Health

Officials are exploring formal recognition for Withernsea grandfather Mark Ratcliffe after he died trying to rescue a woman and her daughter in the sea, and police say they are continuing to search for the missing teenager.

A 73-year-old retired HGV driver became the first person in the Protect clinical trial to receive TIMP-3 gene therapy applied to a vein graft during coronary bypass surgery, and he has reported improved energy and mobility since the operation.

An inquest has opened into 17-year-old Tamzin Ellen Hall’s death after she left a moving Avon and Somerset Police car on the M5 on 11 November 2024. A jury inquest is provisionally set to begin on 11 January 2027 at Wells Town Hall.

Cats Protection says dental disease is widespread in cats and recommends gradual, positive training to brush pets' teeth, ideally starting before adult teeth appear around six to nine months.

A retired nurse was diagnosed with both vascular dementia and Alzheimer's after episodes of confusion and testing; the mixed diagnosis made her eligible for memantine, and researchers are studying biomarkers to improve detection.

U.S. officials say recent measles outbreaks appear unrelated to a large Texas outbreak and will present data to the Pan American Health Organization, which will review whether the U.S. keeps its measles elimination status.

Injectable weight‑loss drugs such as Wegovy are reported to be used by millions, and the article describes a £221 oral pill that is reported to suppress appetite with a convenience likened to taking a paracetamol.

An NHS doctor posted on TikTok that brushing before breakfast is preferable to brushing straight after eating because food lowers mouth pH and brushing immediately can wear enamel; a dentist is reported as backing the advice and recommending waiting about 30 minutes after meals.

An infectious disease expert highlights influenza A, mpox and Oropouche as viruses to watch in 2026, noting viral evolution, changing human–animal contact and global travel as key drivers.

More than 2,500 Australians have been reported infected with a highly transmissible H3N2 subclade called Super-K, and health authorities have issued national alerts as cases continue; next steps are undetermined at this time.

A man in his 30s died after being struck by a marked Metropolitan Police vehicle on Borough High Street at 00:34 GMT while officers were responding to an emergency call; the Met and the Independent Office for Police Conduct have been notified.

The NHS posted on X ahead of changes this week with guidance covering 18 illnesses that may affect whether a child should stay home from school; it says mild COVID-19 symptoms do not always require staying home but a high temperature or not feeling well does. It also asks parents to contact a GP for suspected measles and keep the child off school for at least four days after the rash appears.

An inquest heard that Peter Coates died in March 2019 after his home oxygen failed during a power cut and an ambulance crew could not leave their station because electric gates were jammed.

Police say the skeletal remains found in a tent near Melwood Grove on 11 December have been identified, and a post-mortem concluded the death is not being treated as suspicious.

Southfield agreed to a $3.25 million settlement after 20-year-old Timesha Beauchamp was declared dead at home, later found gasping at a funeral home, and died two months afterward; Michigan courts previously allowed the family’s case to proceed by overturning a dismissal based on governmental immunity.

Reports show menopause experiences and access to care vary by ethnicity and culture, with up to 80% of women developing symptoms and average symptom durations around seven years; the NHS will start asking women aged 40 to 74 about menopausal symptoms during health checks.

Police say two people were taken to hospital after a reported serious crash on Annaghilla Road in Augher; one was taken to Craigavon Area Hospital by ambulance and the other to the Royal Victoria Hospital by air ambulance.

Dr Alex George says he is undergoing assessment for autism after previously being diagnosed with ADHD (2022) and OCD (2025); he wrote that later diagnoses have helped him understand long-standing anxiety and sensory issues.

A University of Surrey nutrition expert told The Conversation that eating eggs, a high-protein affordable food, may help ease the common problem of weight regain after stopping GLP-1 weight-loss injections by increasing fullness and stimulating the body's GLP-1 response.

A four-month international trial of 212 men with low‑risk prostate cancer reported slower PSA progression after a phytochemical-rich supplement, with a larger effect when a Lactobacillus probiotic was added.

Many in the food world say people should eat more beans for health, environmental and cost reasons, and chefs and retailers share this view.

Police released surveillance footage showing a hooded person in an alley near the Tepe family's Columbus home between 2:00 and 5:00 a.m. on Dec. 30; detectives say the individual is a person of interest and the investigation is ongoing.

The UK government has launched its first major road safety strategy in over a decade for England and Wales; it proposes measures including regular vision checks for older drivers, a minimum learner period, lower drink-drive limits and fitted alcolocks.

Working-age adults in England consume about 8.4g of salt per day—roughly 155 bags of ready‑salted crisps per week—which is around 40% above the UK guideline, the British Heart Foundation reports.

The article argues that liver risk stratification should be part of obesity care and notes that phase 3 ESSENCE results showed semaglutide led to higher rates of MASH resolution and fibrosis improvement, supporting FDA accelerated approval in August 2025.

Andre Yarham was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in his early twenties and died on 27 December; his brain has been donated to Addenbrooke's Hospital for research.

A year after the Eaton fire, many Altadena residents have returned but report lingering lead and asbestos contamination and limited official clarity on whether homes are safe to occupy.

President Trump again urged pregnant people to avoid acetaminophen while the administration announced an immediate change to the childhood vaccine schedule, reducing recommended vaccinations from 18 diseases to 11.

The Met Office and UKHSA have issued weather and cold-health warnings as a rare cold snap brings snow and sub-zero temperatures, and experts say increasing a thermostat setting does not make rooms heat faster and can raise energy use.

The article reports that giving children aged 1 and over a warm drink with honey (or lemon and honey) is supported by NHS guidance and Mayo Clinic studies as a way to ease coughing and help sleep.