A review of a limited number of cases of unresponsive patients with severe traumatic brain injuries raised questions about a custom of making a decision within 72 hours.

© Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Exclusive: Royal College of GPs says constitution guarantee would just pile on pressure given loss of 1,000 practices in past 10 years

Seven in 10 people want to be able to see a GP urgently within 24 hours, research by the NHS’s patient watchdog has found.

Almost three-quarters (71%) of voters in England support automatic access to a family doctor within one day of requesting an appointment for a health problem they consider cannot wait.

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© Photograph: Julian Claxton/Alamy

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© Photograph: Julian Claxton/Alamy

Physician-assisted suicide is incompatible with doctors’ duty to patients as spelled out in the GMC's guidance, writes Dr James Haslam

I write in response to Dr Jagat Aulakh’s letter (A form of assisted dying already happens in hospitals, 8 May). It must be made clear that withholding or withdrawing futile treatments is not and never has been assisted dying. Stopping – or not starting – treatments that are not wanted, are not working or are not worthwhile is good medicine and the law of the land. Whereas “assisted dying” is the modern euphemism for physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, both forms of medicalised killing.

The General Medical Council’s Good Medical Practice guidance states: “Patients must be able to trust medical professionals with their lives and health. To justify that trust [doctors] must make the care of patients [their] first concern.” Assisted suicide and euthanasia is incompatible with such a duty. How can patients trust professionals who facilitate their killing?

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© Photograph: Virojt Changyencham/Getty Images

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© Photograph: Virojt Changyencham/Getty Images

Dr. Hilary Cass published a landmark report that led to restrictions on youth gender care in Britain. U.S. health groups said it did not change their support of the care.

© Tori Ferenc for The New York Times

An outdated medical term often masks treatable illnesses, health experts contend.

© Sol Cotti

Women at risk for extreme high blood pressure should take a daily baby aspirin. But their doctors don’t always tell them.

© Gary Cameron/Reuters

NYU Langone Health surgeons performed the transplant after implanting a mechanical heart pump in the severely ill patient.

© Shelby Lum/Associated Press

His testimony as an expert witness in some 600 trials helped plaintiffs win billions of dollars in cases involving malfeasance by pharmaceutical makers.

© Faith Ninivaggi/Reuters

A Houston hospital is investigating whether a doctor altered a transplant list to make his patients ineligible for care. A disproportionate number of them have died while waiting for new organs.

© Matt Patterson, via Associated Press

We want to hear from patients as well as doctors, nurses, technicians, medical residents and any others with experience in the system.

© Molly Riley/Associated Press

The state’s Supreme Court ruled that the 1864 law is enforceable today. Here is what led to its enactment.

© Rebecca Noble/Reuters