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1 day agoShareSaveNiall BlaneyBBC News NIShareSaveGetty ImagesNorthern Ireland’s health trusts spent almost £22m in a single year on restricted procedures which should only be carried out in very specific circumstances, according to the auditor general.Dorinnia Carville said about 12,000 operations, which include tummy tucks and tonsillectomies, were carried out in 2023-24 without any assurance they complied with government policy.Ms Carville described the lack of oversight by the Department of Health and the trusts as “very disappointing”. The Department of Health and the five health trusts acknowledged the concerns raised in the Audit Office report and accepted that oversight arrangements must be strengthened.Health trusts must adhere to the Effective Use of Resources (EUR) policy which restricts 29 medical procedures, with six of these not permitted at all.The Audit Office report found 40 restricted procedures were carried out each day during that year.Other restricted procedures include liposuction, breast reduction, removal of breast implants, carpal tunnel and tattoo removal.About £6m was spent in a single year on removing patients’ tonsils.Procedures such as the repair of split ear lobes, fixing simple snoring and the reversal of male and female sterilisation are not permitted.The auditor general found the EUR policy was “not resulting in good value for money being achieved”.She said: “Trusts have not put in place arrangements to verify that medical staff are complying with the policy.””At a time when our health service is facing increased demands and significant financial pressures, measures introduced to ensure the effective use of resources are vital.”However, these can only be successful if they are properly implemented and monitored.”While some of the thousands of procedures performed may have been permissible under the policy, the report found health trusts had not put any arrangements in place to verify this.No such assurances were provided by trusts during 2023-24, and none was sought by the department, said the auditor general.The report recommends that trusts introduce arrangements for monitoring and complying with the rules, and for the Department of Health to ensure they are doing so.It is also calling on the department to review the rules policy every two years.The Department of Health said it was committed to working collaboratively over the next 12 months to implement the recommendations.”It must be emphasised that the EUR commissioning position is there to guide clinicians who must continue to exercise their professional judgment in providing appropriate, timely care,” a spokesperson added.”While there is an onus to take account of the position, other factors must also be taken into account, including patient safety.”

An international team of scientists led by researchers at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS), Imperial College London and the University of Cologne have discovered that microbes associated with tumors produce a molecule, which can control cancer progression and boost the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
Most people are familiar with the microbes on our skin or in our gut, but recent discoveries have revealed that tumors also host unique communities of bacteria. Scientists are now investigating how these tumor-associated bacteria can affect tumor growth and the response to chemotherapy.
New research, published online in Cell Systems on September 10, 2025, provides a significant breakthrough in this field, identifying a powerful anti-cancer metabolite produced by bacteria associated with colorectal cancer. This finding opens the door to new strategies for treating cancer, including the development of novel drugs that could make existing therapies more potent.
The researchers used a sophisticated large-scale screening approach to test over 1,100 conditions in a type of microscopic worm called C. elegans. Through this, they found that the bacteria E. coli produced a molecule called 2-methylisocitrate (2-MiCit) that could improve the effectiveness of the chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).
Using computer modelling, the team demonstrated that the tumor-associated microbiome (bacteria found within and around tumors) from patients was also able to produce 2-MiCit. To confirm the effectiveness of 2-MiCit, the team used two further systems; human cancer cells and a fly model of colorectal cancer. In both cases, they found that 2-MiCit showed potent anti-cancer properties, and for the flies could extend survival.
Professor Filipe Cabreiro, head of the Host-Microbe Co-Metabolism group at the LMS, and group leader at the CECAD Research Cluster in Cologne, explains the significance of the discovery: “We’ve known that bacteria are associated with tumors, and now we’re starting to understand the chemical conversation they’re having with cancer cells. We found that one of these bacterial chemicals can act as a powerful partner for chemotherapy, disrupting the metabolism of cancer cells and making them more vulnerable to the drug.”
