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2 hours agoShareSaveGrace Shaw & Phil BodmerYorkshireShareSaveBBCThe father of a baby girl who died five days after she was born in a Leeds hospital has said he wants an independent inquiry into maternity services to focus on culture as well as potential negligence.Freyja Green died in March 2019 after a traumatic birth at St James’s University Hospital.Her father, Damon Green, who is part of a campaign group calling for action over failings in maternity services run by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said his family had received poor bereavement care following Freyja’s death.While an inquest found no medical negligence, the trust has apologised for the bereavement care Freyja’s parents experienced, adding it was “deeply sorry for the tragic loss”.In October, Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed there would be an independent inquiry into the trust’s maternity units.Mr Green said he felt the trust was more concerned with protecting its reputation than with bereaved families, and suggested there was a “culture of arrogance”.He said a resident doctor – formerly known as a junior doctor, a person who has completed their medical degree and is now working – attempted to manually rotate Freyja in the birth canal before she was then taken to theatre for a forceps delivery.The baby needed resuscitation and tests revealed she had serious neck and spinal injuries from the forceps.”There were no cries, no sound,” Mr Green said.”Just beeping machines, hushed whispers and a lot of heaviness in the air.”That was when it really hit home. When there was no cry from Freyja, that was really quite hard.”After a couple of hours Mr Green said he and Freyja’s mother were told the baby had a neck and spine fracture and was not breathing on her own so needed to be moved to Leeds General Infirmary’s specialist unit.The baby had more tests and on the third day a consultant sat the parents down and explained her spine was fractured in three places and her spinal cord severed.”We were told she would never walk or talk or breathe on her own,” Mr Green said.”She’d constantly be at the hospital and would never have a life.”Freyja’s life support was removed and she died on 15 March 2019.Mr Green said there was “no empathy in that discussion” and he thought some NHS staff could be “desensitised” to giving bad news.He said they were offered very little bereavement support and at his daughter’s inquest he found hospital notes had been changed, but the resident doctor involved in the birth had not been required to attend the hearing.An inquest found Freyja died because of “fractures and birth trauma” rather than medical negligence, but the hospital has apologised for the bereavement care.Chief Medical Officer Dr Magnus Harrison said Freyja died from a rare complication during forceps delivery which was “an absolute tragedy” and said the trust was “deeply sorry for the tragic loss”.He said: “Freyja’s family did not receive appropriate bereavement support and communication during their care, and for this we sincerely apologise.”Dr Harrison said the trust was “committed to doing better” and family support from bereavement midwives had improved.He said it was a priority in the trust’s maternity and neonatal improvement plans.Mr Green said he was still unhappy that the trust had not apologised for the events during the birth itself, and a more senior medic should have stepped in earlier.The inquiry follows a BBC investigation into potentially preventable deaths at the trust.”Everybody is really happy it’s going forward,” Mr Green said.”In our case I do believe things were hidden, brushed aside.”Mr Green said he would be putting questions to the trust’s new chief executive, Brendan Brown.”If [the hospital and maternity services] hadn’t failed, my little girl would still be here,” he said.In a statement following the inquiry announcement, the trust told the BBC the vast majority of births at Leeds were safe, and deaths of mothers and babies were fortunately very rare.It added that Leeds cares for a higher volume of babies with complex conditions as it is one of a “handful of specialist centres” in the UK.More on this storyRelated internet links

Novo Nordisk’s new oral formulation of semaglutide 25 mg (Wegovy in a pill) produced a 16.6% average weight loss among adults with obesity, according to results from a newly published clinical study. The once-daily pill, developed as an alternative to the injectable version of Wegovy, helped one in three participants lose 20% or more of their body weight.
In addition to significant weight reduction, those taking oral semaglutide 25 mg experienced improvements in daily physical function, including activities such as bending, walking, standing, and overall mobility, along with better cardiovascular risk profiles. Novo Nordisk has submitted the treatment to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the first oral GLP-1 therapy for long-term weight management.2 Production of the medication is already underway at the company’s facilities in the United States.
Landmark Study Published in The New England Journal of Medicine
The OASIS 4 phase 3 trial, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, marks a major advance in Novo Nordisk’s effort to expand obesity treatment options. Conducted over 64 weeks, the study compared once-daily oral semaglutide 25 mg plus lifestyle changes with a placebo in 307 adults who were obese or overweight and had at least one weight-related condition, but did not have diabetes.
Participants who consistently adhered to treatment achieved an average weight loss of 16.6% versus 2.7% for those taking placebo. Over one-third (34.4%) lost at least 20% of their body weight compared with 2.9% in the placebo group. These outcomes were similar to previous results with injectable Wegovy.
When measured regardless of treatment adherence, average weight loss was 13.6% for the semaglutide group compared with 2.2% for placebo. In this group, nearly 30% (29.7%) of participants still lost 20% or more of their weight, compared with 3.3% for placebo. The study also confirmed improvements in cardiovascular risk markers and physical activity levels consistent with the injectable version.
Expert Perspectives on Efficacy and Potential Impact
“The oral semaglutide 25 mg data show compelling efficacy for an oral weight management medication with 16.6% weight loss and a safety and tolerability profile consistent with injectable Wegovy,” said Martin Holst Lange, chief scientific officer and executive vice president of Research & Development at Novo Nordisk. “Currently, less than 2% of individuals with obesity in the US receive obesity medication and Wegovy in a pill may also address patient preference for oral treatment. Pending FDA approval, ample supply will be available to meet the expected US demand as we hope to set a new treatment benchmark for oral weight loss medications for people with overweight or obesity.”

