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Mike O’Brien’s scalp, the inhalable measles vaccine, and the world’s ‘most extreme’ diet

Our roundup of the news headlines on Friday 7th May.

We might as well get the election news over with. Some of the major scalps claimed by the Conservatives include former health ministers Mike O'Brien and Ann Keen. Both lost their seats to a Conservative candidate.

O'Brien was the minister who threatened to ‘name and shame' PCTs who carry out crude cuts of frontline services – after losing his set by a mere 54 votes to the Conservative candidate, perhaps he is now the one with the red face.

We have news of a new inhalable measles vaccine that is currently in clinical trials. Human trials will begin in the next few weeks on the low-cost treatment which sees patients simply breathe in fumes from a bag.

Its developers hope it will lead to 'bag vaccines' for other diseases, such as tuberculosis and cervical cancer, and eventually culminate in the syringe becoming obsolete.

The Daily Mail reveals the ‘world's most extreme diet'. The regime outlaws wheat, dairy, meat and tap water and is designed to ‘gain the optimum number of nutrients with the least amount of calories' according to the paper. The Mail claims the diet helps you live to 120, after which you die of boredom.

Spotted a story we've missed? Let us know and we'll update the digest throughout the day...

Daily Digest - 07 May 2010