Latest news with #Giles
Metro
2 days ago
- Health
- Metro
'I've spent £20k on prostate cancer drug - but new test could save NHS money'
A new AI test can detect which men with high-risk prostate cancer could benefit from a life-extending drug. The technology studies images of tumour samples and picks out features the human eye cannot see. It then gives patients a score – biomarker-positive or -negative – to determine who will require abiraterone – a drug that inhibits testosterone production in the tumour. Giles Turner, 64, who lives in Brighton, was diagnosed with high-risk prostate cancer in March 2023 and is taking abiraterone. While the medicine is free on the NHS in England for men with advanced prostate cancer, Giles has spent £20,000 on it. He told Metro that he had just retired and before his diagnosis felt like he was in good health. 'When I first got that diagnosis it felt ridiculous, like it couldn't be possible,' Giles said. 'There's still a stigma around it like it is an old man's disease but it can happen to younger men as well. 'I joined a local support group and found out about abiraterone through that. 'Since then, I've spent £20,000 and while it is affordable for me, it is eating into my pension fund. 'If anything, I'm angry that treatment is not free in England, yet it is in Scotland and Wales. The NHS is meant to be there for you.' Developed by scientists in the US, UK and Switzerland, the AI was trialed on 1,000 men with high-risk prostate cancer that had not spread. Developed by scientists in the US, UK and Switzerland, the AI was trialed on 1,000 men with high-risk prostate cancer that had not spread. It found that for 25% of men in the group, they would benefit from the drug abiraterone, a drug that halves the risk of death from the disease. Because fewer men need the drug than previously thought, experts behind the study also say this will save the NHS money. According to the NHS, prostate cancer does not usually cause any symptoms until the cancer has grown large enough to put pressure on the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the penis. Symptoms of prostate cancer can include: Blood in urine or blood in semen Needing to pee more frequently, often during the night Needing to rush to the toilet Difficulty in starting to pee (hesitancy) Straining or taking a long time while peeing Weak flow Feeling that your bladder has not emptied fully Abiraterone has been described as a 'game changer' for the treatment of prostate cancer – the most common cancer found in men. Giles believes the new research should push both the NHS and government to introduce abiraterone for free in England. He said: 'The tool is a wonderful example of AI being used for good, helping to detect whether men will need the drug or not early on. 'It detects what specialists can't see, helping to reduce future deaths for thousands of men. 'It would have helped me two years ago to have definite certainty as to whether I needed abiraterone or not. 'My hope for the future is for thousands of others to get access to this drug if they need it so that more lives are saved.' Nick James, a professor of prostate and bladder cancer research at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, co led the study. He said: 'Access to this life-extending drug is currently a postcode lottery – with those living in Scotland and Wales able to receive the treatment for free. 'The NHS in England has previously decided that it would be too expensive to offer the drug. Since the patent expired in 2022, abiraterone costs just £77 per pack – compared with the thousands of pounds that new drugs cost. 'Previous research by my team has shown that preventing cancer relapses for these men would save more money than the drug costs to purchase.' Professor James warned about some side effects from the drug. These include potential issues with high blood pressure, or liver abnormalities and the risk of diabetes and heart attacks. Other organisations like Prostate Cancer UK have also been calling on the UK government to approve abiraterone for free in England. More Trending Around 50,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and an estimated 1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime. More than 12,000 men die from it each year and around 510,000 are living with prostate cancer. In response to calls to make the drug more accessible, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'We understand the frustration and upset of patients who cannot access this treatment. 'Abiraterone is available for some NHS patients in England with metastatic prostate cancer, and a decision to extend its use will be kept under review.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: US recalls tomatoes so dangerous 'there's a reasonable chance of death' MORE: Largest pharmacy chain in US closing 271 stores in 2025 – see list MORE: Woman suffers seven year infection after boyfriend farted in her face
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Suspect wanted in deadly Pico Rivera shooting
Authorities are searching for a suspect in connection with a deadly shooting in Pico Rivera. On May 13, Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies responded to a homicide on the 9100 block of Rosehedge Drive around 5 p.m. Arriving deputies found the victim, Cato Mendoza, 40, fatally shot. The suspect fled the scene in a 2023 silver Nissan Altima sedan. It's unclear how many people may have been inside the vehicle. Authorities have released surveillance video of the shooter's getaway car. The circumstances surrounding the deadly incident remain under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Giles or Detective Brown at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Advocates push for updated R.I. public records law, seeking access to state's crash data
