Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to meta-analysis looking at e-cigarette use and smoking cessation
A meta-analysis of the evidence around e-cigarettes and quitting smoking has been published in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal, with the authors reporting that those who used e-cigarettes in their attempts to quit smoking were less successful than those who didn’t. read more
expert reaction to new research on human/natural influence on UK December weather
An Oxford-based project has reported that the UK extremes in temperature and rainfall were extremely unlikely in nature, and that climate change increased the odds of the event occuring. read more
expert reaction to announcement of the end of the Ebola outbreak in Liberia, and by extension the rest of West Africa
Following 42 days without a new case the World Health Organization has declared Liberia to be free of Ebola. The other two West African countries at the centre of the epidemic ,Guinea and Sierra Leone, were declared disease-free towards the end of last year. read more
expert reaction to research on ice ages and human impacts
A group of researchers have published their work in the journal Nature which reports that, based on their modelling, atmospheric carbon dioxide can influence timings of ice ages. Following this they also suggest that carbon dioxide emissions from human activity may delay the next ice age by 100,000 years. read more
Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust, gives his views on a comprehensive new report into our resilience to pandemics in the wake of Ebola
Thursday 14 January could see the WHO declare Liberia free from Ebola virus transmission – marking the first time all of the three worst-affected West African countries are free from infection since the outbreak began. As the world continues to learn difficult lessons from the crisis and the failures that occurred during the response, a landmark report spells out what must be done to increase our resilience to such outbreaks in future. The report of the Commission on Creating a Global Health Risk Framework for the Future highlights infectious diseases as one of the biggest risks facing humankind and estimates the annual expected cost from potential pandemics at more than £40bn. It says £3bn a year must be spent to make the world safer against potential pandemics, and recommends several key reforms to the WHO and other health systems to help deliver this capability. The Director of the Wellcome Trust, Jeremy Farrar, an infectious diseases expert who was on the International Oversight Group for the Commission, came to the SMC to give his take on the report and its recommendations. read more
first UK scientist to apply for licence to use genome editing techniques on human embryos meets the media
It was reported last year that a scientist at the Francis Crick Institute had become the first UK-based researcher to apply for a license to use new genome editing techniques on human embryos. Kathy Niakan’s research seeks to understand aspects of the basic biology of early human embryo development and the role of specific genes, which has significant clinical implications for infertility, miscarriages, developmental disorders and therapeutic application of stem cells. As Kathy explained to the Guardian and Independent last October she applied to the HFEA to extend her existing license when she realised that exciting new genome editing techniques including Crispr/Cas 9 could help in her work. In advance of any decisions on the success of her application the SMC invited Kathy to talk to journalists about her research, explain how genome editing in human embryos could advance that research, and answer questions about the future direction of her work. She was accompanied by her close colleague Robin Lovell-Badge who has taken a lead in the UK and global debates on human genome editing, and was on the organising committees of both the recent Hinxton and Washington global meetings on the science and ethics of this exciting new frontier in science. read more
expert reaction to study reporting identification of an enzyme involved in sugar metabolism
A paper published in the journal PNAS has reported the identification of a metabolic enzyme previously unknown to exist in mammals, which the authors suggest may be a potential target for treatment of certain metabolic disorders. read more
expert reaction to paper investigating a hormone implicated in immune function and longevity in mice
A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has reported the identification in mice of a hormone able to prevent the age-associated reduction in thymus activity. The authors suggest that it might be useful in delaying the age-associated decline in immune function which is associated with ageing. read more
expert reaction to blocking brain inflammation in model of Alzheimer’s
A study published in the journal Brain has reported that blocking a receptor in the brain which is responsible for regulating immune cells could protect against the memory and behaviour changes seen in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. read more
expert reaction to new Alcohol Guidelines Review from the Chief Medical Officers
The UK chief medical officer, working alongside a group of experts, has made recommendations about how lower risks to health from drinking alcohol. The group looked at the evidence about the levels and types of health harm that alcohol can cause, depending on how much and how often people drink, and recommended that both men and women limit their weekly intake to a maximum of 14 units. read more
expert reaction to report into obesity and cancer
Cancer Research UK has published a report into the impact of obesity on cancer rates, which predicts that 72% of the UK adult population would be predicted to become overweight or obese by 2035, which would significantly impact on health and related costs.
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expert reaction to cancer screening and mortality analysis
The impact of cancer screening programmes on mortality is the subject of a piece in The BMJ, in which the authors argue that overall mortality rather than disease-specific mortality should be the main outcome measured. read more
expert reaction to modelling study investigating reducing sugar in soft drinks, and obesity and type 2 diabetes in the UK
The possible effects of reducing sugar in soft drinks was modeled in a paper published in the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal, with the authors reporting that a reduction of 40% over five years would reduce obesity levels and cases of type 2 diabetes. read more
expert reaction to study investigating Mexico’s sugary drinks tax and changes in sales of taxed beverages
Mexico introduced a tax on sugar-sweetened drinks in early 2014 and its effects are the subject of a paper published in The BMJ, with the authors reporting reductions in purchases of taxed drinks and increases in purchases of taxed drinks. read more
expert reaction to EPA’s first of four preliminary risk assessments for insecticides potentially harmful to bees
The US Environmental Protection Agency has released a risk assessment for a specific neonicotinoid which reports that the insecticide may pose a risk to hives. The agency is due to deliver three other such assessments later in the year. read more
the science behind the floods
As flood waters start to subside those affected, politicians and the media start to ask how we can prevent such flooding events in future, could more have been done and what are the longer term solutions. Four of the UK’s leading flooding experts from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology came to the SMC to speak to journalists. read more
expert reaction to new research on pollen and pesticides
Publishing in the journal Environmental International a group of scientists has published their work investigating bees’ collection of pollen and their exposure to pesticides. read more
expert reaction to study investigating oral medication for thrush in pregnancy and risk of miscarriage
An association between use during pregnancy of a specific type of orally-administered medication for thrush and risk of miscarriage is the subject of a paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, in which the authors recommend cautious prescribing of the medication and further investigation. In the UK the medicine concerned is already not recommended for use during pregnancy. read more
expert reaction to antidepressant paroxetine and birth defects
Publishing in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology a group of scientists have investigated the effects of taking a specific antidepressant while pregnant on birth defects. In the meta-analysis they report that using paroxetine in the first trimester of pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of cardiac-specific as well as general birth defects. read more
expert reaction to Met Office data on December’s record-breaking rainfall and temperatures
The Met Office has released provisional figures for rainfall in December 2015, and they report that the month was the wettest and warmest December on record, as well as the wettest calendar month. read more