Celebrating its 14th year in 2025, Thursday 27 February is Anosmia Awareness Day.

A mainstay on the Fifth Sense calendar, this annual event serves as a catalyst for raising awareness about smell and taste disorders, an area in which Fifth Sense is making significant progress, but there is still much work to be done.

For 2025, Fifth Sense’s Anosmia Awareness Day social media campaign focuses on some of the main issues around smell dysfunction. These are:

• Anosmia, both congenital and acquired, and other smell and taste disorders are widely under-recognised
• Smell loss can be an early indicator of serious conditions
• Mental health can be seriously impacted by smell disorders
• A high number of people with a traumatic brain injury experience smell loss
• People with impaired smell can take simple and often free measures to stay safe at home

For Fifth Sense, last year’s Anosmia Awareness Day was the biggest yet, with several partners getting on board and posting on social media to drive the conversation further.

This year we hope even more people will be inspired to support us to increase our reach, raising awareness of these under-recognised conditions and spreading the word that Fifth Sense supports and represents anyone affected by a smell or taste disorder.

Please keep an eye on our social media channels on Thursday 27 February and engage with any content using the hashtag #AnosmiaAwarenessDay

The more people who support our campaign with a simple post, like, comment or share on social media, the further our vital messages will be amplified and the more we can push to get smell and taste dysfunction the recognition it needs.

Join us on Wednesday 26 February for the inaugural BeCOH webinar

Fifth Sense is a founding member of the Breakthrough Consortium for Olfactory Health (BeCOH), which aims to advance the prevention, detection, and treatment of olfactory dysfunction. Register here for their introductory webinar on Wednesday 26 February. Don’t worry if you can’t attend. The webinar will be recorded and shared on our social media channels and via email to our members.

Other ways to help Fifth Sense

This year, we launched our most ambitious campaign yet to raise £50,000 through a range of community-led fundraising activities that do more than just raise funds. Find out how you can join in 50 Ways to Raise 50K here.

You can also support Fifth Sense by becoming a volunteer. We have a range of roles available, some taking a just few minutes of your time each week. To find out more, visit our website or email sally.connick@fifthsense.org.uk

Do you or someone you know have problems with your sense of smell and/or taste?

If you would like support or information about anosmia and other smell and taste disorders, visit our website where you can find support and resources and information sheets and support videos.

We also host online and in-person support groups where you can talk to others who understand what you are going through, share tips and advice, and build connections in a supportive environment. Please join for free as a Fifth Sense member for information on our events, as well as updates on our work and more.

If you would like further support or information, you can email us at info@fifthsense.org.uk

There has been recent media coverage about the potential for Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections as a new way of treating smell loss. 

Platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) is derived from fresh whole blood containing a high concentration of platelets. The blood is taken from the individual receiving the treatment.  The PRP is then injected into the individual’s olfactory cleft. PRP has been explored as a potential treatment for other conditions, including arthritis.

Several research studies have been published where people with different forms of olfactory dysfunction have received a number of PRP injections over the course of several months.  Some of the people involved in the studies experienced improvements in their sense of smell, as measured by a clinically validated smell test, whilst some experienced no improvement.

At this stage, PRP injections are an experimental treatment for olfactory dysfunction that has not been approved by NICE to treat NHS patients. The studies that have been undertaken so far show that PRP may offer potential benefit to some patients affected by olfactory loss, but that more work is needed, including double-blind randomized controlled trials involving larger numbers of patients, to get a better understanding of what benefits PRP may offer, and to which patient groups.

The recent media coverage focuses on one individual who has received one injection of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) from an ENT Consultant in London.  Typically a randomised control trial would involve dozens of patients, and would assess ability to smell before and after treatment. It is unclear in this case whether a smell test was undertaken before or after the injection in order to establish the magnitude of any perceived effect.

Fifth Sense supports research into better understanding the causes of olfactory dysfunction and finding new treatments.  We want to see new treatments made available to patients on the NHS as soon as possible, with these having been evaluated in clinical trials, the gold standard being double-blind randomized controlled trials.