The OASIS 4 trial reported that gastrointestinal side effects with the oral medication were generally mild to moderate and temporary. The most common were nausea (46.6% compared with 18.6% for placebo) and vomiting (30.9% compared with 5.9% for placebo). Adverse events leading to permanent discontinuation occurred in 6.9% of participants on semaglutide and 5.9% of those on placebo. Serious adverse events were less frequent among those taking the medication (3.9%) compared with placebo (8.8%).
These findings reinforce the established safety and tolerability record of semaglutide, supported by more than 37 million patient-years of use worldwide.
Advancing Obesity Care Through Innovation
“The OASIS 4 trial results further underscore the significant impact that semaglutide can have in achieving sustainable weight loss and broader health benefits,” said Sean Wharton, lead study author and medical director of the Wharton Medical Clinic. “Oral semaglutide 25 mg builds on the proven efficacy and established safety and tolerability profile of semaglutide and represents a significant advancement in obesity treatment. People with overweight or obesity have individual preferences, and with oral semaglutide as a potential new treatment option, more of those who are not on treatment today may consider starting GLP-1 treatment.”
Novo Nordisk submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) for the once-daily Wegovy® pill to the FDA in February. The review is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.5 Currently, there are no oral GLP-1 therapies approved for weight management. If authorized, the new pill will be manufactured entirely in the United States, where production is already underway at Novo Nordisk’s expanded facility.
Inside the OASIS 4 Clinical Trial
OASIS 4 was a 64-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of once-daily oral semaglutide 25 mg in 307 adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) or overweight (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2) with at least one weight-related comorbidity. People with diabetes were not included.

The study included a 12-week dose escalation phase, a 52-week treatment period, and a 7-week follow-up after treatment ended. Participants were assigned in a 2:1 ratio to either semaglutide or placebo, combined with lifestyle counseling and diet modification for the duration of the trial.
Understanding Obesity as a Chronic Condition
Obesity is a complex, chronic, and progressive disease that requires long-term management. A common misconception is that it results solely from a lack of willpower, when in reality, biological, genetic, social, and environmental factors all contribute to the difficulty of losing and maintaining weight.
About Wegovy and Its Existing Uses
Wegovy is the brand name for semaglutide 2.4 mg, which is currently available as an injection. In the European Union, Wegovy is approved as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight management in adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) or overweight (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2) who have at least one weight-related condition. It is also approved for adolescents aged 12 and older with obesity and a body weight above 60 kg.
The label includes clinical data showing reductions in major cardiovascular events (MACE), improvements in symptoms related to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), enhanced physical function, and less pain associated with knee osteoarthritis.
In the United States, Wegovy (semaglutide) injection 2.4 mg is approved for adults and children aged 12 and older with obesity, or adults with overweight and a related medical condition, to help reduce excess body weight and maintain weight loss. It is also indicated to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with obesity or overweight and established heart disease.
Semaglutide injection 2.4 mg carries a Boxed Warning for possible thyroid tumors, including cancer, and should not be used by individuals with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). Oral semaglutide 25 mg (Wegovy in a pill) is not yet approved in the US or Europe.

Scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine have identified a surprising culprit that may contribute to dementia: free radicals generated in a particular region of brain support cells known as astrocytes. The study, published Nov. 4 in Nature Metabolism, found that blocking this specific site reduced inflammation and protected neurons. The results point toward a promising new strategy for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
“I’m really excited about the translational potential of this work,” said Dr. Anna Orr, the Nan and Stephen Swid Associate Professor of Frontotemporal Dementia Research in the Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute and member of the Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute at Weill Cornell, who co-led the study. “We can now target specific mechanisms and go after the exact sites that are relevant for disease.”
How Mitochondria and Free Radicals Affect the Brain
The research focused on mitochondria, the cell’s energy-producing structures that convert food into usable energy. In the process, mitochondria release reactive oxygen species (ROS) — molecules commonly known as free radicals. At normal levels, ROS help regulate essential cell functions, but excessive or poorly timed production can damage cells.
“Decades of research implicate mitochondrial ROS in neurodegenerative diseases,” said Dr. Adam Orr, an assistant professor of research in neuroscience in the Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute at Weill Cornell, who co-led the work.
Because of this connection, scientists have long tested antioxidants as a potential way to neutralize ROS and slow neurodegeneration. However, these clinical trials have largely failed. “That lack of success might be related to the inability of antioxidants to block ROS at their source and do so selectively without altering cell metabolism,” Dr. Adam Orr explained.
A New Way to Stop Harmful Free Radicals
As a postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Orr developed a drug discovery platform designed to find molecules that specifically suppress ROS at individual mitochondrial sites while leaving normal functions intact. Through this approach, the team identified a group of compounds called S3QELs (“sequels”), which showed potential to block harmful ROS activity.

The researchers focused on Complex III, a mitochondrial site known for producing ROS that can leak into the rest of the cell, potentially causing damage. To their surprise, the excess ROS did not originate from neurons, but from astrocytes — non-neuronal cells that provide structural and metabolic support to neurons.
“When we added S3QELs, we found significant neuronal protection but only in the presence of astrocytes,” said Daniel Barnett, a graduate student in the Orr lab and the study’s lead author. “This suggested that ROS coming from Complex III caused at least some of the neuronal pathology.”
Further experiments showed that when astrocytes were exposed to disease-related factors such as inflammatory molecules or proteins linked to dementia (including amyloid-beta), their mitochondrial ROS production increased dramatically. Treatment with S3QELs suppressed much of this rise, while blocking other ROS sources did not have the same effect.
Barnett discovered that ROS oxidized certain immune and metabolic proteins involved in neurological disease, altering the activity of thousands of genes tied to inflammation and dementia.
“The precision of these mechanisms had not been previously appreciated, especially not in brain cells,” said Dr. Anna Orr. “This suggests a very nuanced process in which specific triggers induce ROS from specific mitochondrial sites to affect specific targets.”
Promising Results in Animal Models
When the team administered the S3QEL compound to mice engineered to model frontotemporal dementia, they observed reduced astrocyte activation, lower levels of inflammatory gene expression, and a decrease in a tau modification linked to dementia. Remarkably, these effects appeared even when treatment began after symptoms had already started.

Extended treatment improved lifespan, was well tolerated, and produced no significant side effects. Dr. Anna Orr attributes this to the compound’s highly targeted action.
The team plans to continue developing the S3QEL compounds in collaboration with medicinal chemist Dr. Subhash Sinha, professor of research in neuroscience in the Brain and Mind Research Institute and member of the Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute at Weill Cornell.
They also intend to investigate how disease-associated genes influence ROS production and whether certain genetic variants that raise or lower dementia risk might do so by altering mitochondrial ROS activity.
Changing How Scientists Think About Free Radicals
“The study has really changed our thinking about free radicals and opened up many new avenues of investigation,” said Dr. Adam Orr. The potential of these findings to open new research approaches to inflammation and neurodegeneration is highlighted in the journal.

In a major step toward improving cancer treatment, researchers at Northwestern University have redesigned the molecular structure of a widely used chemotherapy drug, making it far more soluble, potent, and less toxic to the body.
The scientists built a new form of the drug using spherical nucleic acids (SNAs), a type of nanostructure that embeds the drug directly into DNA strands coating tiny spheres. This re-engineering turned a weak, poorly dissolving chemotherapy drug into a highly targeted cancer-fighting agent that spares healthy tissue.
A Dramatic Boost Against Leukemia
The new therapy was tested in animals with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a fast-growing and hard-to-treat blood cancer. Compared with the standard chemotherapy version, the SNA-based drug entered leukemia cells 12.5 times more efficiently, destroyed them up to 20,000 times more effectively, and slowed cancer progression 59-fold — all without detectable side effects.
This success highlights the growing promise of structural nanomedicine, a field that precisely controls the composition and architecture of nanomedicines to improve how they interact with the human body. With seven SNA-based treatments already in clinical testing, researchers believe this approach could pave the way for new vaccines and therapies for cancers, infections, neurodegenerative disorders, and autoimmune diseases.
The findings were published on Oct. 29 in ACS Nano.
“Stopping Tumors in Their Tracks”
“In animal models, we demonstrated that we can stop tumors in their tracks,” said Northwestern’s Chad A. Mirkin, who led the research. “If this translates to human patients, it’s a really exciting advance. It would mean more effective chemotherapy, better response rates, and fewer side effects. That’s always the goal with any sort of cancer treatment.”

