Category: 8. Health

A new study reveals the profound emotional and physical toll of extreme morning sickness, with more than half of affected women reporting they considered terminating their pregnancy, and 9 in 10 saying they had thought about not having more children.

The national survey, published in PLOS ONE, is one of the most comprehensive investigations into the lived experience of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG)-a severe form of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy – in Australia.

It highlights not only the debilitating nature of the condition but also the inconsistent effectiveness of commonly prescribed treatments.

Lead author Associate Professor Luke Grzeskowiak, a pharmacist and researcher from Flinders University, says that the findings underscore the urgent need for more compassionate, evidence-based care for pregnant women experiencing HG.

“Hyperemesis gravidarum is not just morning sickness-it’s a serious condition that can have devastating consequences for women’s mental health, relationships, and decisions about future pregnancies,” says Associate Professor Grzeskowiak.

“Our study shows that many women are not getting the support or relief they need, and that’s something we must urgently address.”

The survey of 289 Australian women found that 54% had considered terminating a pregnancy due to HG symptoms, while 90% had considered not having more children.

The condition was also linked to high rates of anxiety and depression, with 62% of respondents reporting they ‘often’ or ‘always’ experienced these feelings during pregnancy.

Despite the severity of symptoms, only half of the women surveyed rated commonly used treatments as effective.

Ondansetron, doxylamine and corticosteroids were perceived as the most effective medications, yet many women reported significant side effects, including constipation, sedation, and impaired cognition.

Metoclopramide, another frequently used drug, was discontinued by nearly one-third of users due to adverse effects.

“Women are often prescribed multiple medications in an attempt to manage their symptoms, but the reality is that many of these treatments come with their own burdens,” says Associate Professor Grzeskowiak.

“We need better evidence to guide treatment decisions and ensure women are supported to make informed choices.”

Beyond the physical symptoms, the study paints a dismal picture of the broader impact of HG on women’s lives.

More than half of respondents reported major disruptions to their ability to work, care for children, maintain relationships, and perform daily tasks. Thirty-seven per cent requested early induction of labour to end their pregnancy sooner due to the severity of their symptoms.

Caitlin Kay-Smith, founder of consumer organisation Hyperemesis Australia and co-author on the study, says the findings should prompt a shift in how HG is understood and managed in clinical settings.

“Too often, women’s symptoms are dismissed as a normal part of pregnancy, when in fact they are experiencing a condition that can be life-altering,” she says.

“We need to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and toward personalised care that recognises the full impact of HG.”

The study was co-designed with Hyperemesis Australia and supported by the Robinson Research Institute at the University of Adelaide. It calls for further research into the long-term effects of HG and its treatments, as well as greater investment in support services for affected women.

Associate Professor Luke Grzeskowiak says the message from women was clear: “They want to be heard, believed, and treated with dignity.”

Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have found that a single injection of the antibiotic benzathine penicillin G (BPG) successfully treated early syphilis just as well as the three-injection regimen used by many clinicians in the United States and elsewhere. These findings from a late-stage clinical trial suggest the second and third doses of conventional BPG therapy do not provide a health benefit. The results were published today in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Benzathine penicillin G is highly effective against syphilis, but the three-dose regimen can be burdensome and deter people from attending follow-up visits with their healthcare providers. The new findings offer welcome evidence for potentially simplifying treatment with an equally effective one-dose regimen, particularly while syphilis rates remain alarmingly high.”

Carolyn Deal, Ph.D., chief of the enteric and sexually transmitted infections branch of NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Syphilis is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. The United States reported 209,253 total syphilis cases and 3,882 congenital syphilis cases in 2023, representing 61% and 108% increases over 2019 numbers, respectively. Without treatment, syphilis can result in neurological and organ damage as well as severe pregnancy complications and congenital abnormalities. Syphilis can also increase a person’s likelihood of acquiring or transmitting HIV.