The study revealed that 2-MiCit works by inhibiting a key enzyme in the mitochondria (structures inside cells that generate energy for cellular functions) of cancer cells. This leads to DNA damage and activates pathways known to reduce the progression of cancer. This multi-pronged attack weakens the cancer cells and works in synergy with 5-FU. The combination was significantly more effective at killing cancer cells than either compound alone.

Dr Daniel Martinez-Martinez, postdoctoral researcher at the LMS and first author of the paper, says: “Microbes are an essential part of us. That a single molecule can exert such a profound impact on cancer progression is truly remarkable, and another piece of evidence on how complex biology can be when considering it from a holistic point of view. It is really exciting because we are only scratching the surface of what is really happening.”
In collaboration with medicinal chemists, the researchers also modified the 2-MiCit compound to enhance its effectiveness. This synthetic version proved even more powerful at killing cancer cells, demonstrating the potential to develop new drugs based on natural microbial products. Filipe adds: “Using the natural microbial product as a starting point, we were able to design a more potent molecule, effectively improving on mother nature.”
These exciting discoveries highlight how the cancer-associated microbiome can impact tumor progression, and how metabolites produced by these bacteria could be harnessed to improve cancer treatments. These findings are also important in the context of personalized medicine, emphasizing the importance of considering not only the patient, but also their microbes.
This study was primarily funded by the Leverhulme Trust, the Wellcome Trust/Royal Society, the DFG German Research Foundation, and the Medical Research Council.

DMT, or dimethyltryptamine is a natural psychoactive molecule found in many plants and mammals. According to an article published in Science Advances, researchers from the HUN-REN BRC Institute of Biophysics and Semmelweis University Heart and Vascular Centre found that DMT reduces the harmful effects of stroke in animal models and cell culture experiments.
A solution from nature in the spotlight
DMT is also present in the human brain, and it is currently undergoing clinical trials to aid recovery of brain function after stroke. However, its exact mechanism of action had not been fully understood until now. “It is amazing how we can always turn to Nature to find ingenious solutions for health problems” says co-lead author Mária Deli from the HUN-REN BRC.
The blood-brain barrier as a therapeutic target
“We found that DMT significantly reduced infarct volume and edema formation in a rat stroke model,” explains co-first author Marcell László. In both animal experiments and cell culture models, the authors showed that DMT treatment restored the structure and function of the damaged blood-brain barrier and improved the function of astroglial cells. This psychoactive compound also inhibited the production of inflammatory cytokines in brain endothelial cells and peripheral immune cells, while reduced the activation of brain microglia cells through Sigma-1 receptors.
DMT could serve as therapeutic adjuvant to existing stroke treatments
“The therapeutic options currently available for stroke are very limited. The dual action of DMT, protecting the blood-brain barrier while reducing brain inflammation, offers a novel, complex approach that could complement existing treatments,” says Judit Vigh, co-first author of the work.
Since current stroke therapies do not always result in full recovery, a DMT-based treatment may represent a promising new alternative, mainly in combination with existing methods. The recent findings from researchers in Szeged and Budapest, Hungary, support the development of a therapy that goes beyond the limitations of conventional stroke treatment. Clinical trials on the use of DMT and investigation on its long-term effects are currently ongoing.

Even though many years have passed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects of infection with SARS-CoV-2 are not completely understood. This is especially true for Long COVID, a chronic condition that can develop after COVID-19 that causes a variety of lasting symptoms. Among the most common and debilitating of these is cognitive impairment, often referred to as “brain fog,” which affects over 80% of people with Long COVID. Given the hundreds of millions of global cases, Long COVID represents a massive public health and socioeconomic challenge, as it severely impacts people’s ability to work and perform daily activities.
Unfortunately, despite its prevalence, the underlying causes of Long COVID and brain fog remain poorly understood. Previous imaging studies have shown some structural changes in the brain, but they could not pinpoint the molecular dysfunctions responsible for the cognitive symptoms. Since it’s difficult to observe the molecules that govern communication between brain cells directly, researchers are left without objective biomarkers to confirm a Long COVID diagnosis or develop therapies.
