Mark Chataway

Gonorrhoea vaccination now available in sexual health clinics in England for those at greatest risk of infection

🆕 From today, sexual health clinics in England will be able to offer a free vaccine to people at the highest risk of #Gonorrhoea. Protecting thousands and saving the NHS over £7.9 million in the next decade. 💉
📰🔗 www.gov.uk/government/n...

Could Hungary’s faltering economy topple Orbán? Rising prices and declining services for ordinary voters contrast with the excesses of those close to the prime minister

As my old grandmother used to say, “from your mouth to God’s ears” (gift link). The “system of national co-operation” seems to be buckling under the weight of cronyism on.ft.com/46xriXD

Measles cases soar in Europe as vaccine coverage falls short The World Health Organization says infections more than doubled in Europe and Central Asia between 2023 and 2024

Here’s an unusually inaccurate piece of reporting in the @financialtimes.com. on.ft.com/4kGh5vo

The data on measles are, sadly, real.

RFK Jr did not attack “the whooping cough vaccine”. He pointed out, correctly, that one type of pertussis vaccine has more problems than another type.

Trump team axes contracts with publishing giant Springer Nature The action comes as high-ranking US officials criticize top journals as ‘woke’ and ‘corrupt’.

When you don’t want to hear the news, the best thing is to make sure you hit a paywall and can’t read it or see it. Springer Nature appears to be $3 million poorer as a result, sadly www.nature.com/articles/d41...

As Debt Piles Up, Countries See Fiscal Relief as Political Leverage

Is China serious about using its power and wealth to help development? A key question at this week’s (largely ignored) Funding for Development meeting in Seville. #Ffd4 Excellent reporting in the @nytimes.com today (gift link) www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/b...

"The energy it took to cook a decent dinner is about the same as generating two AI videos." The Wall Street Journal investigates the environmental cost of telling Chat GPT to give Donald Trump a bad-tempered cat face and have him miaow www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-p...

The Banks Know What’s Coming Wall Street’s (not so) quiet pivot to thriving in a world that’s burning.

"The financial elite see what’s coming...instead of pushing for emissions cuts or systemic change, they’re doubling down on adaptation. They’ve skipped the denial phase. They’ve skipped bargaining. They’re cashing in on collapse like it’s just another market opportunity." medium.com/edge-of-coll...

I worked at the biggest US AIDS charity in 1983. By 1984, I thought we had killed the crazed theory that the disease was linked to poppers (amyl nitrate). Turns out, I was over-confident. Let's hope it does less damage this time around

20 million cases of paralysis have been avoided because polio is almost eradicated. "We are on the cusp of history," @drtedros.who.int told the Rotary International convention. He also announced a new collaboration with WHO to fight hepatitis amid cuts to global development assistance #ricon25

Waiting for the opening plenary at the Rotary International annual convention in Calgary with @chrisnial.com

The rain has stopped, the sun's shining, excitement is building! We're in Stampede Park, the home of the Calgary Flames. If it weren't for the deafening music, all would be great. #ricon25

Just like newspapers and broadcast. It's fine, so long as we get to do the AI equivalent of reading The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal and Russia Today. Then, we can usually figure it out for ourselves

Wow...

Just in case you were tempted to follow Alberta's model of having no vaccine mandates.....

New COVID Variant NB.1.8.1 'Nimbus' Now Driving 37% of Cases in US: Know These Symptoms A highly transmissible new COVID-19 variant called NB.1.8.1, aka "Nimbus," is spreading in the United States, CDC data show. What to know about symptoms and vaccines.

A highly transmissible new COVID-19 variant is spreading in the U.S.

“Those in high-risk groups should consider getting the vaccine now if they haven’t been vaccinated in the last six months," Prof. Albert Ko told TODAY.
www.today.com/health...

Presidente de Budapeste desafia Orbán e assume organização da marcha do orgulho LGBTQ+ Depois de o Parlamento ter aprovado uma lei que proíbe as marchas LGBTQ, o presidente da câmara de Budapeste anunciou que a cidade vai adiante com “a celebração da liberdade”.

Good for Budapest: defying Orbán to organise a celebration of liberty including LGBTQ pride www.publico.pt/2025/06/17/p...

Come to #ccih25 for the discussions about faith-based organisations in health, but stay for the worship through dance

"Healthcare isn't just about treating illness. It's about preserving dignity."

It requires presence, not just prescriptions.

Empathy, not just efficiency.

Above all, it reminds us that every person deserves to be seen, heard, and comforted until the end.
#PalliativeCare
#EndOfLifeCare

Explosive mpox outbreak in Sierra Leone overwhelms health systems Rapid transmission through sexual networks raises fears of wider spread in the region

When viral epidemics are ignored they hardly magically disappear, they spread. Excellent reporting on the large outbreak of mpox in Sierra Leone. A country with a fragile health system and limited resources to effectively respond to this threat.
www.science.org/content/arti...

I live the other side of the world, but I find this @abcnewsbot.bsky.social podcast the best explainer of global events week in and week out. Just brilliant and really well produced pca.st/episode/6b83...

Matthew 24:22ff (Message translation) “Fake Messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere. Their impressive credentials and bewitching performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better. But I’ve given you fair warning.”

Poorest 750 nations face ‘tidal wave’ of debt repayments to China in 2025, study warns Vulnerable countries to pay record $22bn this year, mostly relating to loans issued under Xi Jinping’s belt and road initiative

China will be more debt collector than development partner in the next decade www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...

@markcha.bsky.social expertly moderated day one of the 3rd Sustainable medicine and environment summit in #Berlin yesterday!

Opinion | What Desi Arnaz Could Teach Hollywood Today

I used to get up at 3.30 am every morning in the1980s (to be on the radio at 6). It was Lucille Ball reruns that got me out of bed. Here's a gift link to an article about how early DEI made it possible www.nytimes.com/2025/05/18/o...

Essay | Americans in Their 80s and 90s Are Redefining Old Age Dementia rates are down, recovery rates are up. Many are thriving mentally and physically deep into their later years.

Older people are staying healthy much longer, recovering from disability at unprecedented rates and developing dementia less than similar age people did a century ago www.wsj.com/health/welln...

The biggest single factor in America's changing fertility rate is the age when women are becoming new mothers.

Between around 2007 and 2020, the U.S. teen pregnancy rate fell by half. The number of women 20-24 who became mothers fell significantly, too.

Executive action may actually drive up medicines prices *This story will be updated as more details become available*

President Trump says he wants US pharmaceutical prices to be more like other rich countries. He probably doesn't!

The US could end up paying more soon because big data means it will be easier and easier to measure the real economic impact of prevention and treatment

medium.com/beingwell/ex...

#SharedFacts #BadPolicy #Consequences

I'm at the Maritim hotel in Darmstadt and amazed at how vegan aware it is. The Green movement really seems to be changing eating habits in Germany

‘Sitting ducks’: the cities most vulnerable to climate disasters Extreme weather means wildfires and flooding are becoming more likely, posing a risk to urban areas around the world

I was really surprised at the cities which are "sitting ducks" because of climate change- Miami isn't on the list but Houston is. (Gift link) on.ft.com/43gL9Ig via @financialtimes.com