Mirkin is a leading figure in chemistry and nanomedicine, serving as the George B. Rathmann Professor of Chemistry, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Medicine at Northwestern. He also directs the International Institute for Nanotechnology and is a member of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Rethinking a Classic Chemotherapy Drug
For this study, Mirkin’s team revisited 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu), a long-standing chemotherapy drug known for its limited efficiency and harsh side effects. Because it affects healthy cells as well as cancerous ones, 5-Fu can cause nausea, fatigue, and in rare cases, heart complications.
Mirkin explained that the issue lies not in the drug itself but in its poor solubility. Less than 1% dissolves in many biological fluids, meaning most of it never reaches its intended targets. When a drug cannot dissolve well, it clumps together or remains solid, preventing the body from absorbing it effectively.
“We all know that chemotherapy is often horribly toxic,” Mirkin said. “But a lot of people don’t realize it’s also often poorly soluble, so we have to find ways to transform it into water soluble forms and deliver it effectively.”
How Spherical Nucleic Acids Transform Drug Delivery
To overcome this limitation, the researchers turned to SNAs — globular nanoparticles surrounded by dense shells of DNA or RNA. Cells readily recognize these structures and pull them inside. In this case, Mirkin’s team chemically incorporated the chemotherapy molecules into the DNA strands themselves, creating a drug that cancer cells naturally absorb.

“Most cells have scavenger receptors on their surfaces,” Mirkin explained. “But myeloid cells overexpress these receptors, so there are even more of them. If they recognize a molecule, then they will pull it into the cell. Instead of having to force their way into cells, SNAs are naturally taken up by these receptors.”
Once inside, enzymes break down the DNA shell, releasing the chemotherapy payload directly into the cancer cell. This structural redesign completely changed how 5-Fu interacted with leukemia cells, dramatically increasing its effectiveness.
Precision Targeting With Minimal Harm
In mouse models, the new therapy nearly eliminated leukemia cells in the blood and spleen while significantly extending survival time. Because the SNAs selectively targeted AML cells, healthy tissues remained unharmed.
“Today’s chemotherapeutics kill everything they encounter,” Mirkin said. “So, they kill the cancer cells but also a lot of healthy cells. Our structural nanomedicine preferentially seeks out the myeloid cells. Instead of overwhelming the whole body with chemotherapy, it delivers a higher, more focused dose exactly where it’s needed.”
Next Steps Toward Clinical Trials
The research team now plans to test the approach in a larger group of small animal models before advancing to larger animals and, ultimately, human clinical trials, once additional funding becomes available.
The study, titled “Chemotherapeutic spherical nucleic acids,” was supported by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, with further support from the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University.

Memory problems may not be an unavoidable part of getting older. New findings from Virginia Tech reveal that age-related memory loss stems from specific molecular changes in the brain, and that fine-tuning these processes can help restore memory function.
In two complementary studies, Timothy Jarome, an associate professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ School of Animal Sciences, and his graduate students used advanced gene-editing tools to target these molecular changes and improve memory performance in older rats. Rats are commonly used as models for understanding how memory declines with age.
“Memory loss affects more than a third of people over 70, and it’s a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease,” said Jarome, who also serves in the School of Neuroscience. “This work shows that memory decline is linked to specific molecular changes that can be targeted and studied. If we can understand what’s driving it at the molecular level, we can start to understand what goes wrong in dementia and eventually use that knowledge to guide new approaches to treatment.”
Adjusting Memory Pathways in the Hippocampus and Amygdala
In the first study, published in Neuroscience and led by Jarome and doctoral student Yeeun Bae, the researchers investigated a molecular process called K63 polyubiquitination. This process acts like a tagging system that directs proteins inside brain cells on how to behave. When it functions properly, it helps neurons communicate effectively and form memories.
The researchers discovered that aging alters this process in two important brain regions. In the hippocampus, which is responsible for forming and retrieving memories, K63 polyubiquitination levels rise with age. Using a gene-editing system called CRISPR-dCas13, the team lowered those levels and observed improved memory in older rats.
In contrast, in the amygdala — a region crucial for emotional memory — K63 polyubiquitination decreases with age. When the researchers further reduced this activity, memory performance also improved.

