Medicine and Science from The BMJ

CRISPR technology has revolutionised biological research, and for the first time it’s out of the lab and into the NHS, as NICE has approved its use as cost effective. Kenneth Charles, senior lecturer in haematology at the University of the West Indies explains how the treatment works, and what concerns he has about it's implementation. Also this week, a new investigation on bmj.com [https://www.bmj.com/] has looked at a number of British companies who are offering to collect children's teeth for stem cell extraction and storage. Freelance investigative journalist Emma Wilkinson explains the "outrageous" claims she found them making. Finally - we’re finishing with the football. Team GB had a strong showing this year -  our over 25 men’s team brought the trophy home, and our womans team competed for the first time To explain more about the medical world cup we're joined by Minnan Al-Khafaji, captain of the women’s team, and Jamie Thoroughgood, captain of the men’s team.   Read more. Banking baby teeth: companies may be misleading parents with “outrageous claims” [https://www.bmj.com/content/390/bmj.r1491] CRISPR therapy for sickle cell disease [https://www.bmj.com/content/390/bmj.r1596] Follow the British Medical Football Team on instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gbrmedfootball/?hl=en]

If you’ve been in a high street pharmacy or supermarket recently, chances are you’ll have seen home test kits for all sorts of indications; blood sugar level, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid function, and even some forms of cancer. A new series of article in The BMJ revealing serious concerns with the reliability of these home tests, and raises questions about their regulation. Jonathan Deeks, professor of Biostatistics at the University of Birmingham, joins us to discuss what these tests are, and how his team have rated their usability. Also this week, the sad death of a child in Liverpool from measles highlights the growing outbreak in the UK - and this may be one of the first times many doctors have come across the infection. Frances Dutton, GP at the Small Heath Medical Practice reminds us how to recognise the sign of the infection.   Reading list Direct-to-consumer self-tests sold in the UK in 2023 [https://www.bmj.com/content/390/bmj-2025-085547] How to recognise and manage measles [https://www.bmj.com/content/388/bmj-2024-079895]

Professor Gillian Leng, President of the Royal Society of Medicine was asked to carry out an independent review into the role of physician and anaesthetic associates. She sits down with Kamran Abbasi, editor in chief of The BMJ, to discuss her findings. In the UK, the rollout of physician associates, NHS staff who took on some of the tasks of doctors, has been both haphazard and controversial. Originally copied from similar roles in the U.S., British PAs were introduced in the early 2000s. The level of clinical responsibility they were asked to take on began to vary around the country, driven mostly by the workforce needs of individual Trusts. The lack of clarity about their roles lead to disquiet with doctors, worry for patients, and an increasingly toxic debate on social media. * 01.00 What is the Leng Review? * 10:00 Recommendation one: Renaming * 14:00 Recommendation two: Easier identification * 16:00 Recommendation three: How to work? * 20:00 Recommendation four: Diagnosis * 25:00 Recommendation five: Oversight & Regulation * 32:00 Prescribing and ordering ionizing radiation? * 40:00 A failure of workforce planning and vision ? * 49:00 The NHS 10 year plan

This week we’re focusing on the NHS. On the 3rd of July the UK’s Prime Minister, Kier Starmer finally announced the NHS’ 10 year plan. His Labour government laid out a vision for where the healthcare service should head over the next decade. The announcement has been met with mixed responses. The plan has some good ideas - but a lack of vision combined with scarcity of detail leave many questions about how well its aims can be implemented. In this podcast we're joined by 3 experts to dissect the details of this plan * Jennifer Dixon is chief executive of the Health Foundation * Katie Bramhall-Stainer is a working GP, and chairs the BMA’s General Practice committee. * David Oliver is a consultant geriatrician, and a columnist for the BMJ Reading list News analysis: What is the NHS 10 year plan promising and how will it be delivered? [https://www.bmj.com/content/390/bmj.r1405] Editorial: Government’s 10 year plan for the NHS in England [https://www.bmj.com/content/390/bmj.r1396#:~:text=The%20plan%20fleshes%20out%20the,physiotherapists%2C%20care%20workers%2C%20and%20social] David Oliver's column: The NHS 10 year plan—more a set of ambitions than a plan [https://www.bmj.com/content/390/bmj.r1398.full]

Rebecca Coombes interviews Dr. Tom Dolphin, consultant anaesthetist and newly elected chair of the BMA Council. Watch this interview on our YouTube. [https://youtu.be/zSeWEwWXC1Q]