The Guardian Health

Thousands of women could be spared painful cancer exam by new NHS AI blood test

The test, which is being trialled by two NHS trusts, could replace the transvaginal ultrasound scan in some casesThousands of women could be spared having a painful intrusive exam for suspected cancer thanks to a new AI-powered blood test being trialled by the NHS.Around 90,000 postmenopausal women a year in England are referred by their GP to be investigated for possible womb cancer because they are bleeding a lot. Continue reading...

health  Jul 7, 2026

The Guardian Health

Men’s average testosterone levels have halved in last 50 years, say scientists

Exclusive: Researchers warn of ‘major crisis in male reproductive health’ partly driven by obesity and diabetesMen’s average testosterone levels have halved over the past 50 years, according to scientists who say that society is facing a male fertility crisis.Total testosterone levels in men declined by 54% between 1972 and 2019, according to data presented at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in London on Tuesday. Continue reading...

health  Jul 7, 2026

The Guardian Health

Pore substitute: can AI be trusted when it comes to skincare advice?

There are more than 3,000 conditions in dermatology, experts warn – and chatbots’ recommendations can be flaky Read more in the Antiviral seriesWho among us has not, in a moment of panic or curiosity, consulted the internet in search of solutions to a medical ailment?Increasingly, people are turning to AI for health advice, and skincare is no exception. Purpose-built apps promise to identify that rash, while people are sending selfies to AI chatbots seeking “full skincare analysis” and personali

health  Jul 7, 2026

The Guardian Health

Burnham urged to ditch ‘dangerous’ UK-US NHS drug deal

Exclusive: health groups call on expected next prime minister to rip up agreement, which analysis suggests could lead to 229,000 excess deaths by 2036UK politics live – latest updatesAndy Burnham is being urged to scrap the controversial UK-US trade deal on medicines as health organisations and doctors’ groups warn it is “dangerous” and prioritises pharmaceutical company profits over the lives of NHS patients.Ministers have defended the agreement, signed last December, as a way of helping Britis

health  Jul 7, 2026

The Guardian Health

People keep asking me why I’m choosing to have a caesarean – here are my reasons | Sharon Gaffka

This isn’t an argument against vaginal birth, and caesareans aren’t without risk. But in the context of failing maternity services, it gives me the greatest sense of calmSharon Gaffka is a reality TV star and political activistOne thing nobody really prepares you for when you’re pregnant is how interested everyone suddenly becomes in your body. People ask if you’re planning on breastfeeding. Whether you’ll have an epidural. If you’re hoping for a water birth. Whether you’ll “try naturally”.I’ve

health  Jul 7, 2026

The Guardian Health

Air pollution linked to DNA changes in sperm, research shows

Study of more than 2,000 men identifies epigenetic changes linked to exposure to common outdoor pollutantsAir pollution appears to alter how sperm genes function, one of the largest fertility studies of its kind has found.Men exposed to common air pollutants while sperm were developing showed subtle DNA changes that affected whether genes were switched on or off, raising fresh concerns air pollution may harm male fertility. Continue reading...

health  Jul 6, 2026

The Guardian Health

Consultant doctors in England vote for NHS strikes over pay and working week

Year-long mandate for action prompts fears of fresh disruption after resident doctors recently ended disputeConsultant doctors in England have voted for strikes over the next 12 months in pursuit of higher pay and a shorter working week, prompting fears of renewed disruption in the NHS.Consultants, who earn an average of £152,000, want ministers to agree a multi-year pay deal to address what they say is the 25% fall in the value of their salaries since 2008-09. Continue reading...

health  Jul 6, 2026

The Guardian Health

How US-UK drug deal will benefit patients | Letters

Many new medicines have reached NHS patients as a result of the government’s reformed pricing arrangements, writes Richard Torbett. Plus a letter from Nick HoileThe suggestion that the US-UK pharmaceutical agreement will result in excess deaths is alarmist and relies on a heavily critiqued approach to modelling how much the NHS can spend to generate health (US-UK drug deal could result in 229,000 excess deaths in England, analysis suggests, 1 July). It is underpinned by incomplete data.In just t

health  Jul 6, 2026

The Guardian Health

Taking a walk down memory lane | Letters

Readers respond to letters about testing mental capacityRe memory tests (Letters, 1 July), my mother was taken to hospital some years ago after an infection overwhelmed her. She was confused and stressed. A doctor wanted to check her mental capacity and gave her paper and a pencil, asking that she write down a sentence with a subject, an object and a verb.I was trying to find the words to say that this was unfair, given her health. A lot of people might not even know what was meant by a subject

health  Jul 6, 2026

The Guardian Health

Wegovy weight-loss pill goes on sale on UK high street and online pharmacies

Thousands of people begin receiving their first deliveries of once-a-day medication made by Novo NordiskBusiness live – latest updatesA once-a-day Wegovy weight-loss pill has gone on sale at high street and online pharmacies in the UK, but is not yet available on the NHS.Thousands of people began receiving their first deliveries of the pill, made by the Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk, on Monday. It contains the same active GLP-1 ingredient as the Wegovy jab, semaglutide, and is similarly effectiv

health  Jul 6, 2026

The Guardian Health

NHS to rate English trusts on tackling violence and racism towards staff

Exclusive: Published league tables will rank acute, ambulance and mental health trusts on six measures The NHS will rate trusts according to how well they tackle racism, violence and sexual misconduct towards staff, the government has announced.From July, all NHS acute, ambulance and mental health trusts in England will be judged and ranked in published league tables on six main measures of wellbeing, affecting more than 1.5 million staff. Continue reading...