BPG is one of the few antibiotics known to effectively treat syphilis, and stockouts are common worldwide. The antibiotic is currently being imported to the United States to resolve a nationwide shortage.

The study was conducted at ten U.S. sites and enrolled 249 participants with early syphilis, which encompasses the primary, secondary, and early latent stages of disease. Sixty-one percent of participants were living with HIV and 97% were men. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either a single intramuscular (IM) injection of BPG 2.4 million units (MU) or a series of three IM injections of BPG 2.4 MU at weekly intervals. All participants were monitored for safety. Biological markers of successful treatment in the blood-known as the serologic response to therapy-were examined at six months following treatment.

Seventy-six percent of participants in the single-dose group had a serologic response to treatment compared to 70% of participants in the three-dose group. The difference between groups was not statistically significant, even when participants were stratified by HIV status. One participant developed signs of neurosyphilis three days after starting BPG therapy and was excluded from the analysis. Three serious adverse events were reported but were not related to BPG.

“Syphilis has been studied and treated for more than a century, and BPG has been in use for more than 50 years, yet we are still acquiring knowledge to help us optimize treatment,” said Principal Investigator Edward W. Hook III, M.D., emeritus professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “We hope these promising results will be complemented by scientific advances in syphilis prevention and diagnosis.”

According to the study authors, the results from this trial provide substantial evidence that single-dose BPG 2.4 MU is as effective as three doses in treating early syphilis. More research is needed to understand the full potential of this abbreviated treatment strategy and to evaluate therapeutic approaches for all stages of syphilis, including late syphilis, latent syphilis of unknown duration, and clinical neurosyphilis.

The study was conducted through the NIAID-funded Sexually Transmitted Infections Clinical Trials Group.

Patients with atrial fibrillation who live in neighborhoods with poor access to full-service grocery stores face sharply higher odds of stroke and death, according to a new study from Tulane University.

Researchers at Tulane University School of Medicine found that, compared with similar patients in better-served areas, those in food deserts had more than double the risk of ischemic stroke and nearly four times the risk of death.

The study, published in the journal JACC: Advances, analyzed electronic health records for 1,553 patients treated for atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat) in the New Orleans area between 2010 and 2019. Using federal maps that flag “food deserts,” defined as places where many residents live more than a mile from a supermarket, the team sorted patients by ZIP code into two groups: 1,115 living inside food deserts and 438 living outside them.

Researchers then compared patients with similar medical profiles but different levels of neighborhood food access. They tracked who was hospitalized, suffered stroke or died and adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, common health conditions (such as hypertension and diabetes) and medications, including blood thinners.

The differences were stark. After accounting for other risks, food-desert residence was linked to a 2.21-times higher risk of ischemic stroke and a 3.84-times higher risk of death over five years. A combined measure of “any bad outcome” (hospitalization, stroke or death) was 42% higher. Researchers believe it is likely that residents living in food deserts nationwide experience similar increased risks.

The findings demonstrate an urgent need to increase cardiovascular screenings for conditions such as atrial fibrillation, particularly in New Orleans and communities with similar socioeconomic profiles, said corresponding author Dr. Nassir Marrouche, director of the Tulane University Heart and Vascular Institute.

“This research shows that for patients with AF, the environment they live in, the basic infrastructure of their neighborhood, can be just as important as the care they receive in the clinic,” Dr. Marrouche said. “Something as fundamental as access to healthy food could literally save lives.”

Researchers used the REACHnet clinical research database to identify local patients and matched their ZIP codes to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Access Research Atlas. They then used standard survival curves and risk models to compare outcomes while controlling for other factors.

To help reduce risks for patients, the authors suggest clinicians ask simple screening questions about food access and connect at-risk patients to nutrition programs or social services. Policymakers and health systems could target nutrition support and grocery access in neighborhoods where medically vulnerable residents live.

