Monkeypox – just how serious is it? There are now reportedly 20 cases of Monkeypox in the UK and a handful of cases have been identified in Spain, Portugal, Canada and the USA. Cases have reportedly also been found in Australia, Sweden and Italy, although have not been confirmed at the time of publishing (16:00 19th …
New treatments for Alzheimer’s Alzheimer’s is notorious for the number of failed attempts to find treatments for the disease. Research over decades is yet to find any treatment that reliably works. Early in 2018 the world’s largest drug manufacturer, Pfizer, pulled out of all research into the disease, following a numberof setbacks in their research programmes. The most recent …
Targeted therapy extends breast cancer survival About 150 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every day. It is one of the leading causes of death amongst females aged 50-64. We all know someone who has been affected by the disease. Now a clinical trial tracking a combination of drug therapies for nearly …
Spinal implant reverses paralysis Just before Christmas an Italian man, Michel Roccati, stood up and walked on the streets of Lausanne, Switzerland. Four years before his spinal cord was completely severed in a motorcycle accident. He had been paralysed from the waist down for life. He walked again with the aid of a device which …
A new drug therapy for womb cancer Womb cancer affects just under 10,000 women in the UK every year. It is the 4th most common cancer affecting women in the UK. It is sometimes called uterine cancer or endometrial cancer. Survival rates for womb cancer are usually very good and, if the cancer is found early (at Stage 1) …
A new type of treatment for Lymphoma Lymphoma is a cancer that starts in the lymph glands or the lymphatic system. Lymph glands drain away waste fluids from the body and also contain cells that fight infections. The lymphatic system is the tubes, vessels and glands that connect lymph nodes together, plus the spleen. Types of Lymphoma There …
HSE extends spot checks to stress The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has the power to enter any business premises in the UK to check employees are working safely. The HSE carries out thousands of unannounced inspections every year which often result in fines or enforcement actions. In October the HSE announced they were extending the scope of their existing …
Malaria becomes resistant to treatment in Africa Malaria is a serious tropical disease spread by mosquitoes. If it isn’t diagnosed and treated promptly, it can be fatal. However, it is preventable and curable. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated the number of malaria deaths in 2019 at 409,000, with children under 5 accounting for the …
A revolutionary new cancer test Nearly ten years ago a scientist at the world’s largest gene-sequencing business, Illumina, noticed an anomaly as she examined blood samples from pregnant mothers. In some samples the DNA of the unborn child was normal, whilst that of the mother was not. The scientist, Meredith Halks Miller, suspected the changes …
Esketamine nasal spray treats depression A new way of treating the most severe form of depression is now available in the UK. Esketamine is a powerful drug delivered as a nasal spray (under the brand name Spravato). Originally licensed in the UK in late 2019, it is now starting to become available privately. Depression is …