A twice-a-year injection that reduces bad cholesterol to protect the heart is to be pioneered by the NHS in England. Already, millions of people take daily statin pills to cut their cholesterol. But later this year, a “ground-breaking” large-scale clinical trial will offer NHS patients a new form of medicine, gene silencing, in an injection […]
The continuing dispute over pensions that has seen doctors stop working overtime is “making a bad situation worse”, hospital bosses are warning. Some have been refusing to work extra hours because they were being landed with bills after changes to how much could be accrued in pensions tax free. A short-term fix, proposed in November […]
Faced with a wait for a GP appointment, would you choose a group session with the doctor instead? It is an idea some surgeries are investigating. Demand for appointments increasingly outweighs availability. In recent years, the number of GP appointments has risen by 13%, but GP numbers are up by less than 5%, putting huge […]
A sleep disorder that can leave people gasping for breath at night could be linked to the amount of fat on their tongues, a study suggests. When sleep apnoea patients lost weight, it was the reduction in tongue fat that lay behind the resulting improvements, researchers said. Larger and fattier tongues are more common among […]
There are differences in the way English and Italian speakers are affected by dementia-related language problems, a small study suggests. While English speakers had trouble pronouncing words, Italian speakers came out with shorter, simpler sentences. The findings could help ensure accurate diagnoses for people from different cultures, the researchers said. Diagnostic criteria are often based […]
A woman who would lose her vision if there was not enough male blood available to treat her condition is urging more men to donate. Jo Daniels, 39, from Bristol, has the autoimmune disease Sjogren’s syndrome, which attacks her tear glands and leaves her with painful ulcers on her corneas. She uses a daily eye […]
Some women who have recurrent miscarriages might benefit from taking a tablet designed to treat diabetes, researchers say. A trial in 38 volunteers suggests it helps better prepare the womb lining for pregnancy by boosting certain beneficial cells. Experts believe some women who miscarry do not have enough of these stem cells. Cally Cusack, now […]
Huge pressures at hospitals across the NHS over the last month have led to long delays for patients seeking emergency care, figures suggest. The NHS England December data showed record delays in A&E with one in five patients waiting more than four hours. A key problem seems to have been a shortage of beds on […]
Legal action is being launched against the NHS over the prescribing of drugs to delay puberty. Papers have been lodged at the High Court by a mother and a nurse against the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust, which runs the UK’s only gender-identity development service (Gids). Lawyers will argue it is illegal to prescribe the […]
Over one million people have completed the Great North Run since the event launched in 1981, with 57,000 people running the race each year. And all of them will have enjoyed the unique experience of crossing the Tyne Bridge with the unrivalled support of the people of Gateshead and Newcastle, who line every inch of […]
A former Wales and Norwich City footballer has agreed to brain tests for the rest of his life as part of a study into early signs of dementia. Iwan Roberts, 51, who played more than 800 games, is urging other male and female ex-players to sign up. Recent research found they had a higher risk […]
Training for and completing a marathon improves the health of a new runner’s arteries, cutting about four years off their “vascular age”, a study suggests. Researchers from Barts and University College London tested 138 novice runners attempting the London Marathon. Over six months of training, their arteries regained some youthful elasticity, which should reduce the […]
An early life full of neglect, deprivation and adversity leads to people growing up with smaller brains, a study suggests. The researchers at King’s College London were following adopted children who spent time in “hellhole” Romanian orphanages. They grew up with brains 8.6% smaller than other adoptees. The researchers said it was the “first and […]
A mysterious viral pneumonia that has infected dozens in central China is not Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars), health chiefs have said. They also discounted bird flu and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, and said investigations were continuing. A total of 59 cases have been reported in the city of Wuhan, seven of which are considered […]
Kerry Van Der Merwe has sunken chest syndrome, a rare medical condition that leaves her struggling to breathe. In many cases the syndrome – a malformation of the chest wall caused by the breastbone sinking inwards – is seen as a cosmetic problem that doesn’t warrant publicly funded surgery. Ms Van Der Merwe has been […]