HEALTH NOTES: GPs caught in a web of doubt

HEALTH NOTES: One in five people trust internet influencers such as Gwyneth Paltrow more than doctors, online poll claims

One in five people trusts internet influencers more than doctors, according to an online poll.

Nearly 50 per cent of people of all ages seek health advice from trendsetters and stars like Gwyneth Paltrow whose Goop brand has been criticised for bizarre claims.

Marketing blog website Sortlist’s survey of 1,000 social media users shows under-35s claim never to go to ‘offline media’ such as papers and magazines for advice about health.

Older age groups seek advice from friends, personal trainers and websites before going offline.

Almost four in five say they have bought a health product because an influencer recommended it.

Nearly 50 per cent of people of all ages seek health advice from trendsetters and stars like Gwyneth Paltrow whose Goop brand has been criticised for bizarre claims

British scientists have developed a blood test that could diagnose the most aggressive form of lung cancer at an early stage and extend patients’ lives.

Researchers at the University of Manchester have found a way to detect fragments of mutated DNA that are shed by small cell lung cancer tumours and end up in the blood stream.

Small cell lung cancer comprises up to 20 per cent of lung cancer cases. Most victims are only diagnosed in later stages, once it has spread. As a result, few survive for more than two years.

But if caught early, patients can survive for five years or more. Dr Marianne Baker from Cancer Research UK said: ‘The test could one day allow doctors to spot lung cancer earlier, and even track how a cancer changes over time, helping them to choose the best treatments.’

Arthritis patients should beware of pricey injections to loosen stiff knees, experts warn.

The treatment – called viscosupplementation – is not offered on the NHS because benefits are minimal. It also has serious side-effects tha include swelling, bruising and fluid in the knee.

Despite this, private clinics are selling the injections for about £220 to treat knee arthritis, claiming that they ‘reduce pain and stiffness’ by lubricating the joint.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, the experts conclude that viscosupplementation is ‘not only ineffective but might also be seriously harmful’ and should not be used widely.

Middle-aged Britons don’t realise alcohol increases the risk of cancer, a poll has found.

But while more over-55s are in the dark, fewer than a third in their 20s and 30s are unaware of the link.

Two alcoholic drinks a day are associated with an increased risk of seven types of cancer.

The World Cancer Research Fund, which ordered the survey, recommends taking small steps to cut booze intake, such as alternating an alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic one, or diluting alcoholic drinks with a low-calorie mixer to help them last longer.

Middle-aged Britons don’t realise alcohol increases the risk of cancer, a poll has found

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