Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to report on chemical exposure and pregnancy
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists published a report recommending pregnant women should avoid various common food and household products, citing a lack of information about the effect of common chemicals on unborn children. read more
David Kupfer and DSM-5
The highly controversial guidelines on what is and isn’t a psychiatric disorder (DSM-5) were published a fortnight ago by the American Psychiatric Association. The lead figure overseeing its content, Prof. David Kupfer, was in the UK for the first time since publication to speak at a conference at King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry. read more
expert reaction to statin use and musculoskeletal problems
A report published in JAMA Internal Medicine suggested taking statins may be associated with musculoskeletal conditions, joint diseases and injuries. read more
expert reaction to Michael Douglas on HPV and throat cancer
In an interview in the Guardian Michael Douglas blamed a cancerous tumour in his throat on oral sex, saying it was caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). read more
side effects from common painkillers
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most widely used drugs in the world, however the full extent of side effects from all NSAIDs is still not particularly well characterised. New research published in the Lancet aims to provide much greater detail and information about the vascular and gastro-intestinal effects of NSAIDs, including ibuprofen and diclofenac. read more
expert reaction to side effects of common painkillers
Research published The Lancet showed that higher-dose use of some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as diclofenac and ibuprofen, increases major vascular events by around a third, mainly by increasing the risk of heart attacks. read more
expert reaction to coronavirus death in France
A patient infected with the novel Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus died in France. read more
expert reaction to bisphenol A and brain development in mice
Repeated exposure to low doses of bisphenol A (BPA) were found to cause sex-specific changes in DNA methylation and gene expression in the brain, as well as anxiety-like behaviours on the offspring of female mice, a study in PNAS found. read more
a chorus of expert voices serves science, the media and the public
(Updated 24 May to include a personal perspective from Adrian Bull) Fiona took part in a debate session held at … read more
expert reaction to new research into a new type of influenza vaccine
A study in Nature suggested a new type of influenza vaccine, utilising a new type of nanoparticle, outperformed commercial equivalents in animal tests. read more
iodine in pregnancy
Although iodine deficiency is more often thought to be a problem of developing countries, concern is increasing that iodine deficiency has returned in some groups in the UK, such as pregnant women and those of childbearing age. Authors of a study published in the Lancet assessed whether iodine deficiency in pregnant women could be having an adverse effect on their children’s cognition. read more
expert reaction to new research into iodine and pregnancy
A study of around 1000 UK mothers and their children, published in The Lancet, revealed that iodine deficiency in pregnancy may have an adverse effect on children’s mental development. read more
iodine and pregnancy
A study of around 1000 UK mothers and their children, published in The Lancet, revealed that iodine deficiency in pregnancy may have an adverse effect on children’s mental development. read more
expert reaction to the tornado in Oklahoma
A gigantic tornado hit a suburb of Oklahoma City in the USA. read more
expert reaction to new research on using a type 2 diabetes drug to treat Parkinson’s disease
Research published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation investigated the use of a drug approved for diabetes care, Exenatide, in patients with Parkinson’s. Patients receiving Exenatide displayed improved cognitive ability and motor skills. read more
mainstreaming cancer genetics: getting the most out of genetic testing
An individual’s genetic blueprint holds vital information that can be used to improve their clinical management should they ever get cancer, and to provide better information and risk-reducing strategies for their relatives. The SMC invited four experts from genetics and oncology to brief journalists on the challenges and opportunities of bringing genetic testing into routine cancer care. read more
expert reaction to new study of climate sensitivity
The downturn in the rate of climate warming over the past decade does not significantly change estimates of the eventual temperature rise in response to doubled atmospheric CO2 concentrations, according to a study published in Nature Geoscience. read more
has psychiatry gone too far?
With the release of the latest guidelines on what is and isn’t a psychiatric disorder (DSM-5) the debate is raging over whether psychiatry has gone too far. The SMC gathered some of the top UK experts from psychology, psychiatry and beyond to preview DSM-5 and discuss everything from drugs to classification to environmental causes and the evidence behind therapies. read more
expert reaction to new IVF study on time lapse imaging
Approximately 70% of embryos produced, either naturally or through IVF, are lost before birth. A study published in Reproductive Biomedicine Online looks at a new time-lapse imaging approach to selecting embryos through IVF and examines for the first time whether it can be used to classify the risk of abnormality in developing human embryos. read more
time lapse approach to selection of embryos in IVF
Approximately 70% of embryos produced, either naturally or through IVF, are lost before birth. A study published in Reproductive Biomedicine Online looks at a new approach (IVF time-lapse imaging) and examines for the first time whether it can be used to classify the risk of abnormality in developing human embryos. read more