At the Tulane Research Innovation for Arrhythmia Discovery (TRIAD) Center, our research team is committed to addressing the specific needs of the New Orleans community. Early detection through expanded screening efforts can save lives in these vulnerable communities where we’ve unearthed these striking disparities. By focusing on local data and real-world health disparities, we’re working to create more inclusive models of care and improve cardiovascular outcomes where it’s needed most.”

Dr. Nassir Marrouche, Director, Tulane University Heart and Vascular Institute

Deep in the Bolivian Amazon exists a forager-horticultural community called the Tsimane. Researchers look to them for insights on how the human body functioned prior to modern technologies, as their lifestyles remain the closest to that of our ancestors. Oftentimes researchers find how we have navigated away from our evolutionary path, such as the Tsimane having the lowest rates of dementia, the healthiest hearts, and low late-age inflammation than those living in industrialized nations. But, new research from Arizona State University, has discovered a universal experience – post-menopausal women experiencing increased blood lipid levels, such as cholesterol. 

Published today in the Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health, “Higher blood lipid levels after transition to menopause in two forager-horticulturalist populations,” looked at several blood lipids, like cholesterol, that are major contributing factors to heart disease. In industrialized nations, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, women notably experience an increased risk of heart disease post-menopause, including an increase in those blood lipids. 

While we have good data from industrialized populations, to our knowledge, nobody had looked at this relationship in a non-industrial, highly active population like the Tsimane before.”

Madeleine Getz, PhD student studying global health in ASU’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change, and lead author on the study

The results of the study found that for the Tsimane, five of the six factors – including triglycerides, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol – were higher after menopause.

“While the difference varied by marker, they were between 1.5 to 11% higher after menopause. To see these risk factors increase after menopause in this population, despite their incredibly low levels of heart disease, was unexpected,” Getz said, who is also an affiliated graduate student with ASU’s Center for Evolution and Medicine and the Institute of Human Origins. 

Despite this increase being two to seven times lower than those documented in populations in the U.S and the U.K., the marked increase in post-menopausal lipid biomarkers for the Tsimane makes for a similar pattern despite vastly different lifestyles and diets. 

“This suggests that these increases in cholesterol around menopause may be a human universal, no matter how or where we live,” Getz said.

Living a traditional hunter-farmer lifestyle, the Tsimane follow a diet free of processed foods and maintain high levels of physical activity, averaging around 15-20,000 steps per day. Their way of life closely mirrors that of early human societies, providing valuable insights into how modern environments influence disease and aging. 

Benjamin Trumble, senior author on the study and professor in ASU’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change, serves as the co-director of the Tsimane Health and Life History Project. The group has a longstanding relationship with the Tsimane to collect demographic and biomedical data, as well as helps to provide medical care for the community – a relationship that has been in effect for more than 20 years. 

“Working with populations like the Tsimane allows us to global variation in both menopause, as well as human health and disease” said Trumble. “The findings here suggest that menopause is associated with increased risk factors for heart disease, even in the population with the healthiest hearts in the world. That suggests that post-menopausal increases in heart disease may be a human universal, and part of our underlying physiology regardless of lifestyle choices.” 

Some sugar substitutes may come with unexpected consequences for long-term brain health, according to a study published in the September 3, 2025, issue of Neurology^®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study examined seven low- and no-calorie sweeteners and found that people who consumed the highest amounts experienced faster declines in thinking and memory skills compared to those who consumed the lowest amounts. The link was even stronger in people with diabetes. While the study showed a link between the use of some artificial sweeteners and cognitive decline, it did not prove that they were a cause.

The artificial sweeteners examined in the study were aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol and tagatose. These are mainly found in ultra-processed foods like flavored water, soda, energy drinks, yogurt and low-calorie desserts. Some are also used as a standalone sweetener.

Low- and no-calorie sweeteners are often seen as a healthy alternative to sugar, however our findings suggest certain sweeteners may have negative effects on brain health over time.”

Claudia Kimie Suemoto, MD, PhD, study author, University of São Paulo, Brazil

The study included 12,772 adults from across Brazil. The average age was 52, and participants were followed for an average of eight years.

