Yesterday, Prime Minister David Cameron was drawn into a row over the provision of drugs for rare illnesses following a confrontation regarding the case of a six-year-old boy from Yorkshire. NHS England bosses were due to make a series of decisions next week over the provision of treatments for dozens of conditions. The process has … [Read more…]
Health watchdogs have done a U-turn in regards to a new cancer treatment for patients with leukaemia, enabling patients in England and Wales to have access to the drug. The drug known as Gazyvaro aims to treat those with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL), and claims to have the ability to reduce risk of death by … [Read more…]
Threat of antibiotic resistance continues Researchers have discovered that nearly one in seven antibiotic treatments prescribed by GP’s to fight common infections over the past 20 years have failed. The study by Cardiff University looked at nearly 11 million prescriptions handed out between 1991 and 2012, in a bid to establish the level of antibiotic … [Read more…]
Are new drugs effective or hazardous? Researchers have discovered that new prescription drugs have a one in five chance of causing serious reactions after they have been approved, with systematical reviews revealing that 1.9 million hospitalisations a year are attributed to using new medication. The Harvard Law report explained that 840,000 patients given new drugs … [Read more…]
Prime minister acts to combat antibiotic resistance Conservative prime minister David Cameron has launched investigations into tackling the threat of antibiotic resistance, as he states that the world could be “cast back into the dark ages of medicine” unless the situation is dealt with promptly. His recent review begs why so few anti-microbial drugs have been introduced … [Read more…]
Trials focusing on advanced skin cancer provide “exciting” results Two international trials studying potential new skin cancer treatments have yielded promising results, giving 69% of patients an additional year to live. The usual survival rate is approximately six months. The treatments, combating advanced melanoma, are designed to enable the immune system to recognise and target … [Read more…]
Massage and acupuncture may be offered on the NHS Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has suggested that traditional Chinese medicine, such as acupuncture, should be available on the NHS if there is sufficient evidence that it is beneficial to patients. Replying to a question in the Commons on Tuesday, Mr Hunt agreed that Chinese techniques could … [Read more…]
MP pushed to make a decision about legal highs The growing concerns about the legal highs industry is still open to debate according to Crime prevention minister Norman Baker. The Liberal Democrat minister revealed that all options are still being considered, although it has been agreed that a solution needs to be found. Despite legal highs claiming … [Read more…]