News | Infectious diseases

News

Sotrovimab no longer recommended as first-line treatment for COVID-19 patients

Only nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir is now recommended as the first-line treatment for non-hospitalised patients with COVID-19, while sotrovimab may be considered "by exception".…

Published: 1 December 2022

News

National Institute for Health and Care Research to fund new phase of platform trial to assess treatments for severe flu

The 'Randomised, embedded, multi-factorial, adaptive platform trial for community-acquired pneumonia' was also designed to assess several treatments during a respiratory pandemic, such as COVID-19.…

Published: 29 November 2022

News

Antibiotic prescribing target hit one year early in England

The 'English surveillance programme for antimicrobial utilisation and resistance' report showed that total antibiotic consumption in England declined by 15.1% between 2017 and 2021.…

Published: 21 November 2022

News

NICE rejects molnupiravir, remdesivir and Evusheld as routine COVID-19 treatments

In draft guidance, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence said the three treatments were not cost effective.…

Published: 16 November 2022

News

MHRA approves first vaccine in ten years to protect children against pneumococcal diseases

The drugs regulator has approved an extension for Vaxneuvance (PCV15) to cover children as well as adults.…

Published: 10 November 2022

News

Concern over ‘inappropriate’ flu vaccine being given to people aged over 65 years

An NHS regional flu lead has warned that patients aged over 65 years who have been given the QIVe vaccine should be recalled and possibly revaccinated.…

Published: 5 October 2022

News

Antiviral treatment now available on NHS for patients with severe or complicated monkeypox

Tecovirimat was originally developed for use against smallpox and works by reducing the amount of virus in the body.…

Published: 26 September 2022

News

UK medicines regulator will consider new data on COVID-19 antiviral ‘rebound’ with Paxlovid

Exclusive: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will look at new trial data requested by the US Food and Drug Administration, owing to reports of people testing positive for COVID-19 after treatment with Paxlovid.…

Published: 26 August 2022

News

Children in London to be offered polio vaccine booster after virus found in sewage

Poliovirus has been detected in the sewage of eight London boroughs.…

Published: 10 August 2022

Feature

Monkeypox: a visual guide

As the monkeypox outbreak in the UK continues to spread and the World Health Organization declares it a public health emergency, we take a closer look at the infection, how it is transmitted and what steps are being taken to contain it.…

Published: 4 August 2022