health
Senate orders NAFDAC to end Sachet Alcohol production by December 31, 2025
The Nigerian Senate has ordered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) not to extend the December 31, 2025 deadline for the production of alcohol in sachets and small bottles.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South) during Tuesday’s plenary session.
Presenting the motion, Ekpenyong said the directive was in line with global regulatory standards and international best practices aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm among Nigerians.
He recalled that in 2018, the Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), NAFDAC, and industry bodies including the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) voluntarily signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to gradually phase out sachet and small-bottle alcoholic drinks.
Ekpenyong explained that the Federal Government, upon appeals from manufacturers, had already granted a one-year moratorium in 2024 to enable producers to exhaust existing stock and transition to compliant packaging alternatives.
However, the lawmaker expressed concern that some manufacturers were lobbying for another extension, which he said would undermine regulatory authority, endanger public health, and perpetuate the circulation of harmful alcoholic products in the market.
“As the December 2025 deadline approaches, certain manufacturers are lobbying for another extension, thereby undermining the regulatory process and jeopardizing public health,” Ekpenyong said.
“We cannot continue to expose our youths to cheap, easily accessible alcohol that destroys lives and endangers public safety.”
He warned that the continued availability of high-strength alcoholic beverages in sachet form has contributed to addiction, impaired cognitive development, school dropouts, domestic violence, and increased road accidents, particularly among commercial drivers and young people.
Ekpenyong further noted that manufacturers who had complied in good faith were now at a disadvantage against those who continued to produce non-compliant products, creating an uneven market.
Following extensive deliberation, lawmakers who contributed to the motion commended Ekpenyong for raising the issue, stressing the need for stricter enforcement and public sensitization.
Senator Anthony Ani (Ebonyi South) backed the call, describing the easy availability of cheap alcohol as a growing social menace.
“The easy availability of cheap alcohol is fueling social vices. We must act now to save our young generation from self-destruction,” he said.
In his ruling, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the resolution as a timely step toward safeguarding public health and youth welfare.
He urged NAFDAC to ensure full enforcement of the ban by December 2025, warning that any further extension would undermine Nigeria’s anti-substance abuse efforts.
“This is a matter of urgency,” Akpabio said. “The agency must act decisively to protect Nigerians, especially our young people, from the dangers of unregulated alcohol consumption”
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The UK is testing five-day breast cancer radiotherapy in a major trial that could reduce hospital visits and treatment costs for patients
The United Kingdom has launched a major clinical trial involving more than 1,000 participants to determine whether breast cancer radiotherapy can be shortened from three weeks to five days without compromising its effectiveness in preventing the disease from returning.
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The government-funded FAST-Forward Boost trial, being conducted at 39 hospitals across the UK, will investigate whether a shorter course of radiotherapy combined with an additional targeted dose, known as a boost, can provide effective treatment for patients following breast cancer surgery.
The UK Department of Health and Social Care announced the development on Friday, October 30, describing the study as part of efforts to improve cancer treatment and make care more convenient for patients.
Led by the Institute of Cancer Research in London and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the study aims to recruit 4,830 participants by 2028.
Those enrolled will be followed up for five years, with results expected in 2033.
If the approach proves successful, it could reduce the number of hospital visits required by patients, potentially saving them 10 journeys compared with the existing three-week treatment schedule.
The department said the shorter schedule could also reduce transport expenses and the time patients spend away from work and family.
It could additionally ease pressure on the National Health Service by freeing up radiotherapy capacity for other patients.
Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper said the trial reflected the country’s efforts to use medical research to improve cancer care.
“This trial shows how the UK is using our world beating research capabilities to pursue huge improvements and transformations in cancer treatment for patients,” she said.
Why the radiotherapy trial matters
Radiotherapy uses carefully targeted radiation to destroy cancer cells or prevent them from growing.
For many people with breast cancer, it is recommended after surgery to reduce the risk of the disease returning in the treated area.
A treatment boost involves delivering an additional dose of radiation to the area considered to have a higher risk of recurrence, usually the site where the tumour was removed.
The FAST-Forward Boost trial is examining how this additional treatment can be incorporated into a shorter schedule.
Reducing treatment from three weeks to five days could make a considerable difference to patients who must travel regularly to hospitals.
The impact may be particularly significant for people living far from specialist cancer centres, those with limited transport options and patients balancing treatment with employment or family responsibilities.
However, the trial is designed to establish whether the shorter approach is effective and safe for the patients being studied. Its results will be important in determining whether the treatment schedule can become a wider option in clinical practice.
UK expands breast cancer screening efforts
The announcement comes as the British government intensifies efforts to improve breast cancer screening, encourage early diagnosis and strengthen support for patients.
The Department of Health and Social Care said screening uptake among women receiving their first invitation had risen to 63.6 per cent, its highest level in a decade.
Despite the improvement, around four in 10 women invited for their first screening appointment still do not attend.
The government is also working with the National Institute for Health and Care Research and NHS England on studies examining how artificial intelligence could support the analysis of mammograms.
The technology is being explored as a way to assist the assessment of breast screening images, although its role and effectiveness must be established through appropriate research and clinical evaluation.
In addition, the government has partnered with breast cancer charity Breast Cancer Now for three years to help women recognise symptoms, find reliable information and access support after treatment.
Together, the initiatives reflect a broader approach to breast cancer care, combining screening, research into treatment improvements and support for people living with the disease.
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For now, the five-day radiotherapy approach remains under investigation. With final results not expected until 2033, the FAST-Forward Boost trial will need to establish whether reducing treatment time can deliver comparable cancer control while maintaining patient safety.
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