Healthcare

New Alzheimer’s drug ‘could slow rate at which disease progresses’

Scientists believe they could be on the cusp of a breakthrough, after a drugs company said it had the first treatment of its kind for Alzheimer's. Biogen says it will…

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S.Korea’s top convenience store chain stops selling flavoured liquid e-cigarettes

South Korea’s top convenience store chain GS25 has stopped selling flavoured liquid e-cigarettes, the parent company GS Retail said on Thursday. The sales suspension came a day after the country’s…

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Global eradication of wild poliovirus type 3 declared on World Polio Day

In an historic announcement on World Polio Day, an independent commission of experts concluded that wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) has been eradicated worldwide. Following the eradication of smallpox and…

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Study discovers link between chronic pain and weather

People with arthritis are more likely to feel pain on humid, windy days, according to new research. Scientists from the University of Manchester found sufferers were 20% more likely to…

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Social media linked to poor sleep among teens

Teens who use social media for three hours or more per day have problems falling asleep and then struggle to get up for school the next morning, experts say. Their…

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Italian health authorities issue alert about e-cigarettes

The Italian Higher Health Institute (ISS) has issued a grade 2 alert about e-cigarettes to the health ministry and regional health councillors across Italy,. A grade two alert is the…

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WHO launches week of action to ban lead paint

Although exposure to lead remains a key global health concern, particularly as it impacts childhood development, only 73 countries have legally binding controls for lead paint, the World Health Organization…

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South Korea urges public to stop using liquid e-cigarettes

South Korea’s health minister said on Wednesday he “strongly advised” the public to stop using liquid e-cigarettes amid a global backlash against vaping over growing health concerns. The warning comes…

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Dutch health minister calls for international strategy to combat dementia

The Dutch health minister has called for a global strategy to deal with dementia at a meeting of world experts in Japan. Hugo De Jonge likened the growth in this…

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Geneva researchers discover molecule responsible for tissue damage in heart attacks

A research team in Switzerland has discovered the lipid responsible for killing tissue during a heart attack, raising potential for a new treatment model for heart attacks and strokes. Heart…

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British brain-damaged girl who was flown to Italy for treatment is ‘settling in well’

A severely brain-damaged girl who the British health services believed should have her life support withdrawn is settling into her new home in a specialist children's hospital in Italy. Tafida…

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Eddie Van Halen receiving throat cancer treatment in Germany

Entertainment website TMZ reports that Eddie Van Halen has been flying between the United States and Germany to get treatment for throat cancer. Back in 2000, shortly after he was…

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‘Unacceptable’ delays in the UK in diagnosing secondary breast cancer

One in four patients with secondary breast cancer had to visit their GP three or more times before they got a diagnosis, a survey suggests. A breast cancer charity said…

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‘Alarming upsurge’ in measles has devastating impact, WHO warns

Measles is staging a devastating comeback in epidemics across the world as the virus exploits dangerous gaps in vaccination coverage, World Health Organization (WHO) experts warned. Speaking after a two-day…

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Number of people killed by vaping in US hits 26

Twenty-six people have died from illnesses associated with e-cigarette use since March, US health authorities said Thursday, while some 1,300 have suffered lung injuries linked to vaping. Officials have yet…

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WHO launches first World report on vision

At least 2.2 billion people have vision impairment or blindness, of which over 1 billion cases could have been prevented or have yet to be addressed More than 1 billion…

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France to increase contribution to Global Fund to Fight HIV, TB and malaria by 15 percent

International donors gathered in France are set to pledge $14 billion on Thursday to combating the diseases, said French President Emmanuel Macron, announcing a 15% increase in his country’s contribution…

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British Chief Medical Officer calls for ban on food on public transport to stop children snacking

Eating on public transport should be banned and the sugar tax extended, or the Government will fail to meet its target to halve childhood obesity, a major new report says.…

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10

Oct

“Suicide prevention” the main theme of World Mental Health Day

This year, the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) has decided to make “suicide prevention” the main theme of World Mental Health Day. Suicidal behavior has existed throughout human history,…

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Zantac heartburn medicine recall in UK

UK doctors are being told to stop prescribing four types of a heartburn medication called Zantac or ranitidine as a "precautionary measure". It follows concern in several countries that products…

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Baldness linked to pollution levels

Air pollution, in particular levels of particulate matter, is linked to baldness, according to new research. Particulates are produced by the burning of fossil fuels, including petrol, diesel and other…

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07

Oct

Ground-breaking new platform launched in the UK to support mental health

Public Health England (PHE), in partnership with the NHS, on Monday launches Every Mind Matters to help people take simple steps to look after their mental health, improve their mental…

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Listeria scare in the Netherlands

Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo is recalling 135 different types of pre-packed cold meat ranging from salami to ham because of a listeria scare. Listeria may have been found in one…

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US vaping illness deaths rise to 18 with 1,000 cases reported

At least 18 deaths and more than 1,000 cases of a mysterious lung illness have been linked with vaping by US health authorities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…

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Tanzania suspected of covering up Ebola cases

Tanzania rejected suspicions that it might have covered up cases of the deadly Ebola virus, calling it a plot to show the country “in a bad light.” The health minister’s…

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Worldwide recall of Wilke meat products

German authorities closed production of Wilke Wurstwaren in Twistetal-Berndorf in northern Hesse following two deaths resulting from listeria germs found in pizza salami and boiled sausage by the meat products…

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Zantac sales suspend over cancer fears

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Concern in Switzerland after first vaping-related illness

Swiss lung doctors are calling for a register of suspected vaping-related illness after a first suspected case was reported in Switzerland. The issue has gained global attention in recent weeks as…

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World leaders adopt landmark declaration on universal health coverage