To address this challenge, a research team led by Professor Takuya Takahashi from the Graduate School of Medicine at Yokohama City University, Japan, has made a significant breakthrough in understanding the cause of Long COVID brain fog. As explained in their paper, published in Brain Communications on October 1, 2025, the team hypothesized that patients with brain fog might exhibit disrupted expression of AMPA receptors (AMPARs) — key molecules for memory and learning — based on prior research into psychiatric and neurological disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and dementia. Thus, they used a novel method called [11C]K-2 AMPAR PET imaging to directly visualize and quantify the density of AMPARs in the living human brain.
By comparing imaging data from 30 patients with Long COVID to 80 healthy individuals, the researchers found a notable and widespread increase in the density of AMPARs across the brains of patients. This elevated receptor density was directly correlated with the severity of their cognitive impairment, suggesting a clear link between these molecular changes and the symptoms. Additionally, the concentrations of various inflammatory markers were also correlated with AMPAR levels, indicating a possible interaction between inflammation and receptor expression.
Taken together, the study’s findings represent a crucial step forward in addressing many unresolved issues regarding Long COVID. The systemic increase in AMPARs provides a direct biological explanation for the cognitive symptoms, highlighting a target for potential treatments. For example, drugs that suppress AMPAR activity could be a viable approach to mitigate brain fog. Interestingly, the team’s analysis also demonstrated that imaging data can be used to distinguish patients from healthy controls with 100% sensitivity and 91% specificity. “By applying our newly developed AMPA receptor PET imaging technology, we aim to provide a novel perspective and innovative solutions to the pressing medical challenge that is Long COVID,” remarks Prof. Takahashi.
While further efforts will be needed to find a definitive solution for Long COVID, this work is a promising step in the right direction. “Our findings clearly demonstrate that Long COVID brain fog should be recognized as a legitimate clinical condition. This could encourage the healthcare industry to accelerate the development of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for this disorder,” concludes Prof. Takahashi.
In summary, the team’s findings resolve key uncertainties about the biological basis of Long COVID brain fog and may pave the way for novel diagnostic tools and effective therapies for patients suffering from this condition.
Funding information
This clinical trial project was supported by donations from the READYFOR crowdfunding platform. This project was partially supported by Takeda Science Foundation (T.T.), the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) under grant numbers JP24wm0625304 (T.T.), and JST through the Establishment of University Fellowships Towards the Creation of Science Technology Innovation program, under grant JPMJFS2140 (Y.F.).

What compels someone to keep engaging in alcohol use, even if it damages their health, relationships and wellbeing? A new study from Scripps Research offers an important clue: a small midline brain region plays a key role in how animals learn to continue drinking to avoid the stress and misery of withdrawal.
In a new study, published in Biological Psychiatry: Global Open Science on August 5, 2025, the Scripps Research team zeroed in on a set of brain cells in the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) in rats. They found that this region becomes more active, driving strong relapse behavior, when rats learn to associate environmental stimuli with the easing of withdrawal symptoms by alcohol. By illuminating this brain pathway, the research sheds light on one of the most stubborn features of addiction — drinking not for pleasure, but to escape pain — and could eventually lead to new treatments for substance use disorders (SUDs) as well as other maladaptive behaviors including anxiety.
“What makes addiction so hard to break is that people aren’t simply chasing a high,” says Friedbert Weiss, professor of neuroscience at Scripps Research and senior author of the study. “They’re also trying to get rid of powerful negative states, like the stress and anxiety of withdrawal. This work shows us which brain systems are responsible for locking in that kind of learning, and why it can make relapse so persistent.”
“This brain region just lit up in every rat that had gone through withdrawal-related learning,” says co-senior author Hermina Nedelescu of Scripps Research. “It shows us which circuits are recruited when the brain links alcohol with relief from stress — and that could be a game-changer in how we think about relapse.”
