A drug which lowers users risks of contracting HIV by as much as 90% could soon be made available on the NHS, with trials being fast tracked after ‘unprecedented’ positive results, the Independent reports.
A recent study found significant benefits in taking a single dose of the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) Truvada, which has been available in the United States since 2012, and consistent usage can prevent nine out of ten cases of HIV.
Dr Sheena McCormack, who is leading the PROUD study on the drug, said: ‘The exciting opportunity this offers is to make the biggest dent in the epidemic of all time. It will be better than treatment as prevention.’
The UK pharmaceutical manufacturers GlaxoSmithKline have said that the Ebola vaccine they are developing will ‘come too late’ for the current epidemic.
Several pharmaceutical firms are trying to fast track vaccines to arrest the spread of Ebola in West Africa.
But the BBC reports GSK’s head of Ebola vaccine research has said data on its safety and efficacy won’t be available until late 2015.
And finally, flying in the face of yesterday’s reports that crash dieting helps you keep the pounds off, researchers have found that a hearty, protein-rich breakfast is an effective way to shed weight.
The Express reports that a University of Missouri-Columbia study found that those who ate a high protein first meal had fewer food cravings, while those who skipped breakfast tended to over eat, possibly because of their reduced dopamine levels.
Professor Heather Leidy told Nutrition Journal: ‘Breakfasts high in protein also reduced cravings for savoury or high-fat foods. If breakfast is skipped, these cravings continue to rise throughout the day.’
