People have different views on how important a healthy sex life is.

After a dry talk on a new prostate cancer medicine at the ECCO-ESMO European Cancer Congress in Berlin, a query was raised as to how acceptable the drug’s sexual side effects would be. Sexual function can he hit ‘like a hammer’, the questioner warned.

The reply: ‘Sir, you say that because you are alive. But once a patient has to choose, he prefers to be alive than to get back his sexual function.’

The questioner didn’t seem convinced, though, and so the presenter went on.

‘You do know that there are drug therapies which can improve sexual functioning, with the participation of a woman,’ he added.

Did I mention he was French?

Not that the Germans haven’t held their own in the stereotype game during my brief stay in Berlin.

The Scorpions’ ‘Wind of Change’ was playing as I checked into my hotel and they offered ‘Gherkins, lard and bread’ as a bar snack.

I side-stepped that and went for the ‘Plate of German meats and bread’, taken with a side order of Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes (and still arriving with a small pot of lard).