Two new subtypes of MS found in ‘exciting’ breakthrough

Scientists have discovered two new subtypes of multiple sclerosis with the aid of artificial intelligence, paving the way for personalised treatments and better outcomes for patients.Millions of people have the disease globally – but treatments are mostly selected on the basis of symptoms, and may not be effective because they don’t target the underlying biology of the patient.Now, scientists have detected two new biological strands of MS using AI, a simple blood test and MRI scans. Experts said the “exciting” breakthrough could revolutionise treatment of the disease worldwide.In research involving 600 patients, led by University College London (UCL) and Queen Square Analytics, researchers looked at blood levels of a special protein called serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL)

A&Es in ‘big trouble’ because of ‘normalised’ corridor care, says leading UK medic

Emergency departments across the UK are “in big trouble” owing to the way corridor care has been “normalised”, a leading medic has warned.Dr Ian Higginson, the president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM), said there should be “howls of outrage” over deaths linked to long emergency department waits, with just a few hospitals around the UK managing to avoid caring for patients on trolleys in corridors.Patients are now “not surprised” when they are cared for in a corridor because the problem is so widespread – yet doctors “can’t deliver care” this way, Higginson told PA Media.Earlier this year, the RCEM released estimates that suggested there were more than 16,600 deaths of patients linked to very long waits in A&E for a hospital bed last year – the equivalent of about 320 deaths a week. “If we had 16,000 patients a year dying in bus crashes or in aircraft crashes or anywhere else there would be such howls of outrage something would be done about it

To say ‘six-seven’ is to embrace idiocy | Letters

I am writing to object to Coco Khan’s suggestion that “six‑seven” could be “the most hopeful word of 2025” (Each year, word of the year gets darker. ‘Six-seven’ may be annoying – but it’s bucked that trend, 20 December). As a primary school teacher and promoter of logic and understanding, I was intrigued to find out the root of this so-called “craze”.Rather than a sinister cult, as promoted by scaremongers in the US, or some kind of secret code that only children understand, I discover the root of the “phenomenon” to be the embracement of idiocy. A badly cobbled together mishmash, promoted via social media in order to get children to click on links that gain the influencer more attention and therefore, potentially, money

From Adolescence to the manosphere: has 2025 been the year of the boy?

The prime minister said it was a “really hard watch”, while a British police force said it should be a “wake-up call for parents”. The Netflix drama Adolescence – which tells the story of a 13-year-old boy arrested for killing a female classmate – was hailed from the school gates to the Houses of Parliament for shedding a spotlight on the toxic influence of the manosphere.But the national conversation did not end with the final episode of the much-discussed drama. A series of high-profile campaigns, conversations, policy shifts and research have resulted in a sense that 2025 has been the year of the boy.At the start of the year the former England football manager Gareth Southgate warned about the dangers of “callous, manipulative and toxic influencers”, while Lost Boys, a study from the Centre for Social Justice, argued that “boys [were] being left behind” from educational attainment to mental health

Gen Z shunning the pre-flight pint for matcha green tea, airports say

Christmas is over and a new year is upon us. Time, then, to start planning your next summer holiday.Next year, however, you may be more likely to be downing gut health shots and Japanese tea in the airport than the once-traditional morning pints.Figures from Manchester Airport Group, the biggest in the UK, show soaring numbers of passengers shunning pre-flight booze in favour of more wholesome alternatives.Sales of matcha, the antioxidant-rich green tea, rose 165% at Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports this year as TikTok influencers sold it as the ultimate wellness drink

UK medical regulator warns against buying weight-loss jabs from social media channels

Losing weight may be a common new year resolution but health experts have warned against buying medications for such purposes from social media sellers or other illegitimate channels.Jabs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro have become hugely popular for weight loss, with trials suggesting the latter can help people lose an average of 20% of their body weight after 72 weeks of treatment.However, with demand high, access on the NHS limited, a prescription required and a hefty price tag attached, the black market for such medications is booming.The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a fresh warning to those planning to use weight-loss medications, stressing the importance of only buying them from registered UK pharmacies or legitimate retailers.“People often look for ways to support their health at this time of year but buying medicines from illegal online sellers can put your health at real risk,” said Jenn Matthissen, of the MHRA’s safety and surveillance team