The review of England’s child transgender health service is not a full stop in the debate but part of a continuing conversation For most people their gender identity is the same as their sex at birth. But for a small but growing number of children and adolescents it is not. How to treat, clinically, this vulnerable group has become unfortunately a toxic and polarised debate in medicine and in broader society. Empathy and compassion are in short supply. But they are needed to care for young people looking for support from NHS England in relation to their gender identity. That is why the sober a ..read more

Nice approves first oral treatment with Atogepant that can prevent chronic and episodic migraines Thousands of people in England who suffer from migraines are to be offered a daily pill on the NHS that can reduce the frequency of attacks by half. In final draft guidance published on Thursday, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has given the green light to the first oral treatment that can prevent both chronic and episodic migraines ..read more

Researchers say findings that diabetes drug lixisenatide can slow progression of motor symptoms could be exciting step forward A drug similar to those used in “skinny jabs” could help to slow the progression of symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, research suggests. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, more than 10 million people around the world are living with Parkinson’s – a condition in which nerve cells in the brain are lost over time causing problems with movement, balance and memory, among other effects ..read more

New tool may offer prescription ‘safety net’ and reduce the 237m medication errors made each year in England Drugs are a cornerstone of medicine, but sometimes doctors make mistakes when prescribing them and patients don’t take them properly. A new AI tool developed at Oxford University aims to tackle both those problems. DrugGPT offers a safety net for clinicians when they prescribe medicines and gives them information that may help their patients better understand why and how to take them ..read more

David Crisafulli criticises pill testing trial in sign opposition may roll back harm minimisation polices if elected in October Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast The Queensland opposition leader, David Crisafulli, has criticised the state’s new pill testing regime, a potential sign his party would roll back Labor’s new drug policies if elected in October. The sunshine state opened its first festival clinic on Thursday and will open the first fixed site clinic in Brisbane next month. The Labor government has committed to open a second once a site has be ..read more

Drug companies urged to ‘release stranglehold’ on medicines such as Ozempic and Trulicity, as millions are priced out of treatment Drug companies are pricing diabetes medicines at almost 400 times the level necessary to make a profit, according to a new study. Researchers said it would also be possible for modern insulin pens, which are safer and offer more accurate doses than vials and syringes, to be used even in low-income countries if pharmaceutical firms “put people before their astronomical profits ..read more

From social communication therapy to drug trials to help with mood, participatory methods are making a difference to autistic people’s lives Kirsty Orton didn’t mind whether her baby was autistic or not – she just wanted her 12-month-old to enjoy being with his mummy: to notice her when she came into the room. To meet her eye when she talked to him and to be able to communicate. “All I wanted to do was be able to connect and bond with Fynn,” she said. “But when your baby looks everywhere else in the room except at you and stays in their own zone, like you’re completely unimportant to them, it ..read more

Campaigners call for more warnings on montelukast, after reports of night terrors, depression and other mental health events Children as young as three have suffered traumatic side effects from a blockbuster asthma drug now under review by the UK drugs regulator. Families say asthma patients, including many children, are not properly warned of the risks from the commonly prescribed drug montelukast ..read more

Teenager Harry Miller took his own life two years after being prescribed montelukast. His family say they were not made aware of the reported psychiatric side-effects of the drug Harry Miller was a popular teenager, appreciated for his sharp humour, ability to get on with anyone and eagerness “for the next adventure”. In the autumn of 2017, he was struggling with difficult thoughts and feelings of anger. Harry, who was 14 and lived in south-west London, confided his inner turmoil to friends and family ..read more

Measure 110, an experiment approved in 2020, gets overhauled as state grapples with fentanyl crisis and growing public drug use Oregon lawmakers have moved to reintroduce criminal penalties for the possession of hard drugs, in effect ending the state’s groundbreaking three-year decriminalization experiment. In 2020, nearly 60% of voters moved to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of illicit drugs with the passage of Measure 110, but the new law had grown increasingly controversial as the state grappled with the fentanyl crisis and growing public drug use ..read more