Participants completed questionnaires about diet at the start of the study, detailing what they ate and drank over the past year. Researchers divided them into three groups based on the total amount of artificial sweeteners they consumed. The lowest group consumed an average of 20 milligrams per day (mg/day) and the highest group consumed an average of 191 mg/day. For aspartame, this amount is equivalent to one can of diet soda. Sorbitol had the highest consumption, with an average of 64 mg/day.

Participants were given cognitive tests at the start, middle and end of the study to track memory, language and thinking skills over time. The tests assessed areas such as verbal fluency, working memory, word recall and processing speed.

After adjusting for factors such as age, sex, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, researchers found people who consumed the highest amount of sweeteners showed faster declines in overall thinking and memory skills than those who consumed the lowest amount, with a decline that was 62% faster. This is the equivalent of about 1.6 years of aging. Those in the middle group had a decline that was 35% faster than the lowest group, equivalent to about 1.3 years of aging.

When researchers broke the results down by age, they found that people under the age of 60 who consumed the highest amounts of sweeteners showed faster declines in verbal fluency and overall cognition when compared to those who consumed the lowest amounts. They did not find links in people over 60. They also found that the link to faster cognitive decline was stronger in participants with diabetes than in those without diabetes.

When looking at individual sweeteners, consuming aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-k, erythritol, sorbitol and xylitol was associated with a faster decline in overall cognition, particularly in memory.

They found no link between the consumption of tagatose and cognitive decline.

“While we found links to cognitive decline for middle-aged people both with and without diabetes, people with diabetes are more likely to use artificial sweeteners as sugar substitutes,” Suemoto said. “More research is needed to confirm our findings and to investigate if other refined sugar alternatives, such as applesauce, honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar, may be effective alternatives.”

A limitation of the study was that not all artificial sweeteners were included. Also, diet information was reported by the participants, who may not have remembered accurately everything they ate.

The study was supported by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development.

A new study led by the University of Portsmouth suggests our saliva is stronger than we thought. 

The research, published in PLOS One, is the first to examine how drinking apple juice affects saliva’s lubricating properties using advanced scientific techniques. 

Saliva plays an important role in preventing friction and bacteria in our mouths by creating a slippery film on teeth. It also helps repair early damage to tooth enamel. We know this protective layer is affected by different drinks, but until now it wasn’t clear exactly in what way and for how long.

Using 32 healthy participants, scientists analysed how rinsing with apple juice for one minute impacts saliva, before doing the same test using water. They found the mouth’s natural defences bounce back remarkably quickly when exposed for a short period of time.

While apple juice temporarily disrupted saliva, the effects began to wear off within just 10 minutes. Even more surprisingly, the team discovered that water actually caused greater initial disruption to saliva’s protective properties – but the recovery time was much faster.

We were genuinely surprised by these results. 

It’s long been believed that apple juice, like other acidic drinks, immediately harms our oral health, including the teeth. However, our research shows that saliva plays a vital role in protecting and quickly repairing the mouth to prevent lasting damage.

But it’s important to point out that long-exposure to apple juice – by repeatedly drinking it or not washing your mouth out with water after taking a sip – can have a long-term negative effect on our oral hygiene.”

Dr. Mahdi Mutahar, lead author from the University of Portsmouth’s School of Dental, Health and Care Professions

The team used cutting-edge laboratory techniques – normally used in engineering – to measure exactly how slippery and protective saliva is before and after drinking apple juice and water. These included tribology, protein analysis, and real-time monitoring of salivary films.

Protein players 

The study revealed which specific proteins in spit are affected when you drink apple juice; immunoglobulins, cystatins and carbonic anhydrase decrease significantly, while mucins – the main lubricating proteins that keep everything slippery – remain stable.

Understanding these proteins could lead to new toothpastes and mouthwashes designed to boost the mouth’s natural defenses.

Dr Mutahar explained: “The key finding is that one brief drink of apple juice isn’t harmful – the lubrication comes back to normal and the proteins in saliva do their protective work. 

