Author: Andrew Rogers

A major review published in The Lancet finds that most statin side-effects are not caused by the drugs. Researchers analysed 19 trials involving 124,000 people followed for more than four years. Of 66 side-effects listed on labels, evidence supported only muscle pain, diabetes risk, and four minor effects linked to liver tests, urine changes, or tissue swelling. The study found no strong evidence that statins cause memory loss, depression, sleep problems, or nerve damage. Lead author Christina Reith said the benefits of statins greatly outweigh the risks for most patients. Senior author Rory Collins called for updated labels to reflect…

Sellers promote unlicensed weight-loss drugs through WhatsApp and Telegram competitions.They offer injectable medicines as prizes to attract customers. The Guardian found groups advertising retatrutide, an unapproved experimental drug.Posts pressure users with 24-hour deadlines. Experts warn these tactics are extremely dangerous.They apply aggressive marketing to unlicensed pharmaceuticals. One group offered retatrutide, Glow pens, and melanotan II as prizes.None of these injections hold UK approval. UK law restricts weight-loss drugs to prescription-only supply.Unapproved medicines cannot be legally sold or advertised. Another seller disguises drug sales as fitness coaching.Researchers say this approach bypasses safeguards and increases health risks.

Ultra-processed foods resemble cigarettes more than fresh food and need tougher regulation, researchers say.Scientists from Harvard, the University of Michigan, and Duke University say UPFs are engineered to drive addiction and overconsumption.They cite design tactics that maximise reward responses and speed of intake.The study, published in Milbank Quarterly, links UPFs to widespread health harm.Researchers compare “health washing” claims to past cigarette marketing tactics.They argue regulation should target industry practices, not individual choice.Experts say lessons from tobacco control could reduce diet-related disease burdens.

Toto Wolff dismissed rival complaints about the legality of Mercedes’ 2026 engine.He said competitors should “focus on themselves” after missing a regulatory opportunity.Rivals questioned engine compression methods used by Mercedes and Red Bull Racing.Other manufacturers raised concerns with the FIA.Wolff insisted the engine meets regulations and said the FIA agreed.He did not rule out protests after the Australian Grand Prix.

Researchers recreated cosmic dust in a Sydney lab to study how life’s building blocks reached Earth.Cosmic dust from dying stars contains organic CHON molecules linked to early life.University of Sydney PhD candidate Linda Losurdo produced dust using plasma in vacuum conditions.The method mimics gases and energy found around dying stars.Scientists hope the work explains why meteorites contain organic matter.The findings appear in the Astrophysical Journal.

The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply warned that soaring shipping costs could push up prices for consumer goods in 2026.CIPS said rising transport, energy, and raw material costs are creating cracks in global supply chains.Procurement bosses reported growing disruption risks, the highest level in two years.Shipping and logistics face the steepest increases, with 22% seeing costs rise more than 10%.Prices for computers, transport equipment, and electrical machinery are already climbing.CIPS said volatility now looks permanent, driven by geopolitics, tariffs, and trade tensions.

West Ham United banned season-ticket holder Joshua Wood for five matches after he helped hold an anti-board banner.The banner reading “Time 2 Sell – Name Your Price” appeared during the home game against Sunderland.The club cited a breach of stadium rules on banner size, not the message itself.Wood said he did not bring the banner into the ground and simply joined other fans protesting.West Ham argued the banner posed safety risks and said the ban was not aimed at silencing dissent.

A major Swedish study found that using AI in breast cancer screening reduced later cancer diagnoses by 12%.Researchers studied 100,000 women and compared AI-supported mammography with standard double readings.AI helped detect more cancers early and flagged high-risk scans for closer review.Eighty-one percent of cancers in the AI group were found at screening, compared with 74% in standard screening.The AI group also showed 27% fewer aggressive cancer subtypes.Researchers say AI could ease radiologist workloads but should not replace human expertise.

Google DeepMind launched AlphaGenome, an AI tool designed to identify genetic drivers of disease.The system predicts how DNA mutations disrupt gene regulation across different cells and tissues.AlphaGenome can analyse up to one million DNA letters at once.Researchers trained it on large public human and mouse genetics databases.The tool helps pinpoint mutations linked to cancer, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders.Scientists say it could accelerate drug discovery and future gene therapies.Early users describe AlphaGenome as a major step forward in understanding the non-coding genome.

Amazon revealed plans for new global job cuts after an internal email was mistakenly sent to staff.The message, signed by AWS executive Colleen Aubrey, said affected workers in the US, Canada, and Costa Rica were already informed.The draft email described the layoffs as “Project Dawn” and cited future organisational needs.Amazon previously announced 14,000 corporate job cuts as it rolls back pandemic-era hiring.Chief executive Andy Jassy has warned AI may replace some roles.Amazon declined to comment on the latest reports.