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.

India’s Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued a notification ending the over-the-counter (OTC) sale of all syrups, including cough syrups.

Under the new rules, a doctor's prescription will now be required to purchase cough syrups across the country.

“Consequently, the sale and dispensing of cough syrups in smaller villages will now be required to take place only through duly licensed pharmacies in accordance with the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Rules framed thereunder,” the notification said.

Why Are the Rules Being Amended?

The amendment comes months after contaminated cough syrups were linked to the deaths of 22 children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, raising fresh concerns over the safety and regulation of commonly used liquid medicines.

Following the incident last year, health authorities in India had banned three cough syrups Coldrif, Respifresh TR and ReLife after traces of diethylene glycol (DEG) were detected in the products. The Coldrif contamination was linked to the deaths of 22 children in the country.

“The amendment has been undertaken to strengthen regulatory oversight of syrup formulations and to align the exemption framework with contemporary public health and safety requirements,” the notification said.

“The measure is expected to promote responsible distribution and sale of cough syrups while ensuring greater compliance with regulatory standards across the country,” it added.

Also read: Introducing Eggs Before Age One May Lower Allergy Risk by 17%, Says Study

Experts Welcome Move To Restrict Cough Syrup Sales

Dr Kuldeep Kumar Grover, Associate Director, Pulmonology and Critical Care, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram called it a

"a good initiative to include all syrup varieties, cough syrups included, under prescription medicines".

Cough syrups have substances that might lead to drowsiness, addiction, or drug interaction in patients who do not seek medical advice before taking the medicines.

"It is important to note that a cough could be a symptom of other serious conditions like infections, asthma, and allergies. Prescription-based access encourages proper evaluation, accurate treatment, and safer medication use," Grover said.

Dr. (Prof.) Mohsin Wali, former Physician to the President of India, said cough syrups and similar formulations often contain suppressants such as codeine and dextromethorphan (DXM), along with other solvents.

Dr. Wali, Senior Consultant and Head of Preventive Cardiology at Pacific One Health, recalled previous incidents in which contaminated Indian-made cough syrups were linked to deaths in Gambia and other African countries.

"Industrial-grade solvents were detected in some of these products, leading to kidney failure, severe metabolic acidosis, and, in some cases, death," he said.

According to Dr. Wali, the new notification will help curb the overuse, misuse, and addictive use of cough syrups while improving patient safety.

What Did The Notification Say?

The Ministry notified an amendment to the Drugs Rules, 1945, through Gazette Notification G.S.R. 927(E) dated December 29, 2025, published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), dated December 30, 2025.

The amendment omits the word “Syrup” from Schedule K, Serial No. 13, Entry 7 under the heading “Class of Drugs.”

Schedule K of the Drugs Rules, 1945, provides exemptions from certain provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the rules framed under it for specified classes of drugs.

Before this amendment, Entry No. 13 of Schedule K permitted the sale of cough syrups in villages with a population of less than 1,000 without requiring compliance with certain retail sale licensing provisions.

With the omission of the word “Syrup” from the entry, this exemption will no longer apply to cough syrups.

Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers dealing with cough syrups have been advised to ensure strict compliance with the applicable licensing and regulatory requirements under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the Drugs Rules, 1945.

Ban On Pediatric Cough Syrups

Last year, India formally prohibited the use of certain commonly available OTC cough and cold medicines in children below the age of four.

The policy move, notified through a gazette notification, banned a fixed-dose combination (FDC) of Chlorpheniramine Maleate and Phenylephrine Hydrochloride—two ingredients commonly found in pediatric cough syrups.

The decision followed growing global concerns over the safety of these medicines in very young children, with India joining several countries that have introduced stricter regulations.

Countries including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom had previously issued guidelines or warnings regarding the use of OTC cough and cold medicines in young children.

One month has passed since the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared its 17th Ebola outbreak, and there is no sign of respite. Confirmed cases and deaths have surged to 808 and 192, respectively, according to the country's Health Ministry.

Uganda has confirmed 19 infections, while Congo's Ituri province, where the outbreak first emerged, accounts for more than 90% of cases in the country.

The outbreak was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the outbreak was officially declared on May 15.

The cases continue to surge daily as health authorities and aid agencies grapple with inadequate testing, weak contact tracing, and community resistance.

However, experts warn the outbreak's true scale may be far greater than official data indicate, making it already the third-deadliest Ebola outbreak on record.