“The biggest shock though was discovering that rinsing mouths with tap water actually caused more friction and disruption than apple juice. The Portsmouth water we used contains minerals that seem to interfere with saliva’s lubricating proteins, more than the fruit juice did.”

The Portsmouth tap water contains high concentrations of ions including sodium, potassium, and magnesium, which interfere with saliva’s main lubricating protein, mucin. 

The research also uncovered an unexpected link between fruit juice consumption and the mouth’s immune system. The decrease in immune-related proteins suggests that what we drink or eat may influence our oral immune defenses, which in turn may affect the general immune system. 

“What’s new is discovering that what we drink can actually change how our mouth’s immune system works,” explained Dr Mutahar. “The ingredients in apple juice may be influencing oral immune defences, possibly affecting overall immune response in ways we’re only just beginning to understand.”

Changing your hygiene habits 

The research suggests that moderate consumption of fruit juice may not be as immediately damaging as once thought, thanks to saliva’s rapid recovery abilities. 

However, the team cautions this doesn’t mean fruit juice is harmless – repeated exposure throughout the day could overwhelm the mouth’s natural repair mechanisms.

“Think of it like a cut on your skin,” said Dr. Mutahar. “Your body can heal small, occasional damage quite well, but if you keep reopening the wound, it becomes a problem. The same principle applies here.”

A few simple behaviour changes could minimise any negative effects of drinking apple juice:

Drink quickly, don’t sip: “Don’t expose your teeth for long periods of time,” advises Dr Mutahar. “Have your apple juice fairly quickly rather than sipping it constantly throughout the day.”

Rinse immediately: Rinse your mouth with water immediately after drinking apple juice. This helps remove lingering acids, which is especially important for sugary drinks like apple juice, as sugar is a major contributor to tooth decay too.

Use a straw: This reduces contact between the acidic drink and your teeth.

Allow recovery time: If you want a second drink, have a short drink of water, wait, and then have your second one. This allows saliva to work and those important proteins to buffer and protect.

The research team is now exploring the effects of repeated exposure – specifically, what happens when people consume acidic drinks several times a day. Most importantly, they aim to investigate how apple juice impacts the teeth directly, rather than just saliva, and how it compares to the effects of pure acid. They are also planning to test deionized water (with minerals removed) to confirm whether Portsmouth’s hard water findings apply to all water types. 

Future research could look into adding protective proteins to everyday drinks – a move that might not only neutralize harmful acids but also strengthen the mouth’s natural defences by supporting saliva’s ability to repair and protect teeth.

The research was conducted in collaboration with Professor Anwesha Sarkar from the University of Leeds, a leading international expert in food-saliva interactions, and involved participants aged 18-56 from the Portsmouth area.

Professor Sarkar, a professor of colloids and surfaces in the University of Leeds School of Food Science and Nutrition, said: “This is fascinating research which shows how open collaboration can improve our understanding of food and drink, and its effects on our oral health. 

“By combining the knowledge and expertise of Dr. Mutahar and the dental team in Portsmouth with my expertise in material science, specifically friction and real-time adsorption measurements, we have opened up new areas of possibility when it comes to dental health and protecting our teeth with our very own, highly potent saliva. In time I hope this collaboration leads to more improvements in dental care and development of oral devices.”

Colorectal cancer is unique in having its own microbial ‘fingerprint’ – according to new research from the University of East Anglia.

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and the second deadliest.

The research could help doctors better understand how this cancer develops, how aggressive it might be, and even how a patient might respond to treatment.

The team studied whole genome sequencing (WGS) data from more than 9,000 cancer patients.

The analysis, published today, also challenges scientific claims that all cancers are associated with a unique microbial fingerprint.

This study changes how we think about the role of microbes in cancer.”

Dr. Abraham Gihawi, lead researcher from UEA’s Norwich Medical School

How the research happened

The research team studied Genomics England DNA sequence information from 11,735 cancer samples representing 22 different types of cancer.

