England set to eliminate hepatitis C
Tuesday 11th August 2026
England is on track to become one of the first countries in the world to eliminate hepatitis C, a dangerous virus that attacks the liver, figures show. The target of treating 80% of all known cases has already been met, and deaths from the virus have fallen by 36% in the last decade, just short of what is needed by 2030. Taking antiviral tablets for 8 to 12 weeks can cure more than 95% of cases. Initiatives including A&E blood tests, GP registration testing and free at-home tests have helped to find people who were previously undiagnosed, says NHS England.
Breast cancer checks missing most women under 50 who are at risk, says study
Tuesday 4th August 2026
NHS criteria for screening women under 50 for breast cancer are too narrow and missing up to 95% of those at higher risk of developing the disease, researchers have warned. The current guidelines - set by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) - focus solely on inherited genes and not other factors such as lifestyle, they found.
Hundreds of thousands of women get morning-after pill via free pharmacy service
Wednesday 29th July 2026
Hundreds of thousands of women have used a new, free morning-after pill service at high street pharmacies in England, figures reveal. The scheme launched in October to improve access and save women from having to book a GP or sexual health clinic appointment. New NHS figures show that almost 305,000 doses were given out at pharmacies between October 2025 and March 2026. Meanwhile, the number of women asking pharmacists about going on the regular oral contraceptive pill more than doubled, from around 50,000 to more than 115,000 in the 12 months to February 2026.
'Life-changing' MS drug to help people walk now on NHS in England
Monday 27th July 2026
The first drug to help people with multiple sclerosis walk is being made available on the NHS in England. Fampridine boosts nerve signals to make it easier for some people to move and live independently.
First person gets new experimental vaccine for Ebola
Friday 24th July 2026
The first volunteer in the world - a 37-year-old UK man called Ed Hunt - has received an experimental vaccine against the Ebola virus.
What does extreme heat do to our bodies?
Monday 20th July 2026
As the body gets hotter, blood vessels open up. This lowers your blood pressure and makes your heart work harder to push the blood around the body. This process can cause mild symptoms such as an itchy heat rash or swollen feet. At the same time, sweating leads to the loss of fluids and salt and, crucially, the balance between them in the body changes. This, combined with the lowered blood pressure, can lead to heat exhaustion. Symptoms include: dizziness nausea fainting confusion muscle cramps headaches heavy sweating tiredness If blood pressure drops too far, the risk of heart attacks rises.
More than 2,700 people may have died in exceptional May and June heatwaves in England and Wales
Monday 13th July 2026
More than 2,700 people may have died from heat-related causes in England and Wales during the exceptionally hot weather in May and June, experts' estimates suggest.
Revolutionary immune reset puts lupus in remission
Monday 15th June 2026
An experimental treatment that resets a malfunctioning immune system has put the disease lupus into remission in early UK trials. Experts say the approach could potentially treat similar disorders including multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Top five-a-day foods new study says your heart needs
Monday 8th June 2026
Eating very specific types of fresh food each day - not just any five portions of fruit and vegetables - could help keep your heart healthy, a study suggests. Not all five-a-days are equal, researchers claim, meaning people may not be getting enough important nutrients called flavanols in their diets. Eating blueberries, plums, blackberries, broad beans and cherries, washed down with green tea, is an ideal way to top them up, they say.
Breakthrough ovarian cancer drug offers patients more time and better quality of life
Thursday 4th June 2026
A breakthrough drug for ovarian cancer that is kinder on the body and extends lives is now available on the NHS.
Three Ebola vaccines in development amid growing outbreak fears
Tuesday 2nd June 2026
Three new vaccines are being developed to tackle the rare species of Ebola that has already killed nearly 250 people.
Daily pill doubles survival time for pancreatic cancer patients
Monday 1st June 2026
A pill has been found to almost double the survival time for advanced pancreatic cancer patients, with experts describing the trial as a game changer. The drug, called daraxonrasib, appears to be a breakthrough in managing a disease that has the highest mortality rate of all major cancers.