From behavior to brain maps
An estimated 14.5 million people in the United States have alcohol use disorder, which encompasses a range of unhealthy drinking behaviors. Like other drug addictions, alcohol addiction is characterized by cycles of withdrawal, abstinence and relapse.
In 2022, Weiss and Nedelescu used rats to study the types of learning that happen in the brain throughout this cycle. When rats initially begin drinking, they learn to associate pleasure with alcohol and seek more. However, that conditioning becomes far stronger during multiple cycles of withdrawal and relapse. After learning that alcohol eased the unpleasant feelings of withdrawal — what scientists call negative reinforcement or a relief of ‘negative hedonic state’ — the animals sought out more alcohol and would remain persistent even when uncomfortable.

“When rats learn to associate environmental stimuli or contexts with the experience of relief, they end up with an incredibly powerful urge to seek alcohol in the presence of that stimuli -even if conditions are introduced that require great effort to engage in alcohol seeking,” says Weiss. “That is, these rats seek alcohol even if that behavior is punished.”
In the new work, the team wanted to pin down exactly what networks of cells in the brain were responsible for learning to associate environmental cues with the relief of this negative hedonic state.
The researchers used advanced imaging tools to scan entire rat brains, cell by cell, and pinpoint areas that became more active in response to alcohol-related cues. They compared four groups of rats: those that had gone through withdrawal and learned that alcohol relieves a negative hedonic state, and three different control groups that had not.
While several brain areas showed increased activity in the withdrawal-learned rats, one stood out: the PVT, which is known for its role in stress and anxiety.
“In retrospect, this makes a lot of sense,” says Nedelescu. “The unpleasant effects of alcohol withdrawal are strongly associated with stress, and alcohol is providing relief from the agony of that stressful state.”
The researchers hypothesize that this negative hedonic state, and the activation of the PVT in the brain as a response, is critical for how the brain learns and perpetuates addiction.

A better understanding of addiction
The implications of the new study extend well beyond alcohol, the researchers say. Environmental stimuli conditioned to negative reinforcement — the drive to act in order to escape pain or stress — is a universal feature of the brain, and can drive human behavior beyond substance use disorders such as anxiety disorders, fear-conditioning and traumatic avoidance learning.
“This work has potential applications not only for alcohol addiction, but also other disorders where people get trapped in harmful cycles,” says Nedelescu.
Future research will zoom in even further. Nedelescu and colleagues at Scripps Research want to expand the study to females and to study neurochemicals released in the PVT when subjects encounter environments associated with the experience of this relief from a negative hedonic state. If they can pinpoint molecules that are involved, it could open new avenues for drug development by targeting those molecules.
For now, the new study underscores a key shift in how basic scientists think about addiction.
“As psychologists, we’ve long known that addiction isn’t just about chasing pleasure — it’s about escaping those negative hedonic states,” says Weiss. “This study shows us where in the brain that learning takes root, which is a step forward.”
In addition to Weiss and Nedelescu, authors of the study, “Recruitment of Neuronal Populations in the Paraventricular Thalamus of Alcohol Seeking Rats with Withdrawal-related Learning Experience,” are Elias Meamari, Nami Rajaei, Alexus Grey, Ryan Bullard, and Nobuyoshi Suto of Scripps; and Nathan O’Connor of MBF Bioscience.
This work was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health (Ruth L. Kirschstein Institutional National Research Service Award T32AA007456, K01 DA054449, R01 AA027555, and R01 AA023183).

