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.

Flights of the soul: The Indig

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 identifie

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 h

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 cel

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...

New Zealand opens unusual vacc

New Zealand opens unusual vaccination destination for a weekend

New Zealand is getting an unconventional Covid-19 vaccination clinic in the form of a Boeing 787 plane. The winged vaccination site is being operated by Air New Zealand this weekend as part of the government’s “Super Saturday” vaccination boosting initiative. Doses will be administered Read More...

Drug derived from Himalayan fu

Drug derived from Himalayan fungus shows potency for killing cancer cells

A new study spearheaded by Professor Sarah Blagden and Dr. Hagen Schwenzer, researchers from the University of Oxford, in collaboration with biopharmaceutical company NuCana, has led to a novel chemotherapy drug that demonstrates significant potency in killing cancer cells. The new drug, called Read More...

Indian health insurance to exp

Indian health insurance to expand coverage options for transgender people

Ayushman Bharat, India’s flagship health insurance scheme for the least privileged communities in the nation, has announced that the government’s new scheme, Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE), will provide medical coverage for transgender individuals Read More...

World Health Organization appr

World Health Organization approves malaria vaccine for the first time

Malaria is one of the oldest and deadliest diseases, killing about half a million people each year. Researchers have long been focused on developing a vaccine for malaria and this week, in a momentous moment for modern medicine, the World Health Organization (W.H.O) has finally approved the first Read More...

Online platform is the first f

Online platform is the first fully virtual treatment option for eating disorders

An estimated 30 million Americans struggle with an eating disorder, yet many patients are reluctant to admit they have an issue and even more hesitant to seek treatment due to stigmas surrounding mental health care. After a spike in eating disorders during the pandemic, psychiatrist Dr. Wendy Read More...

Gut Instincts—Health and the

Gut Instincts—Health and the microbiome

“Our body teaches us that health lies in balance and harmony, rather than in conflict and fighting.” - Ilchi Lee BY Amelia Buckley Whether choosing a sandwich option for lunch or accepting a new job offer, we’re all familiar with gut instincts. Although the term “gut instinct” only Read More...