Details of two published papers on PRP for olfactory loss:

Use of platelet-rich plasma for COVID-19–related olfactory loss: a randomized controlled trial

https://doi.org/10.1002/alr.23116  This was an initial study involving 35 people affected by post-Covid smell dysfunction, 26 of whom completed the study

Long-term Outcomes of PRP Injections for Post-viral Olfactory Loss: A Prospective Cohort Study

https://doi.org/10.1002/alr.23505

Fifth Sense CEO and Founder, Duncan Boak, is co-chairing a new collaborative research group, the Breakthrough Consortium for Olfactory Health (BeCOH).

The BeCOH offers hope for the millions of people globally affected by impairment of their sense of smell. The Consortium brings together charities, patient groups, research institutions, and clinicians, as well as pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies, with a common purpose: driving therapeutic and technical advances to ultimately bring benefit to those worldwide living with the life-changing impact of sensory impairments.

The BeCOH Steering Committee is co-chaired by Duncan Boak and Valentina Parma, PhD, Assistant Director, Monell Chemical Senses Center, and includes:

• Lisa Huang, PhD, Senior VP, Curie.Bio
• Joshua Levy, MD, MPH, MS, Clinical Director, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
• Patricia Lucas-Schnarre, CEO, Ahersla Health, Inc.
• Andy Mulvaney, PhD, Founder and CEO, RhinoTherapeutics, Inc.
• Zara Patel, MD, Professor, Stanford University School of Medicine
• Nancy Rawson, PhD, Monell Executive Vice President

The Committee captures voices from patient-facing organisations, researchers, clinicians, government agencies, diagnostic, and pharmaceutical companies.

The benefits of smell to health and quality of life are often ignored until injury or disease compromises this function. In addition to the significant impact on both physical and mental health that smell disorders bring, loss of smell can be an early harbinger of a range of different health concerns, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease.

The mission of BeCOH is to establish evidence-based clinical, regulatory, and access pathways to improve diagnosis and treatment for olfactory dysfunction. Testing of the sense of smell is not undertaken routinely, unlike sight and hearing, and is currently confined to a relatively small number of specialist clinics. What’s more, there are very few treatments for many of the causes of smell impairment and a lack of research for finding new ones.

The Consortium members recognise that establishing a roadmap to implement testing and develop treatments for smell dysfunction requires a concerted, cross-sector effort to better serve those who live with smell disorders.

Valentina Parma said: “It is a challenge to move forward with such a proposition when many people are still unaware of the importance of the sense of smell to overall health and well-being.”

Duncan Boak added: “We need to work together to address what remains a significant and unmet public health need, even after the awareness generated by the Covid-19 pandemic, when so many suddenly lost their sense of smell

“By bringing together all stakeholders, the Consortium intends to be a catalyst for new research and developments and to engage with policymakers and encourage them to take action.”

At the US national level, both the 2023 – 2027 NIDCD Strategic Plan at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the ‘Healthy People 2030’ initiative recognise the importance of normal smell and taste function for overall health. The NIDCD plan envisions a future where medical providers use routine smell testing as an early detection tool for neurodegenerative diseases. Healthy People 2030 has an explicit goal to increase the percentage of adults with taste and smell disorders who have seen a healthcare provider specifically for their disorder from 18.5 percent to 20.4 percent by 2030.

Valentina Parma continued: “We aim to make it clear to public health officials how to adopt universal smell testing as an important tool for health monitoring and preventive care.

“We advocate for smell function to be recognized as an important element of disease prevention and management.”

Sensory, nutritional, psychological, and neurological consequences of smell dysfunction affect millions of diverse individuals. Measuring smell health over a lifetime can improve lives and reduce burdens on our care systems.

Connect with the Consortium and meet with them at the upcoming inaugural Town Hall to hear about their plan for progress and share your ideas by completing the form HERE. The Town Hall is scheduled for February 26, 2025 at 9am PST, 5pm GMT and 12pm EST.

Find out more about BeCOH HERE.

