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For women suffering from symptoms related to the menopause, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is essential medication. Prescriptions have more than doubled in England since 2017, with over half a million handed out last year. But recent shortages – especially of Oestrogel, which is particularly easy to use – have left many women worrying about filling prescriptions, and Health Secretary Sajid Javid scrambling for a solution.
One driver of the extra demand has been more open dialogue about menopause treatment options in the media, spearheaded by TV presenter Davina McCall’s two documentaries on the subject. The UK government is already preventing prescriptions of Oestrogel and certain other drugs from being filled for more than three months at a time. But as healthcare supply chains specialist Liz Breen explains, more will need to be done to guarantee extra supply in future.
Whole-life sentences are very rare in the UK – usually reserved for the most heinous criminals. The latest recipient is Wayne Couzens, the police officer who pleaded guilty to the rape, kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard. With his lawyers recently appealing the sentence, we look at how the UK approach in this area is changing.
We also reveal six English words borrowed from the Romany language, which is spoken by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities across Europe.
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Heather Kroeker
Commissioning Editor, Health + Medicine
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Many thousands of women are struggling to obtain drugs.
VH-Studio
Liz Breen, University of Bradford
A sudden uptick in demand for HRT may be one reason behind the sudden shortages.
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The whole-life sentence metered out to Wayne Couzens can be seen as a sign that gendered violence is finally being taken as seriously as activists and mourners alike have demanded that it should.
Guy Bell / Alamy Stock Photo
Nicole Westmarland, Durham University
Whole-life sentences are rarely handed down in the UK. Recent instances of their use point to gendered violence finally being taken more seriously.
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Tavarius/Shutterstock
Peter Lee, Nottingham Trent University
There’s a long history of communities speaking Romany in the UK, so it’s hardly surprising that some of its words have found their way into everyday English.
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Ukraine Invasion
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Jonathan Este, The Conversation
A digest of the week’s coverage of the war against Ukraine.
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Nonhlanhla Dube, Lancaster University; Nathan Kunz, University of North Florida
Aid workers are supposed to be protected by international humanitarian law. But increasingly they are being targeted by warring parties.
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Michael Mulvihill, Newcastle University
Russia is raising the stakes with upgraded ballistic missiles and blood-curdling threats from the Kremlin
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Swaran Singh, Jawaharlal Nehru University
By remaining neutral over Ukraine, India is navigating a delicate balancing act between Russia and the west.
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Stefan Wolff, University of Birmingham
Russia’s test of ‘nuclear-capable’ missiles in Kaliningrad is intended to send a message to Nato.
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Politics + Society
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Martyn Smith, University of Sheffield
Despite the name, Children’s Day is usually considered as a festival of boys.
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Tom Smith, University of Portsmouth
The son of former Filipino dictator is leading the polls as the country approaches a national election.
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Environment
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Shashi Kant Yadav, University of Surrey; Rosalind Malcolm, University of Surrey
Despite banning fracking in 2019, the UK government recently decided to review its safety.
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Jack Marley, The Conversation
An EU ban on Russian oil imports should encourage countries to burn less of it.
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Podcasts
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Gemma Ware, The Conversation; Daniel Merino, The Conversation
In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we also explore the reasons by India’s neutrality over the Ukraine war.
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Featured events
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— London, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — UCL
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— Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — UCL
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— Edinburgh Napier University Merchiston Campus, 10 Colinton Road, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, City of, EH10 5DT, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — Edinburgh Napier University
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— Oxford Martin School (and online), 34 Broad Street, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 3BD, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — University of Oxford
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