NHS England pauses new referrals for masculinising or feminising hormone treatment in under-18s

The NHS is pausing new referrals for masculinising or feminising hormone treatment for 16 and 17-year-olds after an in-depth review found there was insufficient evidence to support its continued use.Prescriptions for hormones had been available in England for under-18s with a diagnosis of gender incongruence or dysphoria who met certain criteria.But after the Cass review, NHS England commissioned its own review of all the available clinical evidence. That review has now concluded and found the evidence did not back the continued use of the treatment for 16 and 17-year-olds.In her review of children’s gender care, Hilary Cass had recommended “extreme caution” in providing such treatment and a “clear clinical rationale for providing hormones at this stage rather than waiting until an individual reaches 18”

How ADHD diagnosis helped my mental health | Letters

In suggesting there is a possibility that we all lie somewhere on an ADHD continuum, your correspondent (Letters, 27 February) is missing the point.ADHD – and autism – are neurodiversities, meaning that the brains of individuals with ADHD and/or autism are “wired” differently from those of people with “typical” brains. In other words, you either have it or you don’t. To suggest that everyone is a bit ADHD or a bit autistic is insulting to those of us who actually are ADHD/autistic, and diminishes our lived experience. Yes, self-help tools can be useful

Politicians seek meeting with Travelodge CEO after Maidenhead sexual assault case

More than 20 MPs have demanded an urgent meeting with the CEO of Travelodge after a woman was sexually assaulted by a man who had been given her room number and a key card by hotel staff.The MPs said the case of Kyran Smith, 29, who was jailed for seven-and-a-half years last month, raised “deeply concerning” questions. He attacked the woman after a party in December 2022.Travelodge CEO Jo Boydell was asked to meet MPs and peers to discuss the case, including the chain’s security processes and procedures that led to it offering the victim an “insulting” £30 refund after the incident.Smith was jailed in February after being found guilty of sexual assault and trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence

Supermarkets hit by falling demand for nitrite-cured bacon due to cancer fears

UK supermarkets have been hit by a “bacon backlash” as consumers fear that chemicals used to preserve it increase the risk of cancer.Campaigners against the use of nitrites in meat production claimed the fall in sales showed that a “consumer revolt” against the traditional, nitrite-cured form of bacon was gathering pace.At the same time, sales of nitrite-free bacon – made by firms such as Marks & Spencer, Waitrose and Finnebrogue – are rising, as bacon-lovers choose potentially safer alternatives.In 2016, the World Health Organization declared that processed meat, including bacon, was a cause of cancer, just like smoking and asbestos.Since then, the vast majority of bacon sold in the UK has still been treated with nitrites, to help maintain its pink colour

Wegovy users have five times greater risk of sudden sight loss than Ozempic users, study finds

Patients taking Wegovy have nearly five times the risk of sudden sight loss of those on Ozempic, a large-scale study has found.Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) medicines such as semaglutide (sold as Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus) and tirzepetide (sold as Mounjaro) help reduce blood sugar levels, slow digestion and reduce appetite, and have been linked to reduced risks of heart attack, fewer drug overdoses and other health benefits.But a study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, found that patients taking Wegovy for weight loss had a fivefold greater chance of developing non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (Naion) than the diabetes drug Ozempic, while men had a three times greater risk than women.These “eye strokes” cause sudden and usually permanent vision loss (pdf) due to reduced blood flow to the optic nerve.Although rare, affecting around one in 10,000 people who take semaglutide, there was “a potential dose-dependent safety concern” for the drug, the study found

Jess Phillips reveals she is ‘victim of courts backlog’ as jury trial bill passes

A man accused of breaching a restraining order related to Jess Phillips will not have his case heard in the crown court until 2028, the Labour minister has revealed, as MPs voted in favour of controversial plans to scrap some jury trials.During an emotive day in the House of Commons, the Labour MP for Warrington North, Charlotte Nichols, said she had been raped after an event she attended as a member of parliament but did not support the bill and felt that ministers had weaponised victims.Her statement came after hours of debate during which concerns were raised about an “attack” on a fundamental principle of the justice system in England and Wales.MPs voted 304 to 203 in favour of the courts and tribunals bill, which passed its second reading in the Commons. It includes measures to scrap some jury trials, remove the automatic right of appeal from magistrates courts and introduce a new criminal court