Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Well: Prevention: Aspirin and Melanoma
A prospective study found that regular aspirin use may be linked to a lower risk for melanoma, the most serious kind of skin cancer.
Letters: Taking up the superbug challenge
The threat posed to human health by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, highlighted by the UK's chief medical officer, makes for grim reading (New wave of 'superbugs' poses dire threat, says medical chief, 11 March). That...
Activists fault WHO report on Fukushima radiation
Activist physicians on Monday accused the World Health Organization of downplaying the health impact of nuclear fallout from the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Trio of biomarkers may help identify kidney cancer in early stages
A new immunoassay that tests for the presence of three biomarkers appears to be a valid screening method for the early detection of malignant kidney cancer, according to new data.
Why people put themselves under the knife: Plastic surgery makes people happy
Scientists have investigated the psychological effects of plastic surgery on approximately 550 patients. Patients demonstrated more enjoyment of life, satisfaction and self-esteem after their physical appearance had been surgically altered.
Signs of heart disease found in far-flung antique mummies
CT scans of people who lived on three continents as much as 5,000 years ago suggest humans may have a basic predisposition to cardiovascular problems, researchers say.People tend to think...
Coffee during pregnancy can affect fetal growth
Drinking just two cups of coffee a day is associated with the risk of low birth weight. Researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have conducted a study on...
Study points to essential role of IL-22 in lung repair after the flu
Once the initial episode of influenza has passed, the chronic effects tend to be overlooked. The results of a new study indicate that the cytokine interleukin-22 (IL-22) plays a critical...
Therapies for ALL and AML targeting MER receptor hold promise of more effect with less side-effect
Studies show that the protein receptor Mer is overexpressed in many leukemias, and that inhibition of this Mer receptor results in the death of leukemia cells -- without affecting surrounding,...
Grandad's hip fracture a risk factor for Osteoporosis
Has your paternal or maternal grandfather broken their hip on any occasion? In that case there is a greater risk that your own bones are more fragile as an adult....
Common multiple sclerosis drugs taken together do not reduce relapse risk
A recent clinical trial found that interferonβ-1a (INF) and glatiramer acetate (GA), two of the most commonly prescribed drugs for multiple sclerosis (MS), provide no additional clinical benefit when taken...
Libel reform bill at risk
Campaigners fear that appending the bill to efforts to regulate the press will doom reform
Nerve damage may underlie widespread, unexplained chronic pain in children
Investigators have described what may be a newly identified disease that appears to explain some cases of widespread chronic pain and other symptoms in children and young adults.
New biolimus stent equal to everolimus stent at one year
In a match-up of Japan's top drug-releasing stent and a new device featuring a biodegradable coating, the newcomer delivered statistically comparable one-year results, according to new data.
New anti-clotting drug more effective than current treatment, study suggests
A new and experimental anti-clotting drug, cangrelor, proved better than the commonly used clopidogrel and was significantly more effective at preventing blood clots in a large trial of patients who...
Shock teams and ECMO save lives in massive STEMI
The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, accompanied by mechanical CPR, in patients with massive myocardial infarctions can lead to unexpected survival. ECMO is an advanced technology that functions as a...
Niacin therapy shows no benefits, has some harmful effects
A highly anticipated study evaluating a combination of the vitamin niacin with the anti-flushing agent laropiprant finds the therapy provides no benefit to and may even be harmful for patients...
Of Batman, Bacteria, And Yosemite Sam
In the past few centuries, our understanding of bacteria has progressed from mysterious medieval vapours, to the microscopic "animalcules" of van Leeuwenhoek, to the germ theory of disease à la Pasteur, to...
'Main drug against leishmaniasis losing efficacy'
Hopes of eliminating kala azar in South Asia are receding with the main drug used against the parasitic disease losing efficacy.
Early detection of MS treatment complication may improve survival
The drug natalizumab is effective for treating multiple sclerosis (MS), but it increases the risk of a rare but potentially fatal brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). A new...
Novel approach to treating children with irregular heart beat
Reduced costs, favorable outcomes with three-catheter ablation procedure in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome.
Mutated gene causes nerve cell death
The British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking is likely to be the world's most famous person living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. ALS is a progressive...
Video: "60 Minutes" investigates pharmaceutical disaster
"60 Minutes" correspondent and CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley investigates the lack of government control over some pharmaceuticals in the wake of a meningitis outbreak via contaminated steroids in...
American workers find less incentive to relocate
American workers—long unusually mobile—are increasingly staying put. There are a range of popular explanations for the slowdown in migration between states, including an aging population that is firmly entrenched and...
Practicing medicine at the nanoscale: New approaches to drug delivery offer hope for new, more targeted treatments
Modern medicine is largely based on treating patients with "small-molecule" drugs, which include pain relievers like aspirin and antibiotics such as penicillin.
Cheaper genetic test for diabetes
A new way of genetic testing for Type 1 diabetes has been developed that's quicker, cheaper and more accurate than current tests.
Well: Myths About the Flu Vaccine
Despite recommendations a majority of Americans do not get the flu shot, putting themselves and others at risk.
Fighting Flu With Fish Oil
Drug Discovery: Polyunsaturated fatty-acid derivative helps zap killer flu in mice