Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
18 April 2011 09:30
People should be careful about malaria when travelling abroad
Researchers have developed a vaccine which could "revolutionise malaria control".
Currently, over 750,000 people die each year as a result of malaria. The disease mainly affects young children, but at present there is no vaccine available to combat it.
Called the RTS, the new vaccine was created by experts the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), who claim that it "could have an absolutely massive effect". It is expected to help reduce the number of deaths by a third.
It is currently being trialled, and the scientists are hoping that if given the go ahead, the vaccine could be offered to patients by 2015. The vaccine has the potential to prevent the disease in 30% to 50% of patients.
Study leader Professor David Schellenberg said: "I think it's unlikely to be much more than that, but when you have a disease that's causing hundreds of millions of episodes, even a one-third reduction in this would be seriously useful.
"I can't think of another potential intervention that could have such a dramatic effect on survival."
Holidaymakers planning trips to countries that are prone to malaria should make sure that a take out a comprehensive medical travel insurance policy before embarking on a journey.
Prof Schellenberg warned that there is still a lack of "robust information" on the ability of the vaccine to reduce both the number of people who contract malaria and numbers of deaths from the disease, but suggested the initial results are promising.
He added: "I think it's unimaginable that a vaccine that reduces malaria episodes by one third wouldn't have at least that sort of size effect on deaths."
12 December 2018
If you're worried about piling on the pounds this Christmas, regular home weighing could prevent you from excessive festive eating and drinking.
[more...]
11 December 2018
Airlines that automatically cancel return flights when passengers fail to show for their outbound journeys are being warned they risk breaking consumer law.
08 December 2018
Providing better conditions for disabled passengers is one of the main aims of a proposed new charter for airlines and airports.
07 December 2018
Women who don't attend cervical screenings should be offered testing kits they can use at home, new research suggests.
06 December 2018
Ryanair could be slapped with enforcement action from the airline regulator after it refused compensation for passengers hit by flight disruption caused by staff taking strike action.
05 December 2018
Protein supplements and muscle training could be the most effective ways to delay or reverse the effects of frailty, a new study suggests.
04 December 2018
Mumford and Sons bassist Ted Dwane has helped create a new exhibition to raise awareness of the loneliness felt by people living with multiple sclerosis (MS).
01 December 2018
A leading charity has praised the actions of Lloyd Russell-Moyle, saying the Labour MP had "done everybody a service" by disclosing his HIV status.
30 November 2018
Sweating out the daily stresses in a sauna could be linked to a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in people aged 50 and over, according to a new study.
29 November 2018
Hitting the Copacabana could soon become a more realistic aim for holidaymakers, with Norwegian set to become the first budget airline to operate UK-Brazil flights.
28 November 2018
Holidaymakers on the UK's proposed new high-speed trainline could have their Amazon packages delivered directly to their seat, according to a train manufacturer.
27 November 2018
Over half of UK frontline medical staff worry their hospitals won't be able to keep patients safe this winter, according to an "alarming" new survey.