“Together, these findings reveal the important functions of K63 polyubiquitination in the brain’s aging process,” Jarome explained. “In both regions, adjusting this one molecular process helped improve memory.”
Reactivating a Dormant Gene to Improve Memory
The second study, published in the Brain Research Bulletin and led by Jarome and doctoral student Shannon Kincaid, focused on IGF2, a growth-factor gene known to support memory formation. As the brain gets older, IGF2 activity declines as the gene becomes chemically silenced within the hippocampus.
“IGF2 is one of a small number of genes in our DNA that’s imprinted, which means it’s expressed from only one parental copy,” Jarome said. “When that single copy starts to shut down with age, you lose its benefit.”
The team found that this silencing occurs through DNA methylation, a natural process that adds chemical tags to DNA, turning the gene off. Using the CRISPR-dCas9 gene-editing system, they removed these tags and successfully reactivated IGF2. Older rats showed significant memory improvement once the gene was turned back on.
“We essentially turned the gene back on,” Jarome said. “When we did that, the older animals performed much better. Middle-aged animals that didn’t yet have memory problems weren’t affected, which tells us timing matters. You have to intervene when things start to go wrong.”
Multiple Molecular Systems Influence Brain Aging

Together, these studies reveal that memory loss during aging doesn’t result from a single cause. Instead, it involves several molecular systems that change over time.
“We tend to look at one molecule at a time, but the reality is that many things are happening at once,” Jarome said. “If we want to understand why memory declines with age or why we develop Alzheimer’s disease, we have to look at the broader picture.”
Collaborative Research Led by Graduate Scientists
Both projects were driven by graduate researchers in Jarome’s lab and carried out with collaborators at Rosalind Franklin University, Indiana University, and Penn State. Yeeun Bae led the K63 polyubiquitination study, while Shannon Kincaid led the IGF2 project.
“These projects represent the kind of graduate-led, collaborative research that defines our work,” Jarome said. “Our students are deeply involved in designing experiments, analyzing data, and helping shape the scientific questions we pursue.”
The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Federation for Aging Research.
“Everyone has some memory decline as they get older,” Jarome added. “But when it becomes abnormal, the risk for Alzheimer’s disease rises. What we’re learning is that some of those changes happening at a molecular level can be corrected — and that gives us a path forward to potential treatments.”

6 hours agoShareSaveYasmin Rufo and Michelle RobertsShareSaveGetty ImagesHeadaches are something almost all of us deal with at some point.They can last from a couple of minutes to days and the pain can be sharp, dull, throbbing or stabbing and sometimes spread beyond your head to your scalp, face or even your neck.Dr Xand van Tulleken, who hosts the BBC’s What’s Up Docs wellness podcast, knows the feeling all too well and says he gets headaches once a month or every six weeks and it “feels like someone’s drilling into my eyeball”.While it’s easy to panic about what might be behind a bad headache, Dr Katy Munro, a GP and expert at the National Migraine Centre, says it’s rarely something serious.”It’s natural to worry that something is seriously wrong, but the chances of that are actually very small,” she explains.She advises that if it’s your “first or worst headache, get it checked out by a doctor,” but if you’re getting a pattern of milder, recurring headaches, there are a few simple things you can try at home as well as seeing your GP.1. How big was the impact on your day?Dr Xand says understanding your own headaches can be surprisingly helpful as they often don’t have a single cause so keeping a diary can help you spot patterns and triggers.For some people, weather such as thunder and lightning could trigger it, while for others it might be sensitivity to light.”The worst time for me is when we’re driving in the autumn and the sun is low and the sun is flickering through the trees…it really aggravates,” says Dr Munro.It’s worth noting down things like:What you were doing when the headache startedWhat you ate or drankHow well you sleptThe weatherFor women, track your menstrual cycle, as headaches can be linked to hormonal changesBut, Dr Munro cautions that you shouldn’t overdo it.”I made the mistake of making mine very detailed, which was depressing. Instead keep it simple and maybe write a number from one to 10 to summarise the impact it had on your day.”It’s also useful to track how many crystal-clear days you have, not just the bad ones.Your doctor can then review it to help identify patterns.2. Use caffeine wisely You might think that caffeine is something you should instantly avoid if you have a headache but Dr Munro says the truth is more nuanced. In small, careful doses, it can make painkillers more effective if you are not having too much caffeine on a daily basis.”Caffeine is a co-analgesic which means it can boost the effect of a painkiller,” Dr Munro explains, but avoid it in the afternoon and evening as it can disrupt your sleep.It’s worth also thinking about your caffeine consumption more broadly – consuming lots of it every day can cause a caffeine overuse headache and if you suddenly stop, you might get a withdrawal headache.3. Don’t skip mealsWhat you eat and when may make a difference if you’re suffering from headaches.Dr Munro recommends following a diet similar to the Mediterranean one that is rich in protein, healthy fats and complex carbs which can help stabilise your energy levels.You should avoid quick-release sugary snacks and definitely don’t skip meals as that can be a common trigger.Dr Munro says she found her headaches were helped by cutting out dairy and gluten, though that’s not universal.”I also found eating regularly and taking lunch to work made a difference,” she says.As well as thinking about food, Dr Munro says regular exercise, good sleep, stress management and staying hydrated can also help reduce headaches.You should drink enough during the day so your pee is a pale clear colour and you don’t feel thirsty. 4. Avoid painkillers with codeine”There are lots of things, like painkillers or anti-nausea tablets, you can buy over the counter that may be helpful to manage headaches” says Dr Munro.She cautions that you should avoid “anything containing codeine” as it can make some headaches occur more frequently and can worsen symptoms like nausea. “Painkillers can work extremely well but it does depend on how severe your headache is.”If they’re becoming more frequent or intense, your GP can help you find a more suitable medication.”Make sure you don’t regularly take painkillers on more than two days a week as this will reduce your risk of rebound headaches.