4 hours agoShareSaveAlice Cunninghamin Brandeston ShareSaveRichard Knights/BBCWhen Chantal Chaervey’s son with cerebral palsy lost access to healthcare services at 18, she did not imagine she would be fighting four years on to change this. As a child, Harry Chaervey, 22, from Brandeston, Suffolk, was diagnosed with epilepsy and cerebral palsy, a condition that affects movement and co-ordination.Throughout his time at a specialist school, Harry, who is non-verbal, enjoyed access to hydrotherapy — a form of physiotherapy involving exercise in a warm pool that helps with movement. But when he left school, his mother struggled to get him access through the NHS and believed without it, his life would be limited. Ms Chaervey, 65, said the past few years had been “hell” and she called for answers. Alice Cunningham/BBCMs Chaervey explained Harry had two liver transplants when he was just 16 and 18 weeks old, but both failed, leading to organ failure and brain damage before he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.She said despite that, he had always been “a joy”, and as a child, he loved to play football.”No one could stop him from running,” she explained.”I’ve got a very vivid image of a teacher trying to control him on sports day, holding him by the seat of his shorts because he just wanted to run.”He was a joy, and he still is. However all of a sudden things changed.”ContributedMs Chaervey said without the hydrotherapy, Harry had “completely lost the use of his legs”, meaning when he wants to move, he either has to shuffle on his knees or he has to use a wheelchair.She said he was in “constant” pain, his epilepsy had worsened, he was at risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, and he struggled to chew food, sometimes leading to choking.Ms Chaervey said Harry was also suffering from depression.Alice Cunningham/BBCMs Chaervey applied for NHS Continuing Healthcare that could have funded Harry’s care, but she was told he was not eligible.She then applied for two exceptional funding requests to get him access to hydrotherapy, but they were similarly denied.Earlier this year, she applied for a third time and was still waiting to hear back.It comes despite doctors and physiotherapists recommending Harry for hydrotherapy, with one stating in a letter that it “may well end up being more than any medication change that I can make”.Ms Chaervey said access to hydrotherapy would mean “everything” to Harry, and she believed just half an hour a week could help.ContributedHeather Epps, a physiotherapist with expertise in hydrotherapy for cerebral palsy patients, said it could “improve quality of life” thanks to the benefits it had in pain reduction and its ability to improve muscle function.”One of the reasons you get pain is because your muscles are pulling against your bones, pulling them into abnormal positions, so your posture isn’t great and then because your posture isn’t great, it becomes a bit of a vicious cycle,” she explained.”You can’t fidget and move, as you or I could, in order to relieve that pressure and reduce that discomfort.”Whereas once you’re in the pool, you can undertake those movements because you’ve not got that increase in spasticity and stiffness within your muscles that you have when you’re out of the water.”Emma Livingstone is the founder and chief executive officer of charity Up – The Adult Cerebral Palsy Movement.She said access to healthcare services for adults with cerebral palsy, of which there are about 130,000 in the UK, was a serious issue, and she herself had struggled. “We are comparably sized to Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s, and yet our visibility and the services that we do receive pale in significance,” she said.She said the issue stemmed from the fact that the condition, up until recently, was not recognised as being long-term, as well as the fact that there was “no one professional that coordinates care” for cerebral palsy patients due there being many types of cerebral palsy. Richard Knights/BBCMs Chaervey wants answers to why there is no clear NHS framework for adults with cerebral palsy.”How is it that the care they have needed all their younger lives is not needed as they get older,” she questioned.”Are they suddenly cured, because if they are, please tell me, it would make my life better. “It is a complete farce. It is time the NHS realised there are cerebral palsy adult patients with very complex situations suffering with chronic pain every hour of every day.”‘Happy to talk’A spokesperson for NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board said all applications for exceptional funding were considered by a panel of healthcare professionals, “with a focus on the clinical needs of the patient”.”Where an application is not successful, there is an appeals process open to all,” they added.”We’d be very happy to talk directly with the family of the patient to explain the situation.”A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care added it was “committed to ensuring people living with cerebral palsy get the right support throughout their lives”.”We expect NHS England to work with children, young people, families and carers to provide high-quality services, such as hydrotherapy, for people as they transition into adult services,” they said. Stories like thisRelated internet links

