New research suggests binge drinking and drug use among Generation Z rises sharply once young people reach their early twenties, challenging the idea that they are a more restrained generation. The research, which tracked nearly ten thousand people born in the UK between 2000 and 2002, found that 68% of 23-year-olds reported binge drinking at least once in the previous year. This represents a significant increase from age 17, when the figure was 53%. Almost a third said they binge drink at least once a month. Drug use also increased during this transition into adulthood. Nearly half of those surveyed had tried cannabis by age 23, while around one third reported experimenting with harder drugs such as cocaine, ketamine, or ecstasy. Researchers also noted rising vaping and gambling among young adults. Experts warn this stage of life can be particularly risky, as the brain continues developing into the mid-twenties. The findings highlight the importance of providing effective support, education, and healthier environments for young adults.

Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has called for stronger action by state governments as the country faces a worsening outbreak of Lassa fever. The viral disease, endemic in parts of West Africa, typically peaks during the dry season from November to May, and at least 18 Nigerian states have reported cases, notably Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba and Edo. By mid-February, 326 infections and 75 deaths (including three healthcare workers) had been confirmed. Officials say weak infection-prevention practices and limited access to personal protective equipment have contributed to transmission in hospitals, including maternity and outpatient wards. The virus spreads through contact with food or household items contaminated by rat urine or droppings, or through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. Gaps in contact tracing, along with stigma and misconceptions which delay treatment, have also increased risks. There is currently no licensed vaccine for Lassa fever.

Highly potent synthetic opioids known as nitazenes are being linked to a growing number of deaths across the UK, with 286 inquests connected to the drugs by March 2025. Experts warn they can be many times stronger than heroin and are often mixed into other substances without users’ knowledge. In many cases, people believe they are taking prescription painkillers or heroin, only to ingest a far more dangerous substitute. Gus, aged 21, died after unknowingly taking a tablet sold as oxycodone which contained a nitazene. His mother Nicola said she had never heard of the drug before reading his post-mortem report. Most recorded deaths were accidental, predominantly involving men, and often linked to polydrug use. Vulnerable groups, including those with unstable housing or mental health conditions, are disproportionately affected. Authorities believe nitazenes are being smuggled in small quantities by post and mixed for profit. Campaigners are urging wider access to naloxone, the overdose-reversing antidote, and improved detection systems to prevent further tragedy.

A row has erupted over England’s move to require all GP surgeries to offer online booking for non-urgent appointments, with Wes Streeting accusing the British Medical Association (BMA) of acting like ‘moaning minnies’. While he praised GPs for rapidly adopting the system - now used by more than 98% of practices - the doctors’ union is concerned that patient safety is at risk. The new method of booking, which all doctors have to provide on weekdays from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm, also allows patients to ask questions, describe symptoms, and request callbacks. But the BMA says the software cannot differentiate urgent from routine needs, leaving surgeries overwhelmed and increasing the risk that serious issues will not be triaged properly. Healthwatch England raised concerns about limited patient awareness, difficulties for those less digitally literate, and some practices restricting online slots. Many GPs say they are already at capacity and fear unrealistic expectations without additional resources. The Government maintains it has invested extra funds and recruited more doctors.

A major European study has found that offering routine prostate cancer screening to all men over 50 could save thousands of lives. The 23-year trial of 162,000 men across eight countries showed that regular prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests reduced prostate cancer deaths by 13%, matching the life-saving impact of breast and bowel cancer screening. The findings strengthen calls for the UK to introduce a national prostate screening programme. Experts say earlier detection allows curative treatment before symptoms appear, though some warn of overdiagnosis and overtreatment of harmless tumours. Advances such as MRI scanning and precision surgery now reduce these risks. Prostate cancer is the UK’s most common cancer, causing more than 12,000 deaths a year. Health officials will review the results next month, and advocates say the evidence is now overwhelming. Campaigners urge government action to protect men’s health, noting that high-risk groups such as black men and those with family histories remain especially vulnerable.

