Education

Student fees are set to rise, but at what cost to graduates’ mental health?

— The UK government’s 2025 tuition fee hike to £9,535 annually may worsen graduates’ mental health, with recent research linking higher fees to increased depression, anxiety, and financial strain decades post-graduation.

Health

Toddlers’ diets in the UK dominated by ultra-processed foods, new study finds

— With ultra-processed foods making up nearly half the energy intake of British toddlers and more than half by age seven, a new study underscores the urgent need for dietary interventions and potential policy reforms.

Health

Companies keep selling harmful products – but history shows consumers can win in the end

— Market-driven epidemics like social media, guns, and sugary foods cause significant public health issues. Historical efforts against cigarettes, sugar, and opioids demonstrate that persistent public health initiatives can successfully reduce harmful consumption patterns.

COVID-19

AstraZeneca’s COVID vaccine withdrawn – Right to the end it was the victim of misinformation

— AstraZeneca withdrawing its COVID vaccine from the market has nothing to do with blood clots.

Public Health

Rishi Sunak wants to cut the cost of ‘sicknote’ Britain. But we’ve found a strong economic case for benefits

— Welfare reforms targeted at the sick and disabled won’t boost government coffers. In fact, spending on those who need support and investing in less conditional systems has a real financial return.

What The Experts Say

Expert reaction to MPs debating tobacco and vapes bill

— The expert reactions to the ongoing debate on the tobacco and vapes bill from distinguished scientists provide compelling arguments in favour of the proposed legislation.

COVID-19

As the pandemic turns four, here’s what we need to do for a healthier future

— In its fourth year, a public health researcher outlines principles for a healthier future amid the COVID-19 pandemic: clear guidance, combating complacency, addressing inequalities, vaccine equity, and effective communication.

Healthcare

Hospital privatisation is linked with worse quality care for patients

— The NHS faces critical challenges post-pandemic, with long waits and increasing privatisation. Though outsourcing may cut costs, a review reveals worse patient care and outcomes, advocating for public funding and management instead.

COVID-19

Mounting research shows that COVID-19 leaves its mark on the brain, including with significant drops in IQ scores

— Two new high-profile studies add to the increasingly worrisome picture of how even mild cases of COVID-19 can have detrimental effects on brain health.

COVID-19

The ‘jab market’ of private COVID vaccines is a good thing for public health – but not for health inequality

— Privately selling COVID vaccines could boost immunity but raises worries about health inequalities. Affordability issues may limit access for lower-income individuals, worsening disparities in vaccine distribution.

Women

How women are infantilised during obstetric care and labour

— Sexist and patronising language persists in UK obstetric care. Such language can contribute to dismissive treatment, undermining women’s perspectives and leading to interventions without consent or proper pain relief during childbirth.

2024 General Election

Labour scaling back its £28 billion green pledge will impact UK housing – and public health

— Too often government policy is not designed with the long-term in mind. Instead, short-term economic outcomes and political gains are prioritised – to the detriment of public health.

COVID-19

COVID barely gets a mention these days – Here’s why that’s a dangerous situation

— COVID remains a significant global health threat, causing 10,000 deaths in 50 countries and a 42% increase in hospitalisations in December 2023. Complacency poses risks.

COVID-19

COVID-19: The false promise of Hydroxychloroquine

— A new study published in the Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy journal estimates that the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 was associated with nearly 17,000 deaths in six countries during the first wave of the pandemic.

COVID-19

Boris Johnson’s shocking disconnect from science during the COVID crisis: The blind leading the blind

— For a nation grappling with an invisible enemy, COVID-19, leadership became the compass, the difference between weathering the storm and succumbing to its fury. Yet, at the helm of the UK stood Boris Johnson, a man whose relationship with science resembled a blind date gone disastrously wrong.

COVID-19

Navigating the current COVID landscape: JN.1 wave and vaccination dilemma

— The ongoing COVID-19 wave has the potential to significantly grow, with the ONS estimating a 4.3% virus prevalence in England. One expert warns that the JN.1 wave might surpass the March 2022 surge.