“When you collect cancer DNA sequences, you also gain information from the DNA of microbes contained within the samples,” said Dr. Gihawi. 

“We wanted to determine the precise DNA composition of microbes present in each sample. So, we developed computer programs to remove human DNA and analyse the remaining microbe DNA.

“We then correlated this information with clinical data from the patients about their cancer type and clinical outcome.

“What we found challenges previous claims that each cancer type has a distinct microbiological signature or fingerprint.

“But importantly, as whole genome sequencing becomes more common in hospitals, we show that looking at the microbes in tumor samples could become a powerful tool for improving cancer care at little extra cost.

A breakthrough for colorectal and oral cancers

“Our results show that only colorectal tumors possess distinctly identifiable microbial communities.

“We found that these microbial signatures were so specific that they could accurately distinguish colorectal tumors from other tumors. We hope that this could help doctors diagnose the disease more precisely and researchers to study the microbes found in colorectal cancer.”

The study also uncovered promising clinical applications.

For example, in oral cancers, the study found that certain viruses like HPV (human papillomavirus) could be detected accurately compared with current medical tests.

The team also found rare but dangerous viruses, such as Human T-Lymphotropic Virus-1 (HTLV-1), which can be dormant infections capable of causing cancer.

Better survival rates

“We found that certain types of bacteria were associated with poorer survival rates in some cases of sarcoma. This might lead to additional research and treatment options for these types of cancer,” said Dr. Gihawi.

“One of the most exciting things we found was that in some sarcoma cases, the presence of specific bacteria was linked to better survival rates.

“This suggests that microbes might one day help doctors predict how well a patient will respond to treatment and open up new approaches to treatment,” he added.

An indispensable tool

Prof Daniel Brewer, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “This study highlights the growing clinical value of whole genome sequencing in identifying pathogenic organisms such as HTLV-1 and papillomavirus, which may otherwise go undetected.

“By revealing these hidden infections and providing insight into cancer prognosis – particularly in sarcomas – it demonstrates how genomic analysis is becoming an indispensable tool in precision medicine.

“The findings also suggest that oral cancer, in some cases, may be a close diagnostic consideration, further emphasizing the importance of comprehensive genomic profiling in clinical decision-making.”

This research was led by UEA in collaboration with the University of Leeds, the Quadram Institute, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, the Institute of Cancer Research, London, the University of Manchester, NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, the University of Athens (Greece) the University of Liverpool, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, University College London, the University of Southampton, the University of North Carolina (US) and the Earlham Institute.

This work was funded by the Big C Cancer Charity and Prostate Cancer UK, with further support from The Bob Champion Cancer Trust, The Alan Boswell Group, Masonic Charitable Foundation Successor to the Grand Charity, Movember, Prostate Cancer Research, the King Family, the Hargrave Foundation, NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre and Sarcoma UK.

‘Microbial Clues in Cancer: New Study Challenges Old Assumptions and Reveals Clinical Potential’ is published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

PESHAWAR: The health department has announced a province-wide measles and rubella vaccination campaign scheduled for late November this year.

The initiative is part of a national effort aimed at curbing the spread of these contagious diseases and protecting children across the province.

In this regard, the first steering committee meeting chaired by the special secretary health, Mansoor Arshad, was held on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by the additional director general health services, Dr Naeem Awan, the director expanded programme on immunization (EPI), Dr Asghar Ali, representatives of Unicef, WHO and other partner organisations, a statement said.

The meeting focused on preparations for the upcoming Measles-Rubella (MR) campaign, including coordination strategies, stakeholder engagement, and public awareness efforts.

6m children to be inoculated from Nov 17 to 29

The participants also reviewed the current coverage of MR1 and MR2 vaccinations and discussed ways to enhance outreach.

Briefing the committee, the director EPI revealed that over 10,000 suspected measles cases had been reported so far this year, of which only 3,890 — approximately 39 percent — were confirmed. He added that 48 percent of the suspected cases involved children who had not received any measles vaccination.