Advertisement 'When government hides information like crash data from the public, it is not just advocates and journalists that suffer,' Giles said. 'It is every Rhode Islander who walks, bikes, drives, takes public transit, or relies on emergency services. It is every family seeking answers after a tragedy.' Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up Giles joined the legislative sponsors and advocates at a news conference in the State Library on Wednesday. 'Rhode Island should not remain a national outlier in secrecy,' he said. 'We deserve better.' The legislation is scheduled to come before the This is the third straight year that Advertisement DiPalma, a Middletown Democrat, said he saw the need for greater government transparency when he chaired the Senate oversight committee and found it difficult to get certain information. Also, he said the law needs to reflect new technology such as police body-worn cameras. 'We've waited too long,' DiPalma said. 'The time to to do it is now.' The proposed changes include: Body camera footage from use-of-force incidents would be made public within 30 days. Final reports of police internal affairs investigations would be accessible to the public, with personally identifiable information redacted. 911 call recordings would be more easily available to those directly affected. All documents discussed at a public meeting must be available to the public at the time they are being discussed. Requesters could seek a public interest exemption to, or reduction of, search and retrieval fees for public records. The blanket exemption for any correspondence of or to elected officials in their official capacities would be removed, but it would keep confidential records that are not related to official business. Fines would double for 'knowing and willful' violations to $4,000 from $2,000, and fines for 'recklessly' violating the law would double to $2,000 from $1,000. No fee would be charged for the first two hours of time spent searching for and retrieving documents (up from one hour), and no charge would be allowed for the denial of a records request. While this bill aims to reduce such costs, advocates noted that DiPalma said he added one new provision to this year's bill to address concerns, raised by the That section states that, 'If a person makes a request to view or copy a public record that is part of a series of contemporaneous requests filed with the intent to disrupt government operations, the chief administrative officer of the public body may petition the Superior Court for an order to relieve the custodian of the records from fulfilling the request.' Senator Louis P. DiPalma, a Middletown Democrat, speaks about his bill to update the state Access to Public Records Act. Edward Fitzpatrick John M. Marion, executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, said that after the 2020 election, there was 'a coordinated effort to really gum up the works at election offices around the country by making vexatious requests, particularly about Dominion voting systems. They weren't made in good faith.' Advertisement So the new provision aims to head off such requests, Marion said. 'It's not to deal with the requests that all of us make in the public interest,' he said. The legislation has been 'We often complete oversight hearings, and we feel that information has been withheld,' Serpa said. 'The withholding of information is counterproductive to the purposes of oversight meetings in the first place.' In December, DiPalma said residents might not mention the Access to Public Records Act when a politician knocks on their door. 'But I think when you say to somebody, 'Do you want your government to be open, fair, and transparent?' Of course, absolutely. No one will say no.' Charlie Galligan, a private investigator who spoke at the news conference, said, 'No disrespect to the speaker, but that sounds kind of dismissive.' Members of the public might not have a detailed grasp of the Access to Public Records Act, he said. 'But when they consume news, they're all the beneficiary of the APRA law. When the media is prevented from access, that does negatively impact the citizenry.' Scott Pickering, president of Advertisement For example, he said the Barrington School Department lost a court case and then pursued a series of lengthy appeals. Citizens began to question how much the legal battle was costing the school department, but the district refused to release that information, saying the documents were held by an outside law firm that wasn't subject to the open records law. So this legislation would close that 'loophole,' making records public even if they are held by a third party, he said. During the news conference, DiPalma quoted the late US Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis: 'Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman.' Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at
Edinburgh Live
22-05-2025
- Health
- Edinburgh Live
Special meaning behind Edinburgh man's decision to take on gruelling cycle challenge
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An Edinburgh man is taking on a gruelling challenge as he cycles 435 miles to raise awareness for a disease close to his heart. Giles Lomax, 37, set off from Edinburgh Castle on May 20 to cycle to London. Each mile on the mission represents every baby that was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy since the UK rejected the disease to be added to the bloodspot programme in 2018. The illness causes muscle weakness and a progressive loss of movement. It is a rare neuromuscular condition and while there is no cure, therapies and support can help manage the condition. Working as the CEO for SMA UK, Giles will be calling in at The Royal Hospital for Children & Young People and the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital to meet some clinicians. The route started at Edinburgh before moving onto the Scottish borders, Carlisle, Penrith, Manchester, Stratford-upon-Aven and concluding in London. Speaking to Edinburgh Live, ahead of the challenge, Giles said: "I did something similar to this last year in Ireland to raise awareness but since the number just keep going up, I decided to get back on the bike. "It's absolutely critical we keep spreading awareness because if babies are treated earlier, they can grow up to have normal lives. "If treatment is delayed, the damage can be unrepairable and children will grow up to have really complex needs like being in a wheelchair or having breathing problems or spinal braces. "It is a really big challenge for me because I am on my own. It's a long day in the saddle but I am nervous and excited. I also know I am doing it for the right reasons." A statement from SMA UK reads: "Over the four days, Giles will travel a total of 435 miles which represents the number of babies born with SMA in the UK since the UK rejected SMA to be added to the bloodspot programme in 2018. