My Lords, these drugs are relatively new and pretty powerful as GLP-1 and GLP-2 agonists. The important issue is safety: through NHS prescribing and MHRA reporting, we collect data on medium-term and long-term side-effects, but we do not do so through private sector prescribing. It is important that this data is collected, so would the Minister suggest that the MHRA devise a system so that private practice providers of these drugs can report medium-term and long-term side-effects?

My Lords, these drugs are relatively new and pretty powerful as GLP-1 and GLP-2 agonists. The important issue is safety: through NHS prescribing and MHRA reporting, we collect data on medium-term and long-term side-effects, but we do not do so through private sector prescribing. It is important that this data is collected, so would the Minister suggest that the MHRA devise a system so that private practice providers of these drugs can report medium-term and long-term side-effects?

My Lords, can the Minister say in the spring of which year the workforce plan will be published?

My Lords, can the Minister say in the spring of which year the workforce plan will be published?

My Lords, the Minister quite rightly alluded to the clinical entrepreneur programmes, and she might want to say a bit more about how successful they have been. Does she agree that, for these programmes to succeed in making clinical departments more innovative, we need strong academic departments working together with universities and teaching hospitals?

My Lords, the Minister quite rightly alluded to the clinical entrepreneur programmes, and she might want to say a bit more about how successful they have been. Does she agree that, for these programmes to succeed in making clinical departments more innovative, we need strong academic departments working together with universities and teaching hospitals?

My Lords, the development of Evo 2—which is an AI biological model with 9.3 trillion nucleotides extending over 128,000 different species, including humans—means that there is now a capability to produce proteins, molecular structures and even genomes, and therefore artificial pathogens. So is it time for the UK to have mandatory enforcement and regulation of functional-base synthetic DNA?

My Lords, the development of Evo 2—which is an AI biological model with 9.3 trillion nucleotides extending over 128,000 different species, including humans—means that there is now a capability to produce proteins, molecular structures and even genomes, and therefore artificial pathogens. So is it time for the UK to have mandatory enforcement and regulation of functional-base synthetic DNA?

My Lords, I will refine the previous questions. Resistant hypertension occurs when the blood pressure does not respond to standard treatment of two, three or even four drugs—hence we call it resistant hypertension. The reason why the renal system is involved is because the sympathetic nervous system acts between the kidneys and the brain. That controls vasodilatation and the production of hormones that raise the blood pressure. By denerving the renal system, which are nerves on the arteries of the kidneys, you can cut out one of the nervous system’s interactions between kidneys and the brain. What is important, therefore, is that people who suffer from resistant hypertension are treated by specialists at a specialist centre that considers denervation as one of the options, because it is not always the only answer. Therefore, does the Minister agree that people with resistant hypertension should be treated in a specialist centre?

My Lords, I will refine the previous questions. Resistant hypertension occurs when the blood pressure does not respond to standard treatment of two, three or even four drugs—hence we call it resistant hypertension. The reason why the renal system is involved is because the sympathetic nervous system acts between the kidneys and the brain. That controls vasodilatation and the production of hormones that raise the blood pressure. By denerving the renal system, which are nerves on the arteries of the kidneys, you can cut out one of the nervous system’s interactions between kidneys and the brain. What is important, therefore, is that people who suffer from resistant hypertension are treated by specialists at a specialist centre that considers denervation as one of the options, because it is not always the only answer. Therefore, does the Minister agree that people with resistant hypertension should be treated in a specialist centre?

My Lords, does the Minister agree that we are more likely to succeed in having international regulation for AI if the regulations are based not on a single set of regulations for all algorithms but on risk-based classifications in a set of regulations, as with other technologies such as atomic energy?

My Lords, does the Minister agree that we are more likely to succeed in having international regulation for AI if the regulations are based not on a single set of regulations for all algorithms but on risk-based classifications in a set of regulations, as with other technologies such as atomic energy?

My Lords, if our intention is to increase the diagnosis rate of early dementia, normally what we would do is to find a screening test that would identify people at risk of any disease. There is one called Mini-Cog; it takes three minutes to administer and uses word registration and recall and a clock to diagnose early dementia. Why do we not use that as a screening test, easily implemented by trained people to increase the rate of diagnosis of dementia?

My Lords, if our intention is to increase the diagnosis rate of early dementia, normally what we would do is to find a screening test that would identify people at risk of any disease. There is one called Mini-Cog; it takes three minutes to administer and uses word registration and recall and a clock to diagnose early dementia. Why do we not use that as a screening test, easily implemented by trained people to increase the rate of diagnosis of dementia?

