Health

Regulator paves way for NHS e-cigarettes prescriptions in England

Regulator paves way for NHS e-cigarette prescriptions in England

E-cigarettes may soon be prescribed on the NHS to help smokers quit under radical plans by ministers to slash smoking rates in England.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published updated guidance that paves the way for medicinally licensed e-cigarette products to be prescribed for tobacco smokers who want to stop smoking and switch to vaping instead.

The move could see England become the first country in the world to prescribe medicinally licensed e-cigarettes. Almost 64,000 people die from smoking every year. About 3.6 million, or 7% of adults in Britain, are thought to use e-cigarettes.

Doctors, medical leaders and health campaigners welcomed the move. “I am convinced this will be a gamechanger,” said Sir Norman Lamb, the former health minister who chaired the Commons science and technology committee’s inquiry into e-cigarettes in 2018. His committee concluded that there would be “significant benefit” to having medicinally licensed e-cigarettes that could be prescribed, he said.

Prof Linda Bauld, the Bruce and John Usher chair in public health at the University of Edinburgh, said it was “excellent news”.

“While there is good evidence that e-cigarettes available as consumer products can help smokers to quit, we also know that up to one in three smokers in the UK has not tried these devices,” she said.

“Smokers have concerns about safety and misperceptions about the relative risks of e-cigarettes compared with tobacco. For some, cost is also perceived as a barrier. The option of having approved devices that could be prescribed would reassure smokers about relative risks and also assist in reaching those least able to afford e-cigarettes.”

E-cigarettes contain nicotine and are not risk-free. “The liquid and vapour contain some potentially harmful chemicals also found in cigarette smoke,” the NHS says – though these chemicals are found at much lower levels in e-cigarettes.

Public health experts have also raised concerns about young people in particular becoming hooked on vaping despite never having smoked. Tobacco companies have turned to creating the devices.

However, expert reviews have concluded that regulated e-cigarettes are less harmful than smoking. A medicinally licensed e-cigarette would have to pass even more rigorous safety checks, the Department of Health and Social Care said.

Manufacturers can now approach the MHRA and submit their products to the same regulatory approvals process as other medicines available on the NHS. If an e-cigarette gets MHRA approval, doctors could then decide on a case-by-case basis whether it would be appropriate to prescribe an e-cigarette to a patient to help them quit smoking.

Dr June Raine, the chief executive of the MHRA, said the evidence was “clear” that e-cigarettes are less harmful to health than smoking tobacco and that e-cigarettes can help people quit smoking for good. “The updated guidance on licensing requirements we have published today is a strong first step towards availability of safe and effective licensed e-cigarette products.”

The NHS said the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) would have to give the green light to e-cigarettes before they could be rolled out on the health service. A spokesperson added: “The NHS will not be prescribing e-cigarettes unless Nice recommends them for use.”

Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of premature death. While rates are at record low levels in the UK, there are still about 6.1 million smokers in England. There are also alarming differences in rates across the country, with smoking rates in Blackpool (23.4%) and Kingston upon Hull (22.2%) vastly higher than rates in wealthier areas such as Richmond upon Thames (8%).

E-cigarettes were the most popular aid used by smokers trying to quit in England in 2020. The number of e-cigarette users grew from about 700,000 in 2012 to 3.6 million in 2019, falling to 3.2 million in 2020 before rising again in 2021 to 3.6 million.

Sajid Javid, the health secretary, said: “Opening the door to a licensed e-cigarette prescribed on the NHS has the potential to tackle the stark disparities in smoking rates across the country, helping people stop smoking wherever they live and whatever their background.”

Health

Sierra Leone reports first case of monkeypox

Sierra Leone has reported its first confirmed case of mpox since the World Health Organization (WHO) raised its highest alert level for the potentially deadly viral disease last year.

According to the National Public Health Agency, the patient is a 27-year-old man from the rural district of the Western Zone, near the capital Freetown.

“Health teams are actively tracing and investigating to identify potentially exposed persons and to prevent further spread,” the agency announced in a social media post.

The confirmed case was detected on January 10, though health officials have not specified the variant affecting the patient.

Mpox, caused by a virus from the same family as smallpox, presents with high fever and skin lesions known as vesicles.

The disease was first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970 and had mainly been limited to a dozen African countries before spreading more widely in 2022, including to regions where the virus had not previously circulated. The WHO declared its highest alert level for the disease in 2024.

In response, Sierra Leonean health authorities have swiftly activated containment measures. The infected patient has been placed in isolation while contacts will be monitored for 21 days. Surveillance efforts have been increased in all areas visited by the patient.

A public awareness campaign has been launched, and health workers are being equipped with protective gear and trained in prevention techniques to curb further spread.

Sierra Leone was previously one of the hardest-hit countries during the Ebola epidemic, which claimed around 4,000 lives, including nearly seven percent of the nation’s health workers, between 2014 and 2016.

Health

Risk of HMPV infection in Nigeria moderate- NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says the risk of the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in the country is moderate.

HMPV, which was first reported in 2001 in the Netherlands, is a single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus that causes symptoms similar to the common cold and influenza including cough, fever, nasal congestion, and fatigue, with an incubation period of three to six days.

It causes severe complications like pneumonia in infants, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems and spreads through respiratory droplets or contact with contaminated surfaces.

China is currently experiencing an outbreak of the virus, sparking global concern. India has also reported at least two cases of the virus.

In an advisory issued, the NCDC said the agency, in collaboration with the ministry of health, is closely monitoring global developments. The agency said as of January 6, 2025, data from surveillance does not indicate any unusual increase in respiratory infections, including those caused by HMPV.

“However, given the global trends in HMPV cases, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) is proactively implementing measures to strengthen the country’s preparedness and response capacity.

In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and partners such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDC), and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), conducted a dynamic risk assessment for Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV).

The assessment classified the risk of HMPV for Nigeria as moderate. This evaluation will inform and guide preparedness efforts, decision-making, and response strategies to mitigate potential impacts.”

The NCDC said it is also collaborating with port health authorities to ensure robust preparedness at all international points of entry (PoEs).

“In addition, quarantine facilities are being identified and prepared to manage any suspected or confirmed cases if required. Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) materials are being deployed to PoEs to ensure adherence to hygiene and safety protocols. Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials are being developed and distributed to raise awareness and provide clear guidelines for frontline staff and travelers at PoEs.

The National Influenza Sentinel Surveillance (NISS) sites across the six geopolitical zones monitor Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) which is already testing for COVID-19, will now also start testing for HMPV. Provisions will be made to increase the number of tests conducted. Additionally, laboratories in states with international airports will be supported to enable them to test for HMPV.”

Health

WHO declares new COVID outbreak in China global health emergency

The World Health Organization, WHO, has declared the outbreak of a new coronavirus in China, a global health emergency.

The WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus made the announcement at a press conference in Geneva.

WHO’s emergency committee on the epidemic had reportedly met Thursday afternoon and recommended designating the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, PHEIC.

The decision had been “almost unanimous,” Didier Houssin, chair of the emergency committee, said at the press conference.

“The main reason for this declaration is not because of what is happening in China, but because of what is happening in other countries,” Tedros said at the press conference.

“Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems and which are ill-prepared to deal with it. Let me be clear, this declaration is not a vote of no confidence in China. On the contrary, WHO continues to have confidence in China’s capacity to control the outbreak.”

Tedros also outlined recommendations made by the emergency committee to control the outbreak, including accelerating the development of vaccines and drugs and combatting the spread of misinformation.

This is the sixth time WHO has used that label, Public Health Emergency of International Concern, PHEIC. since the designation was introduced 15 years ago.