1 day agoShareSaveTabby WilsonShareSaveGetty ImagesA palliative care nurse in Germany has been sentenced to life in prison after he was convicted of the murder of 10 patients and the attempted murder of 27 others.Prosecutors alleged that the man, who has not been publicly named, injected his mostly elderly patients with painkillers or sedatives in an effort to ease his workload during shifts overnight.The offences were committed between December 2023 and May 2024 in a hospital in Wuerselen, in western Germany. Investigators are reported to be looking into several other suspicious cases during his career.According to media outlet Agence France-Presse (AFP), the unnamed man had been employed at the hospital in Wuerselen since 2020, after completing training as a nursing professional in 2007. Prosecutors told a court in Aachen that he showed “irritation” and a lack of empathy to patients who required a higher level of care, and accused him of playing “master of life and death”. The court was told that he injected patients with large doses of morphine and midazolam, a type of sedative, in an effort to reduce his workload during night shifts.He was arrested in 2024.When issuing the life sentence, the court said that the man’s crimes carried a “particular severity of guilt” which should bar him from early release after 15 years.He will be able to appeal the verdict.Prosecutors have told AFP that exhumations are taking place to identify further potential victims, which could see the man put on trial again.The case bears similarity to that of former nurse Niels Högel, who was handed a life sentence in 2019 after he was convicted of murdering 85 patients at two hospitals in northern Germany. A court found that he administered lethal doses of heart medication to people in his care between 1999 and 2005.He is believed to be the most prolific killer in Germany’s modern history.

