I’m at the NZBio conference in Auckland over the next couple of days, so in a good position to see what is preoccupying the country’s biotechnology sector. One simmering issue has already been aired – the ad hoc and often ineffective way we approach conducting clinical trials of drugs and treatments in New Zealand. According […]
MoreA graphic from Melbourne’s The Age newspaper that does a good job of explaining the effects of various doses of ionizing radiation on the body.
MoreIt was only a couple of months ago, one sunny morning that I visited science reporter Paul Gorman and tech editor Will Harvie at The Press in Christchurch. The beautiful old building housing the newspaper was devastated in Tuesday’s earthquake and at least one of the newspaper’s staff was killed when the roof crashed down […]
MoreThe Egyptians and other ancient civilisations used to bury their royalty in tombs encased deep within pyramids. It is sort of appropriate then that the modern ode to the Egyptian pyramids – the impressively triangular Luxor casino and hotel in Las Vegas has at its centre a room full of preserved dead people. I had […]
MoreAs the latest study on the New Zealand public’s perception of science is released, a similar study across the Tasman focusing more narrowly on biotech has identified some similar trends. The survey of 1000 people from across Australia commissioned by the Australian Government’s Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research shows support for biotechnology techniques […]
MoreAccording to news reports this week, New Zealand women have exhausted in a few weeks a supply of contraceptive implants that was estimated to last the country a year. This from TVNZ: Pharmac started $1 million funding of Bayer’s contraceptive Jadelle from August 1, dropping the price from $300 to $3 – hoping to save […]
MoreMaybe it was Sunday reporter Simon Mercep’s seven years working for Fair Go that gave him the knack for sussing out claims that sound too good to be true. His story last night on cancer sufferers who are receiving large intravenous doses of vitamin C as part of their cancer treatment was the most balanced, […]
MoreDebate in scientific, political and business circles has raged for years over whether Bisphenol-A, a chemical used to line everything from drink bottles to tins of fruit can have harmful health effects on children and adults. UPDATE: Audio of Professor Gordon Robertson’s presentation on the science of food packaging hazards available here. With countries around […]
MoreThe respected medical research scientist, Professor Sir Graham Liggins, died today after a long illness. He was aged 84. It was fitting that the first tribute to Sir Graham, or “Mont” as he was known to friends came from the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, who set up the Liggins Institute […]
MoreIf you read today’s letters to the Sunday Star Times you’ll see the flip side of anecdotal evidence on the use of intravenous vitamin C to treat serious illness. The letter below illustrates well why it is potentially very dangerous when people make decisions that may impact their health based on anecdotal evidence. Miraculous recoveries […]
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PETER GRIFFIN 
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