health  Jul 5, 2026

The Guardian Health

Problems with Andy Burnham’s drive for devolution | Letters

Daughne Taylor and John Marriott respond to the prospective new prime minister’s 10-year proposal to cede more power to regions and communitiesAndy Burnham’s flagship promise to devolve power to the local level will not apply to the NHS if the current health bill passes into law in its present form (Andy Burnham to pledge ‘good growth in every postcode’ in devolution plan, 28 June). Currently, NHS foundation trusts have a statutory duty to have a council of governors. These are unpaid volunteer

health  Jul 5, 2026

The Guardian Health

Majority of UK smokers wrongly believe vaping is as harmful as cigarettes, experts find

Analysis shows public understanding about vaping, which is far less harmful than smoking, has plummeted in past decadeMore than half of adult smokers in the UK wrongly believe that vaping is as harmful or more harmful than cigarettes, making them less likely to switch to vapes and quit the deadly habit, research has found.Evidence from scientific studies shows that, while vaping is not risk-free, it is far less harmful than smoking tobacco, which produces thousands of chemicals, including toxic

health  Jul 5, 2026

The Guardian Health

Roll up, roll up! Older generation find joy and fearlessness in circus

Juggling, trapeze and hula hoop classes for over-50s are taking off as people rediscover their inner child and tap into health benefitsRumman Talukder’s favourite circus trick is called the Mermaid. Every Sunday, the 60-year-old IT consultant drives from his home in Stanmore to a circus school in Ware to practise it. Hanging from a trapeze by one arm, with his back arched and his legs wrapped around the rope, he says it makes him feel “strong and graceful”.“My wife thinks I’m mad but in the run-

health  Jul 5, 2026

The Guardian Health

NHS to use AI on its app to direct patients to appropriate services

Update in England expected to reach about 200,000 patients over the next year as part of £10bn package to overhaul NHS systemsThe NHS will begin using AI on its app to direct patients to the appropriate services, it has been announced.The tool will be used to triage patients and to ascertain if they should be allocated a GP appointment. Some may be advised to attend a pharmacy or their local A&E department instead, depending on the severity of their condition. Continue reading...

health  Jul 4, 2026

The Guardian Health

Week-long heatwave due in England with 34C peak in south-east

Heat health alerts in place in most regions of England from Sunday to Saturday with mercury also rising in WalesAnother heatwave is on the way across parts of the UK with peak temperatures of 34C forecast.Temperatures in the south of England could reach 28C on Saturday, according to the Met Office. Continue reading...

health  Jul 4, 2026

The Guardian Health

British Medical Association could axe up to a third of its staff amid cash crisis

Exclusive: Anger at union’s decision to put 200 of its 600 staff in England at risk of redundancyThe British Medical Association is threatening to axe up to a third of its entire workforce to help it tackle a significant cash crisis.The doctors’ union has placed 200 of its 600 staff in England at risk of redundancy. That has triggered anxiety and fury among staff, who have accused the BMA of appalling behaviour and “hypocrisy”. Continue reading...

health  Jul 4, 2026

The Guardian Health

Consider the parents caring for adult children not in work or education | Letter

One reader was surprised by how many people responding to Annalisa Barbieri’s advice column equate successful parenting with independenceReading the comments below Annalisa Barbieri’s latest advice column online (I wish my son wanted to spend more time with me, 28 June), I was struck by how many people equated successful parenting with raising independent adult children.But life isn’t always that straightforward. There is a largely invisible generation of midlife parents still caring for ad

health  Jul 3, 2026

The Guardian Health

Deaths in France surged 30% during hottest week of record June heatwave

Public health authority says 2,025 excess deaths probably an underestimate and that it expects toll to rise furtherThe number of deaths recorded in France surged by nearly 30% during the hottest week of the record-breaking heatwave that scorched much of Europe last month, the public health authority has said, adding that it expected the toll to rise further.Public Health France said on Friday there had been “an increase of 29.1%, corresponding to 2,025 additional deaths compared with the previou

health  Jul 3, 2026

The Guardian Health

People awaiting hospital treatment to get three weeks’ notice under NHS England plans

Move inspired by customer service provided by online retailers such as John Lewis and AmazonPeople waiting for hospital treatment will get three weeks’ notice of their next appointment under NHS plans inspired by the customer service provided by online shopping operators.Hospitals are being ordered to start telling everyone on their treatment waiting list at least three weeks before their operation, diagnostic test or meeting with a consultant. Continue reading...

health  Jul 3, 2026