Category: News

This recent BBC report about the tragic death of a newborn baby has understandably caused considerable anxiety among parents, particularly mothers who have experienced cold sores or genital herpes. We would like to offer some reassurance, explain the facts and put the risks into perspective.

First and foremost, our deepest sympathies go to the family involved. The loss of a child is devastating, and nothing in this article is intended to minimise that tragedy.

However, it is very important that such exceptional cases are reported with appropriate medical context, so that parents are informed rather than unnecessarily frightened.

Can herpes be dangerous to newborn babies?

Yes, but the key word here is ‘can’. A common cold can be dangerous to newborn babies. Herpes simplex virus (HSV), which causes cold sores and genital herpes, can cause serious, occasionally life-threatening illness in newborn babies.

Can does not mean will, and it certainly does not mean usually does.

Neonatal herpes is very rare in the UK. Recent surveillance data indicates approximately seven cases per 100,000 live births.

Continue reading A Newborn Baby and A Cold Sore: Understanding the Real Risk

At our annual meeting, we had a talk from Rational Vaccine CEO Agustin Fernandez on how he was involved.

“I get facial cold sores. I probably caught them as a child but as an adult they suddenly got really bad: I was lucky if I had a week between recurrences. The pain on my face and around my eye was terrible. Even high doses of antivirals did not work for me. I literally tried everything.

Then I read online that Dr William (Bill) Halford, a professor at a university in Southern Illinois, had created a vaccine.

Continue reading Talk from Rational Vaccine CEO

How to use ‘Cognitive Defusion’ – this means ‘how to detach from your thoughts’. Or ‘defuse them’, like defusing a bomb!

Cognitive defusion is a psychological technique used in therapy to help people move away from their usual overthinking patterns. So many of the people who call our helpline say they are worriers, catastrophisers, or that they “keep spiralling”…

 If this is something that you recognise, read on for a very short overview…

Continue reading I keep spiralling about herpes

We include pages of medical research in each issue of the magazine. there is plenty of  herpes simplex research going on; new facts about herpes simplex treatments and herpes vaccines. In this magazine:

About half the magazine is medical news

Building your confidence at the next Assurance Day – what was said about the last one.

Jasmine’s story – how it she got a partner..
And lots more!

Get it sent to you by post or by email

See articles from past Spheres here.  See an example of the full magazine here.

Back copies of Sphere

You can also order back copies of Sphere.  For instance you can read a talk on the psychology of having herpes simplex given by Dr John Green on “Getting your head around it”.

He made us laugh! A total of ten pages printed in two successive journals. We print an almost verbatim report of his talk including the question and answer session and his views on the (non-issue) of the Crown Prosecution Service’s guidelines on ‘deliberate infection with an STI’.  His attitude was that if he was called as an expert witness, he would use the court to ridicule the idea of attempting to bring a case about this. But he does not expect, ever, to see a person in the dock for transmitting herpes simplex.  He laughed and said something about how you cannot call herpes simplex ‘a serious condition’. His whole talk was very amusing and the report is sprinkled with [LAUGHTER] notes so that readers can feel what it was like to be in the room. (They are in SPHEREs 21/3 and 21/4.)

Sign up to get the magazine sent to you every three months by post or by email.  Subscribers can order all the back copies for just £25 – it’s an education!

This page was updated on 19-10-26

The UK Crown Prosecution Service says there is no need to disclose , but don’t lie if asked. That applies to any STI or HIV. And don’t be malicious or reckless.

A case in Australia in May 2026 hit the headlines when a man was sentenced to 13 months. He did lie when he was directly asked about STIs. And he had unprotected sex with the partner, so he could indeed be called reckless.

Continue reading No need to ‘disclose’, but don’t lie

The Rational Vaccine is now available in Roatán, Honduras, and in Munich, Germany. See also the update on vaccine in the earlier post, below…

RVx is a therapeutic vaccine which aims to treat herpes simplex types 1 and 2. It is for people getting too many recurrences. Experience so far has shown that, after the first injection, you can expect to cease having nerve pains, and that you will have 50 percent fewer recurrences. After the course of three injections, some people cease having recurrences altogether and for the others, recurrences are very much less frequent. (Scientists would never risk saying “they stop altogether.”)

Continue reading Another update on getting the Rational Vaccine

Short answer: nothing

Long answer:

Until you have symptoms, you are considered not to have the virus. There is no test – apart from one place in the USA – that is suitable for people who are do not have visible sores, ulcers or lesions.

Continue reading I’ve had sex with someone who has herpes, what now?

Dr Jan Clarke’s statements: she is a top sexual health consultant. She ran the “patient and public panel” for the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) for years. She says:

Continue reading Think about these statements…

Since 2020, everyone can have free prescriptions for treatments for all STIs and HIV. (But also see last paragraph below.)

Make sure any antiviral prescription from a GP is endorsed with ‘FS.’ There is no need for the GP to write anything else on it.

Continue reading Free prescriptions