;317:11 [Extract] [Full text]

	FDA approves tuberculosis drug
	Deborah Josefson
	BMJ  1998;317:11 [Extract] [Full text]

	Gap in HIV infection widens
	Scott Gottlieb
	BMJ  1998;317:11 [Extract] [Full text]

	Government row flares up over vitamin B-6
	John Warden
	BMJ  1998;317:12 [Extract] [Full text]

	Electromagnetic fields may be carcinogenic
	Terri Rutter
	BMJ  1998;317:12 [Extract] [Full text]

News extra [these stories appear only on the web]

This week's News extra

	Streptoccocus infection linked with Tourette's syndrome
	BMJ  1998;317:12 [Extract] [Full text]

	Epidural denied to woman on welfare
	Norra Macready
	BMJ  1998;317:12 [Extract] [Full text]

	Clinton administration sets new rules for Medicare
	Fred B Charatan
	BMJ  1998;317:12 [Extract] [Full text]

Clinical review

This week's Clinical review

	Fortnightly review: Treatment of the common cold
	Sherif B Mossad
	BMJ  1998;317:33-36 [Extract] [Full text] [PDF] [Request Permissions]

General practice

This week's General practice

	Influence of social problems on management in general practice: multipractice questionnaire survey
	Pål Gulbrandsen, Per Fugelli, Leiv Sandvik, Per Hjortdahl
	BMJ  1998;317:28-32 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF] [Request Permissions] FREE

Soundings

This week's Soundings

	Audit in Auchendreich
	Colin Douglas
	BMJ  1998;317:88 [Full text] [PDF] [Request Permissions]

Personal views

This week's Personal views

	Cancer screeninghow can we do better?
	Rebecca Roylance
	BMJ  1998;317:88 [Full text] [Request Permissions]

Minerva

This week's Minerva

	Minerva
	BMJ  1998;317:90 [Full text] [PDF] [Request Permissions]

Fillers

This week's Fillers

	A memorable patient: It pays to be a native
	Alasdair Purdie
	BMJ  1998;317:27 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Endpiece: Feet on the ground
	BMJ  1998;317:28 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Fifty years ago: The new NHS: Message to the medical profession from the minister of health
	BMJ  1998;317:72 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Words: Protean elephants
	Jeff Aronson
	BMJ  1998;317:89 [Extract] [Full text] [Request Permissions]

Career focus

This week's Career focus

	Improving quality in locum general practice
	Shaun O'Connell
	BMJ  1998;317:2a [Full text] [Request Permissions] FREE

	Briefing
	BMJ  1998;317:3a [Full text] [Request Permissions] FREE

CHOICE

This week's CHOICE

	The NHS at 50
	BMJ  1998;317 [Full text] [Request Permissions]

LOOKING FORWARD

This week's LOOKING FORWARD

	Looking forward: The NHS: feeling well and thriving at 75
	Donald M Berwick
	BMJ  1998;317:57-61 [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Looking forward: Clinical governance and the drive for quality improvement in the new NHS in England
	Gabriel Scally, Liam J Donaldson
	BMJ  1998;317:61-65 [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Looking forward: Will the fudge on equity sustain the NHS into the next millennium?
	Nicholas Mays, Justin Keen
	BMJ  1998;317:66-69 [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Looking forward: Change and resistance to change in the NHS
	Diane Plamping
	BMJ  1998;317:69-71 [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Looking forward: Getting research findings into practice: Making better use of research findings
	Andrew Haines, Anna Donald
	BMJ  1998;317:72-75 [Full text] [Request Permissions]

MEDICOPOLITICAL DIGEST

This week's MEDICOPOLITICAL DIGEST

	Local medical committee conference • Confidence expressed in GMC • Fees for telephone advice should be restored
	BMJ  1998;317:85 [Full text] [PDF] [Request Permissions]

SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE

This week's SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE

	Something to celebrate: The Bevan legacy
	Michael Portillo
	BMJ  1998;317:37-40 [Full text] [PDF] [Request Permissions]

	Something to celebrate: As I recall
	David Morrell
	BMJ  1998;317:40-45 [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	Something to celebrate: The BMA and the NHS
	Charles Webster
	BMJ  1998;317:45-47 [Full text] [Request Permissions]

AS OTHERS SEE US: VIEWS FROM ABROAD

This week's AS OTHERS SEE US: VIEWS FROM ABROAD

	As others see us: views from abroad: A rational bureaucracy in a civilised society
	Christian M Koeck
	BMJ  1998;317:48-49 [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	As others see us: views from abroad: A great leap for humankind?
	Steinar Westin
	BMJ  1998;317:49-51 [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	As others see us: views from abroad: The importance of social context
	Judy M E Lim
	BMJ  1998;317:51-52 [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	As others see us: views from abroad: Justice and health care in a caring society
	Grant Gillett
	BMJ  1998;317:53-54 [Full text] [Request Permissions]

	As others see us: views from abroad: A social experiment that keeps adapting
	Peter J McDonald
	BMJ  1998;317:55-56 [Full text] [Request Permissions]

Obituaries

This week's Obituaries

	George Hebbington Field • John Rowland Hughes • Denis Leary McDermott Kelly • William Bell Knapman • Albert Alexander ("Sandy") Lawrence • Kenneth Lewis Lipp • Clifford Wilson McKee • John Michael Kenneth Marsh • Anthony Hugh Marshall • Denis Smith Poole-Wilson • Ian Clifford Campbell Todd • Jean Mary Webster
	A A Clark, Eurig Jeffreys, David Jones, Glyn Davies, W Lawrence, D E Walker, Martin McKee, Henry McKee, H Beric Wright, Joe Smith, John Mitchell, Colin Todd, H N C Gunther
	BMJ  1998;317:83 [Extract] [Full text]

Papers

This week's Papers

	Randomised trial of heroin maintenance programme for addicts who fail in conventional drug treatments
	Thomas V Perneger, Francisco Giner, Miguel del Rio, Annie Mino
	BMJ  1998;317:13-18 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF] [Request Permissions] FREE

	Malignant spinal cord compression: prospective study of delays in referral and treatment
	D J Husband
	BMJ  1998;317:18-21 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF] [Request Permissions] FREE

	Reactions of participants to the results of a randomised controlled trial: exploratory study
	Claire Snowdon, Jo Garcia, Diana Elbourne
	BMJ  1998;317:21-26 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF] [Request Permissions] FREE

	Efficacy of home sampling for screening of Chlamydia trachomatis: randomised study
	Lars Østergaard, Berit Andersen, Frede Olesen, Jens K Møller
	BMJ  1998;317:26-27 [Extract] [Full text] [PDF] [Request Permissions] FREE

Career focus

Read this week's articles on http://careers.bmj.com/careers/

To see an article, click its [Full Text] link. To review many abstracts, check the boxes to the left of the titles you want, and click the 'Get All Checked Abstract(s)' button. To see one abstract at a time, click its [Abstract] link.