Policy
The UK’s over-85 population is set to double over the next 25 years, new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show. There were 1.75 million people aged 85 and over in mid-2024, accounting for 2.5 per cent of the population, a figure expected to rise to 3.6 million, or 4.9 per cent, by [...]
Cancer rates are rising among adults aged 20 to 49, with obesity emerging as a significant factor behind the increase, a study suggests. Researchers found that 11 cancers are becoming more common in this age group: thyroid, multiple myeloma, liver, kidney, gallbladder, colorectal, pancreatic, endometrial, oral, breast and ovarian cancers. Of those 11 cancers, all [...]
UK healthy life expectancy has fallen over the past decade, leaving Britain behind most comparable rich countries, a study suggests. Healthy life expectancy is the amount of time someone spends free of illness or disability. The sharp decline in Britain’s healthy life expectancy contrasts with the recent rise seen in most other rich countries. The [...]
Liver disease linked to obesity and high blood sugar could affect 1.8bn people worldwide by 2050, a study suggests. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD, was previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It is one of the most common and fastest-growing liver conditions worldwide. There are now 1.3bn people worldwide living with MASLD, [...]
A prebiotic fibre supplement may ease arthritis pain and improve grip strength in people with knee osteoarthritis, a study suggests. The daily supplement, made from inulin, a dietary fibre found in chicory root, Jerusalem artichokes and other vegetables, also lowered pain sensitivity and saw fewer people drop out than a digital physiotherapy programme tested alongside [...]
The Scottish Medicines Consortium has declined to recommend the Alzheimer's therapy donanemab (Kisunla, Eli Lilly) for early-stage disease in NHS Scotland. The decision affects patients with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease who are apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 heterozygotes or non-carriers, a genetic marker. The consortium cited uncertainty over clinical relevance [...]