4 hours agoShareSaveRosie EatonCoventry andAlex McIntyreWest MidlandsShareSaveBBCA deaf man who spent 24 hours in hospital without the support of an interpreter said staff were shouting out his name despite being told he could not hear.Terry Murray, from Rugby, is among a group of NHS patients to have been left feeling frustrated or vulnerable at a city hospital because of a lack of sign language interpreters. The Coventry and Warwickshire Association for the Deaf (CWAD) said it had received more than 100 complaints over delays in getting access to interpreters at University Hospital Coventry.The trust running the hospital said its interpreter service provider LanguageLine Solutions would be engaging with CWAD.Mr Murray told BBC Radio CWR he was taken to hospital with potential brain issues and asked for an interpreter but was not given one for 24 hours.He said he had a CT scan and an MRI but the staff could not explain anything for him because there was nobody who knew sign language.”They just basically took me, put me in, I had the scan and then was told to leave,” he said.Mr Murray said his assistant arrived and asked the staff whether they were aware he was deaf because they were shouting his name.Another CWAD service user said such situations could have safety implications.Helen Patterson, from Solihull, said she requested an interpreter four or five times in advance before hospital appointments but none had been there when she arrived.She said it felt like a waste of her time and money, adding that she had sometimes been offered an interpreter over a video link but said there were often connection issues.”If we’re sat there as deaf people, we don’t know if there’s a fire alarm, if there’s a bomb or if there’s an emergency,” she said.”We’re at risk not having an interpreter present with us. We’re very vulnerable.”National hearing loss charity RNID told the BBC that the NHS was “flouting equality law”, adding that under the Accessible Information Standard, the NHS should be providing interpreters and accessible means of communication when needed.According to an RNID report, only 7% of patients across England in need of communication support say they are always provided with it, and a third say they never are. The RNID said there were serious and widespread failings affecting more than six million adults in England.The Department of Health and Social Care said the NHS had a “legal duty to ensure all their services are as accessible to deaf people as they are for everybody else”.An NHS spokesperson said all services were responsible for providing clear and suitable communication, with information methods that all patients could understand – including BSL. Under the Equality Act (2010), health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged.The spokesperson added: “NHS England has just refreshed its set of standards to improve the accessibility of information, which includes provision of BSL interpreters online or during face-to-face appointments.”‘Enough is enough’CWAD centre manager Julie Blackley said she wanted to raise awareness of the difficulties after receiving more than 100 complaints, with a further 190 lodged since to make nearly 300 complaints in total.”We need to make a stand,” she said. “Enough is enough. It’s not fair for the deaf to suffer.”People get foreign translators straight away and that’s beautiful, that’s a beautiful service for them. For deaf people, there’s just barrier after barrier.”A spokesperson for University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust (UHCW) said the trust was committed to providing accessible services for all patients, included those who use BSL, and 98% of bookings through LanguageLine had been fulfilled.”However, we are sorry to hear of the experience some patients have shared about their needs not being met whilst in our care,” they added. “Every patient deserves to feel respected and safe in our care.”The trust said it was set to engage and consult with local deaf and community groups to address issues and welcomed the opportunity to “listen, learn and improve” its services.A spokesperson for LanguageLine Solutions said the company was pleased to engage with the association to identify the challenges they have faced.”We will continue to work closely with UHCW to improve services and ways of working, resulting in a more consistent level of support for deaf and deafblind patients,” they said.More on this storyRelated internet links

Until now, weight reduction has been the primary therapeutic goal for people with prediabetes. An analysis of a large Tübingen study shows that patients who bring their blood sugar levels back within the normal range through a healthy lifestyle but do not lose weight, or even gain weight, still reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes by 71 percent. Researchers from the University Hospital of Tübingen, Helmholtz Munich, and the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) were involved in the study.
Millions of people worldwide live with prediabetes. It is estimated that one in ten adults is affected, although the number of unreported cases means the real figure is significantly higher. Prediabetes is a condition in which blood sugar values are elevated but do not yet meet the criteria for diabetes. It often remains undetected for a long time, as affected individuals initially have no symptoms. The body’s cells become more resistant to endogenous insulin hormone. As a result, less sugar moves from the blood into the body cells and the blood sugar level increases. The risks are considerable: If left untreated, there is a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes later on — a disease that affects more than 460 million people worldwide. It can lead to serious complications, such as cardiovascular disease or cancer.
