Marissa Plescia , 2025-05-12 01:08:00 Employers are starting to expect more out of their healthcare vendors, whether they’re insurance carriers, third party administrators, pharmacy benefit managers, consultants or point solutions. This is especially true because employers have a fiduciary responsibility to get the best benefits for the best price for their employees. During a recent…
, 2025-05-12 00:47:00 New genetic clues reveal why some people may be predisposed to myocarditis or pericarditis after COVID-19 vaccination, offering fresh insight into immune responses and vaccine safety. Study: Genome-wide association study of myocarditis and pericarditis following COVID-19 vaccination. Image Credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock Could your genes affect how your body reacts to a coronavirus…
, 2025-05-12 00:24:00 Researchers have developed EVE-Vax, a computational design tool that creates synthetic SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins mimicking future immune-evading variants. These designed proteins enable early assessment of vaccine efficacy before such variants naturally emerge. Study: Computationally designed proteins mimic antibody immune evasion in viral evolution. Image Credit: TimeStopper69 / Shutterstock A recent study in the journal…
Daniel Payne , 2025-05-12 00:16:00 WASHINGTON — President Trump said Sunday that he would sign an executive order to base U.S. drug prices on what other countries pay — usually far less than Americans do. The order, which was widely expected, will mean the U.S. will “pay the same price as the Nation that pays the…
, 2025-05-11 23:50:00 A large UK study reveals that vegetarians, but not vegans, have a slightly elevated risk of hypothyroidism, raising new questions about iodine intake and the role of BMI in interpreting diet-related thyroid outcomes. Study: Risk of hypothyroidism in meat-eaters, fish-eaters, and vegetarians: a population-based prospective study. Image Credit: SvetaZi / Shutterstock A study published…
, 2025-05-11 23:00:00 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the failure of UK government advisers to follow World Health Organization (WHO) advice and emerging evidence from East Asia that suppression could bring the virus under control quickly led to avoidable UK deaths, argues an expert in The BMJ. Suppression aims to avoid…
Katie Adams , 2025-05-11 20:02:00 For the past couple of years, clinicians have been singing the praises of generative AI-powered clinical documentation tools, saying that these models give them hours back into their day. Industry leaders agree that these tools are effective for reducing administrative burden among clinical staff, but they’re still figuring out if…
, 2025-05-11 18:30:00 More talk and fewer pills are being employed to help Americans maintain their mental health, a new study says. Psychotherapy is assuming a larger role in mental health care, while medications prescribed without accompanying therapy are becoming less common, according to results published in early May in the American Journal of Psychiatry….
, 2025-05-11 16:46:00 Lung cancer is one of the most challenging diseases, making early diagnosis crucial for effective treatment. Fortunately, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming lung cancer screening, improving both accuracy and efficiency. While current screening methods like low-dose CT help confirm suspicions of lung cancers, they often suffer from high false-positive rates…
, 2025-05-11 16:59:00 Three months of time-restricted eating (TRE), irrespective of whether it is earlier or later in the day, may be a promising strategy for sustaining long-term weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, according to preliminary results of a randomised controlled trial being presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO)…
, 2025-05-11 17:05:00 When Jessica Johnson, 36, began to experience labored breathing and heart palpitations, she quickly made an appointment to see a cardiologist. A CT scan showed she had two aortic aneurysms that could potentially require surgery. As a child, Jessica was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome – a rare genetic disorder that affects the…
, 2025-05-11 16:54:00 A new model of tiny human ovary organoids, or ovaroids, has been developed from stem cells, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). This achievement may help to understand and develop treatments for conditions in…
, 2025-05-11 13:31:00 Women who experience significant weight gain after the age of 20 and either have their first child after the age of 30 or don’t have children are almost three times more likely to develop breast cancer than those who give birth earlier and whose weight remains relatively stable, new research from the…
, 2025-05-11 16:22:00 Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) can lead to significant weight loss and improve blood sugar control in adults with severe mental illness, as well as having positive effects on mood, well-being, and quality of life in those both with and without mental illness, according to a systematic review of the available…
, 2025-05-11 13:37:00 Women who experience menopause before the age of 50 – and especially before the age of 45 – are more likely to develop fatty liver disease and its related metabolic risk factors within one year after menopause, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric…
, 2025-05-11 13:57:00 Women who experience infertility are more likely to develop heart and blood vessel conditions later in life, with younger women and those who undergo fertility treatments at a greater risk. The findings, presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology…
, 2025-05-11 14:21:00 Sumeet Chugh, MD, whose research into sudden cardiac arrest has led to novel methods of predicting the usually fatal condition, has been promoted to vice dean and chief artificial intelligence health research officer at Cedars-Sinai. Chugh was also honored recently with the Heart Rhythm Society’s 2025 Distinguished Scientist Award for clinical science….
