"GM enzymes used in household products ‘are potent allergens’," reports The Daily Mail following research on the potential for genetically modified enzymes to cause allergies. Researchers took blood samples from 813 workers routinely exposed to genetically modified (GM) enzymes from working in the food, drinks, chemicals, detergents and pharmaceutical industries. They found antibodies – proteins
“No excuses not to slim as ‘fat gene’ found not to affect ability to lose weight,” reports The Daily Telegraph. It is one of several news outlets to report on research suggesting people who put on weight easily because of a genetic variant do just as well as other people on weight loss interventions such
"An NHS watchdog has issued advice about sexting to help professionals spot the difference between ‘normal’ sexual experimentation and harmful sexual behaviour among children and teens," BBC News reports. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued new guidelines on what is known as harmful sexual behaviour. As well as sexting (sending
“Cuddling kittens can kill you,” warns The Telegraph in one of the more alarming headlines to appear in the national press for some time. But cat lovers can relax – deaths and serious illness from “killer kittens” with so-called cat scratch disease (CSD) are exceedingly rare. In fact, the study on which this and other headlines are
"How taking the pill could protect you from the flu," was the curious headline on a recent Mail Online article. The equally curious animal study involved female mice who had their ovaries surgically removed – half were then given progesterone implants, half weren’t. Progesterone is one of the active ingredients in the combined pill and
"The lives of hundreds more cervical cancer patients could be saved if all those eligible went for screening," BBC News reports. An analysis estimates an additional 347 deaths per year in England could be prevented if all eligible women attended cervical screening. The NHS Cervical Screening Programme was set up to prevent deaths from cervical cancer,
"Fertility breakthrough means babies could be conceived from skin cells – so men can have babies with each other," is the excitable headline in the Daily Mirror. But the research in the news is at an early stage – and was in mice. Despite reporting to the contrary, the study involved female eggs, not skin cells.
"Closely monitoring prostate cancer offers just as good a chance of survival as harsh and invasive treatments," The Daily Telegraph reports. Researchers found invasive treatments for early stage prostate cancer, such as surgery, didn’t help people live any longer when compared to active surveillance. Active surveillance means a patient receives no immediate treatment, but instead, is
"The rise in popularity of e-cigarettes in the UK may have resulted in more successful attempts to quit smoking," BBC News reports. A UK study looking at survey data from England over the past 10 years showed the proportion of successful quit attempts rose in line with the number of smokers using e-cigarettes. But the
"Women should use the coil rather than the morning-after pill as emergency contraception, according to official new guidelines," the Mail Online reports. The guidelines, from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), cite previous research showing the coil has a lower failure rate than other forms of emergency contraception. The coil, also known as intrauterine
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