Ebola Epidemic Moving Upward

Also read: Ebola Survivors May Face COVID-Like Memory Loss and Brain Issues For Over 7 Years: NIH Study

According to Dieudonne Mwamba Kazadi, head of the DRC National Institute of Public Health (INSP), the Ebola epidemic was still moving upward in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province and the epicenter of the outbreak, Xinhua News Agency reported.

"We are still in the midst of the epidemic. I would say we are in the upward phase of the outbreak, the active phase," Kazadi said.

More confirmed cases are expected in the coming days, making it urgent to expand treatment capacity and establish new Ebola treatment centers in affected areas, he noted.

"The perspective is really to increase capacity and already have treatment centers positioned to receive the future suspected and confirmed cases that we will identify in the coming days and weeks," Kazadi said, stressing the need to "engaging communities further," he said.

True Scale of Outbreak Remains Unclear

Read More: Expert Explains Science Behind Ebola Patient Recoveries

Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said in a statement that the government's figures likely understate the true toll of the outbreak, echoing concerns raised by aid groups and some Congolese officials.

"No one knows the true scale or exactly where the disease is spreading in DRC," said Kate White, MSF's emergency medical coordinator.

"One month on, the Ebola disease outbreak is outpacing the response effort," White said.

She noted that most treatment centers in Ituri province are overwhelmed, with many patients arriving at a late stage of the disease.

"What we do know is that most treatment centers in Ituri province are overwhelmed; many of our patients arrive at a late stage of the disease, and the majority were never identified or monitored as contacts before seeking care," White said.

Testing and Contact Tracing Challenges

Testing remains "one of the most significant weaknesses in the response," according to the MSF statement.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was “really worried” about the outbreak after visiting the DRC, Stat News reported.

“When the community is not taking it as its priority, it’s very hard,’’ Tedros said. He said that in the North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri provinces where the outbreak is centered, Ebola is seen as a lesser evil compared with armed conflict, widespread hunger, and more common deadly diseases experienced daily.

Notably, many communities, particularly those affected by active armed conflict, still lack access to test kits. Treatment centers are also facing significant delays in receiving laboratory results, hampering efforts to quickly identify and isolate infections.

What Is Ebola?

Ebola is a highly lethal viral hemorrhagic fever first identified in 1976. Over the past five decades, it has caused over 30 outbreaks, primarily in Central and West Africa.

Symptoms include fever, headache, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, sore throat, and unexplained bleeding. This eventually leads to severe complications like bleeding, organ failure, and death.

Aid groups warn that without stronger surveillance, faster testing, and improved contact tracing, the outbreak could continue to expand in the weeks ahead.

The United Kingdom is planning to create a new normal for children by banning social media for kids under 16. The services of social media, including Instagram and Snapchat, will not be available for adolescents in the island nation. The government there is planning to follow in the steps of Australia and block social media to ensure a safe and secure childhood.

To better protect children online and tackle growing digital risks, the government plans to introduce measures that go beyond a simple social media ban. Under the proposal, children under 16 would be blocked from accessing high-risk features such as livestreaming and communicating with strangers online. These world-leading restrictions would extend beyond social media platforms to cover a broader range of online services, including gaming websites, making the policy one of the most comprehensive child online safety measures introduced anywhere in the world.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, Parents want to keep their kids safe and happy, but the online world has made that harder than ever." He added, "I’ve heard firsthand from families crying out for change, and we will do right by them."

He also said that any country can ban social media for under-16s and put wider protections in place to give kids their childhood back.

Other Countries That Are Planning To Implement Social Media Ban

• Denmark: Plans to ban social media for children under 15, with limited parental exceptions for those aged 13–14.
• France: Approved a bill to ban social media for children under 15, pending final legislative approval.
• India: Karnataka has banned social media for children under 16. Other states like Andhra Pradesh, Goa, and Bihar are considering age restrictions.
• Italy: Children under 14 need parental consent to create social media accounts.
• Poland: Drafted legislation to ban social media for children under 15 and require age verification.
• Slovenia: Preparing a law that would prohibit social media access for children under 15.
• Spain: Plans to ban social media access for minors under 16 and require age verification.
• Sweden: A government commission has recommended a minimum social media age of 15.
• United States: Several states require parental consent for minors, while federal legislation seeks stronger protections for young users.
• European Union: Considering stricter child safety rules, including parental consent for under-16s and a ban for children under 13.

Which Countries Have Already Banned Or Imposed Curbs On Social Media Use By Children?

There are several nations that have already banned or implemented significant mechanisms to curb social media use by children. Australia, Malaysia, and Turkey have already passed laws to ban social media for children. On the other hand, China and Greece have made arrangements to curb the use of social media by children.