Normal Blood Sugar Level as a Milestone
Strategies recommended to date — including in current guidelines — for the prevention of type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes primarily focus on reducing weight through a healthy diet and increased physical activity. This strategy, which is limited to weight alone, could be broadened on the basis of the new analysis results.
A long-term study conducted by the Department of Diabetology, Endocrinology and Nephrology at the University Hospital Tübingen showed that 234 of the more than 1100 study participants lost no weight or even gained weight over the course of a year despite undergoing lifestyle changes. Nevertheless, a good 22 percent of them normalized their blood sugar levels. The development of type 2 diabetes was monitored over a period of up to a further 9 years. Without weight loss, this group was up to 71 percent less likely to develop diabetes. This figure is almost identical to that of individuals who were able to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes by losing weight (73 percent).
Fat Distribution as a Decisive Factor
The analysis paid particular attention to fat distribution. The relationship between visceral fat (the inner abdominal fat surrounding the organs) and subcutaneous fat (the fatty tissue located directly under the skin) was examined. Visceral fat releases signaling molecules that promote inflammation and disrupt hormone balance, which leads to insulin resistance and is thus directly linked to type 2 diabetes. Study participants whose blood sugar levels returned to normal without losing weight had a lower percentage of abdominal fat as a result of lifestyle changes compared to those whose blood sugar levels remained in the prediabetes range.

Body Weight No Longer the Sole Indicator
“Restoring a normal fasting blood sugar level is the most important goal in preventing type 2 diabetes and not necessarily the number on the scale,” says Prof. Dr. Andreas Birkenfeld, study leader and director of the Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of Helmholtz Munich at the University of Tübingen. “Exercise and a balanced diet have a positive effect on blood sugar levels, regardless of whether weight is reduced. Losing weight remains helpful, but our data suggests that it is not essential for protection against diabetes,” he continues. “In future, guidelines for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes should not only take weight into account, but above all blood glucose control and fat distribution patterns,” adds Prof. Dr. Reiner Jumpertz-von Schwartzenberg, who, as last author, was involved in the study alongside Prof. Dr. Birkenfeld.
A Healthy Lifestyle as a Recipe for Success
However, the study results highlight the importance of including target glycemic values, i.e., guideline blood sugar values, in practice guidelines in addition to weight reduction targets. Prediabetes remission is the most effective way to prevent future type 2 diabetes, and the analysis suggests that this is partly independent of weight loss. Nevertheless, sufficient physical activity and a balanced diet remain the key means to bring blood sugar values within a normal range.

