AstraZeneca and Ionis Pharmaceuticals have reported a significant trial failure for their heart disease drug Wainua, dealing a setback in an increasingly competitive market for treatments targeting a specific inherited form of heart disease. The result raises questions about the drug's path in a crowded field of rivals.
Harvard scientists have built a silicon chip that can write dozens of DNA sequences at once using electricity and water-based enzymes, offering a cleaner alternative to conventional DNA manufacturing. The breakthrough could eventually enable portable DNA-writing devices and even large-scale DNA-based data storage.
New York has sued 3M, DuPont and other manufacturers, accusing them of hiding for decades the health and environmental risks of PFAS, chemicals nicknamed 'forever chemicals' because they barely break down in the environment or the human body. Here is what the chemicals are and why regulators are targeting them.
Cyclosporiasis, a parasitic illness that causes severe, watery diarrhea, has surged across parts of the United States, with an outbreak of nearly 1,000 cases reported in Michigan alone. Health officials say the illness is rarely life-threatening but can cause weeks of debilitating symptoms if untreated.
Identical twins Nancy and Margo have been born healthy after doctors treated them in the womb for a rare, life-threatening pregnancy condition as part of a world-first medical trial. The procedure targets a dangerous imbalance in blood flow that can develop between twins who share a placenta.
The UK government is consulting on rules that would strip vapes of enticing flavour names and bright packaging, aiming to stop products being marketed to children. About one in five UK teenagers has tried vaping, officials say, prompting calls to bring e-cigarette rules closer to tobacco law.
A major study reports that the meningitis B vaccine does not protect men against gonorrhoea, despite hopes that the two bacteria were similar enough for cross-protection. The finding tempers optimism about repurposing an existing vaccine to slow a sexually transmitted infection that is growing harder to treat.
Patients with stage 4 lung cancer confined to the lungs have long been considered unsuitable for organ transplant. A new study reports that carefully selected patients did well after receiving new lungs, a finding that reopens a difficult debate about how to allocate scarce donor organs.
A once-daily tablet called orforglipron delivered greater weight loss and blood-sugar improvement than the leading oral semaglutide in people with type 2 diabetes, according to a major clinical trial. Because the pill needs no refrigeration and is cheaper to make, researchers say it could widen global access to obesity treatment.
After a bout of flu or a stomach bug, a proper clean can stop the illness spreading to the rest of the household. Cold and flu viruses can linger on hard surfaces for up to two days, so knowing which surfaces to target, and how, is the key to breaking the chain of infection.
Blue-space therapy is the growing idea that structured contact with oceans, rivers and lakes can support mental health. Once dismissed as folklore about sea air, the concept is now drawing serious research interest into how water may help people cope with trauma, anxiety and addiction.
A new trial found intermittent fasting produced weight loss on par with daily calorie restriction, but participants reported feeling less burdened by constant food monitoring. Researchers say that difference in mental effort could make fasting a more sustainable option for people who struggle to count calories every day.
The public will be asked who should pay for adult social care as part of a major government review in England, led by Baroness Louise Casey, who has called the current system "impossible". Here is what the review covers and why funding care has defied a fix for decades.
Compass Pathways says its experimental depression treatment produced benefits that lasted, a closely watched result for the field of psychedelic medicine. Here is what the company reported, why durability is the key question, and what remains unproven.
A new study finds that using alcohol to cope with stress at a young age may permanently alter the brain, making it harder to adapt and raising the risk of relapse. Researchers also reported signs of brain damage linked to early dementia. Here is what the findings mean.
People increasingly send selfies to AI chatbots for skincare analysis and rash diagnoses, but dermatologists warn there are more than 3,000 skin conditions and the tools can be unreliable. Here is what AI skin advice can and cannot safely do.
A new study argues that apoB, a blood test that counts harmful cholesterol particles, predicts heart attacks and strokes better than the standard LDL cholesterol number, and remains cost-effective. Here is how the two tests differ and why it matters for who gets treated.
Total testosterone in men fell 54% between 1972 and 2019, researchers told a European fertility meeting in London, warning of a male reproductive health crisis linked to obesity and diabetes. Here is what the data shows, what it does not, and why levels are declining.
Age-related changes in the womb lining, not just in the eggs, may limit fertility later in life, experts say, which could explain why donor eggs do not fully overcome the effect of age. Researchers believe the changes might one day be treatable, but stress that much remains unknown.
A study of more than 2,000 men has identified epigenetic changes in sperm linked to exposure to common outdoor air pollutants. According to the Guardian, the findings suggest pollution may leave molecular marks on reproductive cells, though the health consequences for offspring remain uncertain.
Saliva and gut-sensor tests for endometriosis will be made available on the NHS in England and Wales, in what specialists call a potential gamechanger for millions of women who often wait years for a diagnosis. The tests aim to detect the condition far faster than current methods.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals has agreed to acquire Crinetics Pharmaceuticals for about $10 billion, gaining a drug for a rare endocrine disorder. According to STAT, the deal is among the largest of a busy year for biotech dealmaking, as large drugmakers spend to refill their pipelines.
Some brains appear to fight Alzheimer's by helping newborn neurons survive damage rather than succumb to it. New research points to brain resilience as a distinct process from simply avoiding the disease's hallmark plaques, and suggests why two people with similar damage can face very different outcomes.
Researchers have mapped the brain circuitry that links deep sleep with the release of growth hormone, showing how the two regulate each other. The finding helps explain why poor deep sleep is tied to weaker muscle, more body fat and slower recovery, and why the relationship runs in both directions.
A new survey suggests most UK smokers wrongly believe vaping is as harmful as cigarettes. Experts say that misperception could keep people smoking, and use the finding to explain what is known about the relative risks of e-cigarettes, and what remains uncertain.
An oral version of Wegovy, the weight-loss medicine semaglutide, is now available in the United Kingdom, offering a daily tablet as an alternative to the familiar weekly injection. Here is what patients should understand about how the pill works, who can get it and the cautions doctors attach to it.
The United States is reviving the presidential fitness test for schoolchildren, and health experts told STAT News the move is a positive signal but not a solution on its own. Research suggests that one-off testing does little to raise activity levels unless it is paired with sustained support for physical education.
Heat waves are becoming more frequent, more intense and longer-lasting, raising health risks for millions, according to a STAT News report. Understanding how heat overwhelms the body, and who is most vulnerable, is the first step to staying safe as extreme temperatures become more common.
The death of a Canadian boy from rabies after a bat was found on his face is a rare tragedy in a wealthy country, the Guardian reports. It is also a reminder of a stark medical fact: rabies is nearly 100% fatal once symptoms appear, yet almost entirely preventable if treated in time.
England's National Health Service plans to add an artificial-intelligence feature to its app that would help patients work out which service they need, from a pharmacy to A&E, the BBC reports. Officials say it could ease pressure on overstretched services, while doctors' groups urge caution over safety and accuracy.