A drug that could save the sight of people with diabetes will not be made available on the NHS in England and Wales, an advisory body has concluded. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) says ranibizumab, sold under the brand name Lucentis, is too expensive to use in people with diabetic macular oedema.
Controversial plans to axe some benefit payments to disabled people living in care homes are being dropped. The government had planned to axe the "mobility" part of Disability Living Allowance - worth £51-a-week and currently paid to up to 80,000 people. Disability charity Scope had condemned the move as "callous" and said it would leave people prisoners in their homes.
A new technique could improve the quality of life for patients with Parkinson's Disease, according to research led by Cardiff University. Patients with the early stages of the disease were trained to control areas of the brain associated with movement by using the power of thought alone. A clinical evaluation later found their movement had improved by up to a third. The charity Parkinson's UK described the research as "exciting" but stressed "these are very early days".
Results from the firstDyspraxiaFoundation survey for Awareness Week 2011 on University life has revealed the majority of students face increased challenges.
Liz Lynne to stand down as Euro MP November 5, 2011 9:47 PM Signing off ... Liz Lynne has announced she will stand down as MEP at the beginning of February Liberal Democrat MEP Liz Lynne has announced she plans to stand down as Euro MP for the West Midlands Region in three months time.
Financial problems affect more than two-thirds of cancer patients, with some going without food because money is so tight, a charity has claimed. A YouGov survey of 1,500 patients for Macmillan Cancer comes as the charity challenges the Welfare Reform Bill, being debated in the Lords this week. Macmillan claims thousands could lose out because of proposed changes to the Employment and Support Allowance. But the government said those who needed the benefit would still get it.
