Health
From new treatments to AI: advances in the fight against cancer
From combining treatments in unprecedented ways to deploying artificial intelligence for personalised medicine, a raft of new advances in the fight against cancer have been presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), which ended on Tuesday. Here are some of the big announcements made at the five-day conference… Read
Endometriosis pain leads to missed school and work in two-thirds of women with the condition, new study finds
More than two-thirds of women with endometriosis missed school or work due to pain from the condition, in a study of more than 17,000 women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the U.S. That is a key finding of new research published in the Journal of Endometriosis and… Read
How social media became a storefront for fake pills as families struggle
Fentanyl overdoses have become a leading cause of death for U.S. minors in the last five years or so, even as overall drug use has dropped slightly. In a 2022 analysis of fentanyl-laced prescription pills, the DEA found that six out of 10 contained a potentially lethal dose of the… Read
How a traveling 'health train' has become an essential source of free care in South Africa
Thethiwe Mahlangu woke early on a chilly morning and walked through her busy South African township, where minibuses hooted to pick up commuters and smoke from sidewalk breakfast stalls hung in the air. Her eyes had been troubling her. But instead of going to her nearby health clinic, Mahlangu was… Read
High doses of Adderall linked with heightened risk of psychosis and mania
Adderall is an effective treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but a sharp rise in U.S. prescriptions over the past two decades has sparked concerns among researchers about rare but serious side effects. In a striking new study published Thursday, a team led by psychiatrist Lauren Moran of Mass… Read
Is weight loss as simple as calories in, calories out?
Is the adage “calories in, calories out” true? The short answer is yes, but the full story is more nuanced. From the moment food touches your tongue to the time it leaves your body, your digestive system and gut microbiome work to extract its nutrients. Enzymes in your mouth, stomach… Read
Weight loss drug safe, effective for under-12 kids: study
A weight loss drug has been found to be broadly safe and effective for children under 12 with obesity, according to a small study that was cautiously welcomed by outside experts. A new class of weight loss drugs called GLP-1 agonists have become hugely popular across the world in the… Read
Canada's safe injection sites, 20 years on, face pushback
Canada, after two decades of leading on treating addiction as a health issue, is suddenly facing pushback on supervised sites for injecting narcotics that prevent overdoses but are being blamed for spikes in neighborhood crime. The first such site in North America opened in Vancouver in 2003, followed by dozens… Read
How much does aging affect mental acuity? It’s debatable
I cringed recently while driving to the clinic where I specialize in geriatric medicine when I heard a young radio announcer refer to old people as “wiggy,” a pejorative for wacky. As a doctor who has extensively researched aging and age-related diseases for over 30 years, this to me is… Read
Doing lunges while brushing your teeth, and other ways to stack healthy habits
As simple as it sounds, Lindsay Kee’s revamped exercise routine began with standing up to take the dog out. She decided to do a few standing stretches before leaving, and did some squats or jumping jacks when she got back home. Over time she added to the routine, and now… Read
