Post Archive by Year

Breast cancer is the most common in the UK with around 56,000 people diagnosed each year, almost all of them women. Five-year survival rates have been increasing over time, reaching 87% by 2017 in England. However, people who survive are at risk … Read More

Among adults, smoking declined over the 10 years between 2013 and 2023, although this decline flattened during the pandemic. A few years ago the only group where smoking was increasing was pregnant women. The picture is different now. It’s women … Read More

There’s a growing need around the world to tackle diseases caused by diet, and the ­consumption of high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt foods. Some countries are taxing unhealthy foods, which is successfully helping to tackle obesity and related health issues. The simple … Read More

Haven’t we been saying for ages women’s lives are seriously ­disrupted every month of the year with our emotions left in pieces? Yes, by periods. Frankly I’m surprised it’s taken so long for researchers to turn their ­attention to effects … Read More

With cancer, if we could find out what’s happening in the body where it is developing, would it help us deal with it? Even stop it in its tracks? Well, researchers at University College London and London’s Francis Crick Institute … Read More

When I’m asked how I’ve been in the last six months I can remember very few details. Neither can patients asked the same question by their doctor. To close this gap, Manchester University researchers are to trial a system where … Read More

Even though some people find it draconian, I’m all in favour of government preventive health measures, be it fluoride in drinking water to prevent tooth decay or folic acid added to flour to prevent birth defects in babies. With regard … Read More

Using deep brain stimulation to treat epilepsy is the subject of much discussion. Rightly so. It sounds scary, doesn’t it? Well, 13-year-old Oran Knowlson, from Somerset, has made history as the first patient in the world to have this delicate procedure. Three … Read More

One of the exciting ways ­diseases can be studied is to create “mini” organs in the lab, instead of having to ­experiment on a person. The latest lab-grown mini-guts have been helping us ­understand complex ­conditions such as Crohn’s disease … Read More

When I first qualified, we were saying periods were arriving early and we’ve continued to say that over several generations. But now Harvard University in the US is telling us, in more detail, how it’s changing puberty. Researchers point out that the average … Read More