Whither surgery in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)?
CMAJ January 20, 2004; 170 (2)
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) affects 17–40% of North Americans and is increasing in incidence. Although some suspect that the rise in GERD is an artifact of improved diagnosis, others have postulated a relation to the declining rate of Helicobacter pylori-related gastritis, which may have protected against GERD by causing gastric hypochlorhydria.
Exchanging health lessons globally
BMJ 2004;328:239-240 (31 January)
The link between expenditure on health and health outcomes is not straightforward. Despite burgeoning health budgets, few countries in the developed world can claim to be delivering universally high quality, equitable health care. Could they have something to learn from less developed countries, whose meagre resources have long ensured that cost effectiveness is a dominant consideration?