The Birmingham Smell and Taste Action Group is making a real impact, raising awareness of smell and taste disorders while creating a supportive community. This month, they successfully held their second meetup in the heart of the city, hosted at Runway East, who generously provided their premises free of charge.

Fourteen attendees joined the session, which featured the latest updates on smell and taste research and campaigning. Marianne Martin, a dedicated Fifth Sense volunteer and perfumer, shared insights on smell training, and Dr John King from Warwick University gave a fascinating talk on his work exploring the connection between olfaction and memory.

The event wasn’t just informative—it was a chance for attendees to share stories, experiences, and tips for living with smell and taste disorders. Participants ranged from those newly diagnosed to individuals living with anosmia, parosmia, or hyperosmia, some for over 30 years. One attendee commented, “I thought the event was extremely useful and I would like to say a big thank you to the event organisers and all who attended the session.  It is really good to know that you are not alone in your lived experiences and there are people and organisers who really understand and care”.

The group also looked ahead, planning to meet three times a year and even discussing a collaborative fundraiser for 2025. Attendees from outside Birmingham expressed interest in starting meetups in their local areas, including Mansfield, Warwick, and Stevenage. If you’re based in or around these locations and want to get involved, please contact sally.connick@fifthsense.org.uk.

Fifth Sense extends heartfelt thanks to Glynis, Terry, and Susan for organising the event and to Runway East and the National Lottery Community Fund for their support. Look out for more updates and events from the Birmingham Smell and Taste Action Group coming soon.

We’re thrilled to collaborate with Cadent, the UK’s largest Gas Distribution Network, to provide groundbreaking training for Cadent employees on smell and taste disorders.

A pioneering e-learning course will be offered to Cadent colleagues, with the goal of increasing important awareness of the impact of smell and taste disorders and help them to support those affected to stay safe in their homes.

The course forms part of a long-established strategic partnership between our two organisations, which began in 2019 to support the safety of people with smell disorders.

Duncan Boak, Fifth Sense CEO and Founder, said: “I’m delighted that Cadent is working with Fifth Sense to ensure its employees are aware of the potential safety issues associated with smell disorders. Safety is a big issue for someone with a smell impairment as they may be unable to detect gas, smoke, spoiled food and drink, and other potentially dangerous odours.

“Cadent is setting an example that I hope other organisations will start to follow. This is an important step in our ongoing fight for recognition of these sensory impairments.”

This new course gives Cadent colleagues – many who are gas engineers working within communities – information on smell and taste disorders, and how they can refer customers to additional support.

Phil Burrows, Head of Customer Vulnerability Social Programmes at Cadent, said: “This new e-learning course will provide vital information for our engineers and others who are out and about in the community visiting customers in their homes.

“Safety is a priority for us, and by raising awareness of the potential impact of not being able to smell a gas leak, we hope to decrease the likelihood of an incident.”

In addition, eligible customers can sign up to the Priority Services Register, the energy industry-wide register which supports those with health, communication, access or safety needs if their power, gas, or water goes off in an emergency – or because of planned works.

C-Jay Fretwell, Cadent Lead Gas Engineer, regularly works on emergencies and was part of the team that trialled the training.

C-Jay said: “I found the course helpful as I recently came across a customer who had totally lost their sense of smell from an illness. We had a chat about being able to detect gas and I could share some advice and tips to help them find a new nose, whether that’s a friend or neighbour, a gas detector or even prevention measures for gas escapes.

“Now all our engineers can do the same thanks to the training and initiatives coming from our partnership with Fifth Sense.”

Research suggests that as much as 5 per cent of the population may be affected by anosmia, the inability to detect odours. They can be congenital (since birth) or acquired following a head injury, viral infection, exposure to toxins, medication or an operational procedure, or due to an illness or condition such as stroke, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.

Smell and taste disorders affect people’s physical and mental health, wellbeing and safety.

Duncan added, “Our sense of smell significantly impacts our memory, mood, and emotions and is integral to many enjoyable life experiences. It forms an essential sentimental pathway for creating meaningful and cherished memories.

