Media Monitoring: 1st – 7th October

Therese Coffey drops health inequalities white paper

• The paper, which was due to be launched last spring, has now been dropped
• It was meant to level the wide health inequality gap between rich and poor and was a key part of Boris Johnson’s attempt to level up health in the UK
• The move has elicited much criticism, while DHSC maintains that no decisions have been made yet

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/sep/29/therese-coffey-scraps-promised-paper-on-health-inequality

Genetic test for cancer less effective for Black and Asian individuals

• The tests measure the number of genetic mutations in solid tumours, known as TMB, to estimate a person’s genetic risk of cancer
• It was found that tumour-only sequencing doubled the recorded level TMB in those of non-European ancestry compared to those with European ancestry
• These elevated results could lead to misdiagnosis and treatment for Black and Asian people who have low TMB tumours

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2340439-genetic-test-for-cancer-is-less-accurate-for-black-and-asian-people/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=health

Genetic study into stammering to be launched

• The study will involve 1500 adults and children in the UK who will be subjected to genetic analysis
• This will help to understand who is likely to develop a stammer and eventual treatments to target the disorder
• Researchers have already discovered four genes that may be linked to the condition

https://www.healtheuropa.com/large-genetic-study-into-causes-of-stammering-launched/118500/

Memorandum of understanding between the UK and Guernsey on reciprocal healthcare

• The memorandum of understanding sets out the reciprocal healthcare arrangements jointly decided between the Government of the United Kingdom and the Bailiwick of Guernsey on 31 August 2022
• This arrangement means that anyone ordinarily resident in the UK or the Bailiwick of Guernsey will be able to access necessary healthcare during a temporary stay in the other territory
• This arrangement will come into operation on 1 January 2023

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/memorandum-of-understanding-between-the-uk-and-guernsey-on-reciprocal-healthcare

Gene link in epithelial ovarian cancer risk

• University of Manchester researchers have discovered two gene families which are linked to epithelial ovarian cancer risk
• The study was funded by Cancer Research UK and is the biggest study of ovarian cancer-causing genetic mutations ever
• The study found that testing the two gene families – associated with a lifetime epithelial ovarian cancer risk of 5-20% — has a far higher detection rate

https://www.healtheuropa.com/the-potential-of-gene-mutation-testing-for-epithelial-ovarian-cancer/118482/