PHARMA
Beyond Inflation: Rethinking NICE’s Cost‑Effectiveness Threshold for the NHS
NICE’s cost‑effectiveness threshold has become a political fulcrum for the NHS. Set two decades ago at £20,000–£30,000 per QALY and effectively frozen in nominal terms, it has lost purchasing power and strained access to new medicines. Calls to index the threshold to inflation are understandable, but simplistic indexing risks decoupling price from real health outcomes and displacing routine care that delivers greater health per pound. If we want a system that protects equity, fosters effective innovation and maximises population health, EVIDENCE must drive any reset.
Targeting Cellular Senescence: A New Frontier in Combating Cancer and Age-Related Diseases
In the realm of cellular biology, senescence has emerged as a pivotal process influencing both the progression of cancer and the onset of age-related diseases. Defined as a state where cells cease to divide but remain metabolically active, senescence acts as a double-edged sword. Key life sciences companies are pinning pipeline hopes in cracking this.
Navigating the New Frontier: The First Abridged Complaint under the 2024 ABPI Code
In the ever-evolving landscape of pharmaceutical marketing, the industry faces a delicate balance between informing the public and adhering to strict regulations. This challenge was thrust into the spotlight with the recent case of CSL Seqirus and the alleged promotion of their prescription-only Flucelvax Influenza vaccine on the social media platform LinkedIn.
Stability Oracle: A Powerful Tool for Engineering Stable Proteins
In the rapidly evolving world of biotechnology, the ability to engineer proteins with enhanced stability is a critical challenge. Computational methods that can accurately predict how amino acid mutations will impact a protein's thermodynamic stability could revolutionize the protein engineering process. Enter Stability Oracle, a new deep learning framework that outperforms state-of-the-art methods in predicting thermodynamically stabilizing protein mutations
A New Era in US Schizophrenia Treatment: The FDA Approval of COBENFY
In a significant development for the field of neuropsychiatry, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval for COBENFY™ (xanomeline and trospium chloride), marking the introduction of the first new pharmacological approach to treating schizophrenia in decades
HEALTH
Longer Remission Without Chemo? The ENRICH Trial and MCL Care
The ENRICH trial, published in The Lancet in October 2025, delivers the first large randomized test of a chemotherapy‑free front‑line strategy for this population. It compares the oral Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib combined with the anti‑CD20 antibody rituximab against standard immunochemotherapy.
Unveiling Injustice: The Imperative of Addressing Racism in Global Child Health
The recently launched Lancet Commission on Racism and Child Health has embarked on a pioneering journey to unravel the profound impact of racism, xenophobia, and discrimination on child health worldwide. This editorial delves into the multifaceted dimensions of this issue, exploring the pathways through which racism affects health outcomes and highlighting the urgent need for systemic change.
Rethinking Suicide Prevention: A Public Health Approach to a Global Problem
Suicide is a major public health crisis, claiming over 700,000 lives globally each year. Yet, despite its staggering toll, suicide is a preventable tragedy. A new framework is emerging that could transform how we approach this complex issue - by shifting the focus from individual-level risk factors to the broader social determinants that shape suicide risk across populations
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
Targeting Cellular Senescence: A New Frontier in Combating Cancer and Age-Related Diseases
In the realm of cellular biology, senescence has emerged as a pivotal process influencing both the progression of cancer and the onset of age-related diseases. Defined as a state where cells cease to divide but remain metabolically active, senescence acts as a double-edged sword. Key life sciences companies are pinning pipeline hopes in cracking this.
Hydroclimate Volatility: Navigating Extremes on a Warming Earth
In the face of a rapidly changing climate, the concept of hydroclimate volatility has emerged as a critical area of study, highlighting the dramatic and often sudden fluctuations between extremely dry and wet conditions. This phenomenon poses significant challenges to both natural ecosystems and human societies
Dear World Leaders, A Clarion Call to Action: Addressing the Peril of Antarctic Sea Ice Loss
We write to you today with a profound sense of alarm and a pressing need for urgent action. The events unfolding in the Antarctic are a stark harbinger of the dangers posed by climate change, and they demand an immediate and concerted global response.
The Connectome Conquest: Mapping the Brain’s Secrets
Seung and Murthy have been developing the FlyWire map for more than four years, using electron microscopy images of slices of the fly’s brain. The researchers and their hundreds of global colleagues stitched the data together to form a full map of the brain with the help of artificial-intelligence (AI) tools. This is an immense achievement and already is revolutionising the field.
