15 articles from SUNDAY 17.4.2022

Sodium valproate: what are dangers of epilepsy drug for unborn babies?

Drug used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder is being given to pregnant women despite risks, data showsMHRA to look into cases of unsafe epilepsy drug being given to pregnant womenThe anti-epilepsy drug sodium valproate can cause birth defects, but data has revealed it is still being prescribed to pregnant women in the UK, with concerns also raised that they are not always given information...

MHRA to look into cases of unsafe epilepsy drug being given to pregnant women

Sodium valproate, associated with birth defects, reportedly being prescribed without proper warningsRegulators will investigate cases where an epilepsy drug that can cause birth defects has been prescribed without proper warnings, in light of reports that pregnant women are continuing to be given it.Sodium valproate is a drug used to treat epilepsy, and is also used in some people with bipolar...

Frans de Waal: ‘In other primates, I don’t find the kind of intolerance we have’

What can the behaviour of apes teach us about sex and gender? A great deal, according to a new book by primatologist Frans de Waal – and his findings are already stirring controversySex and gender have come to represent one of the hottest fronts in the modern culture wars. Now, on to this bloody battlefield, calmly dodging banned books, anti-transgender laws and political doublespeak, strolls...

Plants hold key to developing future cancer treatments

Scientists say the natural world has an important role to play in creating new drugs to fight the diseaseCancer care relies on complex therapies involving radioactive materials and sophisticated drugs and has come far from past remedies based on plants and herbs.However, scientists warn there is still a need to understand the botanical roots of tumour treatments – to maintain new sources of...

Lessons from Covid can start a health revolution, says lab chief

Director of network that processed millions of tests says smart diagnostics could tackle other major diseasesTwo years of mass Covid testing have paved the way for a revolution in how we diagnose other diseases, the founding director of the Lighthouse labs network has said.In his first interview since the pandemic began, Prof Chris Molloy said that people’s familiarity with using swabs for Covid...