Health collaboration in Russia helped reduce blood pressure, deaths

Tamara Ivanovna Yachmentseva, a patient in the Yaroslavl hypertension projectTamara Yachmentseva had planned a long, happy retirement with her husband. But it was not to be. Shortly after he stopped working he suffered a devastating stroke and passed away, leaving the former kindergarten teacher widowed and alone. Distraught, Tamara’s health declined until she suffered a major heart attack. Continue reading

How a love of sport led to a science breakthrough

Novartis scientist Jeff Weers, whose love of baseball gave him the idea to transform particle engineeringJeff Weers’ passion inspired a new way of getting inhaled medicine past the body’s natural defenses to reach the lungs. He found inspiration for a medical breakthrough in an unlikely place – a baseball field. His passion for the sport led to a big idea: a new way of getting inhaled medicine past the natural obstacle course of the human mouth and throat to reach the lungs and treat respiratory diseases.

“Scientists know that their best ideas do not always present themselves in the lab,” said Weers. “Many of the things you see around you in your daily life can sometimes present solutions to the most intractable problems in science.” Continue reading

Swiss railways’ peace offering to irate ticket holders

pendolinoThe Swiss Railway System (SBB or CFF, depending on whether you’re a German or French speaker) has reduced fines and, for now, will waive them completely for passengers who inadvertently bought the wrong tickets.

The organisation, famed in Switzerland and indeed worldwide for its efficient service, accepted that too many people seemed to be falling foul of a new ticketing system, introduced at the end of 2011, which requires passengers to buy before they ride. Continue reading

UK Budget: poor finance, good politics

It was hard, driving on the Swiss motorway to work, to avoid shouting at the radio during the morning-after coverage on the BBC of the UK Budget.

So Chancellor George Osborne is going to pump prime the economy by stimulating the housing market. Is it really the government’s job to fund billions of pounds’ worth of mortgages, helping tens of thousands get into an already inflated and under supplied housing market?   Continue reading