Field: Public Health

New obesity treatments, including GLP-1 agonists and gene therapies, could make it easier for people to lose weight and keep it off.

Researchers studied different types of mosquito repellents and their efficacy for over a decade. Here's what they found.

Success can be based on the fundamental observation that working complex systems arise from working simple systems.

A new meningitis vaccine that protects against five bacterial strains outperformed an existing shot in a phase 3 trial.

Eli Lilly announced results from a phase 2 clinical trial of the newest entrant in the obesity treatment space.

The diabetes drug metformin cut COVID-19 patients’ risk of later developing long COVID by 41% in a small study.

Gain-of-function experiments in the lab can help researchers get ahead of viruses naturally gaining the ability to infect people in the wild.

In 1758 in Sweden, 1205 mothers died for every 100,000 live births, which was likely representative of the global maternal mortality rate.

A new overdose-reversing spray that works fast but lasts longer has been approved by the FDA, and will be available by the fall at earliest.

Novo Nordisk has announced positive results for an oral version of the popular weight loss drug sold as Ozempic and Wegovy.

Researchers have figured out how the mushroom's main toxin enters human cells — and maybe how to stop it.

Costa Rica’s famed sloths harbor bacteria in their fur which can create antibiotic compounds — a potential source of future therapies.

MindMed and University Hospital Basel have announced top line results for their phase 2 trial.

Tech platform Hydreight wants to help nurses go into business for themselves by being a turnkey solution.

Small Pharma has announced the results of a six-month follow-up for their phase 2a trial of DMT for depression.

A trial of “Sunshine Calls” found that the empathy-based phone calls helped reduce depression symptoms in older patients.

It takes around 17 years for medical research to translate into clinical practice — why not use EMR data to speed things up?

Using patient data and AI, French researchers have created a digital model of the brain to figure out which brain region needs removed.

New Zealand-based startup Kimer Med wants to create an antiviral that would be effective against many known viruses — and unknown.

Naloxone administered by nasal spray can be a lifesaving drug with minimal side effects. It's now approved for over-the-counter use in the U.S.

As avian influenza continues to devastate the bird population and jump into mammals, scientists are preparing to protect two important groups.

A new study links higher blood levels of sugar-free sweeteners, commonly found in ketogenic diet foods, to a greater risk of death.

Many virologists are concerned that the latest bird flu outbreak could spill over to humans and cause a new human pandemic.

Retrofitting gas heaters with this catalyst could slash their environmental impact.

Researchers have developed a “sandwich-like” membrane that removes pollutants while generating power.

A sudden shift to virtual health care has increased access — and possibly outcomes — for patients with opioid use disorder.

It has been a year since the first COVID human challenge data was published. What did we learn, and can HCTs prepare us for the future?

USDA researchers have developed self-extinguishing cotton lines, potentially cutting down on the need for flame retardants in the future.

In a phase 2 trial, a daily oral medication reduced LDL cholesterol levels by up to 60%.

By toggling an important heart gene, scientists have treated mice for a heart attack preemptively.

Massachusetts General researchers have developed a new form of transplantation that cured type 1 diabetes in monkeys.

Canadian company Ondine is using laser frequencies to help prevent surgical site infections.

The FDA has granted authorization to an at-home test that can tell COVID from flu, the first of its kind.

London-based Small Pharma has released positive top-line results for their phase 2a trial of DMT as an antidepressant.

By screening negative nasal swabs for a specific antiviral protein, a Yale team believes we may be able to find hidden viruses before they emerge.

Using a large language model AI, biotech startup Profluent has created new antimicrobial proteins.

Researchers have engineered bacteria to create a “living medicine” against a nasty respiratory bug.

Moderna’s mRNA RSV vaccine for adults looks to be over 80% effective, based on early data from a large phase 3 trial.

A “morning after” antiviral nasal spray could be created using new knowledge about how SARS-CoV-2 invades your nose.

A new universal flu vaccine candidate that uses mRNA to target all known flu subtypes looks promising in animal models.

Instead of replacing sugar, Wyss scientists had an idea: what if they change sugar to make it healthier?

Researchers tracked 25,241 non-exercisers wearing accelerometers to find out of brief bursts of activity lowered their risk of dying.

Researchers have identified a compound capable of stopping multiple coronaviruses in cell and tissue models.

While treatments are available for HCV-related infections, they are expensive, hard to access, and do not protect against reinfection.

The risk of death from influenza has declined over time, but globally, hundreds of thousands of people still die from the disease each year.

Some wavelengths of light in a range called far-UVC kill microbes in experiments and appear to be harmless to people.

A new analysis by the UK Health Security Agency has determined that one shot of a monkeypox vaccine is 78% effective at preventing infection.

Though morning workouts may be optimal for circadian rhythms, afternoon exercise tends to be slightly more efficient.

Moderna is reportedly nearing a deal with the DoD to develop mRNA vaccines for biological threats like Ebola

Tuberculosis kills over a million people a year. Researchers in Malawi are pushing for a clinical trial that may help change that.

