Monday
The drive to increase organ donations is being thwarted by relatives’ refusals, according to the transplant czar. About 40 per cent of families deny consent for organ removal when a relative dies. Chris Rudge said that this was the biggest single hindrance to increasing the number of transplants. The government target of increasing donations from 34 per cent to 50 per cent by 2013 is unlikely to be met unless changes are made. Professor Rudge suggested more and earlier information for patients and relatives.
Tuesday
Thousands of service personnel would be sent home from Afghanistan early next year, under plans to be discussed by David Cameron and President Obama, it was reported. Under one proposal, London and Washington would pull troops out in two phases next year, with Afghan forces taking the lead from mid-2013, and all British and American combat forces leaving by the end of 2014. The plans were to be discussed in Washington during the Camerons’ visit this week.
Wednesday
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The success of animal rights activists in persuading ferry companies and airlines not to transport animals for experimentation is putting medical research at risk, Lord Drayson, a former Science Minister, said. He wrote in The Times that “by giving in to protesters they [carriers] are inadvertently choking off vital research into some of the most debilitating diseases affecting society.” Imported animals tend to be those with specific mutations for research into conditions such as Alzheimer’s and muscular dystrophy.
Thursday
British universities are suffering from a lack of investment, according to the latest Times Higher Education ranking. Only ten British universities feature in the world reputation ratings, with only Cambridge (third) and Oxford (sixth) in the top ten. Sheffield University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine fell out of the top 100, and others slipped in position. Wendy Piatt, director-general of the Russell Group, said that other countries were spending billions more on education.