Dr Thomas Stuttaford

If Thomas Stuttaford had settled for a diplomatic career instead of medicine he would have been perfectly at ease and successful as HM Ambassador to Washington or Paris. So we are fortunate that he decided to become a medical practitioner instead. He is of course best known by the million or so readers of The Times (as their distinguished medical correspondent) who devour his frank and no-nonsense advice in his regular 'Medical Briefing' column.

Popularly known as "The Times Doctor" he has, for the past sixteen years regularly addressed the question of alcohol and health, advocating that benefits will accrue if the average man drinks up to four units ( 8g) of alcohol a day. Dr Stuttaford was one of the first important medical correspondents to promote the sensible and responsible use of alcohol in a major newspaper.

His speciality is occupational health and genito-urinary medicine, which he combines with medical journalism.

In 1997 Dr Stuttaford published a book: To Your Good Health: The Wise Drinker's Guide' (Faber & Faber) which rather challenged medical orthodoxy with good humoured advice to sensible drinkers. The benefits of alcohol in terms of heart disease are well known, but other benefits are less well publicised. According to the evidence that Dr Stuttaford produces moderate alcohol consumption lowers the risk of late onset diabetes, helps prevents strokes and improves the sperm count. The intellect is even sharpened, especially in older people, and the onset of altzheimers is reduced.