In Focus
Body Mass Index is a measurement used globally to assess a person’s body size. Health professionals have said it is a quick and cheap way to make estimations about an individual’s potential risk of disease or poor health, but that it is more effective when used alongside other measurements. Concerns have recently been raised about the use of BMI as a barrier to treatment for eating disorders.
In Focus
The Prisons (Substance Testing) Bill is a government supported private member’s bill. It would amend existing legislation to allow prisons to test for a wider range of drugs, including psychoactive substances and prescription and pharmacy medicines, without the need to regularly change legislation in the future.
In Focus
The Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Bill would prohibit specific cosmetic procedures being performed on young people under the age of 18 in England, except under the direction of a registered health professional (such as doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses). It would also prohibit businesses from arranging or performing the procedures on under-18s. The bill has completed its stages in the House of Commons and is due to have its second reading in the Lords on 16 April 2021.
Current Affairs Digest
Catch up on the world of science with a selection of articles you may have missed from February 2021. Articles this month look at noise levels under the sea, and how decision making is harder for those with anxiety and depression.
In Focus
Malaria remains a deadly disease for many countries. A complex parasite causes the illness, which means it has proved difficult to vaccinate against. Currently, only one vaccine candidate has received regulatory approval, and no candidate has ever been fully launched and distributed. Why is malaria so difficult to vaccinate against, and which vaccine candidates are currently in development?
In Focus
The first lockdown was implemented across the UK in March 2020. On the first anniversary, what evidence is there on the impact of the pandemic and initial lockdown on public health, the economy and education?
In Focus
The coronavirus pandemic has led to an increased focus on the NHS and whether it has enough staff to meet the country’s healthcare needs. NHS staffing after the pandemic is the subject of a question for short debate to be asked in grand committee in the House of Lords on 4 March 2021.
In Focus
Around 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder. Disorders often have complex causes, and they can last for many years. To mark Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2021, this article provides an overview of the three most common eating disorders and identifies who is most at risk and what treatments are available.
In Focus
Mesothelioma and pneumoconiosis are diseases primarily affecting industrial and construction workers. Sufferers are eligible for government compensation schemes if they cannot claim civil damages against their employers. Two sets of regulations would increase the amounts payable by 0.5 percent from 1 April 2021, in line with inflation and the uprating being applied to other disability benefits.
In Focus
Many health professionals and organisations have raised concerns about the negative impact the Covid-19 pandemic is having on cancer survival rates in the UK. This is mainly due to delays and cancellations in screening and diagnostic services. Concern has also been raised about the impact of Covid-19 on cancer patients and their weakened immune systems. This article will look in more detail at the impact Covid-19 is having on cancer in the UK.
In Focus
This article looks at the World Health Organisation's latest findings on the prevalence of HIV globally, studies into HIV status and Covid-19 and UNAIDS' call for global solidarity and shared responsibility.
In Focus
Following the introduction of a second national lockdown in England, the Government introduced a ban on evictions against residential tenants and restrictions on the seizure of goods inside someone’s home by bailiffs. The Government stated these measures were necessary because of the high risk of Covid-19 transmission and the difficulty in accessing public services when pressure on the NHS and local authorities was most acute. The restrictions will be in place over the mid-winter period.
In Focus
Public health information has been a central tool in the Government’s fight against Covid-19. However, the public’s ability to obtain, process and understand health information is variable, with 61% of adults in one observational study struggling to understand health information that included both text and numbers. This article examines some of the barriers to understanding public health information, particularly in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. It also looks at what the Government is doing to improve levels of health literacy.
In Focus
The draft Human Medicines (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 and the draft Medical Devices (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 seek to amend how clinical trials, medicines and medical devices will be regulated in both Great Britain and Northern Ireland after 31 December 2020, whilst taking into account the Northern Ireland Protocol. Under the Protocol, trade in goods between Northern Ireland and Ireland, and between Northern Ireland and EU Member States, will continue unaffected.
In Focus
The Government has announced that the England-wide Covid-19 restrictions commonly referred to as ‘lockdown 2’ will not be renewed past 2 December 2020. The restrictions are to be replaced with a revised tier structure for England similar to the one in place before the second lockdown. The revised tiers form part of the Government’s Winter Plan, which was announced on 23 November 2020.
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