Letter: Graham Serjeant obituary

In 1969 I was the first British student to go on exchange to the University of the West Indies, and had a three-month attachment with sickle-cell disease researchers Graham Serjeant and his wife, Beryl, in Jamaica. Graham immediately told me that the textbooks describing what many patients called “sick-as-hell disease” were all wrong.He and Beryl had quickly realised that with proper care, support and attention to detail, these patients could live far better and longer lives than had been thought possible. Doing clinics with Graham all across Jamaica in a battered VW van was such an education - likewise dancing the night away to ska and blue beat under the starry Jamaican skies.

UK ban on junk food adverts targeting children is delayed until next year

Ministers are to delay introducing a ban on junk food adverts targeting children until 2026, sparking outrage among health campaigners.Labour made new rules prohibiting unhealthy food ads online and before 9pm on television a key election manifesto pledge, and after winning power it promised the ban would come into force across the UK on 1 October.But the legislation has now been shelved until January next year after lobbying by the food industry.The world’s largest manufacturers of ultra-processed food (UPF) and other unhealthy products had raised concerns that branded ads not featuring specific items would be affected by the ban.As a result, ministers have agreed to amend the law to ensure that brand-only advertising that does not show products high in fat, salt or sugar is not caught under the rules

Australia approves new drug to treat early Alzheimer’s disease

Australia’s medicines regulator has approved a new drug to treat the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, but experts warn that less than one in five people with dementia will be eligible for the treatment that could cost more than $80,000 out of pocket.The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has registered donanemab, sold under the brand name Kisunla and developed by pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, for the treatment of adults with early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease who have a specific genetic profile.Donanemab is given as an intravenous infusion through the arm every four weeks for a maximum of 18 months, and works by targeting amyloid proteins in the brain – the buildup of which researchers believe contributes to Alzheimer’s disease.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news emailThe registration marks the first new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease in 25 years, and the first time a treatment affects the outcome of the disease, Prof Christopher Rowe, the director of the Australian Dementia Network said.The medications that were approved 20 years ago temporarily improved symptoms, “but this one actually slows down the rate of decline by about one-third,” Rowe said

Heavy periods affect school attendance and exam scores, study in England finds

Heavy, prolonged periods and severe menstrual pain are linked with lower school attendance and poorer GCSE scores, according to new research.The England-based study found that more than a third of girls (36%) who participated experienced heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding, which was associated with missing an additional 1.7 days of school every year.These symptoms were associated with achieving about one grade lower at GCSE, as well as 27% lower odds of achieving five standard GCSE passes, often required to enable a student to go on to the next stage of their education.Girls were also asked about severe cramps and pain during periods, which was experienced by more than half (56%) of participants and was linked with an additional 1

Shabana Mahmood considers chemical castration for serious sex offenders

Shabana Mahmood, the lord chancellor, is considering mandatory chemical castration for the most serious sex offenders, according to government sources.The minister’s department is planning to expand a pilot to 20 regions as part of a package of “radical” measures to free thousands of prisoners and ease prison overcrowding in England and Wales.As well as releasing and tagging killers and rapists after they have served half of their sentence, she is considering the findings of an independent sentencing review that has also called for the government to build an evidence base on drugs that “suppress libido” or reduce “sexual thoughts”.They are among 48 recommendations put forward by David Gauke, the chair of the review.Mahmood is expected to address the Commons on Thursday to outline which measures she will accept in a major overhaul of criminal justice

Extra cancer scans for women with dense breasts could save 700 lives a year – UK study

Hundreds of lives could be saved every year with extra cancer checks for women with very dense breasts, a study suggests.Millions of women undergo breast screening, but regular mammograms can be less effective at spotting cancer in the 10% with very dense breasts, as the tissue can hide tumours on X-rays. This is because very dense breasts look whiter on scans, making it harder to detect early-stage disease, which also appears white.Offering this group of women enhanced scans could find 3,500 more cases of cancer and save 700 lives a year in the UK, researchers from the University of Cambridge said. Their findings were published in the Lancet