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As per the latest data released by Transforming Access to Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO) and the Policy Institute at King's College London, the number of UK students reporting mental health difficulties tripled. The estimate reveals that around 300,000 students could now be experiencing mental health struggles. Of the total, 18% of students reported some kind of mental health issue in 2024.
As per the reports, this estimate is triple what was reported in 2017, where it was at 6%. Experts also say that Covid-19 pandemic is "often considered to have contributed to this, it does not explain the ongoing rise in mental health difficulties." Another reason could also be the "changing definition and increasing openness about mental health" which has led to a rise in numbers. The report notes, "This trend pre-dates the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. Although these factors play a part in students' deteriorating mental health, they cannot therefore be the only explanation."
The report drew data collected over the latest Student Academic Experience Survey of 93,212 students. From the survey, it was found that there exist significant disparities between demographic groups, with women being twice as likely to report mental health difficulties, about 22% as compared to men, at 11%.
The results revealed that students who identified as LGBTQ experienced the highest rates of mental health challenges. This has actually lessened the hope that conditions for LGBTQ students are improving, which may not have been a positive case.
Of them, 42% are bisexual and lesbian students, whereas last year it was 35% and 32% respectively. The report also noted that mental health difficulties among lesbian women and gay men rose three times the rate of straight people, and among bisexual and asexual people, it was twice as high. For trans students, the number jumped from 25% in 2023 to 40% in 2024.
As per the Child Mind Institute, being LGBTQ+ does not cause mental health problems, but because these kids often face factors like rejection, discrimination and violence, they are at a higher risk of challenges including depression, anxiety, and even attempting suicide.
A UTAH Health study quotes Anna Docherty, PhD, LP, assistant professor of psychiatry at Huntsman Mental Health Institute that, "likely with any identity, feeling different - or worse, unaccepted as you are is a significant risk factor of mental health struggle." The data reveals that LGBTQ+ teens are six times more likely to experience symptoms of depression than non-LGBTQ+ identifying teens. They are also more than twice as likely to feel suicidal and more than four times as likely to attempt suicide. In the US alone, 48% of transgender adults report that they have considered suicide in the last year, compared to 4% of the overall population.
TASO's academic lead and professor of public policy at King's College London, Michael Sanders said, "LGBTQ students and women bear the brunt of the rise in declining mental health and urgent action is needed to understand and address these trends."
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Amid rising global infertility rates, a new study has found that an imbalance in the bacteria present in men's semen may reduce a couple's chances of having a baby and increase the risk of pregnancy loss. Researchers also found that the composition of women's gut bacteria may influence fertility outcomes.
The study, published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women's Health, found these associations were particularly evident among couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), as well as those with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss.
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, said the findings point to "imbalances in men's semen and in women's gut bacteria as previously overlooked and potentially treatable risk factors for infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss."
Although the vaginal microbiome has been studied extensively in relation to fertility, the gut and seminal microbiomes have been largely overlooked.
“Incorporation of couple-level microbial assessment might represent a novel approach for targeted therapeutic strategies,” the team said.
The researchers followed 353 women and 191 of their male partners between April 2018 and September 2023. All participants were heterosexual couples undergoing fertility treatment or had experienced recurrent pregnancy loss.
They analyzed bacterial communities in the women's gut and vagina and in the men's semen before tracking pregnancies and birth outcomes. About one in four men had an unhealthy bacterial imbalance, known as dysbiosis, in their semen.
Among couples undergoing IVF or ICSI:
The researchers also noted that standard semen analysis cannot detect this bacterial imbalance, meaning a man's test results may appear normal even when dysbiosis is present.
The study found that an imbalance in women's gut bacteria was associated with:
However, gut bacterial imbalance was not associated with miscarriage, while an imbalance in vaginal bacteria showed no clear link with either infertility or pregnancy loss.
According to the researchers, assessing the microbiome in both men and women could improve infertility evaluation and help identify previously overlooked, potentially treatable factors affecting fertility.
They added that, if confirmed in larger studies, therapies aimed at restoring healthy bacterial balance in semen and the gut could improve fertility outcomes and reduce recurrent pregnancy loss.
Infertility is a disease of the male or female reproductive system, defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in six people globally experience infertility during their lifetime. The condition can cause significant emotional distress, social stigma and financial hardship, with far-reaching effects on mental and psychosocial well-being.
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An artificial intelligence (AI)-powered blood test has accurately detected liver cancer in patients from two geographically and biologically distinct populations.
It is being considered a breakthrough that can help researchers develop accessible and effective screening for people at high risk of the disease.