This week, world leaders adopted a United Nations Political Declaration on universal health coverage, the most comprehensive set of health commitments ever adopted at this level. “This declaration represents…

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Alarm in Germany over hand birth defects

Health officials have warned against panic after a pattern of anomalies appeared among newborns at a single Gelsenkirchen hospital. Similar hand deformities were observed in three deliveries — over a 12-week…

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India bans e-cigarettes

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that e-cigarettes will be banned in India. Envisioned as a tool to combat tobacco addiction, electronic cigarettes and other vaping products have become a…

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Vaping could be a ‘ticking time bomb’, British Chief Medical Officer warns

England's chief medical officer has raised fears that vaping is “a ticking time bomb” which could do long-term harm, amid growing concern about the safety of e-cigarettes. Prof Dame Sally…

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New York bans flavoured e-cigarettes

New York state has banned the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes amid growing national concern about the safety of the products. The ban went into effect after being approved by the…

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France expands area of distribution of iodine tablets to people living near nuclear plants

France is to give free iodine tablets to more people living near the country's 19 nuclear plants. The French ASN nuclear safety authority had announced in June an extension of…

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European Commission and World Health Organization join forces to promote the benefits of vaccines

Today, the European Commission and the World Health Organization (WHO) are co-hosting the world's first Global Vaccination Summit in Brussels. The aim is to accelerate global action to stop the…

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7,000 unvaccinated children banned from schools in the Italy

A reported 7,000 unvaccinated children under the age of six will not be admitted in schools in the Veneto region, regional health authorities announced. According to the data released by…

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US moves to ban flavoured e-cigarettes

The US federal government plans to ban flavoured e-cigarettes amid rising concern over youth vaping and lung illness and deaths linked to the products, President Donald Trump said Wednesday. The…

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World’s largest genetics project to tackle deadly diseases launched in the UK

A new ground-breaking project in the fight against life-threatening illnesses has launched today in the UK. The £200 million whole genome sequencing project is being created, forming a partnership of…

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WHO spotlights stalled effort to close health divide across Europe in new report

Progress on equal access to a healthy life for all, is at a standstill across Europe, a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed, despite their being a clear path to…

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£1 million to help British NHS reclaim debts from overseas visitors

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has announced plans to expand the NHS’s existing team of cost-recovery experts, backed by £1 million. Since 2018, a dedicated team of cost-recovery…

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UN health agency welcomes Facebook pledge to stop vaccine misinformation from going viral

The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomed Facebook’s pledge to ensure users can separate fact from fiction when it comes to vaccines, across its platforms from Facebook Search, to Groups, Pages and forums. Following…

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Second death in the US linked to vaping

A second person has died in the US from a severe lung disease apparently caused by vaping, public health officials in the state of Oregon have said. The person was…

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Statement by WHO Director-General on Facebook and Instagram and Vaccine Misinformation

The World Health Organization welcomes the commitment by Facebook to ensure that users find facts about vaccines across Instagram, Facebook Search, Groups, Pages and forums where people seek out…

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Vegan and vegetarian diets may increase stroke risk

Vegan and vegetarian diets are linked to a lower risk of heart disease but may increase the risk of stroke, experts say. A study from the University of Oxford found…

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Michigan becomes first US state to ban flavoured e-cigarettes

Michigan has become the first US state to ban flavoured e-cigarettes as part of efforts to curb youth vaping. The measure goes into effect in the next 30 days and…

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New Zealand measles outbreak rises above 1,000 cases

New Zealand's ongoing measles outbreak has hit the milestone of more than 1,000 confirmed cases. A total of 1,051 people were affected between 1 January and 5 September, 2019, the…

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Venice considering going smoke-free

Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro has mooted the idea of making the lagoon city smoke-free. For now, Brugnaro is thinking of smoke-free zones in the biggest tourist areas. The ban would…

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MMR vaccination call in England following high numbers of cases

Following the alarming number of outbreaks of measles and mumps Public Health England issued a call for anyone who is eligible to get vaccinated. In England, 301 new measles infections…

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Alarming number of Ebola deaths in DRC

Since the Ebola epidemic struck in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) one year ago, almost 600 of around 850 children who have caught the virus…

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Instagram is one source to blame for rise of eating disorders – Nutritionists

Nutritionists have told Sky News they believe certain accounts on social media platforms like Instagram are to blame for the rise in people with eating disorders like orthorexia. Rhiannon Lambert…

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US health authorities on alert after girl with measles visited Disneyland

A teenage girl from New Zealand sick with measles visited Disneyland and other popular tourist stops across Southern California earlier this month, possibly infecting others, local government health officials warned.…

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Spain issues international alert over listeria cases

Spain’s health ministry issued an international alert over the country’s biggest ever listeriosis outbreak as the number of people affected rose to 150, including one fatality. A 90-year-old woman died…

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E-cigarette firms probed over health concerns

Four dominant e-cigarette manufacturers face a probe in the United States into the health impacts of their products. The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee sent letters to Juul Labs…

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WHO warns microplastics present in drinking water

Microplastic pollution caused by rubbish dumped at sea is also in drinking water, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a new report that calls for more research on the…

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Restrictions in Switzerland on blood donations from persons who visited certain southern European countries

Travellers who spend at least 24 hours in certain southern European countries face restrictions when donating blood in Switzerland. The reason is the increase in cases of West Nile virus,…

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Britain to invest millions to support children and young people’s mental health

£3.3 million is being spent to expand 23 local projects to help prevent mental illness in children and young people. Thousands of young people across England will benefit from new…

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Boris Johnson orders urgent action to boost vaccination rates after UK loses its measles free status

The British prime minister is demanding urgent action to improve the UK's declining vaccination rates. A steady fall in the uptake of the MMR jab means the UK has now…

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