8 hours agoShareSaveVicki Loader, Nick Triggle & Catherine BurnsBBC NewsShareSaveBBCSpecialist ADHD services for adults in England are stopping taking on new patients as they struggle to cope with demand, a BBC investigation has shown.The BBC has identified 15 local areas that have closed waiting lists and another 31 that have introduced tighter criteria, making it more difficult to access support.Reacting to our investigation, Prof Anita Thapar, chair of NHS England’s ADHD taskforce, said the findings were “disturbing”, adding there were “enormous risks” for patients.It comes as she prepares to publish her report into the state of ADHD services on Thursday, which is expected to recommend an overhaul of the way people are supported.ADHD – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – affects the way the brain works and can cause people to act impulsively and become easily distracted.It is thought to affect 5% of children and 3-4% of adults, although many remain undiagnosed.Getting a diagnosis and treatment, which can include medication and psychological therapy, can be life-changing, experts say.But NHS data already shows average waits of eight years for adults once someone is on a waiting list.And now a BBC investigation has found a significant number of areas are restricting access to those waiting lists.The BBC received information from 59 services, which accounts for the majority of those providing support in England, after submitting freedom of information requests. The responses showed: 15 trusts had halted all or part of their referrals – some cover large areas and have closed their waiting lists to just some placesIn Cheshire, the service for adults has been closed to new patients since 2019Of the remaining trusts, 31 were rationing care by bringing in exclusions, such as by age or severityOne trust, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust, is being threatened with legal action for restricting adult assessments to people under 25 onlyIn some areas, people referred for support by GPs can use something called ‘right to choose’ to go onto another NHS list or ask for private support, which would provide an alternative option if their local NHS has stopped taking on new referrals.The BBC investigation also found examples of areas that are innovating. One of those is Surrey where the local service, which has 11,000 adults on its waiting list, is piloting a scheme to train a group of private GPs to carry out assessments and treatment.’I find daily life hard’Louise Nichols, who suspects she has ADHD, is just one of many people affected by the rationing. Even when she was at primary school she struggled. She was diagnosed with school phobia and ended up being home schooled for a while, and has since found it hard to stay in a job.The mother-of-one says it is frustrating to see everyone else managing, while she finds daily life hard. “I need a way of helping me function to the best of my abilities. Whether that’s medication or whether that’s support,” she says.”I’m hoping to get a part-time job. I want to be part of my community.”The 45-year-old lives in Derbyshire, but as this area does not have its own service, she was on the waiting list with the neighbouring Sheffield trust for two years.But she was taken off that list in October last year because Sheffield stopped doing assessments for people who live outside their borders, as it’s struggling to keep up with demand. There are more than 3,700 people in the county in the same position.She said it was really disappointing. “I can’t understand why a national health service isn’t  across the whole nation. ”Patients at riskProf Thapar said the problems being encountered by people like Louise were unacceptable and showed the “historic neglect” of ADHD by the NHS.She called the BBC’s findings “disturbing”, adding: “There’s enormous risks. It’s not a trivial condition.”With the right support, she said people with ADHD can thrive, but there were “high, high risks” that without that support, people’s conditions can become much more complicated.This, she said, can include mental health problems, substance misuse, unemployment and getting in trouble with the criminal justice system.And Dr Jessica Eccles, of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said services were having to make difficult decisions because “rising demand was outstripping capacity” in many parts of the country.”There are unacceptably long waiting lists,” she added.’Diagnosis transformed my life’Patients who have received support say it has transformed their lives.Sam Stone is an example of that, but he had to battle to get help.The 33-year-old, who lives near Gloucester, paid for a private diagnosis on his health insurance, but his GP wouldn’t accept it and he had to go back on an NHS waiting list to get it confirmed.He is angry at how complicated the system is. “I almost struggle to think about it as a system, to be honest, because it feels like there’s such a cacophony of routes that it almost feels like you’re constantly trying to hack the system.”Sam said the diagnosis has been life-changing. He had been on and off anti-depressants since the age of 16, but he is now on medication for his ADHD.He said it was like having a cloud hanging over him removed. “It’s massive, it’s huge,” Sam says.Additional reporting by Elena Bailey and data analysis by Rob England

The British Medical Association has rejected a fresh offer from the government to end the long-running dispute with resident doctors in England.Health Secretary Wes Streeting had proposed covering the cost of exam fees and expanding training places more quickly than planned and wrote to the union on Wednesday giving it until the end of Thursday to accept the package.But the BMA said the offer did not go far enough – and the government needed to increase pay.It comes ahead of a five-day strike by resident doctors, the name now for junior doctors, which gets under way on 14 November. It will be the 13th walkout since March 2023.The fresh offer made by Streeting in the letter to the BMA on Wednesday afternoon followed a meeting with the union’s leaders on Tuesday.There were a range of measures, including covering the cost of mandatory exams, which can run to thousands of pounds over the course of doctor training, and membership fees to royal colleges.The health secretary had also promised to expand the number of training places more quickly than initially planned.But the BMA told the BBC on Wednesday night that it had rejected the offer.The 10-year NHS plan published in early summer pledged an extra 1,000 training places by 2028, but this will now be increased to 2,000 with the 1,000 boost happening next year.These are speciality training places that doctors move into after the first two years of training.This year there were more than 30,000 applicants for 10,000 jobs at this stage, although some will have been doctors from abroad.In the letter to the BMA Streeting said: “The choice is clear. You can continue to pursue unnecessary strike action, which will cause disruption to patients, harm the NHS’s recovery and mean that at least some parts of this offer become unaffordable.”Or you can put an end to this damaging period of industrial action and work in partnership with the government to both deliver real change and improvements.”The letter said iafter Thursday the NHS would have to start cancelling treatments and bookings ahead of the next walkout.The offer has been made after months of dialogue between the union and government, which began in July after the last round of strikes.Streeting has maintained he would not negotiate on pay after resident doctors had received pay rises totalling nearly 30% in the past three years.But the BMA has argued that, despite the pay rises, resident doctors’ pay is still a fifth lower than it was in 2008, once inflation is taken into account.Responding to the offer, Dr Jack Fletcher, chairman of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, said it “does not go far enough”.He said even with the expansion of training places resident doctors would still be left without a job at a crucial point of their training.”We have also been clear with the government that they can call off strikes for years if they’re willing to offer a multi-year pay deal that restores pay over time. “Sadly, even after promising a journey to fair pay, Mr Streeting is still unwilling to move.”The strike next week is expected to cause significant disruption, particularly in hospitals.Resident doctors represent nearly half the medical workforce and range from doctors fresh out of university through to those with up to a decade of experience.They will walk out of both emergency and routine care with senior doctors brought in to provide cover.While the NHS attempted to keep as many routine services running as possible during the last strike, thousands of operations and appointments still had to be postponed.

