A round-up of other stories in brief
PHARMACY OPENINGS:More than 50 new pharmacies have opened in the Republic since the beginning of the year, according to a new study. Overall, it shows that 4,385 pharmacists and 1,621 pharmacies are now registered with the PSI (Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland).
These are the highest figures ever recorded for this professional sector, according to the pharmacy regulator.
Of the 1,621 pharmacies, 1,560 are community pharmacies and 61 are hospital pharmacies.
"Since January, 51 pharmacies have registered as new pharmacy service providers with 28 new pharmacy openings currently pending," according to the report.
It says the multicultural nature of pharmacists in Ireland was also evident in 2007, with nearly 48 per cent of new pharmacists registered this year hailing from other EU countries.
PSI president Brendan Hayes, speaking on the growing number of pharmacists and pharmacy practices in Ireland, emphasised the need for an expert group to report on what must change in the pharmacy profession to ensure pharmacy keeps abreast with meeting the health needs of Ireland.
SWEDISH OBESITY:Obesity among women in Sweden rose by almost a third in the past three years, a study by the Swedish National Institute of Public Health revealed.
The number of women with a so-called body mass index, or BMI, over 30 rose to 490,000 this year, compared with 378,000 in 2004, the institute said yesterday.
That represents 14 per cent of Sweden's total female population, compared with 11 per cent three years ago, it said.
The number of obese men remained at 11 per cent of the total, the study said.
"It is a worrisome development and it looks as if we have a migration from people with a normal weight to overweight and from overweight people to obese among women," Gunnar Johansson, a diet expert at the institute, said.
A normal BMI, a measure to express the relationship of weight to height, runs between 18.5 and 24.9.
ORIENTEERING EVENT:Work off that Christmas dinner at the annual Christmas Fun Orienteering event in Three Rock Woods, Ticknock, Co Dublin on St Stephen's Day. Participants must visit as many control points as they can in 40 minutes and will get extra points if they set off (and finish) in fancy dress.
Set off any time between 10am and noon.
Groups and families particularly welcome. Mulled wine, soft drinks and other goodies on offer at the finish. For further details, visit www.3roc.org.
BREAST CANCER BLOOD TEST:A blood test that could detect breast cancer in its earliest stages is being introduced in Britain.
The test has been developed by Norwegian life sciences company DiaGenic ASA and works by detecting gene expression patterns in blood samples not taken from the breast.
It is designed to detect breast cancer in its earliest stages when women have no symptoms.
Experts predict it could be used alongside mammograms to help detect cancer and could be useful for younger women.
This is because breasts are denser when women are younger and therefore mammograms may not detect changes in the breast tissue.
The test will be available privately.
ANTHRAX IN DRUMS:An artist in Britain who died from anthrax caught the disease playing drums at a class, according to an investigation of the incident.
It was previously thought that Christopher "Pascale" Norris was infected by contaminated hides he used to make drums himself.
But the NHS Borders report said that he is likely to have contracted the illness after playing or handling anthrax- contaminated West African drums at a drumming workshop.
It was the first death from anthrax in the UK in more than 30 years. The report is now calling for increased awareness of the dangers posed by untreated hide drums and West African drums.
It said that playing drums should also be considered a "potentially hazardous activity" as beating the drum may release spores from its skin.