The study by researchers from Johns Hopkins University, validated an AI-based blood test in 377 participants from Guatemala and Romania, two populations with different genetic backgrounds and major causes of liver disease.
The findings suggest the technology may be effective across diverse populations. It marks an important step in deploying AI in real-world clinical use.
The test is based on DELFI (DNA Evaluation of Fragments for Early Interception), an AI platform that analyses patterns in cell-free DNA fragments circulating in the bloodstream.
Rather than searching for a single mutation, the algorithm detects subtle changes in how DNA is fragmented, which is a sign of cancer.
Also read: Love Diet Coke? A Major New Study Has Some Concerning News For Your Brain
Researchers found that when the DELFI blood test was combined with the commonly used liver cancer biomarker alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), along with a patient's age and sex, it detected 89% of liver cancers overall and 79% of early-stage cancers.
This was significantly better and effective than AFP testing alone, which has limited sensitivity for detecting tumours at an early stage.
The study also provided new insights into why the test performs well, showing that DNA fragmentation patterns carry biological signals linked with liver cancer across different patients from different backgrounds.
According to the researchers, this strengthens confidence that the AI technology could be applied beyond a single country or healthcare setting and can be used to improve liver cancer detection systems.
Also read: Bone Marrow Transplant: The Quiet Revolution Transforming India's Fight Against Blood Cancers
Healthy and cancerous cells release tiny fragments of DNA into the bloodstream. The DELFI platform uses AI to examine the size, distribution, and genomic patterns of these fragments.
Instead of looking for a specific mutation, it recognises fragmentation signs that indicate the presence of liver cancer, making it possible to identify the disease using just a simple blood sample.
While the findings are promising, the researchers emphasised that the test is not yet ready for routine clinical use.
Larger human clinical studies will be needed before it can become part of standard liver cancer screening programmes.
If future trials confirm these results, AI-powered blood tests could become a valuable addition to current cancer detection processes, helping doctors detect liver cancer earlier and improving outcomes for people at highest risk.
Also read: WHO Cancer Agency Flags 3 Common Medicines As Carcinogenic: What It Means For Millions Of Patients
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of liver cancer, is often diagnosed only after symptoms develop, reducing the chances of successful treatment.
People living with cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) are at particularly high risk of contracting this disease.
The existing screening methods, including ultrasound and AFP testing, can miss early cancers, while access to imaging is limited in many parts of the world.
A blood-based test that performs consistently across diverse populations could help improve screening and identify cancers when they are still treatable.
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From weight loss and diabetes to cancers and much more, GLP-1 drugs have delivered blockbuster results and transformed treatment for millions of people worldwide.
Clinical data have consistently shown that GLP-1 receptor agonists containing semaglutide and tirzepatide—including Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro—reduce overall mortality as well as the risk of heart-related deaths.
However, reports from the UK and US have linked these medicines to more than 200 deaths. While a direct causal relationship has not been established and millions of people use these medications safely, high-profile inquests and adverse event databases have highlighted reports of deaths in which these drugs were listed as a suspected contributing factor, including cases associated with severe complications, dosing errors, and the use of counterfeit or compounded products.
Data submitted to the UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) show a total of 82 deaths associated with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, the class of drugs used to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes, up to January 31, 2025.
The data includes 22 deaths associated with GLP-1 agonists used for weight loss, while 60 deaths were linked to their use in treating type 2 diabetes. As per the MHRA data:
"The decision to start, continue, or stop treatments should be made jointly by patients and their doctor, based on full consideration of benefits and risks," said Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer.
In 2026, the deaths of two people in Northern Ireland potentially linked to Wegovy and Mounjaro injections were also reported to the MHRA.
The two cases are among more than 500 suspected adverse drug reaction reports submitted from Northern Ireland over the past two years related to GLP-1 medications.
In the US, Ozempic and Wegovy have been linked to 162 deaths since 2018, according to reports in the FDA's FAERS (FDA Adverse Event Reporting System) database.
While none of the deaths have been proven to be directly caused by semaglutide injections, the reports indicate the drugs were listed as a factor in the fatalities.
Driven by the rising prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes, the use of GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound has increased dramatically in recent years. The global GLP-1 drug market is estimated to reach $200 billion by 2030.
Although each medication has distinct FDA-approved uses, they share four common mechanisms of action:
In June 2026, the FDA raised concerns about patients and healthcare professionals seeking unapproved versions of GLP-1 receptor agonists, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, for weight loss.
The agency warned that unapproved products do not undergo FDA review for safety, effectiveness or quality before being marketed.
The FDA recommends that:
The FDA advises consumers to watch for warning signs, including companies that:
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