A groundbreaking approach to diagnosing endometriosis offers potential to revolutionise research and treatment of the disease. Affecting one in ten women, endometriosis often goes undiagnosed for years. Traditionally, diagnosis involves invasive procedures like laparoscopy. However, scientists in Spain and France have developed a method of analysing blood-derived stem cells (MenSCs) directly from menstrual samples. This preserves the cells' molecular integrity, allowing researchers to study endometriosis more accurately. By using a technique common in cancer diagnosis, researchers achieved an 81% accuracy rate in distinguishing endometriosis patients from healthy individuals. This non-invasive method, developed by endogene.bio and collaborators, could reduce diagnosis time from years to weeks. The study has gained attention from the pharmaceutical industry, as potentially it could transform endometriosis management and patient care. The co-founder of endogene.bio says: ‘This world-first approach to endometriosis research and diagnosis is truly game-changing for women’s health.’

Scientists are pioneering a revolutionary cell therapy that could make the current treatments of autoimmune diseases such as Crohn’s disease and multiple sclerosis obsolete: Led by Professor Ye Htun Oo at the University of Birmingham, the project uses a patient’s own regulatory T cells to retrain the immune system, combating harmful autoimmune responses which lead to organ failure. This innovative approach may soon replace traditional treatments which often cause serious side effects such as hypertension, diabetes, and cancer risk. With more than 8,000 people currently awaiting transplants in the UK, and each procedure costing up to £100,000, the potential savings to the NHS are immense. The therapy, expected to be available within a decade, could transform the treatment of autoimmune liver disease and related conditions, offering hope for longer, healthier lives without dependency on harsh medications. While further trials are needed, experts describe this research as a ‘game-changer’ for modern medicine.

Doctors have reported a groundbreaking success in treating Huntington’s disease, a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder that combines symptoms of dementia, Parkinson’s, and motor neurone disease. A gene therapy trial at University College London slowed disease progression by an average of 75%. This means that a decline expected in one year would now take four, offering patients decades of improved quality of life. The therapy, delivered in a single dose through 12–18 hours of intricate brain surgery, permanently reduces production of the toxic huntingtin protein that kills brain cells. Early treatment may even prevent symptoms from developing. Among 29 trial participants, markers of brain cell death decreased instead of rising, and some patients regained independence: one returned to work after medical retirement. For families like Jack May-Davis’s, who lost his father to Huntington’s and carries the faulty gene himself, the breakthrough brings unprecedented hope. While the treatment will likely be costly, researchers call the results ‘spectacular’ and potentially life-changing.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has warned that Europe is entering a ‘new normal’ of longer and more intense mosquito-borne disease transmission. Rising temperatures, extended summers, milder winters, and shifting rainfall patterns have created conditions for mosquitoes to spread viruses more effectively. The chikungunya-carrying mosquito is now established in 16 European countries and 369 regions, compared to just 114 a decade ago. This year, Europe has recorded 27 chikungunya outbreaks, the highest on record, including a case in Alsace, France - an unusual event for such a northern latitude. Meanwhile, West Nile virus has infected 335 people across eight countries, causing 19 deaths, with Italy hardest hit. Officials caution that more Europeans will face risk in the coming years. The ECDC has urged stronger public health coordination and personal prevention measures, including insect repellent, protective clothing, window screens, and bed nets to reduce exposure.

In a camp just outside Lagos, female vaccinators like Eucharia and Aishatu are leading the charge against polio. Though Nigeria was declared free of wild poliovirus in 2020, the country continues to battle outbreaks of vaccine-derived polio (cVDPV), especially in under-immunised and conflict-affected regions. Women have proved indispensable in this effort, often gaining household access where male health workers cannot due to cultural or security concerns. Despite facing mistrust, misinformation, and physical danger, these women build trust through persistence, community dialogue, and personal sacrifice. Many supplement their modest income through small businesses, unintentionally turning polio campaigns into a platform for female empowerment and entrepreneurship. Their efforts have not only improved vaccination rates but also strengthened public health infrastructure and spurred broader social change. While wild polio is now endemic only in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Nigeria’s experience offers vital lessons. Its fight against polio, led by women, supported by community trust, and bolstered by innovative strategies, has reshaped how public health can be delivered in fragile settings.