Health

Jesy Nelson has announced an Amazon Prime documentary and is campaigning for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) screening to be added to the newborn heel prick test after her nine-month-old twins were diagnosed with SMA1.

A Lancet review of trials involving more than 120,000 people found few side effects linked to statins and reported similar adverse-event rates in placebo groups; serious liver disease was not increased.

A Lancet systematic review of 19 randomised trials involving about 124,000 people found no strong evidence that statins cause most of the side-effects listed on product labels; only a few small risks beyond known muscle symptoms and increased blood sugar had supporting evidence.

South Wales Police detained a 52-year-old NHS doctor in Swansea on suspicion of inciting a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity; he was later released on conditional bail while investigations continue.

A pooled analysis of more than 154,000 people across 23 randomized trials found no significant increase for 62 of 66 side effects listed on statin labels, with only small absolute rises observed for a few measures such as abnormal liver blood tests.

A father from Cardiff noticed a lump under his jaw, saw his GP and was diagnosed within weeks with an HPV-related head and neck cancer; he says he had only known of HPV in relation to cervical cancer and did not realise it could cause cancers in men.

A WHO analysis estimates about 37% of cancers — roughly seven million cases a year — are linked to preventable infections, behaviours and environmental pollutants; smoking, infections and alcohol were the largest contributors.

Teddi Mellencamp, who is being treated for stage 4 melanoma, joined a cancer screening awareness campaign and urged people not to delay recommended screenings.

Researchers at MIT and the Scripps Research Institute report that a DNA-based virus-like particle displaying the engineered HIV antigen eOD‑GT8 produced eightfold more on-target precursor B cells than a protein-based VLP in a humanized mouse model, and the DNA scaffold did not induce scaffold-specific antibodies.

A global trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine found the oral PCSK9 inhibitor enlicitide lowered LDL cholesterol by more than 57% at 24 weeks versus about 3% with placebo in patients already taking statins.

A WHO analysis linked about 37% of new cancer cases in 2022—roughly 7.1 million—to 30 preventable causes, with smoking, infections and alcohol among the top reported risks.

Sugar use in Western Europe fell 6.7% over the past two years and in the United States by 4.4%, and analysts say wider use of GLP-1 weight‑loss drugs along with higher soft‑drink taxes have contributed to weaker demand.

Novo Nordisk said CagriSema produced about 14.2% body weight loss and a 1.91 percentage-point fall in HbA1c after 68 weeks, compared with 10.2% weight loss and a 1.76 percentage-point HbA1c fall with Wegovy in a late-stage trial of 2,728 people with type 2 diabetes.

State officials say some South Carolina children with measles have developed encephalitis, and the state has recorded 876 cases.

A Swedish study of 60,000 women aged 18–45 found no statistically significant difference in childbirths or miscarriages between vaccinated and unvaccinated women and concluded mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are unlikely to explain the pandemic drop in births.

Granville Academy has begun a pupil-led pilot to address rising vaping among students, and Derbyshire County Council is preparing a young-person smoking and vaping cessation service that is pending approval.

Peppa Pig will show George being diagnosed as moderately deaf in an episode produced with guidance from the UK's National Deaf Children's Society and deaf consultant Camilla Arnold. The episode, titled Hearing Loss, is being presented through George's audio perspective and is set to air on YouTube on Friday.

A 72-year-old man was diagnosed with lung cancer after a specialist NHS screening test despite having no symptoms, and the cancer was removed following early detection. The case was highlighted as the government launched a 10-year cancer strategy that includes expanded screening and diagnostic investment.

A trial of more than 2,900 high-risk patients found the experimental pill enlicitide lowered LDL cholesterol by up to 60% over six months, and Merck funded the study as it seeks FDA approval.

A federal survey reports nearly two-thirds of children are described as on track for kindergarten, while responses show about a 20% gap in readiness between the poorest and wealthiest families.

A large Swedish study of about 2.7 million people found boys are more likely to receive autism diagnoses in childhood while girls’ diagnosis rates rise in adolescence, with no significant sex difference by age 20.

A study suggests a test of menstrual blood might be explored as an alternative to conventional cervical screening, and charities called the finding encouraging. The NHS is already sending at-home vaginal swab kits in some areas to people who have missed screening, with wider distribution planned this year.

Chase Johnson, treated for triple-negative breast cancer in 2021, received an experimental a-lactalbumin vaccine as part of a Phase 1 trial and remains cancer-free years after surgery; researchers report immune responses in most participants and the vaccine is moving into Phase 2 testing.

A patient recounts repeated hip dislocations and long waits for adequate pain relief across several NHS hospitals, and says specialist care in France provided more consistent attention.

Barry Manilow says he is recovering after surgery to remove a cancerous spot from his lung and, on his doctor's advice, has postponed mid‑February Westgate Las Vegas residency dates; tickets for those dates will be refunded.

A BMJ study tested HPV detection from menstrual blood collected on a sanitary pad in 3,068 women and found sensitivity for detecting CIN2 comparable to clinician-collected samples; the authors described the method as a possible non-invasive alternative, while noting the findings are observational.

A four-year-old girl died after being left unattended in a pool at Deer Lake Athletic Club in Independence Township, Michigan, and police say the incident is under investigation with a report to be sent to the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office.

A two-decade study of about 105,600 women found higher adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet was associated with an 18% lower overall stroke risk and up to a 25% lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke; the authors note the study shows an association rather than proof of causation.

A US emergency doctor reposted a viral video of an 87-year-old woman with notably smooth skin and said decades of ultraviolet exposure, not just age or genetics, are the main driver of visible skin ageing.

Health secretary Wes Streeting plans a larger pay increase for resident doctors and proposes financial penalties for trusts that fail to provide rest areas and hot food.