A deadly strain of H5 bird flu has been confirmed in mainland Australia — a migratory brown skua found sick in Western Australia died from H5N1. We unpack how it spreads, why scientists call it a "genuine wildlife emergency", and what the actual human risk is.
A major new scientific review concludes that nicotine vapes likely cause lung and oral cancer, drawing on human biomarker, animal and laboratory data. The finding challenges the framing of vaping as a harmless alternative to cigarettes and suggests health risks may emerge far faster than expected.
Dutch biotech uniQure has reported three-year follow-up data showing its AMT-130 gene therapy slowed progression in Huntington's disease. STAT News's podcast explains what makes the result genuinely meaningful and how it could reshape the FDA accelerated-approval path.
A new genomic study of exceptionally long-lived families has identified rare DNA variants linked to healthier aging. One standout mutation appears to dampen chronic inflammation — the common pathway behind age-related disease — and may point to future drug targets.
Screenings can catch treatable conditions before they do real damage — but overscreening can hurt too. A Guardian explainer by a doctor breaks down which tests you actually need at each age, which the NHS and NICE recommend, and which are mostly marketing.
BBC presenter Jeremy Clarkson revealed in an episode of Clarkson's Farm that he is now in remission from what he called an aggressive prostate cancer. His disclosure has renewed debate over PSA testing for men over 50 — its benefits, its overdiagnosis risks, and what to ask a GP.
A new study reports that prenatal exposure to PFAS — the so-called "forever chemicals" — raises the odds that children will later develop a hormonal-metabolic pattern known as PMOS. The findings add new pressure to ongoing regulatory debates over the industrial use of PFAS.
A new study shows that a naturally occurring but long-overlooked cannabis compound can suppress pain signals without producing a psychoactive effect in the brain. The work could lay the basis for a class of analgesic drugs that act as an alternative to opioids.
A month-long STAT investigation found that a cluster of Tennessee pharmacies is selling high-dose ivermectin for unapproved uses, and that a meaningful share of orders flow through an anti-vaccine doctor with a national following. The story has reopened the state-level debate over prescribing oversight.
A long-debated puberty-blocker trial designed for the UK's National Health Service has set its minimum participation age at 11. The study will run on a small cohort under strict monitoring and is expected to shape British policy on gender-dysphoria care.
A new lab study shows that reprogramming microglia, the brain's resident immune cells, can clear amyloid plaques and slow memory loss in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. The approach may offer an alternative direction to antibody-based treatments.
Sudden cardiac arrest in apparently healthy young people is a leading cause of premature death in Australia. A Guardian interactive maps the medical picture behind the families' shock, the debate over genetic screening, and the campaign to put defibrillators in every school.
Science Daily covers new research showing that humans carry the same regeneration genes that drive limb regrowth in salamanders and axolotls — but kept silent in normal conditions. The finding could reshape the trajectory of regenerative medicine.
A new Tufts University study reports that a large share of adults who consider their diet healthy fall short on omega-3 intake — the nutrient most strongly linked to heart protection. The researchers say fish, leafy greens and walnuts close the gap.
A study reported by the Guardian shows that kidney cancer rates around a Pfas-producing factory in Lancashire have run above the UK average for two decades. The findings reignite the debate over how Britain regulates 'forever chemicals'.
In an early human study run by Cambrian Bio, an experimental molecule activated mitochondrial genes and produced blood-marker changes that mimic the effects of exercise. STAT News explains what the data show — and the questions that remain.
Smart watches and rings now routinely track steps, heart rhythm and sleep. STAT News reviews recent meta-analyses showing where wearables produce measurable clinical benefit for people with cardiovascular disease — and where the evidence still falls short.
Children warm up faster than adults and lose fluids more quickly. BBC's guide, drawn from paediatricians and the UK Health Security Agency, sets out five low-cost steps families can take to keep babies and young children safe in a heatwave.
The US Food and Drug Administration's independent vaccine panel voted unanimously in favour of Moderna's mRNA-based flu vaccine. According to The Guardian, the process was unusually contested this year, but the panel concluded that the latest safety and efficacy data were enough for approval.
A new study of about 5,300 pregnant women reports that those who spent significant parts of their working day bending forwards, lifting weight or standing for long periods in the first trimester showed a 25-40% higher miscarriage rate. According to The Guardian, the authors call for a re-examination of occupational-health policy.
Ancient DNA from a Neolithic burial in Siberia carries a form of Yersinia pestis that was killing humans 5,500 years ago. The study covered by Science Daily shows plague was already affecting hunter-gatherer communities before the rise of settled agriculture, reopening the debate over the origins of epidemic disease.
A new international review links eight food additives commonly found on supermarket shelves to a higher risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. The effect per additive is modest, the study covered by Science Daily notes, but it accumulates in daily consumption and should be read alongside the broader load from ultra-processed foods.
A new study merging health records from several countries reports that older adults who received a shingles vaccine had a significantly lower rate of dementia diagnosis. Researchers told STAT News the effect may be real, but it is too early to change clinical guidance until causation is established.
The World Health Organization says confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda jumped roughly 40% in a single week to more than 420, with the death toll now above 200. Field workers quoted by STAT News say conflict, logistical bottlenecks and limited vaccine stocks are slowing the response.
A new randomised clinical trial has found that a daily probiotic blend taken for eight weeks significantly reduced mild-to-moderate depression and anxiety symptoms. The results add new data to a growing body of work on the gut-brain axis.
Undergraduates who took part in the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) diversity programs were twice as likely to go on and earn a PhD, a new 20-year study has found. The programs were closed earlier this year following the Trump administration's 2025 cancellation order.
A new copper-ion compound cleared the amyloid-beta and tau proteins that mark Alzheimer's disease in mouse models and restored memory performance close to baseline. The study was led by a team at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
A UK family travels 850 km each time so their autistic son can have a calm haircut. The BBC report highlights a wide gap in access to sensory-friendly services for children with neurodevelopmental differences.
Pharmacists and GPs in the UK say NHS patients are facing the worst drug shortages they have seen in at least a decade. Gaps centre on essentials such as insulin, antibiotics and ADHD medicines.
A large new UK study has found that women vaccinated against HPV in adolescence now face almost zero risk of dying from cervical cancer before 30. It is the first long-term mortality data from the national programme launched in 2008.