An antibody designed to prevent malaria infection has proven effective in phase 2 trials in Mali.

Pfizer and BioNTech's new mRNA vaccine designed to protect against COVID-19 and the flu has entered human trials.

A blood vessel isn’t just a simple tube. Researchers at the University of Sydney have developed an implant capable of mimicking its complexities.

In a new discovery, researchers at the University of Glasgow have observed hybrid viruses capable of infecting lung cells in the lab.

Caused by the Sudan strain of Ebola, current vaccines and therapies approved for Ebola won’t work in Uganda. But these might.

Researchers have discovered a new blood group which may have been behind the tragic loss of two babies.

New research out of the University of Cambridge may have discovered a mechanism behind metastasis.

Bloodstream infections have a high mortality rate. But a new test to catch them faster could lead to more saved lives.

Harvard-affiliated researchers have discovered a form of double-stranded RNA which may be a potent antiviral.

Researchers have created microscopic robots capable of clearing pneumonia from the lungs of mice.

In a small phase 1 trial of a herpes-based cancer therapy, one patient had their tumors completely eliminated.

Eisai and Biogen are reporting that their new Alzheimer’s antibody slowed cognitive decline by 27% in a global trial.

A new review finds that 14 different cancers, including eight related to the digestive system, are increasing in people under age 50.

Does COVID somehow weaken the immune system to make us more prone to other infectious diseases? Here's what scientists know.

New antibody and drug therapies may soon help treat meth patients, who currently have no pharmacological interventions.

Grail’s Galleri multi-cancer blood test found multiple cancers in a study of over 6,000 patients.

A new multibillion-dollar federal agency was created with a goal of supporting “the next generation of moonshots for health.”

Researchers are working to get a more complete understanding of the cells and antibodies behind long COVID.

San Francisco joins Oakland, Santa Cruz, DC, and Denver in decriminalizing some psychedelics.

When Mars samples arrive, they may carry more than knowledge. To offset the chance of a Martian pandemic, NASA is learning to contain a Red Planet plague.

A booster dose of the University of Oxford’s malaria vaccine demonstrated up to 80% efficacy in children over a year of follow-up.

Using modified mouse models originally designed for HIV, researchers have discovered an antibody that stops all known strains of COVID-19.

Due to HIV-1's extraordinary diversity, a vaccine needs to induce antibodies that can target many different strains.

The FDA has authorized Pfizer-BioNTech’s and Moderna’s updated COVID-19 boosters, which target the now-dominant Omicron subvariants.

Anesthesia, penicillin, antibiotics, diazepam, and the birth control pill have all radically changed our lives.

When the body’s own biomarkers aren’t enough, researchers have begun creating their own to help fight cancer.

Researchers from the UK, US, and Singapore are beginning work on a genetic heart cure they hope to begin clinically testing within five years.

All currently licensed COVID-19 vaccines target the spike protein’s S1 region, which is prone to mutations. We need a universal vaccine.

According to a huge phase 3 trial, Pfizer’s RSV vaccine is nearly 86% effective at preventing severe illness in older adults.

MIT researchers have developed an easy-to-use test that may be able to predict an individual’s immune response to SARS-CoV-2.

Digital health is attracting record levels of investment in products such as smart toilet seats, which can help millions get access to care.

A team at Penn State has developed a pulsed light technique capable of killing common food poisoning pathogens.

Yale and Icahn School of Medicine researchers may have found biomarkers for identifying long COVID.

Pfizer and French biotech Valneva have announced a phase 3 clinical trial testing the human Lyme vaccine.

Using AI and analysis, Theator is helping surgeons improve how pilots and pro athletes do: by going to the tape.

The collapse in child mortality rates is a testament to the tremendous benefits of scientific, technological, and economic progress.

Intranasal vaccines are best suited to protect against pathogens that enter through the nose, like the flu or the coronavirus.

The year 536 ushered in the coldest decade in thousands of years and started a century of economic devastation.

Shapeshifting nanoparticles may one day lead to automated oral care.

NIAID researchers have begun a phase 1 trial of a new universal vaccine candidate that was promising in animal challenge studies.

After losing his daughter, a father found a way to help other NICU parents.

University of Oregon researchers have discovered that simple acts like drawing shades during peak sun and opening windows at night may help save lives during heatwaves.

Entomologist Naoki Yamanaka has an idea for how to handle mosquitoes: What if we just stop them from growing up?

A new gene-edited wheat contains 90% less of a compound that can turn into acrylamide — a likely carcinogen — when the crop is cooked.

Researchers have used gene editing to engineer HIV-fighting immune cells inside the bodies of mice.

University of Leeds researchers have identified a compound in mosquito saliva as a potential target to protect against multiple viruses.

Brown University researchers have developed a “smart” drug delivery system that only releases its payload when bacteria are present.

Hong Kong researchers have developed a handheld COVID antibody testing device more capable than current home tests.