Heart attacks and strokes are among the leading causes of death globally, with millions suffering from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) every year. There are more than seven million people in the UK alone, with about 100,000 patients experiencing heart attacks annually. However, a group of researchers at University College London (UCL) estimate that one 'polypill' taken daily day could eliminate a majority of these cases dramatically lowering death tolls.

The proposed polypill, a combination of a statin and three blood pressure-lowering drugs, has been under study for over two decades. Experts argue that introducing this pill universally for individuals aged 50 and above could be more effective than the current NHS Health Check, which assesses risk factors every five years for those aged between 40 and 74.

Studies have repeatedly proven the effectiveness of the polypill in preventing CVD. A groundbreaking 2019 study in The Lancet found that five years' use of the polypill cut the risk of heart attack and stroke by a third. In addition, previous modelling analyses have estimated that if given universally to people over 55, the polypill might be able to prevent 80% of heart attacks and strokes.

Today, the NHS Health Check follows a risk-based model in which patients are tested for CVD risk factors and treated with drugs accordingly. Yet, as per UCL's study, this system has serious flaws:

Low Uptake: Just 40% of those eligible for the NHS Health Check choose to have it, leaving a considerable number of at-risk patients undiagnosed and untreated.

Ineffective Prediction of Risk: The majority of heart attacks and strokes happen to people at average risk levels, thus making it challenging to identify the need for intervention effectively.

Limited Effectiveness: Even at maximum take-up, the NHS Health Check programme is predicted to have fewer health impacts compared to a polypill initiative applied to the whole population.

Simplicity and Affordability of the Polypill Strategy

One of the big benefits of the polypill is that it is so easy. In contrast to the existing screening-based model, the polypill scheme would not involve complicated medical tests or lengthy risk assessments. Instead, people reaching 50 would just have to fill out a few questions to determine possible side effects before they were prescribed.

Professor Aroon Hingorani of the UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science, one of the strongest proponents of this scheme, says:

"Finally, the time is now to do much better on prevention. A population approach would prevent a lot more heart attacks and strokes than is done today with a strategy of trying to target a smaller group only."

Aside from the possible health implications, the polypill is also an economic solution. The drugs used are off-patent, thus cheap to produce and distribute. With the vast economic cost of managing CVD-related illnesses, a preventive model could result in substantial cost-saving for the NHS in the future.

The polypill has been proven to be effective by numerous international trials. In 2019, a randomised trial in rural Iran discovered that participants who took the polypill for five years had a 34% reduced risk of having a heart attack or stroke compared to non-participants.

Likewise, modelling research has indicated that even if only 8% of people aged over 50 took up the polypill regimen, it would still be more beneficial to their health than the NHS Health Check programme.

Is This a Case of Over-Medicalisation?

One of the main objections to the polypill strategy is the suggestion that it might result in the unnecessary medicalisation of a significant proportion of the population. But, it is argued, it should be considered as a preventative measure, not as mass medication.

Professor Sir Nicholas Wald of UCL's Institute of Health Informatics explains:

"Instead of being a 'medicalisation' of a significant proportion of the population, a polypill programme is a prevention measure to prevent an individual from becoming a patient."

He compares it with public health measures like water fluoridation or compulsory seatbelts—interventions that have been shown to have a significant impact in reducing public health danger at low individual cost.

With the evidence in favour of the polypill's effectiveness and viability overwhelming, experts are calling on the NHS to act now. It is their belief that substituting the NHS Health Check with a polypill-based prevention program could be the UK government's flagship policy under its pledge to put disease prevention ahead of cure.

As Professor Hingorani points out, "The status quo is not a justifiable option." With CVD still a major cause of death globally, taking a population-wide polypill approach could be a turning point for preventative medicine, potentially saving thousands of lives annually. The question now is whether the NHS will take up this call and establish a policy with the potential to transform the prevention of cardiovascular disease on a national level.

A US Senate committee has voted to hold former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress.

What Does the Vote Mean?

Also read: Lab Leak 'More Likely' Origin of COVID-19, Says Former Biden Adviser Dr. Ashish Jha

The committee voted along party lines to refer Fauci to the US Justice Department, which will decide whether to investigate or pursue contempt charges over his refusal to answer questions after being directed to do so under a congressional subpoena, The Washington Post reported.

