UK health official recuses himself from puberty blockers trial after bias claims

A health official who reportedly intervened to pause a clinical trial on the use of puberty blockers has been removed from any further involvement due to accusations of bias.Prof Jacob George, who was appointed chief medical and scientific officer at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in January, raised concerns that led to the Pathways trial being put on hold by the government, according to the Sunday Times.But the regulator announced on Saturday that George would recuse himself from involvement in the trial after gender-critical social media posts made last year emerged.In one post he described the author JK Rowling, known for her gender-critical views, as being a “treasure of our time”. In another he said “the denial of basic biological fact is concerning” in regards to questions about whether the Olympic boxer Imane Khelif was a woman

‘Viruses don’t know borders’: US anti-vaccine rhetoric could impact global measles crisis

The US government has amplified anti-vaccine rhetoric and signaled that it does not consider measles to be a priority, which could have global ramifications as countries around the world have lost or are on the brink of losing measles elimination status.The World Health Organization announced in late January that six European countries: the United Kingdom, Spain, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan had all officially lost their measles elimination status, which means the virus has been circulating continuously in those countries for more than 12 months. In order to contain measles, at least 95% of children should be fully vaccinated against it, according to health recommendations, but vaccination rates have been falling across Europe.Measles vaccination in the UK has fallen especially dramatically, with only 84% of five-year-olds receiving both recommended doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine as of 2024. The UK is also “ground zero”, for vaccine hesitancy, according to Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University

Poorly regulated clinics in England are putting children with ADHD at risk, warn doctors

Children with ADHD are being put at risk by poorly regulated private clinics that prescribe powerful stimulants without key physical examinations, doctors have warned.A surge in remote-only assessments has led to what one clinician described as “widespread and unsafe practice”, where children are being diagnosed and medicated via video link. The clinical warnings have now forced health authorities in Greater Manchester to overhaul prescribing rules, mandating face-to-face checks to protect the safety of children.Rashad Nawaz, a consultant paediatrician with clinics in Manchester and Liverpool, has written to national regulators and health bodies. He warned that he had treated young patients with potential underlying heart conditions who had been prescribed stimulants by national online providers without a single in-person check

Researchers praise ‘stunning’ results of new prostate cancer treatment

A new drug for advanced prostate cancer has shown promise in early trials experts have said, with the medication shrinking tumours in some patients.Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in many countries, including the US and UK. About 1.5 million men are diagnosed worldwide each year.The new drug has caused excitement as it is a type of treatment called immunotherapy

Scouting America to reinstate ban on trans children to appease Pentagon

Scouting America will alter several policies at the urging of the Pentagon, including one targeting transgender children, the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, announced on Friday as he pushes a campaign against military support for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.Some of the changes mirror what the organization suggested to the defense department in January, which included discontinuing its citizenship in society merit badge and introducing a military service merit badge as well as waiving registration fees for the children of military personnel.Under Hegseth, the Pentagon has taken aim at the military’s partnership with Scouting America, decrying its historic rebrand in 2024 from the Boy Scouts and other changes in recent years that he sees as part of “woke culture” efforts that he wants to root out.Hegseth said in a video posted on X that, after 2012, the “Boy Scouts lost their way and a once great organization became gravely wounded. Diversity, equity and inclusion, DEI, crept in

European girls aged 13-15 have world’s highest rate of tobacco use for age group

Teenage girls in Europe have the highest rate of tobacco use in their age group around the world, while one in seven adolescents across the continent use vapes and e-cigarettes, figures show.The data, based on analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO), shows that Europe is on course to maintain its status as the world’s biggest consumer of tobacco up to 2030, and reveals “particularly concerning” trends of tobacco use among women and young people.Four in 10 adult female smokers around the world – about 62 million women – live in Europe, while 4 million teenagers aged 13 to 15 across the continent use tobacco products.For vapes and e-cigarettes, Europe has the highest prevalence of teenage regular users, at 14.3% of children aged between 13 and 15