He further stated that in 2024, more than 15,000 suspected cases were reported, with 7,354 confirmed.

According to officials, the upcoming campaign aims to vaccinate six million children across the province.

The 12-day drive will run from November 17 to 29 and will be conducted during official working hours. The goal is to achieve 95 percent coverage among targeted children to prevent future outbreaks and reduce transmission risks.

Children aged six to 59 months will receive a single dose of the measles vaccine, while those under five years will also be administered two doses of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV). Eligible children will be provided with other essential vaccines through fixed centres and regular vaccinators.

The committee also decided to re-engage the education department to facilitate access to children in schools and madrassas. Outreach and mobile teams will be deployed at vaccination centres, educational institutions, and busy public locations to ensure maximum coverage.

To implement the campaign, the health department will mobilise 1,753 fixed teams, 4,918 outreach teams, and 300 mobile teams across 37 districts, 146 tehsils, and 1,403 union councils.

The department has urged parents to cooperate with vaccination teams and ensure their children are immunized against measles during the campaign.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2025

People who take a mobile phone to the loo should keep to a two TikTok limit, according to doctors who found that toilet scrollers are more prone to haemorrhoids than phoneless lavatory-goers.

Those who sit on the throne with a phone spend far more time on the toilet than others, with longer stints linked to a greater risk of developing the bulging anal veins known as haemorrhoids or piles.

Though preliminary, the findings prompted the team to advise people against taking a phone to the lavatory, or at least to impose a scroll limit lest they become distracted and find themselves still sitting there half an hour later.

“Leave your smartphone outside because when you go in you have just one job, and you should focus on that job,” said Dr Trisha Pasricha, a gastroenterologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. “If the magic hasn’t happened within five minutes, you should get up and go. Take a breather and come back.”

Pasricha and her colleagues examined 125 people for haemorrhoids during colonoscopies for a bowel cancer screening programme. The same volunteers completed questionnaires on diet, exercise and bowel habits, including how long they spent on the toilet and whether they ever strained or experienced constipation.

Further questions, according to the study in Plos One, delved into people’s mobile phone habits to find out whether they took their device to the toilet and what apps they used once there. All were aged 45 and over.

Two-thirds of people admitted to taking a phone to the toilet, where most scrolled through news and social media. After accounting for common risk factors for haemorrhoids such as older age, physical inactivity and low dietary fibre, toilet scrollers were 46% more likely to have piles than those who left their phone behind. More than a third (37%) of toilet scrollers spent more than five minutes on the lavatory compared with only 7% of those without phones.

Reading on the toilet is nothing new, but Pasricha believes that the newspapers, magazines and books that once kept people occupied are no match for the likes of TikTok and Instagram. “The whole business model of these apps is to make you lose track of time,” she said. “Our pre-TikTok ancestors were just reading a newspaper or whatever they could find. It wasn’t distracting to the same level.”

More work is needed on the health implications, but Pasricha suspects that smartphone apps prolong the time people spend on the toilet, which in turn increases the pressure on anal tissues, leading to haemorrhoids. “If you’re just hanging out there in the open, this passive pressure will eventually, over time, cause the connective tissue to weaken and cause those veins to engorge,” she said.

One pressing question surrounds the habits of younger people. In a continuing study of college students, Pasricha said nearly all admitted to taking phones to the toilet, raising concerns that the teenagers of today might develop piles sooner than older generations.

Haemorrhoids affect up to a quarter of all adults, and while most resolve on their own or with minimal treatment, more than 20,000 surgical procedures are performed on piles each year in the UK alone.

For those who cannot contemplate being phoneless on the toilet, Pasricha suggests minimising the toilet scroll. “Set a two TikTok limit,” she said. “What you shouldn’t be doing is getting so trapped in this cycle of scrolling and watching TikTok that you lose track of why you came here in the first place.”