The referral does not automatically result in prosecution. It is now up to the Justice Department to determine whether to pursue the case.

Ahead of the vote, Senator Rand Paul said the issue before lawmakers was Fauci's refusal to answer questions—not his views or his handling of the pandemic.

"The chair directed Anthony Fauci to answer. He refused. That is what we are voting on today—not his opinions, not his policies, not anything he said from the podium six years ago," Paul said.

"We are voting on whether a witness who has received the benefit of a federal pardon can be ordered by this committee to answer questions and then defy that order without consequence," he added.

Fauci, 85, said the decision not to answer questions "pained" him but that he was following the advice of his legal counsel. The Fifth Amendment protects individuals from being compelled to incriminate themselves under most circumstances.

Senate Committee Obtains Fauci's Phone Records

Read More: Severe COVID-19 Can Reactivate Dormant Viruses, May Fuel Long COVID Symptoms: Study

As the contempt proceedings moved forward, the Senate committee said it had obtained a backup copy of Fauci's government-issued iPhone, which he used during his tenure as NIAID director, including while leading the Trump administration's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, said the phone records could provide additional information.

"Hopefully, this device will address many of the questions he refused to answer at last week's hearing."

Long-Running Debate Over COVID Origins

The hearing is the latest development in the long-running political debate over the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fauci's legal team noted that he had appeared before congressional committees at least 20 times since the COVID-19 pandemic began and had continued testifying even after retiring in mid-2024. They argued there had been no major COVID-19 developments since then that warranted further testimony.

For years, Fauci has been accused of attempting to conceal the virus's origins and of supporting research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China, where some believe the pandemic may have begun through a laboratory leak.

In June, former US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released previously undisclosed communications and documents alleging that Fauci funded research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology that contributed to the pandemic.

Most scientists, however, continue to believe that transmission from an infected animal remains the more likely origin of the virus.

Recently, former White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha, in a media interview, said that he believes the COVID-19 pandemic was "more likely" caused by an accidental lab leak than by natural transmission.

"My view on COVID origins isn't new — I've held it since my time at the White House," Jha, who also served as an adviser to former President Joe Biden, wrote on social media platform X.

"Here's the truth: no one in America knows for sure. Anyone telling you they do is selling you something. Based on strong circumstantial evidence I've seen, I think a lab leak is much more likely," he wrote while sharing a clip of his CNN interview.

TikTok creator Sydney Towle has died at the age of 26 after a three-year battle with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive bile duct cancer.

Her family announced her death on social media on Wednesday (Aug. 5), sharing a photo of Towle standing on a mountain peak alongside the message: "Rest in Peace Sydney Elizabeth Towle. An endless ray of sunshine. A daughter, a sister and friend to so many."

"We will always love you so much, Sydney. I am so proud of how hard you fought. I love you," read the caption.

Her older brother, Austin Towle, also shared the tribute on his TikTok account, calling her the "best sister ever."

Sydney Towle: Entered Hospice Days Before Her Death

A day before announcing her death, Austin revealed that Sydney had entered hospice care. The post showed family and friends gathered around her hospital bed.

"Sydney has been moved to hospice and is surrounded by her friends and family. Thank you all for your love and support❤️," he wrote.

Sydney Towle: Rare Bile Duct Cancer at 23

Also read: Candida auris: US CDC Reports 3,437 Cases of Deadly Superbug In 27 States

Towle was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma at the age of 23, a rare cancer that develops in the bile ducts and is most commonly diagnosed in people over 50.

Her diagnosis followed a lump and a burning sensation in her abdomen in 2023. Initially believed to be a hernia, it was later confirmed to be bile duct cancer.

Sydney Towle Documented Cancer Journey Online

Following her diagnosis, Towle documented her cancer journey on social media, saying that sharing her experience gave her a "purpose." She built a community of more than one million followers across TikTok and Instagram. Over the course of her illness, she underwent several surgeries, multiple rounds of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, and participated in clinical trials.

In an interview with TODAY.com in November 2024, Towle said five months of chemotherapy and immunotherapy had reduced the size of her tumor, allowing surgeons to remove most of it. However, some cancer remained lining her liver, and doctors planned regular scans to monitor it.

