Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to news that a UK military healthcare worker in Sierra Leone has tested positive for Ebola
A British military healthcare worker has tested positive for the Ebola virus while working in Sierra Leone. It is being reported that they are receiving treatment but that no decision has yet been made on repatriation. read more
expert reaction to Commons vote for standardised cigarette packaging
The House of Commons has voted by 357 votes to 113 to introduce standardised packaging for all cigarettes from 2016. read more
expert reaction to trial of potential Ebola therapeutic treatment (TKM-Ebola-Guinea) starting today in Sierra Leone
A phase II clinical trial for a treatment of Ebola has started in Sierra Leone, led by the University of Oxford. read more
expert reaction to review of hormone replacement therapy and cardiovascular disease in women
An update to a review of the evidence around hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and incidence of cardiovascular disease in women has been published in the Cochrane Library. The authors report that there was no overall protective effect of HRT related to cardiovascular disease, but an increase in risk of stroke. However they report a lower risk for coronary heart disease and mortality for a subgroup of women who started treatment less than ten years after the onset of menopause. read more
the latest evidence on HRT and cardiovascular health
Hormone replacement therapy has long been a controversial subject, with different studies demonstrating complex benefits and risks associated with women taking HRT. The latest review into the evidence has been published in the Cochrane Library. The new evidence on HRT now suggests different benefits and risks according to the age of women, or how long since their menopause that they started treatment. This review adds a few more pieces to a complicated jigsaw of evidence relating to the use of HRT to treat symptoms of the menopause helping to inform women about their HRT choices. read more
expert reaction to series of studies reporting estimated cost to the EU of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)
A series of papers have been published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism which have estimated the cost of endocrine-disrupting chemicals to the European Union. read more
expert reaction to case of post-exposure vaccination with the VSV-EBOV experimental Ebola vaccine, following needle-stick injury of US medic
A paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association examined the effects of the experimental Ebola vaccine VSVΔG-ZEBOV, given to a health-care worker who experienced a needle stick while treating patients in Sierra Leone. The researchers report that the physician did not develop Ebola and showed Ebola-specific immune responses, but warn that questions about safety and efficacy of the vaccine cannot be answered from a single case. read more
expert reaction to announcement that efficacy trials of the VSV-EBOV Ebola vaccine will begin in Guinea
The World Health Organisation has announced that a phase III trial of the VSV-EBOV vaccine will begin in Guinea on the 7th March, to test its efficacy against Ebola. read more
crowdfunding for LSD
Illegal drugs are gaining increased attention in the research community. A combination of complex regulations, differing requirements for clinical versus scientific research and limited funding opportunities have provided many obstacles for the research community, but some still feel it is worth attempting. Prof. David Nutt, former Chair of the ACMD, has been one of the most vocal proponents of research with psychedelic drugs. He and his team are now resorting to crowdfunding to get sufficient money to finish their basic research into the impact of LSD. read more
statins and diabetes
A paper published in the journal Diabetologia has attempted to analyse the effect of taking statins on incidence of type 2 diabetes in men, reporting a small increase in absolute risk. read more
expert reaction to new study on statins and diabetes
A paper published in the journal Diabetologia has attempted to analyse the effect of taking statins on incidence of type 2 diabetes in men, reporting a small increase in absolute risk. read more
expert reaction to final guideline from the World Health Organization on daily intake of free sugars
The World Health Organization has published guidelines for the intake of sugar for adults and children, with the aim of reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases and dental problems. read more
expert reaction to high-salt diet and infections in mice
A study published in the journal Cell Metabolism has suggested that a high salt concentration in the skin may be beneficial in fighting infection, through activation of cells important in immune function. read more
expert reaction to systematic review of long-term paracetamol use and cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and renal health
A review of the literature surrounding the side effects associated with the use of paracetamol has been published in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. The authors report an increased risk of a number of side effects associated with the use of paracetamol, including those related to cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health, but state that confounding effects may play some part. read more
expert reaction to genetically engineered cows resistant to bovine TB
Writing in the journal PNAS, a group has reported the generation of a genetically modified breed of cattle which are more resistant to tuberculosis than their unmodified counterparts, a trait which could be passed onto subsequent generations. read more
expert reaction to study investigating eating nuts and peanuts, and cardiovascular disease and mortality
Researchers publishing in JAMA Internal Medicine have examined a possible link between the consumption of nuts and changes in mortality risk in certain populations. The authors report that in the groups which they studied, people who ate more nuts had a lower mortality rate which was mainly due to a reduction in cardiovascular disease. read more
expert reaction to biomarkers for CFS/ME
A paper published in the journal Science Advances has reported the presence of a specific biomarker signature in patients early in the course of CFS/ME, which was not seen in patients with a longer duration of the illness or in healthy individuals. The biomarkers relate to immune signalling messengers. read more
expert reaction to WHO decision on composition of the 2015-16 influenza vaccine for the northern hemisphere, and report about the global influenza situation
The World Health Organization has released information regarding the composition of the flu virus for the 2015-16 season, as well information on influenza viruses currently circulating globally. read more
expert encounter: Prof Mike Stephenson, Director of Science and Technology at the British Geological Survey
A new book by Prof. Mike Stephenson, Shale Gas and Fracking: The Science Behind the Controversy, will be published in early March. It attempts to cut through the misinformation on both sides of this emotionally charged debate and clearly present the unbiased scientific evidence to help policy makers and the public decide for themselves about shale gas and fracking. Prof. Stephenson came to the SMC to talk to journalists ahead of publication. read more
expert reaction to latest Food Standards Agency (FSA) results from its year-long survey of Campylobacter on fresh chickens
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has released the latest figures from its survey of the levels of Campylobacter present on fresh chickens. read more