Despite the global economic crisis, the New Year began full of optimism and hope for the future, following the inauguration of the first African American US President. Just before noon on 20 January, Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in as America's 44th President and it marked a significant moment in modern history.

Some of the Aurora team were lucky enough to be in Washington the week before the inauguration, visiting our US network partner and were witness to the sheer scale of the preparations. On the day itself, tools in the Aurora office were downed as we watched the historic events in Washington unfold.

To round off 2008 we have created the top 20 December chart. If you would like to view it please click here.

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The New Year welcomes three new entries to the Aurora top 20 chart. Macular degeneration, schizophrenia and autism all enter the chart for the first time, while cancer remains at the number one spot for the third month in a row. Not surprisingly, diet and weight loss re-enter the chart at this time of year, with alcohol and depression also featuring strongly. Stem cell research and diabetes both shot up the chart into the top ten.

Stem cell research. The influence of Barack Obama was felt immediately in the health news, with the announcement that US regulators had approved the first use of embryonic stem cells in humans. The move raises the hope of a ground breaking approach to medical treatment, which had been blocked since 2001 by George W Bush. The US biotech company, Geron, will begin clinical trials for patients with severe spinal cord injuries. The ground breaking potential of stem cells made the news a second time, following reports that British scientists had developed new stem cell surgery that could cure corneal blindness.

Obesity, diet and weight loss. It was no surprise to find the media indulging in discussion around obesity, diet and weight loss following the festive period, when many a well-meant resolution is made and usually broken. First came the news that the NHS is to offer obese people a cash incentive of up to £425 to hit personal weight loss targets. The Pounds for Pounds project is thought to be the first public trial by the NHS of a weight-loss incentive scheme and has caused rumblings from many commentators. While some welcomed the scheme and felt there would be long term benefits for the health service, others were outraged by the lack of priority in using NHS money. Ann Widdecombe, Conservative MP for Maidestone and the Weald commented: "If the NHS had money to spare it would be ok but, the fact is, the NHS is short of money. We can all control our own weight. If the NHS has to prioritise then this should be at the end of its priorities.”

While the Pounds for Pounds project rocked the scales of opinion, there was some good news for obese people, following an announcement from the Health Secretary that they would not be denied free health care under the recently published NHS Constitution. While Alan Johnson rubbished such reports, he emphasised that patients' rights to core services and standards of care should come with a responsibility to lead a healthier lifestyle. Katherine Murphy of the Patients' Association weighed into the debate, saying that: "No-one would disagree with the sentiment but we are concerned that imposing a duty on people to keep themselves healthy goes too far.”

Alcohol abuse and legislation. The optimism of the New Year merited a celebratory drink, if only the health police were not targeting the evening tipple. Government statistics suggested that middle class drinkers are at risk of exceeding recommended daily levels of alcohol with an evening bottle of wine. However, it is not just the regular drinker facing last orders. Binge drinking is also a key factor in the looming liver disease crisis, according to a report from the London Liver Clinic Centre. Professor Max Malago, a consultant at the LLCC said: “If current trends continue, Britain faces an epidemic of liver disease, which threatens to eclipse that of breast cancer.”

Depression and anxiety lowered the optimism of the New Year with the news that resolutions could actually be bad for your mental health, as failure to stick to them can lead to feelings of hopelessness, low self-esteem and mild depression. Research by the mental health charity Mind, highlighted that while around seven million people in the UK make a resolution, only one in ten will stick to it for a whole year. The mood sunk even lower following a report by The Prince's Trust that depression among the young is at an alarming level. The study reported that a significant number of young people are depressed or struggling to cope and the situation is likely to worsen with the recession. Martina Milburn from the Trust said that the study revealed: "an increasingly vulnerable generation".

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Aurora strives to apply quantitative, qualitative and emotional understanding of health issues to client communication programmes. Dove-tailing informed PR activity with the media's appetite enables us to assist clients with communicating their vision.

To find out more, contact Neil Crump or Claire Eldridge on +44 (0) 20 7424 7940.

The top 20 chart provides our interpretative snap-shot of health stories in the national press and is based upon a quantitative process. Analysis based on news from the 26 December 2008 to 25 January 2009.