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…
, 2025-05-09 16:30:00 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The use of psychedelics by people struggling with mental health issues has gotten increased media attention in recent years. Prince Harry told “60 Minutes” he used psilocybin—also known as magic mushrooms—to deal with the grief of losing his mom at age 12. Celebrities including Kristen Bell, Mike Tyson…
, 2025-05-09 16:40:00 HKUMed has achieved a significant breakthrough in developing needle-free, live-attenuated influenza vaccines with broad protection against human and avian virus subtypes. The novel innovations resulted in multiple patents and impressive accolades at the 50th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2025, including the Saudi Innovation Excellence Prize and two Gold Medals, one of…
, 2025-05-09 16:50:00 Updated recommendations for antiretroviral nonoccupational postexposure prophylaxis (nPEP) for HIV have been published in the May 8 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Mary R. Tanner, M.D., from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues updated the 2016 nPEP guidelines and considerations for use…
, 2025-05-10 08:51:00 Credit: Anna Tarazevich from Pexels The US Food and Drug Administration has approved an at-home cervical cancer screening tool as an alternative to Pap smears by a gynecologist, the company behind the device said Friday. The “Teal Wand”—a self-collection vaginal swab shaped like a tampon and developed by Teal Health—will be available…
, 2025-05-10 08:57:00 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain New research being presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025) has explored the differences in how the sexes break down fat for energy. The research focused on lipolysis, the process through which triglycerides—lipids stored in fat cells—are broken down to produce free fatty acids and…
, 2025-05-10 09:05:00 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain 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 Pediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the…
, 2025-05-10 09:10:00 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Growth patterns during the first two years of a child’s life may shape pubertal growth and adult height, but have little effect on pubertal timing, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Pediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology…
, 2025-05-10 13:50:00 A research paper by scientists from Tianjin University proposed a noninvasive method for locating and decoding intracranial endogenous signals with high spatiotemporal resolution. The research paper, published on Apr. 9, 2025 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems. High spatiotemporal resolution of noninvasive electroencephalography (EEG) signals is an important prerequisite for fine…
, 2025-05-10 09:20:00 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain 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 Pediatric…
, 2025-05-10 17:48:00 In neighborhoods across America, women face a daunting threat from a federal practice that, although it was outlawed decades ago, continues to negatively impact their health today. That’s according to the findings of new University at Buffalo research that examines how historical redlining – the federal policy from the 1930s where neighborhoods…
, 2025-05-10 09:30:00 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Men with fertility issues have lower levels of phosphate in the blood than average, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Pediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). In addition, low phosphate concentrations in the blood were associated…
, 2025-05-10 17:41:00 More than a decade ago, researchers launched the BabySeq Project, a pilot program to return newborn genomic sequencing results to parents and measure the effects on newborn care. Today, over 30 international initiatives are exploring the expansion of newborn screening using genomic sequencing (NBSeq), but a new study by researchers from Mass…
, 2025-05-10 17:00:00 by I. Edwards Tim Friede has survived hundreds of snakebites—on purpose. For nearly two decades, he let some of the world’s most dangerous snakes sink their fangs into his arms, all for science. Now, his bold experiment could potentially help save thousands of lives. Friede, 57, from Wisconsin, has spent nearly 20…
, 2025-05-10 16:54:00 Background: Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6), predominantly expressed by type II alveolar cells, is linked to the prognosis and severity of interstitial lung disease (ILD). This investigation sought to explore the relationship between KL-6 concentrations and the presence of ILD versus interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA). Methods: This single-center retrospective study included 147 patients who…
, 2025-05-10 09:50:00 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Three-year-old boys are more likely to have a shorter anogenital distance when their mothers have high levels of phthalates in their urine, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Pediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). In girls,…
, 2025-05-10 14:20:00 The marine bacterium Alcanivorax borkumensis feeds on oil, multiplying rapidly in the wake of oil spills, and thereby accelerating the elimination of the pollution, in many cases. It does this by producing an “organic dishwashing liquid” which it uses to attach itself to oil droplets. Researchers from the University of Bonn, RWTH…
Robert Herpen, MA; Ricardo Hanel, MD, PhD , 2025-05-09 13:18:00 Add topic to email alerts Receive an email when new articles are posted on Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . ” data-action=subscribe> Subscribe We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If…
, 2025-05-10 10:00:00 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Girls given antibiotics during their first year of life, especially in the first three months, are more likely to enter puberty at an earlier age, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Pediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology…
, 2025-05-10 14:31:00 Can a virtual nurse persuade people to get vaccinated? Scientists from SWPS University have proven that it is possible. Finding new forms of informing people about vaccinations is particularly important for public health while some question their validity. While the consensus in the medical and scientific community is that preventive vaccinations are…
Casey Tingle , 2025-05-10 14:00:00 Add topic to email alerts Receive an email when new articles are posted on Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . “ data-action=”subscribe”> Subscribe We were unable to process your request. Please try again later….
Casey Tingle , 2025-05-10 14:00:00 Add topic to email alerts Receive an email when new articles are posted on Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . “ data-action=”subscribe”> Subscribe We were unable to process your request. Please try again later….
, 2025-05-10 13:50:00 Microscopy image of a cortical organoid, a stem cell-derived model that mimics the developing human brain. The circular rosettes are clusters of neural stem cells giving rise to neurons, shown in green. Credit: Nano et al. The human brain is known to contain a wide range of cell types, which have different…
, 2025-05-10 14:50:00 More Americans use illicit opioids such as fentanyl than previously estimated, highlighting the need for better methods to understand the depths of the opioid crisis, according to a new study. A survey of American adults found that 11% reported illicit opioid use within the past 12 months and 7.5% reported use of…
Reenie McCarthy; Anthony DeFino , 2025-05-10 14:00:00 Add topic to email alerts Receive an email when new articles are posted on Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . “ data-action=”subscribe”> Subscribe We were unable to process your request. Please try…
, 2025-05-10 14:10:00 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Are you in pain? Are you sure? On a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 is no pain at all and 10 is the worst pain imaginable, how much pain is it? Invitations to rate your pain on some arbitrary scale of numerals, or on a display…
, 2025-05-10 14:00:00 Tempted to skip the floss? Your heart might thank you if you don’t. A new study from Hiroshima University (HU) finds that the gum disease bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) can slip into the bloodstream and infiltrate the heart. There, it quietly drives scar tissue buildup-known as fibrosis-distorting the heart’s architecture, interfering with electrical…
, 2025-05-09 09:56:00 TOPLINE: A nonsurgical combination treatment for keloids achieved complete resolution in over 80% of patients and was associated with high satisfaction rates in an observational study of adults in Brazil with higher skin phenotypes. METHODOLOGY: To evaluate a sequential nonsurgical approach to treating keloids, researchers conducted a longitudinal, retrospective observational study of…
Scott Buzby , 2025-05-09 13:20:00 Add topic to email alerts Receive an email when new articles are posted on Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . ” data-action=subscribe> Subscribe We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this…
, 2025-05-10 13:20:00 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain In 2019, reports of a rapidly progressive dementia cluster in New Brunswick raised public and media concerns about a potential new neurological syndrome. Public Health New Brunswick (PHNB) launched an epidemiological investigation to determine possible environmental or toxic exposures. In 2021, PHNB circulated the case definition term Neurological…