Meditation is now widely promoted as a tool for everything from reducing stress to improving productivity. It has become a go-to approach for supporting mental well-being across many settings.
However, when a practice like meditation is used in medical or therapeutic contexts, important scientific questions arise. How much practice is needed to produce benefits? And just as critically, are there any risks or unwanted side effects associated with it?
“This is the kind of research that is done at the very beginning of developing any new treatment intervention program,” explained Nicholas Van Dam, a psychologist at the University of Melbourne. “And for various complex reasons, with mindfulness-based programs in particular, that just didn’t happen.”
Exploring the Possible Downsides of Meditation
While many people report positive outcomes, research over the years has also revealed that meditation can lead to adverse experiences for some individuals. These side effects may include panic attacks, intrusive or distressing memories related to past trauma (as seen in post-traumatic stress disorder), and in more extreme cases, sensations of depersonalization or dissociation.
Van Dam noted that estimates of how common these experiences are vary widely in the scientific literature. Some studies suggest that only about 1% of meditators experience side effects (Wong et al., 2018), whereas others report figures as high as two thirds (Britton et al., 2021).
To clarify these inconsistencies, Van Dam and his colleagues conducted a study published in Clinical Psychological Science to investigate how frequently meditators encounter side effects and what factors might increase the likelihood of experiencing them.

A Nationwide Study of Meditation Experiences
The research team recruited nearly 900 adults from across the United States. To ensure the group reflected the broader U.S. population of meditators, they used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to guide participant selection. The researchers also recruited meditators from a wide range of skill levels, from beginner to advanced, “such that we could kind of get a sense of the full sample of people who engage in meditation within the U.S.,” Van Dam said.
Van Dam emphasized that the way researchers ask about side effects can dramatically influence the findings. “The devil is in the details,” he said, explaining that many previous studies rely on open-ended questions, a method known as spontaneous reporting. In such cases, participants might not recognize their experiences as side effects or may hesitate to mention them.
To reduce that uncertainty, Van Dam’s team developed a 30-item checklist covering possible effects of meditation. Participants rated the intensity of each effect, whether it was positive or negative, and whether it interfered with their daily functioning.
What the Data Revealed
The results showed that nearly 60% of U.S. meditators reported at least one side effect listed on the checklist (for example, feeling anxious or disembodied). About 30% said they experienced effects that were challenging or distressing, and 9% reported that these effects caused functional impairment.

The study also identified several potential risk factors. Individuals who had experienced mental health symptoms or psychological distress within the 30 days before meditating were more likely to report adverse effects. Those who attended intensive residential retreats, which often involve long periods of silent meditation, were also more likely to experience functional impairment.
Van Dam noted that more research is needed to determine cause and effect. A prospective longitudinal study, he said, would help clarify how mental health and meditation interact over time.
Encouraging Awareness, Not Fear
Despite these findings, Van Dam cautioned against viewing meditation as dangerous. “Our conclusions are not that people should be terrified, or people should not try meditation. It’s really that we think that we should do a better job of providing informed consent,” he said.
He compared the situation to other therapeutic treatments, such as surgery or exposure therapy, where patients are told in advance what they might experience. This preparation allows individuals to weigh risks and make informed decisions about their participation.
Navigating Discomfort in Mindfulness Practice
In meditation, this kind of pre-discussion often doesn’t happen. “We have to find a way to have that conversation and navigate that space,” Van Dam said. He suggested that practitioners and clinicians should explain that discomfort can sometimes be part of the process. Feelings of unease or questioning one’s sense of self are not necessarily signs of harm but rather potential aspects of deep psychological exploration. However, distress that significantly interferes with daily functioning should be taken seriously.
“These practices are not for everyone,” Van Dam concluded. “If they’re not working, it’s not necessarily because the person is doing something wrong. It might be because it’s just not a good match.”