My Lords, several trials are assessing the use of AI for prostate cancer screening and diagnostics, as well as testing the accuracy of digital imaging and histological imaging of biopsies to understand better the progression of disease. Some of them are well funded. For instance, the screening programme has £42 million of funding. Similar trials are conducted for lung, ovarian, breast and pancreatic cancer. The common issue that comes out is that we need digital transformation throughout the NHS to deliver any of these uses of AI for cancer. We need a workforce that is trained to use it, and I hope that the workforce strategy that the Government are about to publish will specifically include how the workforce will be trained to use AI in healthcare.

My Lords, several trials are assessing the use of AI for prostate cancer screening and diagnostics, as well as testing the accuracy of digital imaging and histological imaging of biopsies to understand better the progression of disease. Some of them are well funded. For instance, the screening programme has £42 million of funding. Similar trials are conducted for lung, ovarian, breast and pancreatic cancer. The common issue that comes out is that we need digital transformation throughout the NHS to deliver any of these uses of AI for cancer. We need a workforce that is trained to use it, and I hope that the workforce strategy that the Government are about to publish will specifically include how the workforce will be trained to use AI in healthcare.

My Lords, we lead in genomic science and infrastructure by having established seven hubs for genomic testing. Despite this, we fall behind in testing for liquid biopsies of DNA and for circulating DNA, in histology testing, in molecular testing of cancer tissues and in testing for genetically inherited genes in families. All these are because of bottlenecks—not because the machines cannot do the tests. We need somebody to get a grip of the administrative backlogs that occur because we are failing on timelines for all these, which are government targets. Can the Minister answer on that?

My Lords, we lead in genomic science and infrastructure by having established seven hubs for genomic testing. Despite this, we fall behind in testing for liquid biopsies of DNA and for circulating DNA, in histology testing, in molecular testing of cancer tissues and in testing for genetically inherited genes in families. All these are because of bottlenecks—not because the machines cannot do the tests. We need somebody to get a grip of the administrative backlogs that occur because we are failing on timelines for all these, which are government targets. Can the Minister answer on that?

I suggest that the Minister looks again at the evidence produced recently by Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Wegovy drugs for obesity reduction, to see whether what was just said still applies in the new study.

I suggest that the Minister looks again at the evidence produced recently by Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Wegovy drugs for obesity reduction, to see whether what was just said still applies in the new study.

My Lords, coming back to the Question from the noble Baroness, Lady Royall of Blaisdon, it is disappointing that the screening committee did not approve of screening for people with a strong family history, particularly of breast cancer, which the Minister mentioned, as BRCA genes are also associated with prostate cancer. So the screening committee might be asked to look at the evidence of family linkage to see whether that should not be included in “high risk”. By the way, coming to a better test than PSA, there is the promise of a saliva test with a higher specificity developed by Marsden cancer research institute. That is going to trial, and it may help.

My Lords, coming back to the Question from the noble Baroness, Lady Royall of Blaisdon, it is disappointing that the screening committee did not approve of screening for people with a strong family history, particularly of breast cancer, which the Minister mentioned, as BRCA genes are also associated with prostate cancer. So the screening committee might be asked to look at the evidence of family linkage to see whether that should not be included in “high risk”. By the way, coming to a better test than PSA, there is the promise of a saliva test with a higher specificity developed by Marsden cancer research institute. That is going to trial, and it may help.

My Lords, I commend the Government for their sovereign AI development, particularly the Isambard-AI project at Bristol University, which has one of the world’s fastest processors. My question relates to parallel development. Do the Government still have a plan for the parallel development of the cloud, to assist in both digitisation and health research data for the NHS?

My Lords, I commend the Government for their sovereign AI development, particularly the Isambard-AI project at Bristol University, which has one of the world’s fastest processors. My question relates to parallel development. Do the Government still have a plan for the parallel development of the cloud, to assist in both digitisation and health research data for the NHS?

My Lords, the vaccine that exists is effective only against Ebola Zaire. The strain now operating has had two previous minor breakouts; Bundibugyo is the name of the strain. I hope the Minister will agree that our hope lies in developing a vaccine as quickly as we can, which might take up to six or nine months. But we have the knowledge of the vaccine against the Zaire strain, which is an advantage. The outbreak has now reached Kampala, which is worrying, but the Ugandans are apt, as they demonstrated previously, at isolating the cases and stopping the outbreak going any further. I hope it will not spread any further.

My Lords, the vaccine that exists is effective only against Ebola Zaire. The strain now operating has had two previous minor breakouts; Bundibugyo is the name of the strain. I hope the Minister will agree that our hope lies in developing a vaccine as quickly as we can, which might take up to six or nine months. But we have the knowledge of the vaccine against the Zaire strain, which is an advantage. The outbreak has now reached Kampala, which is worrying, but the Ugandans are apt, as they demonstrated previously, at isolating the cases and stopping the outbreak going any further. I hope it will not spread any further.