Stability Oracle: A Powerful Tool for Engineering Stable Proteins
In the rapidly evolving world of biotechnology, the ability to engineer proteins with enhanced stability is a critical challenge. Computational methods that can accurately predict how amino acid mutations will impact a protein's thermodynamic stability could revolutionize the protein engineering process. Enter Stability Oracle, a new deep learning framework that outperforms state-of-the-art methods in predicting thermodynamically stabilizing protein mutations
Buried Treasure: How Martian Clays Could Unlock the Planet’s Mysterious Past
The early Martian atmosphere was once flush with carbon dioxide, but over time this thick atmosphere thinned dramatically. Where did all that carbon go? The answer may lie in the very rocks and minerals that coat the Martian surface
Turning Lignin into Jet Fuel: A Sustainable Aviation Breakthrough
As the global aviation industry strives to reduce its environmental impact, the race is on to develop sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) that can replace traditional petroleum-based jet fuel. One promising solution lies in an unlikely source - the abundant biopolymer lignin
Outwitting the Fungal Invaders: How Pathogens Hijack Our Immune Defenses
Fungi are often overlooked as a major threat to human health, overshadowed by the more dramatic impacts of bacterial and viral infections. Yet these eukaryotic microbes pose a serious and growing danger, responsible for millions of deaths worldwide each year. And their success is largely due to their ability to manipulate the very immune defenses we rely on to keep us healthy.
Quenching the Thirst of the Arid World: Compact Fuel-Powered Atmospheric Water Harvesters
As the global population continues to surge and climate change disrupts traditional water sources, the need for innovative approaches to freshwater production has never been more pressing. Now a promising solution has emerged in the form of sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (SAWH) devices
EDITORIAL
GO EXPLORING
The Royal Observatory: A Family Day Out Where Time Begins
The Royal Observatory Greenwich is more than a historic landmark. It is the point from which the world measures longitude and time, and it offers families a rare chance to stand at the intersection of science, history, and imagination.
ACTIVITY | The Great Exhibition Road Festival: A Celebration of Science, Art, and Innovation
The Great Exhibition Road Festival is a free annual celebration of science and the arts each summer in South Kensington. Join us in June 2024 for a weekend of free science and arts events for all ages. Enjoy hands-on workshops, fascinating talks, performances and installations from iconic museums, research and culture organisations
ACTIVITY | The Lyrid Meteor Shower: An April Sky Spectacle
In the vast expanse of the night sky, a captivating celestial event awaits astronomy enthusiasts and stargazers alike. Brace yourselves for the Lyrid meteor shower, a dazzling display of shooting stars that occurs annually in mid to late April.
ACTIVITY | Exploring Wonder and Discovery: A Journey Through the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester
The Science and Industry Museum in Manchester is a captivating destination that offers a wide array of exhibits and activities for both children and adults. With its commitment to fostering curiosity, innovation, and learning, the museum stands as a gateway to the wonders of science and the marvels of industrial history
ACTIVITY | Exploring the Wonders of Kew Gardens: A Paradise for Young Explorers
Nestled in the heart of London, Kew Gardens is a remarkable botanical paradise that captivates visitors of all ages. While its beauty and scientific significance are widely acclaimed, Kew Gardens holds a special allure for children, offering a myriad of exciting activities and educational opportunities
ACTIVITY | The Great Exhibition Road Festival: A Celebration of Science, Art, and Innovation
The Great Exhibition Road Festival is a free annual celebration of science and the arts each summer in South Kensington. Join us in June 2024 for a weekend of free science and arts events for all ages. Enjoy hands-on workshops, fascinating talks, performances and installations from iconic museums, research and culture organisations
ACTIVITY | The Lyrid Meteor Shower: An April Sky Spectacle
In the vast expanse of the night sky, a captivating celestial event awaits astronomy enthusiasts and stargazers alike. Brace yourselves for the Lyrid meteor shower, a dazzling display of shooting stars that occurs annually in mid to late April.
ACTIVITY | Unraveling the Marvels of the Twist Museum in London
Nestled in the heart of London, the Twist Museum stands as a remarkable testament to the art of the unexpected. With its captivating exhibits and thought-provoking installations, this hidden gem offers visitors a unique and memorable experience like no other
FlyWire is a human-AI collaboration for reconstructing the full brain connectome of Drosophila. It is made possible by contributions from hundreds of scientists around the globe. The potential benefits of such a resource are immense – we can now make significant advances in our understanding of how the brain works by ultimately linking neuronal wiring with brain function.
LATEST WITHIN ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE
LATEST WITHIN ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE
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Science
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on June, 2025 at 1:34 amAstronomers have revealed new research showing that millions of new solar system objects are likely to be detected by a brand-new facility, which is expected to come online later this year.
Technology
- Millions of new solar system objects to be found...on June, 2025 at 1:34 am
Astronomers have revealed new research showing that millions of new solar system objects are likely to be detected by a brand-new facility, which is expected to come online later this year.
Pharma
- Synthetic compound shows promise against...on June, 2025 at 7:49 pm
Researchers have synthesized a new compound called infuzide that shows activity against resistant strains of pathogens.
Health
- Researchers develop innovative model to study...on June, 2025 at 9:29 pm
Using a newly devised, three-dimensional model to study the regeneration of nerve tissue in the nose, researchers have discovered that one type of stem cell thought to be dormant may play a more significant role in preserving the sense of smell than originally believed.
HEADER IMAGE | Photo of a detailed microscopic view of algae cells showcasing their intricate structure and biological processes, highlighting the beauty and complexity of these organisms. ADOBE STOCK | #1639872529
