Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Study shows hydroxychloroquine's harmful effects on heart rhythm
The malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, which has been promoted as a potential treatment for Covid-19, is known to have potentially serious effects on heart rhythms. Now, a team of researchers has...
App reveals loss of taste, smell coronavirus indicators
This is part of our Coronavirus Update series in which Harvard specialists in epidemiology, infectious disease, economics, politics, and other disciplines offer insights into what the latest developments in the COVID-19 outbreak may...
Stay-at-home orders could mean more obese children, study says
New research warns that over one million more American boys and girls stand to become obese if coronavirus-related school closures continue through the end of the year.
How Americans are coping with COVID-19 stress
Almost overnight, the rapid emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and subsequent state and federal prevention measures dramatically altered daily behavior. A new study provides the first...
Warmer temperatures slow COVID-19 transmission, but not by much
Researchers looked at the impact of temperature, precipitation, and UV index on COVID-19 case rates in the United States during the spring months of 2020. The findings reveal that while...
Study seeks to optimize comfort for patients removed from ventilators at end of life
A recently published paper reports on a study of the palliative ventilator withdrawal (PVW) procedure performed in intensive care units (ICU) at end of life.
COVID-19 outbreak lasts days longer for each day's delay in social distancing
A new analysis of COVID-19 outbreaks in 58 cities has found that places that took longer to begin implementing social distancing measures spent more time with the virus rapidly spreading...
Fewer pregnant women have COVID-19 than previously thought
A new study suggests the rate of COVID-19 among pregnant women without symptoms is much lower than previously reported.
Independent autopsy finds George Floyd's death homicide by asphyxiation
An independent autopsy into the police-involved killing of George Floyd found his death was a homicide by "asphyxiation from sustained pressure" and that no underlying conditions contributed.
Extra choline may help pregnant women decrease negative effects of COVID-19 on their newborns
Pregnant women who take extra choline supplements may mitigate the negative impact that viral respiratory infections, including COVID-19, can have on their babies, according to a new study in the...
Sugary drinks biggest source of empty calories for kids
U.S. children and teenagers are still downing too many "empty calories" -- primarily from sugary beverages, sweets and pizza, a new government study finds.
In-home antibody test shows promise; recovering surgery patients at risk from coronavirus
The following is a brief roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by...
Cancer cells cause inflammation to protect themselves from viruses
Researchers have uncovered how cancer cells protect themselves from viruses that are harmful to tumors but not to healthy cells. These findings could lead to improved viral treatments for the...
Hand sanitizers packaged in beverage containers create alcohol poisoning risk: experts
Sherif Mohsen doesn’t consider himself to be the complaining type, but he knew he had to speak up after coming close to drinking 70 per cent alcohol thinking it was...
Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Poison postpone stadium tour to 2021
Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Poison and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts have postponed the joint summer stadium tour until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A boost for cancer immunotherapy
One promising strategy to treat cancer is stimulating the body’s own immune system to attack tumors. However, tumors are very good at suppressing the immune system, so these types of treatments don’t work...
Squid studies suggest new route to therapy for ALS, targeting synaptic dysfunction
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is one of the most devastating adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases. Patients, including the late actor/playwright Sam Shepard, become progressively weaker and eventually paralyzed as their motor neurons...
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hopes to keep 'generous' and 'immense' U.S. aid
The head of the World Health Organization on Monday praised U.S. contributions to global health and said he hopes there will be more after President Donald Trump's pledge to pull...
Nationals reverse decision to slash minor league player wages
Washington Nationals minor league players will now receive their full $400 stipend through at least June after the team reversed a decision to slash the payments by $100.
George Floyd protests: Thousands arrested; President Donald Trump criticizes state leaders
President Donald Trump participated in a videoconference on Monday with state leaders and law enforcement authorities to address unrest nationwide stemming from the police-involved death of George Floyd.
COVID-19 'immunity passports' pose range of issues
Immunity passports are being touted as a way to reopen following COVID-19 lockdowns. But experts worry that practical and ethical problems make the idea unworkable and potentially dangerous to privacy...
Here's why MLB players' distrust in the owners could torpedo a 2020 season
MLB owners and players have little time to save the 2020 baseball season amid the coronavirus outbreak. Trust seems to be a big factor. Here's why.
Gaming leads to less exercise, poor eating among college men, study finds
Playing video games may lead college-aged men to exercise less and have poorer eating habits, a study presented Monday during the American Society of Nutrition's virtual conference has found.
Eli Lilly begins clinical trial for COVID-19 antibody treatment
U.S. pharma company Eli Lilly said Monday it's begun a trial of the first potential medicine specifically designed to attack SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
NATO's BALTOPS 2020 exercise to involve 19 countries
The BALTOPS 2020 Baltic Sea military exercise is set to kick off this week, and will occur exclusively at sea to reduce the threat of COVID-19 spread, the U.S. European...
Does anti-fake news regulation improve the quality of capital markets?
Fake news has repeatedly made the front page in recent years. With false information spreading fast and widely in today's socially-networked world, governments have grown increasingly concerned about the deliberate...
Insulin co-pays nearly flat as prices rise over last decade, analysis finds
Insulin prices nearly tripled between 2006 and 2017, an analysis published by JAMA Internal Medicine has found. Even with these increases, out-of-pocket costs for those with health insurance coverage remained...
Pod-based e-cigarettes may foster greater nicotine dependence
JUUL and similar pod-based e-cigarettes’ efficient delivery of nicotine may foster greater dependence than other types of e-cigarettes, according to a new study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The pod-based...