, 2025-05-11 14:31:00 The Food and Drug Administration just approved an at home test that could be an optional alternative to a yearly pap smear. The test looks for human papilloma virus, or HPV, which causes nearly all incidences of cervical cancer. Each year in the U.S., about 11,500 new cases of cervical cancer are…
, 2025-05-11 14:30:00 Three pedestrians take a selfie on the picturesque alleyway at the end of Rue de l’Universite, Paris. Doctors often start exams with the so-called “eyeball test”—a snap judgment about whether the patient appears older or younger than their age, which can influence key medical decisions. That intuitive assessment may soon get an…
, 2025-05-11 14:43:00 Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and early detection is key to improving patient outcomes. However, the mechanisms driving the transition from preneoplastic lesions to full-blown cancer are not well understood. Previous research has primarily targeted advanced OSCC, overlooking the early stages of tumor progression. The…
Chris Puuri , 2025-05-11 14:02:00 Organizations across the entire healthcare ecosystem have been betting big on AI. The excitement is justified. Implementing these technologies can save a lot of time and money to do a lot of wonderful things. Sadly, however, implementing AI can just as easily waste a lot of time and money to…
, 2025-05-11 14:10:00 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Spend too long on social media and you might start to hear the term “cortisol face” used to describe someone with supposedly puffy eyes or cheeks. The phrase describes the physical signs that some believe result from prolonged stress, particularly elevated levels of the hormone cortisol. It’s often…
, 2025-05-11 13:51:00 Individuals taking steroid tablets for more than 3 months are over 6 times more likely to be diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency than those treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE)….
Danielle Carter , 2025-05-11 13:34:00 Social determinants of health (SDOH) screening tools have been prioritized in emerging healthcare delivery models aimed at transforming traditional care delivery and reimbursing a broader bench of supportive services. However, with the shift in priorities that often accompanies a new federal administration, changes are already in the works for SDOH. …
, 2025-05-11 13:19:00 By creating a more true-to-life representation of DNA’s environment, researchers at Northwestern University have discovered that strand separation – the essential process a “resting” double helix undergoes before it can initiate replication or make repairs – may take more mechanical force than the field previously believed. Most biochemistry labs that study DNA isolate…
, 2025-05-11 13:00:00 Fanconi anemia is an aggressive, life-threatening disorder. Most individuals living with this rare genetic condition, characterized by bone marrow failure and cancer predisposition, survive into adulthood only with bone marrow transplantation and regular cancer screening. But a new study demonstrates that mutations in one particular gene in the Fanconi anemia pathway result…
, 2025-05-11 11:06:00 Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., left, following a tour of the Texas A&M AgriLife Phenotyping Greenhouse in College Station, Texas on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.Credit: Meredith Seaver /College Station Eagle via AP For many experts, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ‘s promise for “pulling back the curtain”…
, 2025-05-11 11:10:00 Credit: Alexey Demidov from Pexels Have you ever felt an unexpected sense of calm while walking barefoot on grass? Or noticed your stress begin to fade as you stood ankle deep in the ocean? If so, you may have unknowingly “grounded” yourself to the Earth. Grounding, also known as earthing, is the…
, 2025-05-11 09:10:00 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain High school athletes diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) take significantly longer to recover from concussions than their peers, according to new research from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The study, led by Kyoko Shirahata, a faculty member in the College of Education’s Department of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation…
Kamran Abbasi , 2025-05-08 14:05:00 In 2004, we published a historic theme issue on South Asia (doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7443.777)1 with a grand ambition: “This non-political collaboration may be the beginning of a sustained and combined effort to improve healthcare in the region and, perhaps, promote peace and unity in a part of the world crippled by religious,…
Gareth Iacobucci , 2025-05-08 14:11:00 UK regulators must produce clear guidelines for the prescribing and monitoring of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists for weight loss, particularly when treatment is initiated online, GP leaders have urged.Representatives at the annual UK conference of local medical committees (LMCs) in Glasgow passed a motion calling for the BMA’s General…
Mun-Keat Looi , 2025-05-09 09:26:00 Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic fantasy; it’s rapidly becoming a part of our everyday lives, including the healthcare sector. But as with any technological advance in healthcare its integration comes with its own set of challenges and considerations.Speaking at an NHS conference on AI in February organised by…
Adrian O’Dowd , 2025-05-09 14:06:00 Should Reform UK be taken as a serious political voice?Yes. In the recent local government elections Reform UK achieved huge success for such a young political party, capturing more than 600 council seats, mostly at the expense of the Conservative Party but also from Labour.Across England, Reform gained control of…
Adrian O’Dowd , 2025-05-09 14:11:00 Any future assisted dying services in the UK should not be based in general practice, nor should any doctor be forced to be involved in them, GPs have insisted.Representatives at the annual UK conference of local medical committees (LMCs) in Glasgow overwhelmingly passed a motion that said that if any…
