内容摘要：Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, 57, professor of ancient history at Cardiff University, said the news was "devastating" and "shocking".

Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, 57, professor of ancient history at Cardiff University, said the news was "devastating" and "shocking".

Meanwhile, President Trump's controversial pick for US health secretary, Robert Kennedy Jr, has once again put vaccines firmly on the political agenda.In the past he has repeated the false claim that vaccines cause autism, urged parents not to jab their children, and had to apologise after claiming the number injured by vaccines was

He has denied on several occasions that he is anti-vaccination, instead saying he is "pro-safety".Dr Simon Williams at Swansea University now thinks health authorities have to be clearer about the dangers of some infectious diseases, in the face of online misinformation which often exaggerates the small risk of vaccines."Part of the reason tobacco control campaigns have been so effective since the 1980s was because they were so clear about how dangerous smoking is, and I think we can learn from that," he says.

"We need to be far more assertive about the potential risks of not getting vaccinated."Another idea is "pre-bunking" - that is teaching people to expect and recognise misinformation online before they encounter it in real life, instead of relying on fact-checking and dull public health videos after the event.

Prof Heidi Larson also thinks now is the time to target and better engage with those most at-risk of rejecting vaccines - in particular the younger groups that her data shows are most affected.

"I would start in schools, I would start in science classes, I think we are losing the plot if we only focus on disinformation, and don't start to build an appreciation of how vaccines work and their benefits," she says.All of this comes as the government considers what to do about university funding in England from 2026, in a review likely to conclude next year.

The OfS report acknowledges that the scale of change needed will not be easy.Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, which represents 140 institutions, says universities are already "making tough choices to control costs", adding that the sector "needs to continue evolving".

She says the size of the challenge "is a source of serious concern".The University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich has cut £30m in the last 18 months - almost 10% of its annual spending.