Today’s Solutions: May 18, 2024

Medicine

From advancements in the fight against malaria to new cancer treatments, to novel medical technologies, find all positive news about incredible medical breakthroughs and life-saving technology from all corners of the globe.

Hand holds up magnifying glass to an assortment of colored pills

New Zealand is first nation to protect drug checking services by law

In a world-first, last week New Zealand’s government approved legislation made to protect drug checking, a service that saves lives by chemically testing illicit drugs to scan them for dangerous contaminants. The legislation is expected to pass into law as soon as next week. “We’re the Read More...

Bumblebee sat on a purple thistle for pollen and nectar.

Bumblebees help solidify the link between microbiome and memory

The term 'microbiome' has been thrown around a lot over the past few years with many studies and health companies finding that a healthy gut balance can decrease your risk of cancer, clear up your skin, and improve mental health, just to name a few. Memory and the microbiome Recently, a study Read More...

Scientist in white lab coat pointing at brain signals.

Study: Animals respond to speech the same way as humans

The brain’s response to sound is termed “frequency-following responses”, or FFRs. Clinicians use these as an assessor of hearing and speech capacity, helping them diagnose language disorders such as autism and dyslexia. FFR tests consist of a participant being played different sounds, with Read More...

Two people walking their dog in the streets of Rome

WHO proposes global treaty to better address future pandemics

Unfortunately, as the climate crisis progresses and humans continue to infringe on wild animal habitats, the risk of another global pandemic is growing. To address this, the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) has agreed to form an intergovernmental negotiating body to create a legally-binding Read More...

New York skyline as seen from Brooklyn

New York City opens the country’s first safe injection site

Harm reduction strategies are gaining traction as a more effective way to quell the ever-growing opioid crisis. These strategies, like making clean needle exchanges available and decriminalizing drug possession, understand that criminalization alone will not reduce drug abuse, nor does it protect Read More...

Image of fetus in mothers womb.

Study: Covid-19 does not impact fetus brain development

A big source of anxiety during the pandemic came from the unknown impact of COVID-19 on pregnant people and their soon-to-be-born children. It has been observed that other viruses, such as HIV and rubella, can pass from mother to fetus through a process called vertical transmission. A research Read More...

Tiny camera held between the fingers of a scientist wearing blue gloves.

This cutting edge camera is the size of a grain of salt

Micro-cameras are used in virtually all industries. In the medical field, these tiny cameras have helped facilitate less invasive medical imaging practices and improved robotic surgical tools. Structures of molecules and neural pathways have been uncovered using this technology, although achieving Read More...

Woman pouring kombucha into glasses

Genetic editing in the microbiome could address a myriad of diseases

More and more research has emerged about the influence of the microbiome and gut health, not only on digestion but also on mental health and even chronic illness. In an effort to mobilize the microbiome to treat a wide array of diseases, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco Read More...

Young woman with afro sits on the floor of her living room

UK women at risk of miscarriage will be given access to progesterone treatment

Having a miscarriage is a heart-wrenching experience—however, the UK's National Health Services (NHS) has updated its guidelines to help women in certain circumstances access progesterone-based treatment proven to help prevent pregnancy loss. According to the reworked guidelines released by Read More...

3D illustration of immune cells.

New breakthroughs in nutrient-sensing cells

Did you know immune cells can sense nutrients? A new study from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has identified the biological mechanism behind the phenomenon. The type of immune cells with these special abilities are called T cells. These play a critical role in immunity and cancer, Read More...