10 minutes agoShareSaveNick TriggleHealth correspondent andJim ReedHealth reporterShareSaveGetty ImagesPharmacists in England say they are facing “major issues” with large numbers of patients booking appointments for Covid jabs only to find they are no longer eligible. The criteria has been tightened this year so that only those aged 75 and older are being offered free boosters, along with younger patients who have a weakened immune system.Between a third and a half of people who turn up for their appointment are having to be turned away at many sites, according to Community Pharmacy England (CPE), which represents more than 10,000 chemists including many major chains. It has described the situation as “unacceptable” with reports of angry, frustrated patients and abuse aimed at staff. CPE director of NHS services Alastair Buxton said it had become clear within an hour of the NHS website booking system going live last week that there was a problem. He said lots of people appeared to be missing the information about eligibility on the booking system and making the assumption they were still eligible.But when they turn up for their vaccinations pharmacies are only able to give them the flu jab.”That obviously takes a lot of explaining to patients. It causes upset, concern and maybe anger for some patients.”We’ve certainly had examples of some patients becoming abusive with pharmacy team members.”Henry Gregg, head of the National Pharmacy Association, which represents independent pharmacists, says the issue has been raised with NHS England and the government.”This should have been avoidable and it is deeply frustrating for both pharmacies and patients. We urge any patient in this situation to treat pharmacy teams with respect as pharmacies try and manage the new NHS clinical criteria.”Pharmacists said more should have been done to make people aware of the changes – given the flu and Covid vaccine programmes largely over-lapped last year.In response to the problems, NHS England said the wording on the website had been changed to make it clearer the eligibility criteria had been tightened.A spokeswoman added: “Please double check you are still eligible to receive a Covid vaccine before booking – the NHS website sets out whether your age, health condition or medication means you are eligible, and your GP practice or pharmacist will confirm this before giving you the vaccine.”OtherPaul Williamson, aged 71, from Doncaster, is one of those who has only just discovered he is no longer eligible for the Covid booster. He did realise when he logged on to the booking site and told Your Voice, Your BBC News he was shocked to find out the criteria had changed. “I’m disappointed. It feels like a cost-cutting exercise.”As an older person, he said he would do everything possible to protect himself and so would now consider paying for it privately.Covid vaccines are available privately at high street pharmacists and cost around £100 per person.Changes in eligibilityThe changes to eligibility were made on the advice of a group of independent experts called the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).It recommended that eligibility for the Covid autumn booster should be changed from 2025.Last year the jab was offered for free to anyone 65 years old and over and those with a long list of chronic or long-term conditions.That’s now been changed with the age limit raised to all those who turn 75 before March 2026, plus residents in care homes for older adults and people classed as immunosuppressed.That includes those undergoing some cancer treatment and transplant patients, along with those living with HIV and some genetic disorders.But it means many people with conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, respiratory illneses, asthma and severe mental illness will no longer qualify.In addition, pregnant women and frontline health and social care workers will not be offered the autumn jab for free this autumn.The JCVI said Covid was now a “relatively mild disease for most people”, with rates of hospitalisation and death having “reduced significantly”.It said focusing on the oldest adults and individuals whose immune systems are compromised, as the two groups who continue to be at higher risk, was based on “a standard cost-effectiveness assessment, in line with other routine vaccinations”.

Newly qualified doctors in their first year of practice in England have voted in favour of strike action in a row over a shortage of jobs.The British Medical Association (BMA) union says thousands of resident doctors are ending up without training places when they move from year two to three.This year there were 10,000 jobs available for 30,000 candidates, although some of those will be doctors from abroad.The issue was already being discussed by the BMA and government in talks that got under way following a pay strike in July.But by formally gaining a mandate for strike action it opens up a new avenue for industrial action.Some 97% of those who voted back strike action on a turnout of 65%.Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, said: “Doctors have spoken clearly – they won’t accept that they face a career of insecurity at a time when the demand for doctors is huge.”The numbers are absurd – more than 10,000 doctors applied this year to become psychiatrists with less than 500 able to get a place, yet patients are still experiencing significant waits at a detriment to their health.”GP unemployment is getting worse, he said, with five doctors applying for every GP training post, while patient demand for appointments continues to increase.”It makes no sense that despite the need to bring down waiting lists and increase capacity for patients to be seen, thousands of willing and skilled doctors are unable to find the work to begin treating them.”He described the government’s current pledge – set out under the 10-year NHS plan – to increase training places by 1,000 as paltry.And he added: “By putting these two disputes – pay and jobs – together, we are now giving government a chance to create a plan that supports and develops the workforce of the next generation.”Patients need doctors to have jobs. Doctors need to know they will have jobs. And they need to know they will be paid what they’re worth.”Health Secretary Wes Streeting, however, has been adamant that he will not negotiate on pay and, instead, his team have kept the talks centred on working conditions, exam fees, rotas and career progression.It comes after resident doctors were awarded a 22% pay rise over the last two years, with another 5.4% increase this year.The BMA says pay is still a fifth lower than it was in 2008, once inflation is taken into account.