In May 2020, England introduced a "soft" opt-out system for organ donation, following the earlier adoption of similar legislation in Wales (2015) and later Scotland (2021). The goal was to increase organ availability by presuming most adults to be willing donors unless they explicitly opted out. However, several years on, the anticipated improvements in organ donation rates have not materialised, and the implementation of the law has been shown to be more complicated than proponents had expected. What we did

Look deep into the structure of any cell or organism with a defined nucleus (eukaryote), and you are likely to find septins.Septins have been identified in nearly all eukaryotes, including humans. They are components of the cytoskeleton, a network of protein filaments that helps eukaryotic cells hold their shape and carry out essential functions.Septins were originally discovered by Nobel Laureate Leland Hartwell in 1971 as being essential for cell division in budding yeast.

Each year, an estimated 7.7 million deaths are caused by bacterial infections, globally. Out of these deaths, about 1.27 million are attributable to bacteria which have developed resistance to antibiotics. What is antibiotic resistance and what does it mean for us?

What’s the issue?Across many types of trials, the recruitment and retention of women is a challenge. In cardiovascular trials, approximately a third of participants are women.Why is there gender inequity in clinical trials?It’s often extremely challenging to recruit people to take part in clinical trials under any circumstances, so the focus has been on recruiting sufficient numbers rather than the ratio of men and women.

Proposals to modernise UK abortion law are expected to be discussed in parliament soon and our extensive research says this would improve the lives of both women and healthcare professionals. What is the current law on abortion for the UK?

The 1.3 billion people with disabilities around the world face increased risk factors associated with poorer overall health, such as poverty, issues in older age, malnutrition and exposure to violence. While disability is diverse, people with disabilities often report experiencing similar barriers when seeking healthcare support.

23 March 2024 marks 10 years since the World Health Organization reported an outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in Guinea. This was the beginning of what remains the largest Ebola epidemic to date, as in the following months the disease spread rapidly across West Africa. 

In a rural area in the District of Khulna, South Bangladesh, a researcher from the University of Dhaka asked me: “Do you want to taste the water yourself?” We were standing on an embankment, along the Rupsha River that leads into the Sundarbans - the largest continuous mangrove forest in the world. I had recently joined a research team from the University of Dhaka in their investigations into the unusually high number of pregnant women with pre-eclampsia in the area that was noticed by the local gynaecologist. 

This year’s WHO World Malaria Report makes sobering reading and highlights the persistent challenges hindering further progress towards reducing the malaria burden.

And so another COVID-19 booster campaign begins in the UK. As winter approaches, and an under-pressure health system prepares to weather the storm ahead, our friends, loved ones, colleagues, and carers who are most vulnerable to the SARS-CoV-2 virus are being offered an additional vaccine dose – fortifying their protection against this unpredictable foe.