Up to 1 million people in the UK are taking anabolic steroids and other image- and performance-enhancing drugs (IPEDs) to change the way they look, public health experts and doctors have said. This ranges from teenagers seeking the perfect physique to elderly men hoping to hang on to youthful looks.more
The number of people taking up the offer of a free flu vaccine from the NHS is up by 700,000 on last year. A department spokesman has described it as "the most significant flu season since the winter of 2010-11", with thousands more people being treated in December than during the same month in 2016.more
A GP accused of telling a female patient he liked rough sex is believed to be on the autism spectrum and may need specialist help to improve communications with patients. The middle-aged doctor was before a Medical Council fitness to practise inquiry in Dublin yesterday.more
Parents will be allowed to choose the sex of their baby under proposed new legislation, it emerged yesterday. The right of parents to decide the gender to avoid passing on a serious inherited disease will be part of the first law regulating fertility treatments and will permit couples to only implant a healthy embryo in the womb.more
According to a recent survey just over half of Irish families say they are happy with their lives. The research for Celtic Pure Water shows only 4% feel unhappy. The survey was carried out across 679 Irish families with children up to 18 years of age, to give an insight into Irish family life and what makes us happy.more
Britain is still not a "foodie nation", Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett has said. She told BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs that, while there is talk of the country now having a "food culture, I genuinely don't think we do".more
A dangerous flu has been spreading rapidly across the U.S., escalating flu season earlier than usual, and to near-epidemic levels, according to the CDC.more
120,000 volunteers on the streets of Polish and foreign cities, concerts and charity auctions - 26th WOSP Grand Finale started this morning. This year, the Foundation collects money for equipment for hospital neonatal wards.more
The number of air quality monitoring stations around Ireland is to double this year, according to Environment Minister Denis Naughten. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) manages air quality monitoring stations around the country, which assess the air quality in each county.more
Hundreds of thousands of young people were referred to children's services in 2017, according to officials. The number is so high it's equivalent to one referral every 49 seconds, the Local Government Association warned.more
A 'red zone' map indicating where the influenza virus has hit Ireland has been released by the HSE. The map covers all strains of influenza, including the Aussie flu, shows that the entire country has been affected by the bug.more
Ireland has witnessed a surge in sexually transmitted diseases with the peak transmission period of the Christmas and New Year party season still to report. Rates of HIV, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Herpes and Chlamydia are now soaring despite repeated sexual health education campaigns.more
Air quality alerts of the type used in London by Sadiq Khan are "inadequate" in protecting public health, researchers said today. They said tackling filthy air was best addressed by enforceable laws on cleaner fuel and emissions and by targeting polluting industries rather than leaving people to protect themselves.more
Motorists suffering from cold or flu have been warned "driving under the influenza" could be as dangerous as drink-driving. If you are not well enough to undertake a journey, it could be dangerous for yourself and other road users, Mayo County Council said in a statement.more
According to research by online bed retailer Time 4 Sleep, only 28% of Brits change their bedsheets once a week - the recommended time. 40% change their sheets every fortnight and 24% change them once every three or four weeks!more
Hospitals across the UK are telling patients to not go to A&E unless they need emergency treatment. Hospitals in England advised to cancel all non-urgent operations.more
Children should be given no more than two 100 calorie snacks per day in a bid to help cut childhood obesity, campaigners have warned. The latest guidelines from Public Health England (PHE) come as they warn that unhealthy snacks eaten by children contribute to half the sugar consumed by them each day.more
Life expectancy in Ireland has increased by two and a half years since 2005. Irish male life expectancy has been consistently higher than the EU average for the last decade. Life expectancy is now 79.6 years for men and 83.4 for women.more
he Royal College of GPs (RCGPs) has recommended Dr Google for the first time, as part of a new "three before GP" mantra to ease the pressure on surgeries.more