My Lords, healthy life expectancy is a mix of two data: a more precise life expectancy and a much cruder self-reporting of the stages of health. This leads to a confusing interpretation and therefore is not helpful in policy-making decisions. We have to find and seek better information about healthy life expectancy and the parameters that affect it, to be more effective in policy decisions. Does the Minister agree?

My Lords, healthy life expectancy is a mix of two data: a more precise life expectancy and a much cruder self-reporting of the stages of health. This leads to a confusing interpretation and therefore is not helpful in policy-making decisions. We have to find and seek better information about healthy life expectancy and the parameters that affect it, to be more effective in policy decisions. Does the Minister agree?

My Lords, in an era of more personalised medicine, it is important to note that the care of women who have miscarried is dependent on several factors: the gestation age when miscarriage occurs, the age of the mother, and any existing diseases. It is not just about the number of miscarriages the mother has had when the investigation starts. There should be more personalised aftercare for every mother who loses a baby.

My Lords, in an era of more personalised medicine, it is important to note that the care of women who have miscarried is dependent on several factors: the gestation age when miscarriage occurs, the age of the mother, and any existing diseases. It is not just about the number of miscarriages the mother has had when the investigation starts. There should be more personalised aftercare for every mother who loses a baby.

My Lords, migraine as a symptom is a manifestation of a whole spectrum of different diseases, both neurological and vascular, and some are based on allergies. The important aspect of treating migraines is correct diagnosis, and advances in diagnostic techniques, including some of the treatments that the Minister mentioned, are now making that easier. Does she agree that, in addition to having a community-based service, it is important to train the right people to make the right diagnoses, so that patients can get the right treatment at the right time, no matter who dispenses or prescribes it?

My Lords, migraine as a symptom is a manifestation of a whole spectrum of different diseases, both neurological and vascular, and some are based on allergies. The important aspect of treating migraines is correct diagnosis, and advances in diagnostic techniques, including some of the treatments that the Minister mentioned, are now making that easier. Does she agree that, in addition to having a community-based service, it is important to train the right people to make the right diagnoses, so that patients can get the right treatment at the right time, no matter who dispenses or prescribes it?

My Lords, although the better care fund is a help, its success depends on how hospitals and the LGA work together. Would the Minister agree that the fund is still used to fund short-term gaps, particularly winter pressures, and that the yearly funding cycle does not help for longer-term planning? Could that be improved?

My Lords, although the better care fund is a help, its success depends on how hospitals and the LGA work together. Would the Minister agree that the fund is still used to fund short-term gaps, particularly winter pressures, and that the yearly funding cycle does not help for longer-term planning? Could that be improved?

My Lords, it is historically true that the NHS wasted a lot of money, but this was partly because the development of digital services was in-house. Currently, things are looking much better, and the classic example is the development of the NHS app. However, I will ask the Minister about the health research data service that will be established. Patients should have confidence in data that is used and collected for research, partly because of the recent report on UK Biobank, where the researchers published the codes they were using to access data for research. It has to be made absolutely certain that the public have the confidence in the data that is used.

My Lords, it is historically true that the NHS wasted a lot of money, but this was partly because the development of digital services was in-house. Currently, things are looking much better, and the classic example is the development of the NHS app. However, I will ask the Minister about the health research data service that will be established. Patients should have confidence in data that is used and collected for research, partly because of the recent report on UK Biobank, where the researchers published the codes they were using to access data for research. It has to be made absolutely certain that the public have the confidence in the data that is used.

My Lords, management of people with heart valve disease is truly a low-hanging fruit in reducing deaths due to cardiovascular disease. Some 400 people a year die on waiting lists for transcatheter aortic valve implantation. It is simple for people who have breathlessness or suffer from decreased exercise tolerance or chest pain. Even I, within five minutes, could diagnose whether they were at risk of heart valve disease or not—line them up and I will tell you.

My Lords, management of people with heart valve disease is truly a low-hanging fruit in reducing deaths due to cardiovascular disease. Some 400 people a year die on waiting lists for transcatheter aortic valve implantation. It is simple for people who have breathlessness or suffer from decreased exercise tolerance or chest pain. Even I, within five minutes, could diagnose whether they were at risk of heart valve disease or not—line them up and I will tell you.

My Lords, with the leading position that the UK has in quantum computing, what plans do the Government have for translational research, particularly in the areas of drug discovery, pharmaco- kinetics, next generation imaging and compute power, which will be needed to deliver on artificial general intelligence?

My Lords, with the leading position that the UK has in quantum computing, what plans do the Government have for translational research, particularly in the areas of drug discovery, pharmaco- kinetics, next generation imaging and compute power, which will be needed to deliver on artificial general intelligence?