Jeffrey K Aronson , 2025-05-09 17:01:00 The discovery and extraction of penicillinHaving just celebrated the 80th anniversary of VE Day on 8 May 1945, it is appropriate that we should remember medical contributions to the efforts that led to victory. A topic of particular interest involves the use of penicillin.The story of Alexander Fleming’s discovery…
, 2025-05-11 02:48:00 A major Australian study finds that a child’s long-term weight is closely tied to their parents’ BMI before birth, especially the mother’s, underscoring the urgent need to tackle obesity before pregnancy to break the cycle across generations. Image Credit: kwanchai.c / Shutterstock New research being presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO…
, 2025-05-11 03:03:00 New research reveals a key metabolic advantage in women: once fat breakdown starts, it happens more efficiently than in men. This insight could help tailor future diabetes prevention strategies, especially for men at higher metabolic risk. Image Credit: Jose Luis Calvo / Shutterstock The research focused on lipolysis, the process through which triglycerides –…
, 2025-05-11 03:24:00 A major study finds teens with abdominal obesity have enlarged brain areas linked to learning and emotion, raising concerns that excess weight and inequality may disrupt cognitive development and raise long-term dementia risk. Study: National-level and state-level prevalence of overweight and obesity among children, adolescents, and adults in the USA, 1990–2021, and…
, 2025-05-11 03:42:00 A landmark study reveals that nearly a third of global antibiotic use ends up in rivers, threatening aquatic ecosystems and accelerating the rise of drug-resistant bacteria. This highlights the urgent need for global monitoring and mitigation strategies. Contaminant pathways of antibiotics in the global aquatic environment. Modeled contaminant pathways and mass balances…
, 2025-05-11 04:08:00 New evidence shows even brief exposure to junk food marketing, across TV, social media, radio, or billboards, leads to overeating in children. With brand-only ads proving just as potent, researchers are calling for urgent global advertising restrictions to protect kids’ health. Image Credit: nazarovsergey / Shutterstock Exposure to junk food advertisements (relative to non-food)…
, 2025-05-11 03:59:00 How tall your child will be may be decided in the first two years, but it won’t tell you when puberty starts. This study sheds light on the lifelong significance of early growth and the limits of its predictive power. Study: Early life growth is related to pubertal growth and adult height –…
, 2025-05-11 03:50:00 A large study of nearly a million adolescent boys reveals that late puberty isn’t as harmless as once thought, linking it to a sharply higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in early adulthood. Image Credit: Benedek Alpar / Shutterstock Boys who enter puberty later than average are more likely to develop type 2…
, 2025-05-11 03:34:00 New research links maternal PCOS and testosterone to reduced weekend activity in boys and weaker grip strength in girls, highlighting the lasting impact of in-utero hormone exposure on children’s physical development. Image Credit: Marta Design / Shutterstock Boys born to mothers who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or who have higher levels of testosterone…
, 2025-05-11 03:12:00 Every day, chemicals in toys, soaps, and packaging may be silently reshaping children’s reproductive development. Italian researchers link phthalate exposure to measurable changes in genital growth by age three. Image Credit: Danijela Maksimovic / Shutterstock Three-year-old boys are more likely to have a shorter anogenital distance when their mothers have high levels of phthalates…
, 2025-05-11 02:54:00 Girls given antibiotics as newborns are more likely to hit puberty early, especially with multiple types of antibiotics. This large-scale study raises red flags about overuse of antibiotics in infancy and its long-term effects on hormonal development. Image Credit: New Africa / Shutterstock Girls given antibiotics during their first year of life, especially in…
, 2025-05-11 02:40:00 Could a simple mineral hold the key to solving unexplained male infertility? New findings suggest that phosphate, vital for energy and testicular function, may play a surprising role in sperm health, offering a new angle for treatment. Image Credit: Babul Hosen / Shutterstock Men with fertility issues have lower levels of phosphate in the…
, 2025-05-10 22:10:00 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) can lead to significant weight loss and improve blood sugar control in adults with severe mental illness, as well as having positive effects on mood, well-being, and quality of life in those both with and without mental illness, according to a systematic…
, 2025-05-10 22:10:00 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Several areas of the brain, including regions that play a critical role in learning and memory and in the control of emotions, are larger in adolescents who are living with obesity, new research being presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025) has found. The finding, from…
, 2025-05-10 22:10:00 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Three months of time-restricted eating (TRE), irrespective of whether it is earlier or later in the day, may be a promising strategy for sustaining long-term weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, according to preliminary results of a randomized controlled trial being presented at this year’s European…
, 2025-05-10 22:10:00 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Exposure to junk food advertisements (relative to non-food) results in children and adolescents consuming significantly more calories during the day, regardless of the type of media advertising, according to a randomized crossover trial being presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Malaga, Spain (11–14 May). The…