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.
Benefits of the contraceptive pill include diabetes prevention
A study carried out at the University of Birmingham has found that contraceptive pills may offer more than just their primary role as birth control. It was found that for people with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the pill reduced their chance of diabetes by a quarter. Around 10 percent of Read More...
Costa Rica approves legalization of medicinal cannabis
Last week, Costa Rica’s Congress approved the legalization of medicinal cannabis, overcoming the opposition from conservative groups and President Carlos Alvarado, who has yet to ratify the law. If President Alvarado vetoes the law, then lawmakers would have to vote on it again and approve it Read More...
4 Things parents should know about RSV infections this year
Pediatricians are reporting record numbers of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) this year. After a year of social distancing, young children are catching colds and flu as they head back to school and daycare, but RSV is particularly concerning as it can result in lung infection and inflammation. If Read More...
FDA takes steps to authorize over-the-counter hearing aids
A new policy from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to make hearing aids more accessible and affordable in the US. The new policy will make hearing devices available over-the-counter as early as next fall. Hearing aids currently cost more than $5,000 a pair and are not usually covered Read More...
Mimicking cancer therapy has potential application in treating malaria
Parasites are organisms that feed off a host and can sometimes be dangerous to humans by causing disease. One of the most impactful to human health is the strain of Plasmodium, the culprit of malaria. This disease is spread through mosquitoes carrying the parasite which brings about a number of Read More...
These are some of the surprising benefits of acupuncture
What is acupuncture? Acupuncture is the Chinese medicine practice of placing needles in the skin to promote healthier energy, or chi or qi, flow throughout the body. Acupuncture is used for a wide variety of reasons from stress management to chronic pain management. Although it has its roots in Read More...
Flights of the soul: The Indigenous origins of the psilocybin experience
”Get strong with bare feet on the ground and with everything that is born from it.”- Maria Sabina BY Arielle Tiangco A couple of weeks ago in San José del Pacifico, a mountainous town in Oaxaca state, Mexico, I emerged from the dark womb of a tiny volcanic-stone hut, drenched in a Read More...
This bandage quickly identifies the severity of a burn
We recently wrote about a bandage design that indicates potential infection. Now, there’s another smart bandage design in the works. This one, literally called SMART, aims to help first responders evaluate and treat severe burns more effectively. Designed by U.S. Army and Massachusetts General Read More...
This therapeutic plant could help reduce morphine tolerance and opiate addiction
Opioid overdoses are on the rise in the US and around the world, and the pandemic has only exacerbated the situation. Addiction treatment, harm reduction, and improved health access are all effective strategies for addressing this issue, but on a more individual level, a new study from UC Irvine Read More...
New treatment kills cancer cells in terminally ill patients
There are about 12,200 new head and neck cancer cases in the UK every year, and many of these patients are diagnosed at advanced stages when the disease is very difficult to treat. The standard treatment currently offered to many patients with advanced cancer is “extreme” chemotherapy, which Read More...