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. "If that wasn't enough, then he will be joining cyclists taking part in the annual Ride Scorpion from Great Missenden on Saturday morning. There are plenty of spaces still available and you can find out more and sign up by clicking here. "We will be publishing details of the route, as well as the main stops, and there will be a live tracker available throughout the week. "Giles will be supported by our Community Engagement Coordinator, Gary and they would welcome anyone from the SMA Community to visit them at their pit stops or even join the ride for a few miles." You can find out more here.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Federal hiring freeze leads to closures at beloved Central Mass. park
As a child, Amanda Angers of Worcester would often spend her summers swimming at Buffumville Lake Park in Charlton. She and her cousins would head out to the park early in the morning, racing each other to find their favorite spot close to the water. Angers and her family would spend entire summer days at Buffumville, playing with their sand toys and enjoying games of Marco Polo in the lake. 'It was a day we all looked forward to,' Angers told MassLive. This summer, however, Angers's childhood swimming spot will have reduced hours and won't be open on all days of the week. The park was unable to hire seasonal staff for the summer due to a federal hiring freeze implemented by the Trump administration, according to a May 5 Facebook announcement from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of Buffumville Lake. As a result of this shortage, Buffumville Park will be open Friday to Tuesday and will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, the announcement reads. The hours of operation will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but are subject to change. Implemented in January 2025, the freeze prohibits the filling of vacant federal civilian positions or the creation of new ones. In April, the Trump administration extended the freeze through July 15. Park visitors should also expect delays or reductions in maintenance and sanitation services for restrooms and a reduction of outreach and interpretative programs, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. Additionally, America the Beautiful passes, which cover entrance and standard amenities fees for federal recreational sites, will only be available by appointment on Mondays or Fridays, the post reads. 'The disc golf course, boat ramp, trail system and dam site will remain open during daylight hours for activities such as boating, fishing, hiking, dog walking, wildlife viewing, mountain biking, etc,' the Army Corps of Engineers wrote. Each year, the Army Corps hires three summer rangers for Buffumville Park who assist the rangers who are there all year round, according to Nicole Giles, the program manager for the park. The three rangers are tasked with jobs such as maintenance of the park and Buffumville Dam, trail work, vegetation and habitat management, working weekend patrol shifts, ensuring visitors are engaged in safe activities, water safety outreach and responding to emergencies, Giles said. This year, however, the corps was not able to fill its three positions, resulting in a shortage. 'We have made every attempt to reduce the impacts on the public but we are not able to maintain the same level of service our visitors have known in the past with less staffing,' Giles said. 'There are simply too many shifts to cover, and we must balance our current obligations.' The shortage also means it is unlikely that the rangers will be able to remove invasive species, said Giles. Some of these species include variable milfoil, fanwort, and Eurasian milfoil, according to the Army Corps's website. The impacts to the environment will not be immediate, Giles said. 'The hiring freeze certainly makes it difficult to plan and execute our goals,' she said. 'We will attempt to give as much attention to the recreation and environmental areas as possible.' Marc Tonya Anthony, a resident of Oxford, said that he goes to the lake and dam frequently. He sometimes does yoga at the park or walks his dog. Anthony says he feels sorry for the people who would enjoy days at the park, saying it's hard to find cheap things to do in the summer. 'I see a lot of families with young children go there for the day in the summer,' Anthony told MassLive. 'That's who will be affected the most.' Angers, who spent her days at the park as a child, is incredibly disappointed at the federal government. 'They are not representing the people and the best interest of the people,' she said. 'They are allowing cuts that impact your average citizen in a negative way and definitely have a much further impact on low income families and individuals nationwide.' Assumption University student agrees to plead guilty to cyber-extorting companies Worcester to add security guards, scanners at city hall Worcester man with a samurai sword pointed rifle at officers, police say Read the original article on MassLive.
