A round-up of recent health news stories in bite-size format, from the recent UK Meningitis B outbreak and US childhood vaccine proposals, to Covid enquiries and the Scottish Assisted Dying Bill vote.
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Study Shows A Bigger Role For Genetics In Life Expectancy
Lifestyle, environment and other undetermined factors have always been thought to be the biggest drivers to determine an individual’s lifespan, with genetics believed to play a smaller role at anywhere between 6% to 33%. A recent analysis undertaken by Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science suggests that genetics could contribute to closer to 50% of life expectancy.
With regards to individuals living to and beyond 100 years old, he states “These people are not just clawing their way to 100. No, they have protective genes that protect against the harms of age.”
Rather than suggesting a fatalistic approach to health and ageing that individuals are at the mercy of their genes, the lead author, Ben Shenhar, Even if your genetics gives you a particular potential or range for what your natural lifespan would be, depending on lifestyle, that might shift slightly one way or another. So it’s still important.
While open to much debate, studies into genetic components like this can be illuminating when it comes to understanding ageing as well as to provide greater insights for prevention and treatment of different diseases.
You can read more about the findings of the genetics and lifespan research here.
Community Hubs – The “Future” Of The NHS?
A new health hub has been officially opened at the Alhambra shopping centre in Barnsley, in a move that could be replicated in other regions of the UK. While technically open, the new hub isn’t going to be fully operational until 2028, which will then feature a range of routine healthcare services. The likes of dermatology, orthotics, optometry and opthalmology will be offered, with a mental health clinic, wellbeing centre and gym to feature in the later stages of the development.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has stated this development in the “heart of Barnsley town centre is the future of the NHS”. The concept is to allow patients to access care outside of a GP or a hospital, given the pressures the NHS has been facing for some time now.
You can read more about the Barnsley Shopping Centre Health Hub here.
Assisted Dying Bill Rejected In Scotland
Debate has been increasingly taking place throughout social and political spheres around legalising assisted dying. Liam McArthur, a Liberal Democrat, had tabled a bill that could have made Scotland the first part of the UK to legalise the practice for mentally competent but terminally ill adults to legally receive help to end their lives. MSPs have voted against this bill, with 69 votes against and 57 votes in favour.
You can read more about the Scottish vote against the Assisted Dying Bill here.
UK Meningitis Outbreak
A Meningitis B outbreak in the UK has grown, with 20 cases in Kent confirmed as of the 18th March 2026. A vaccine rollout has been initiated University Of Kent students.
Read more about the Meningitis outbreak here.
RFK Jr.’s US Childhood Vaccine Changed Blocked By Judge
Robert F Kennedy Jr., the US Health Secretary, has been attempting to amend childhood vaccination regulations. This would, among other changes, reduce the recommended vaccines from 17 to 11. After medical groups claimed these amendments violated federal law, a federal judge has now ruled to block the US government’s proposed changes. It’s anticipated that the Trump government and RFK Jr. will appeal.
You can read more about RFK Jr.’s vaccination changes being blocked here.
UK’s Covid Inquiry Costing Over £200 Million
After hearings completed in March 2026, it has been revealed that the UK Covid Inquiry has cost over £200 million. Baroness Heather Hallett has said that this four-year ordeal has been “an extraordinary achievement”, but the cost has enraged many and it’s not quite over yet. A further 8 reports are set to be published by Baroness Hallett, thought to be finished by mid-2027.
An additional £100 million has been spent by government departments in the process of providing documentation.
Read more about the cost of the UK’s Covid Pandemic Enquiry here.
Have you come across any particularly interesting health news stories recently?
Caz ♥
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19 comments
Let’s hope they get it right! Sent email reply. 🙂
Hi, Caz. Always good to see you here and know that you are doing all right.
Praying that you stay away from this meningitis outbreak. Hoping your Mum and Dad are doing well, also.
❤️&🙏, c.a.
There is so much waste in the medical field. I hope they can get it right.
I hope all is well in your world, Caz. ♥
Very interesting. The only article to which I can add info is the one on RFK and the judge. What the BBC failed to mention is that the judge is a Democrat, so the decision is not truly meaningful. Also, the panel that RFK fired were the ones who misled us so badly in Covid and subsequently. So there is much more that none of us really know.
Oooo that’s interesting! I can’t say I’m super surprised, there always seems to be more going on behind the scenes depending where you look as not all media outlets are so forthcoming with certain tidbits. Thanks for sharing!
Near me, easily reached by bus, was a college for chiropractors. Over the twenty years I’ve lived here it has changed its name several times, acquired new buildings and NHS things from joints to MRI scanner, then next thing we know Princess Anne arrives in a helicopter and opens a new university! In the meantime people including myself have received appointments to attend this place with a name they have never heard of, not realising it is the old college round the corner from a main bus stop.
My old GP practice changed their name about 5 times in 2 years and then complicated things further when they moved to a new building with a separate name, seemingly just to confuse people. I can only imagine the confusion with this place near you. It’s amazing that a college for chiropractors has expanded and developed so much, and enough to attract the deployment of Princess Anne! x
How can you vote against. It’s so inhumane.
I like the idea of the health hub but I wonder how it will work. Self-refer?
This meningitis outbreak is so worrying, isn’t it? I hope they can get it under control soon.
I’ve been following the assisted dying bill here in Scotland. It’s such a sensitive subject. I think I am in favour of it, but there needs to be safeguards in place. But, more importantly, there needs to be better end of life care in place for everyone now.
Great round up of news, Caz
Lulu: “Our Dada has been reading about that meningitis outbreak, which seems shockingly widespread! We hope they get it under control soon! And it would be nice if they could get RFK Jr. under control soon, too, but we are not optimistic …”
Hi Caz, Good to hear from you. Yikes, that meningitis outbreak is quite scary – as are so many health issues. Here’s hoping you are doing OK. Lots ‘o Love oxoxox
Thanks, Caz. The cost of the Covid Inquiry is truly shocking, and will no doubt rise considerably further. I can’t help thinking there are many better things all that money could have been spent on.
Hi Caz, thanks for the info. I would like to add that the US is experiencing serious outbreaks of measles due children not beeing vaccinated. What’s next? Polio?
Hope all is well with you! 💕🐣🐥💕
Great update, Caz. Life continues to surprise. Sending love and light to you❣️
Thanks for letting us know what health issues people are currently concerned about. I hope you’re on the upswing from the medical problems you struggled with for a long time. Take care, Caz. 🙂
Very interesting post , Caz. Thank you for sharing! The first new about genetics and lifespan sounds quite revealing.
Ugh, don’t even get me started on RFK Jr. It’s difficult to pick the second most awful person we have in government right now (you know who the first most awful one is) but he would be a strong candidate. The community health hub idea sounds interesting and probably something that would be valuable in many underserved parts of the U.S., too, but of course we would never implement such a thing because it wouldn’t be profitable. Sigh.
People on both my mother’s and my father’s side of the family tend to have excellent longevity, so they like to say we have good genes for that, to which I like to tap the side of my skull because, well, you probably remember what I had going on in there that one time …
Well shared. 👌👌
Love it!