84 days to Christmas and counting - 2007 is whizzing past and it's time for the Aurora top 20 again. The September chart marks the end of summer and the seasonal change has made for an interesting chart with many new and re-entries. Just like time, the media environment never stands still and so Aurora monitors it religiously to ensure that our client's messages are delivered effectively and with consideration for the current climate. Below we present you with what's been hot and why in the UK national press during the month of September.

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Eight topics in the September top 20 were new or re-entries. While all this movement occurred, the top three issues remained the same as in August: heart disease / cholesterol and broad issues relating to nutrition and cancer.  Sleep, sexually transmitted diseases and hyperactivity broke into the chart for the first time. Asthma showed no movement - remaining within the top 10 - while fertility climbed from 17th to fourth place and Alzheimer's disease dropped from 11th to 16th.

Now we delve deeper into some of September's issues:

Fertility and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) had a busy top 20 period. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) granted permission to scientists to use part-human, part-animal embryos. The Infertility Network was reported to have conducted a survey that revealed a postcode lottery in relation to infertility treatments.  Separately, it was reported that one-in-three couples now experience fertility difficulties and the UK spends up to £1.7 billion on fertility treatments. Obesity, STDs and smoking were reported to be the main causes for the rise in infertility.  Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) appeared in the press on a number of occasions in relation to increasing rates of infection in young women, with prevalence levels in this population being estimated between one-in-five and one-in-ten.

Hyperactivity. The link between food additives and hyperactivity in children was covered in almost every national paper in September with research from the Food Standards Agency (FSA), led by Professor Jim Stevenson, confirming the link. The FSA met with representatives of the UK food industry to discuss this and the Food Commission called on food manufacturers to voluntarily remove additives from their products. Haribo announced that it would replace artificial ingredients in its products with alternatives by the end of year. It was also claimed that artificial additives are contained within some children's medicines.

Sleep. The link between sleep deprivation, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease was covered in September, which made for concerning reading when digested in conjunction with two other articles: one claiming that lack of sleep affects women much more than men and the other reporting that modern mothers only manage three and a half hours' sleep per night. It was also suggested in the press that children who don't get enough sleep are more likely to grow up obese. A survey by the Sleep Council reported that many teenagers sacrifice sleep to play computer games and watch TV, which has a negative effect on academic performance.

Allergy. Research from a children's hospital in Montreal was reported to show that breastfeeding does not protect children from allergies and asthma, as had been previously suggested. A presentation at the British Association for the Advancement of Science's Festival of Science suggested that clinical trials with parasitic hookworms were being conducted as they may be useful in treating auto-immune disorders such as asthma. The Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail reported that the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee is likely to recommend that current advice for pregnant women not to eat nuts should be withdrawn.

And finally, it was reported that Viagra may have a positive side-effect in some patients: making men more loving by boosting levels of oxytocin, the neurotransmitter released during an orgasm and responsible for increasing trust and reducing fear. Professor Meyer Jackson, who led the study is quoted in The Daily Telegraph as saying: "Erectile dysfunction drugs do not induce erections spontaneously, they enhance the response to sexual stimulation. Viagra will not induce the release of oxytocin on its own, but it will enhance the amount of release you get in response to electrical stimulation."  The mind boggles….

To find out if your therapeutic area moves or shakes in October, keep your eyes peeled for the next Aurora top 20.

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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 020 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 August to 25 September 2007.