A round-up of this week's health news stories in brief
Cancer surgeon wins top medical ‘Oscar’
A renowned surgeon and pioneer in cancer research was this year's recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Irish "Medical Oscars", writes Michelle McDonagh.
Founder and director of the Cork Cancer Research Centre, Prof Gerald O’Sullivan, was presented with the prestigious award for his groundbreaking research at a recent ceremony in the Mansion House.
The Irish Journal of Medical ScienceDoctor Awards are held annually by the MC Group to honour the efforts of researchers within medicine. The event – which is in its tenth year – is run in conjunction with the Irish Journal of Medical Science and the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland.
Prof Alan Irvine of the Institute of Molecular Medicine at Trinity College Dublin was named Doctor of the Year for his research in the area of genetics.
Compare health insurance online
The Health Insurance Authority has launched a website (www.hia.ie) which will help consumers to compare health insurance products. The website contains an easy-to-use product comparison tool across the range of all products on offer.
The HIA says the average Irish family could use the tool to save up to €400 per year on their health insurance charges. Because all adults must be charged the same premium, all consumers can avail of savings, regardless of their age or state of health.
Mobile phones not linked to tumours
Increased use of mobile phones since the late 1990s is not causing a rise in the frequency of brain tumours, a Scandinavian study has found. The survey of cancers reported among 16 million adults in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden found no related, observable change in the incidence of cases up until 2003. Published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the research suggests that if there is any risk from regular use of mobile phones, it would take more than five to 10 years for the tumours to appear.
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