Health

A Lancet systematic review and meta-analysis of 43 studies found no evidence that maternal paracetamol use during pregnancy increases the risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disability; the analysis included hundreds of thousands of children.

Health officials reported 15 additional pediatric flu-related deaths this week, bringing the season total to 32, while national test positivity and hospitalizations have begun to decline.

UK guidance sets 14 units a week as a low-risk level for men and women, and experts say health risks rise gradually with higher drinking, with clearer links to cancer, liver disease and other conditions.

Ynyshir, a two-star Michelin restaurant in Wales, received a one-star hygiene rating after inspectors said management of food safety required major improvement; the owner has disputed parts of the report and requested a re-inspection.

State health officials reported 124 new measles cases since Tuesday, bringing South Carolina's total to 558, and said the outbreak is centered in Spartanburg County.

A tribunal dismissed claims against a nurse and the trust but concluded that protections for transgender people do not create a positive right to use single-sex changing rooms, citing last year’s Supreme Court interpretation of the 2010 Equality Act.

NHS England will widen access to the prostate cancer drug abiraterone so about 2,000 recently diagnosed men could be eligible immediately and roughly 7,000 more a year may become eligible, according to reported clinical assessments and trial results.

Amazon is offering TB screening at its Coventry warehouse after a small number of contagious cases were identified last year; health officials say those treated are responding to treatment and the overall risk remains low.

Sandie Peggie said she was overjoyed by a tribunal ruling that found eight Darlington nurses had been unlawfully harassed over shared changing-room use, and she said the decision strengthened her resolve to appeal her own employment case.

An employment tribunal found nurses at Darlington Memorial Hospital were subjected to harassment after a trans colleague used the women's changing room; the nurses say the Government has delayed publishing updated single-sex guidance the EHRC handed to ministers months ago.

Experts say many couples go through dry spells in sexual interest and describe communication, small daily touches, planned intimacy and attention to stress or medical factors as approaches reported to help rebuild closeness.

US health officials moved flu vaccine guidance for children to a 'shared clinical decision-making' approach while experts warn the country is facing a very severe flu season with large numbers of hospitalizations and some child deaths; next steps are undetermined at this time.

Doctors report the first human coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) done by threading tools through a leg blood vessel, and the patient showed no coronary obstruction at six months; researchers say further testing in more patients is needed.

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee has recommended Wegovy be listed on the PBS for adults with obesity and established cardiovascular disease, and Health Minister Mark Butler will begin price negotiations with manufacturer Novo Nordisk.

Five British families have filed a lawsuit in Delaware alleging their children's deaths were linked to a viral activity known as the 'Blackout challenge'; a motion to dismiss hearing is taking place as parents seek discovery of account data.

A Maynooth University survey of 975 UK adults found about 21% said a pet's death was the most distressing bereavement they had experienced, and 7.5% met the criteria for prolonged grief disorder after a pet's death; researchers say PGD is currently diagnosable only following human deaths and have called for further study of diagnostic criteria.

A panel of world-leading researchers published 56 recommendations in Nature Reviews Neurology urging a national rethink of dementia policy, calling for clearer public messaging and action on risk factors such as hearing loss, social isolation and high blood pressure.

Leisha Bond, a 52-year-old Kenilworth barrister, began pole dancing in January 2025 at Pole Elevation in Coventry and says the classes have improved her mood and sense of camaraderie.

Hospitals in Herat report hundreds of child malnutrition admissions each month, while aid agencies warn about four million Afghan children at risk of malnutrition this year.

A randomized trial in western Uganda found permethrin‑treated cloth wraps reduced malaria cases in infants by about two‑thirds over six months; infants in the treated group had a slightly higher rate of mild rashes (8.5% v 6%).

China plans about 180 billion yuan in 2026 measures to support childbearing, and official population data due Jan. 19 is expected to show a fourth consecutive annual decline.

An Australian personal trainer and nutritionist says combining regular walking with low-impact resistance work and a modest calorie deficit, along with reduced carbohydrates, can reduce inner-thigh (subcutaneous) fat over about eight weeks; she also cautions that heavy leg-building exercises and high-impact HIIT are not her chosen approach.

The deaths of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's 21-month-old son and another patient have prompted official investigations and renewed public concern about patient safety in Nigeria.

CDC studies reported that wastewater testing detected measles infections days to months before clinical confirmation, and the national wastewater surveillance system faces a proposed federal funding cut from about $125 million to $25 million.

Dr Alex George says being diagnosed with ADHD and OCD has changed his life and he paid privately for assessments while citing long NHS waiting lists and limited access to services.

Heather Gay, 51 and a star of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, told UsWeekly she does not plan to stop using GLP-1 medications and says she is focused on how she feels; she is also representing the diet company Atkins and emphasizes nutrition and protein.

A 75-year-old former nun was jailed for 15 months after being convicted of historic abuse at Sisters of Nazareth care homes in Scotland; two former colleagues received unpaid work sentences.

Freedom of information responses show 22 of 42 integrated care boards set caps on ADHD assessments for 2025-26, and many did not inform GPs or patients.

A mouse study found that loss of beige fat was associated with higher blood pressure and with increased QSOX1 and vessel fibrosis.

The Tour de France Femmes Grand Depart will start in Leeds in July 2027 with the second stage finishing in Sheffield, and local clubs and residents say the event could encourage more women and girls to take up cycling.