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The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory (MHRA) and Genomics England to launch a brand-new genetic research resource, known as a 'biobank' on Thursday (June 01) to tackle the issue of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs). Biobank will help to better understand how a patient's genetic makeup can impact the safety of their medicines. "The Yellow Card biobank, which will contain genetic data and patient samples, will operate alongside the MHRA's Yellow Card reporting site for suspected side effects and adverse incidents involving medicines and medical devices," said MHRA. The biobank pilot will officially begin on 1 June 2023 with participant recruitment commencing later this year, on 1 September. The sequencing of participants' genetic material will begin in Spring 2024, with initial research findings from the pilot due to be published in 2025. Genomics England will be supporting the MHRA with sequencing and storage of genetic material through use of their well-established and secure infrastructure.

Getting a good night's sleep is crucial for maintaining both physical and mental health, alongside a balanced diet and regular exercise. Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to an increased risk of serious conditions like diabetes and heart disease. So, if you're sleep deprived during weekdays, try to make up for it by getting extra sleep on weekends. A new study has revealed catching up with compensatory sleep on weekends can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease. The study conducted by the National Centre for Cardiovascular Disease in Beijing, China, found that individuals who catch up on sleep over the weekend may lower their risk of heart disease by one-fifth. Study co-author Yanjun Song from the State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease at Fuwai Hospital emphasised that the benefit of compensatory sleep was even more pronounced among individuals who regularly experience inadequate sleep on weekdays. The researchers used data from 90,903 subjects involved in the UK Biobank project to evaluate the relationship between compensated weekend sleep and heart disease. More than 21 per cent of the participants were identified as sleep-deprived - defined as getting less than seven hours of sleep per night.