“People with smell disorders often feel disconnected from the world and those around them, intensifying feelings of isolation and potentially leading to depression and anxiety.”

If you would like to know more about Cadent and its range of support options, you can visit their website here.

We had a fantastic weekend at the Dartmouth Food Festival, Devon, where we spoke to over 100 people keen to learn more about smell and taste disorders, the vital work Fifth Sense does and how they can access help from us, GPs, ENTs and smell and taste clinics.

There were several powerful conversations, with some members of the public acknowledging for the first time how much their disorder impacts their daily life and wellbeing, including one lady who hadn’t before considered the safety aspect of not being able to detect gas, fire and spoiled food.

We also spoke to several people whose loved ones are affected, helping them to begin conversations to encourage them to seek support, including a mum whose young daughter’s sense of smell had not recovered after having COVID several times.

It was also good to chat with a man who said he was pleased to see us as he was finding the festival difficult due to his altered sense of smell following a virus. He was glad to hear there is hope for improvement and support available, and is keen to attend the Birmingham Smell and Taste Action Group.

We want to thank the Food Festival for being such wonderful hosts, Fifth Sense volunteers Hannah Martin and Heather Morris for their support and for showing such kind empathy towards the visitors, and sommelier and wine educator Rebecca Mitchell, who kindly allowed us to share a stand and held a sensory wine tasting to raise money for Fifth Sense, with wine sponsored by LWC Drinks. Our final thank you is to perfumer Marianne Martin, whose smell kit was an engaging way to initiate conversations.

We are thrilled to announce that Rick Bolt, a passionate long-distance runner and Fifth Sense member, will take on the TCS London Marathon 2025 to increase awareness of smell and taste disorders and fundraise to support our vital work.

With nine marathons and an ultra-marathon under his belt, Rick is no stranger to fundraising via endurance challenges, having raised thousands of pounds for several charities he is passionate about previously.

For Rick, this is more than just another marathon; it’s a personal mission to advocate for a cause that directly affects his life.

In November 2021, he contracted COVID-19, which resulted in the sudden loss of his sense of smell and flavour/aromatic taste. His smell function remains severely diminished, and his ability to experience flavour has not returned.

This has had a profound impact on Rick, but he has never lost hope. Instead, he has sought out ways to stay physically and mentally strong, finding solace in exercise, nutrition, and even cold-water therapy, which has become a vital part of his routine.

Rick said: “It will be a privilege to run the TCS London Marathon in 2025 for Fifth Sense and raise much-needed funds and awareness for a charity that I follow closely, and which provides me with hope.

“I relish this opportunity and do myself and the charity proud.”

For Rick, this experience will not only be physically rewarding but will also give him the chance to shine a light on the amazing work happening in the field of smell and taste disorders.

He continued: “The London Marathon is the perfect platform to increase visibility, promote, and celebrate all the fantastic research and trial work that is happening. Hopefully, we can gain extra traction and perhaps secure charity places in future marathons.”

The TCS London Marathon takes place on Sunday 27 April 2025, with the iconic 26.2-mile course winding through the streets of London past landmarks such as Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace, finishing on The Mall.

Keep an eye on Fifth Sense social media for updates from Rick as he begins training.

If you would like to donate towards Rick’s £1,000 target for Fifth Sense, please visit his Just Giving page.

Please join us in congratulating Rick and wishing him luck.

Can you support our vital work with a race or challenge?

Thank you to everyone who applied for our charity place for next year’s London Marathon. It was difficult to select just one from the applications we received.

Our incredible fundraisers help our charity’s vital work as we support people affected by smell and taste disorders and raise awareness of these unrecognised and marginalised issues.

We would like to create a team of people who are keen to fundraise for Fifth Sense through physical challenges, such as swimming, cycling, running or hiking, that we can contact if any opportunities arise.

Please email Sally Connick, Fifth Sense Community Development Officer, at sally.connick@fifthsense.org.uk if you would like to be added to the list.

If you are already signed up to complete a challenge, and you would like to raise money for Fifth Sense, you can set up a personalised fundraising platform using our Just Giving page.