Polio cases in Pakistan have dropped by 70% this year as troops advance against militants opposed to vaccination programmes, officials tell the BBC.

Patients in mental health care units smoke more than three times as much as the general population, Public Health England figures suggests.

US researchers claim to have developed a single test that is able to identify past exposure to every known human virus infection, using a single drop of blood.

The number of lives saved means the benefits of breast screening outweigh the risks, research suggests.

Adult social care firms are struggling to hire, retain and train staff as a result of cuts to council budgets, a survey of senior officials suggests.

The NHS must stop wasting money if it is to meet the "very, very big challenge" it faces, the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says.

The first skull and scalp transplant has been performed in a 15-hour operation, say doctors in the US.

Plans for a global taskforce of 10,000 medics and scientists to tackle major disease outbreaks will be presented at the G7 summit, the BBC understands.