Malaria deaths fall by 47% globally between 2000 and 2013, WHO says Malaria mortality rates decreased by 47% worldwide between 2000 and 2013, and case incidence fell by 30%, a World Health Organization report says.…
DNA test kit offers consumers the chance to predict response to drugs A personal DNA screening test kit that claims to identify genetic risk for diseases such as Parkinson’s disease — and which was banned in the United States — is now available in the UK.…
GPs should conduct C-reactive protein tests before prescribing antibiotics to treat pneumonia The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends that GPs should conduct a C-reactive protein test if it is unclear whether a patient has pneumonia to ensure antibiotics are only prescribed when necessary.…
Sequencing cancer genomes to tailor treatments to individual patients Screening for hundreds of mutations in tumours is the most promising route to customised drug treatments for cancer.…
Community pharmacists could screen at-risk groups for liver disease According to The Lancet’s commission, community pharmacists could play a key role in helping to improve liver disease services in primary care, say hepatology specialists.…
Asthma: pathophysiology, causes and diagnosis Despite asthma affecting more than 5.4 million people in the UK, there is no gold standard test and diagnosis is based on signs and symptoms.…
Ebola research projects receive £1.34mA hand-held device to test bodily fluids for the Ebola virus is among five new research projects announced by the UK government and the Wellcome Trust.…
Ebola research gets a 280m euro boost from EU and drug industry The European Union has pledged 280m euro to a research project to develop vaccines and diagnostic tests for Ebola.…
Blood pressure devices giving inaccurate readings, study finds Blood pressure devices designed for use at home can give inaccurate readings for as many as 15% of users.…
MPs question the value of the NHS Health Check A report from an influential group of MPs suggests that the health check programme represented poor policy and may not achieve its intended aims.…