A later MRI revealed a lesion that doubled in size within a month.

She later moved to New York City, where she began working with a new medical team to develop another treatment plan.

Cancer Continued to Progress

Read More: Severe COVID-19 Can Reactivate Dormant Viruses, May Fuel Long COVID Symptoms: Study

In a TikTok video posted on May 17, 2026, Towle revealed that the cancer had spread to her peritoneum, the membrane lining the abdomen and pelvis.

Two days later, she said her oncologist recommended stopping active treatment and transitioning to end-of-life care.

"I said, 'No.' So, we are switching hospitals," Towle said. "We're not at the point where we're giving up."

On June 8, she shared that doctors had found tumors in her lungs. Despite undergoing further surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy over the following weeks, her health continued to decline. On July 21, she revealed she had been hospitalized for about a month while waiting to learn whether her treatments were working.

Her social media accounts fell silent soon after. On Aug. 4, her brother announced she had been moved to hospice care. A day later, her family confirmed that she had died, surrounded by loved ones.

What Is Cholangiocarcinoma?

Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare cancer that develops in the bile ducts—the slender tubes that carry bile, a digestive fluid, from the liver to the gallbladder and small intestine.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the disease occurs most often in people over the age of 50, although it can develop at any age. It is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage, making treatment more challenging.

Signs and Symptoms include

• Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice)
• Intense itching
• White- or clay-colored stools
• Dark urine
• Fatigue
• Pain in the upper right side of the abdomen
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fever
• Night sweats

The US has reported 3,437 cases of the drug-resistant fungus Candida auris across 27 states so far this year, according to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The figure is about 1,000 fewer than the 4,290 cases reported during the same period last year.

The states reporting the highest number of cases this year are:

• California: 873
• Texas: 433
• Tennessee: 283

The CDC clarified that an increase in reported cases does not necessarily mean the fungus is spreading more rapidly than usual.

"An increasing number of cases does not mean the fungus is transmitting at a more rapid pace than usual," the CDC said.

The agency added that while C. auris cases continue to rise every year, the rate of increase has slowed since 2022.

Most Strains Resistant to Common Antifungal Drugs

A CDC analysis published earlier this year, based on 8,033 C. auris samples collected in 2022 and 2023, found:

• More than 95% were resistant to fluconazole, a first-line antifungal drug.
• 15% were resistant to amphotericin B.
• 1% were resistant to echinocandins.
• Fewer than 1% were resistant to all three major antifungal drug classes.

Why Is Candida auris a Concern?

Candida auris is a type of fungus that can cause serious infections in the human body. It was first identified in 2009.

The CDC said that the drug-resistant fungus continues to pose a major challenge for hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities because it is difficult to treat and control.

"Candida auris is an emerging yeast that is frequently resistant to antifungal drugs. C. auris can cause invasive infections associated with high mortality and can colonize patients asymptomatically, which facilitates transmission in health care settings," the CDC said.

"Since it was first reported in the United States in 2016, C. auris has been identified in multiple states, with increasing numbers of cases reported annually. Monitoring national trends in cases identified through clinical testing and screening for colonization is critical to guide infection prevention and control efforts," it added.

Why Is Candida auris So Difficult to Control?

Unlike many other infections, Candida auris spreads easily through contaminated medical equipment and direct person-to-person contact. It can also survive for long periods on surfaces and is resistant to many commonly used disinfectants, making outbreaks difficult to contain once the fungus enters a healthcare facility.

Health officials say the steady rise in cases each year points to ongoing transmission in healthcare settings.

Symptoms and Health Risks

Candida auris can infect:

• The bloodstream
• Wounds
• Ears
• Other parts of the body

Symptoms vary depending on the site and severity of the infection. Some people may carry the fungus without showing any symptoms.

The CDC noted that most people who develop Candida auris infections are already seriously ill, making it difficult to determine how much the fungus contributes to death compared with their underlying medical conditions.

The fungus is particularly concerning in hospitals and nursing homes because it can survive on surfaces such as doorknobs, counters, and bed rails. Its resistance to multiple antifungal drugs makes infections difficult to treat and eliminate.