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NHS medical director to step down amid leadership shake-up
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, the most senior doctor in NHS England, is preparing to retire, adding to the leadership changes at the top of the health service. His departure follows the unexpected resignation of chief executive Amanda Pritchard, who stepped down as the government pushes for greater ministerial oversight. Although Powis’s exit was long planned, the timing leaves a leadership gap as the NHS faces significant reforms and job cuts.
Powis, who has held his role for eight years, played a key part in guiding the NHS through the Covid-19 pandemic, earning praise for his leadership during a time of crisis. In recent years, he has also spoken out on the dangers of unregulated cosmetic treatments and the misuse of weight-loss drugs.
Before taking on his national role, Powis was a professor of renal medicine and a senior figure at the Royal Free Hospital, where he was involved in a controversial data-sharing agreement with Google’s DeepMind.
Source: The Times, 5 March 2025
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Rising use of nicotine pouches sparks health concerns
Medical experts are raising alarms over the growing popularity of nicotine pouches, particularly among young people and professional athletes. Unlike traditional tobacco products, these pouches contain concentrated nicotine in flavoured powder form, making them discreet and easy to use. However, excessive consumption can result in acute symptoms including jitteriness and vomiting.
A recent case study highlighted the dangers after a university student suffered severe symptoms following heavy nicotine pouch use. Researchers warn that the pouches’ accessibility and marketing tactics targeting younger demographics could contribute to rising nicotine dependence. While some suggest they may aid smoking cessation, independent studies on their long-term effects remain limited.
Source: The Telegraph, 5 March 2025
Editorial note: The doctor cited in the article states that nicotine consumption can lead to “respiratory compromise [a state in which patients are at risk of lung failure] and death.” Nicotine on its own is not associated with significant harms and is licenced for use for smoking cessation via NRT. The vast majority of the harms from smoking are linked to carbon monoxide, tar and other harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke.
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Study questions effectiveness of vaping as a smoking cessation tool
Authors of a new study have claimed that vaping may not help smokers quit and could, in fact, prolong nicotine addiction. The US study found that smokers who used e-cigarettes were slightly less likely to stop smoking compared to those who did not vape. The researchers looked at data from over 6,000 smokers in the US, 943 of whom also vaped.
Professor Peter Hajek, an expert of clinical psychology at Queen Mary University of London said that the study’s methodology generated skewed results by excluding former smokers who successfully quit using vapes.
Source: The Daily Mail, 5 March 2025
See also: Science Media Centre - Expert reaction to a cohort study looking at the association between vaping and rates of smoking cessation and tobacco abstinence | Cochrane Library – Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation | Jama Network - Daily or Nondaily Vaping and Smoking Cessation Among Smokers
Editorial note: Reacting to the study, Dr Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management, University of Massachusetts Amherst said:
Is this good quality research? Are the conclusions backed up by solid data?
“The authors do a thorough job of investigating results from a large, representative US survey. The type of methods they use mean they can talk about associations – whether something is more or less likely – but not about causal relationships. This research cannot establish whether e-cigarettes cause more or fewer people to stop smoking (emphasis added).”
What are the implications in the real world? Is there any overspeculation?
“The authors conclude that these data “suggest vaping prolongs smoking and nicotine dependence among US smokers.” As noted above, substantial randomized controlled trial evidence – considered the gold standard – shows the opposite – namely that when you give people who smoke e-cigarettes, it helps them quit smoking.”
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ASH Daily News is a digest of published news on smoking-related topics. ASH is not responsible for the content of external websites. ASH does not necessarily endorse the material contained in this bulletin.
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