Gareth Iacobucci

A sexually transmitted skin infection dubbed “rain rot” disease has been detected in the UK for the first time, amid rising cases in Europe. Cases of the infection, known as dermatophilosis, have been reported in several European countries this summer, including France, Germany, Norway, and Spain. Its latest update1 the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said that one case of the disease had now been reported in the UK. The UK Health Security Agency told The BMJ that the case had been identified in Scotland and was linked to attendance at a sex-on-premises venue. Most reported cases in Europe have been among gay, bisexual, and other men who …

Cases of a highly infectious parasite that causes diarrhoea have hit a 10 year high in the UK. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data show that the UK recorded 6069 cases of giardiasis last year.1 This is an increase of 11.4% (619 cases) from 2024, when 5450 cases were recorded, and the highest number of cases since 2016, officials said. Giardia is a gastrointestinal illness caused by a parasite called Giardia intestinalis . The most common symptom is diarrhoea, often accompanied by abdominal cramps, bloating, burping, wind, and weight loss. It spreads through direct contact …

A drug for advanced pancreatic cancer that trial results showed nearly doubled overall survival time in patients who were previously treated with chemotherapy has been approved in the US. Daraxonrasib, a once daily oral treatment sold under the brand name Rasonque, has been described as a major breakthrough in treating pancreatic cancer, which has the lowest survival of all common cancers, with five year survival of less than 7%.1 In June trial results from using the drug, manufactured by Revolution Medicines, prompted a standing ovation at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology owing to the scale of the impact observed.2 The phase 3 clinical trial results …

An invasive species of mosquito that can transmit viral diseases such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya has been discovered breeding in the UK for the first time. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has increased surveillance and trapping activities after invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and larvae were detected at residential properties in east London. The agency said that the risk to the public remained low, as—despite recent heatwaves—the UK climate is too cold for the species to survive long term. It is the fourth time Aedes aegypti has been detected in the UK in recent years, but this is the first time that it has been identified breeding, health officials said. The species is typically found in tropical and subtropical regions …

A commonly used antidepressant is likely to be unavailable in the UK until later this year. The Department of Health and Social Care has issued a tier 2 medium impact alert warning of supply shortages of venlafaxine 75 mg immediate release tablets. The tablets are expected to be unavailable across the whole of the UK until November, health officials said. Venlafaxine—part of the serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor class of antidepressants—is thought to work by increasing the levels of serotonin and noradrenaline in the brain, helping improve a patient’s mood. It is mainly used to treat depression but can also be prescribed to treat anxiety, panic …

A genetically modified kidney from a pig has worked in a patient with kidney failure for nine months—the longest period yet recorded—US doctors have reported. The transplant kept Tim Andrews, 66, free of dialysis for 271 days, and demonstrated for the first time that a pig kidney can be used as a temporary “bridge” until a human transplant becomes available, according to a case study report published in the Lancet .1 Andrews had kidney failure caused by type 2 diabetes. He had just a 9% chance of receiving a human kidney within five years, against a more than 40% risk of dying or being removed from the waiting list for a transplant, the researchers noted. The pig kidney he received worked for nine months before it failed and was removed. After a short period of dialysis, he received another kidney from a deceased human donor. Researchers at …

GPs should not prescribe semaglutide (Wegovy) for cardiovascular risk unless they have a written guarantee for funding, the BMA has said. In March the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said that GPs could prescribe semaglutide—a GLP-1 receptor agonist similar to tirzepatide (Mounjaro)—to adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or over who had previously had a heart attack or stroke or have peripheral arterial disease, alongside lifestyle changes.1 This guidance on preventing heart attacks and strokes advised that semaglutide should be offered by prescribers on top of patients’ current treatments, such as statins. But the BMA has issued new guidance2 to GPs emphasising that prescribing the jabs for reducing cardiovascular risk is not automatically a core responsibility for practices under …

Artificial intelligence health tools used in “potentially life threatening” situations such as diagnosis need tougher checks under a new risk based approach to regulation, the head of an expert commission says . Conversely, current “overburdensome” regulations should be streamlined for lower risk AI tools such as those supporting administrative tasks, Alastair Denniston, chair of the National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare, told The BMJ . The commission was set up by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to advise the government on how AI in healthcare should be regulated in future. Its final recommendations,1 just published in a new report, were drawn up after consultation with over 12 000 patients, members of the public, clinicians, industry, and regulators. The commission highlighted that AI was already being used effectively in healthcare for tasks such as automated note taking, interpreting scan results, and triage. But it warned that the current regulatory landscape was “largely designed for products that are more static and easier to reliably assess at a single point in time.” …

Child health in Wales is in a “shocking state,” with outcomes declining in many key areas, paediatricians have warned. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) in Wales said that without urgent action “we risk raising one of the unhealthiest generations of children in decades.” In a report the college assessed child health in Wales across 12 key indicators, including infant mortality, mental health, obesity, vaccination rates, and asthma.1 It found that outcomes had worsened or stalled in almost all areas, with the impact felt most sharply in deprived areas and among ethnic minority communities. Vaccination coverage has fallen below recommended levels, with very few routine immunisations now meeting the 95% uptake target. Uptake of the second dose of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine in Wales is 89.5%, meaning that one in 10 children lack the best protection from these …

Four NHS ambulance trusts in England recorded their highest ever number of life threatening emergencies during this summer’s heatwaves, new figures have shown. The London, South East Coast, South Central, and North East ambulance trusts all reported daily records for responding to life threatening emergencies, defined as category 1 calls, from 23 to 27 June, data obtained by the specialist climate website Carbon Brief show.1 Separate figures obtained by the publication through a freedom of information (FOI) request show that more than 1000 operations at NHS hospitals were cancelled because of the record heatwaves in May and June, including at least 10 emergency surgeries for life threatening conditions. Last week ministers announced £32m for projects to strengthen NHS hospitals’ resilience to extreme heat, which …