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Editor's Pick
High BP slashed by a third with legume, soy diet – UK study
Eating a diet with plenty of lentils, chickpeas, beans and soy could dramatically reduce, by almost a third, the risk of developing hypertension, suggests...
AI beats doctors in Harvard emergency triage diagnosis trial
AI systems annihilated human doctors in high-pressure emergency medicine triage, diagnosing more accurately in the potentially life and death moments when people are first...
Aspirin can cut cancer risk – evidence unravels the mystery of why
The 4 000-year-old drug, commonly used to treat pain, prevents certain tumours from forming and spreading across the body, findings that are already changing...
New blood-thinner cuts TIA risk – global trial
Findings from a large phase 3 trial have indicated that the investigational drug asundexian could slash the risk of recurrent ischaemic stroke in those...
Neonatal sepsis drugs mostly ineffective in LMICs – Oxford study
The challenges of treating sepsis in newborns, in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) were highlighted recently in new data presented at the annual meeting...
Cancer risk rises 150% with pesticide exposure – Peru study
A major study published in Nature Health has found that living in pesticide-heavy environments could raise a risk of cancer by up to 150%,...
Too much or too little sleep tied to dementia risk – Canadian review
A lack of good quality sleep has long been linked to an increased risk of developing dementia, but recent research goes further, suggesting an optimal amount...
Fluoride in water has no impact on IQ or brain function – US study
Contrary to the Trump administration’s suggestions that fluoride in drinking water will affect children’s IQ or decrease cognitive abilities, a large-scale study appears to...
Twice-yearly jab may change high BP treatment – eight-country trial
A long-lasting approach could make it easier for patients with high blood pressure to keep their condition under control – and ditch daily pills...
Alzheimer’s drug benefits review sparks debate
A storm has erupted after a recent Cochrane review suggested that drugs intended to slow Alzheimer’s disease progression “make no meaningful difference to patients” and...
Anaemia linked to increased cancer risk – Swedish study
A recent population-based oncology study suggests that anaemia is associated with an increased risk of both cancer and higher mortality, with the scientists saying...
Genetic testing boosts black women's breast cancer survival – US study
Researchers have suggested that advanced genetic testing could help erase the gaping disparities in breast cancer survival rates between white and black patients –...
Certain seniors can drop thyroid meds – Dutch study
An open-label prospective study by Netherlands researchers found that a quarter of older adults on hypothyroidism medication were able to wean off the drug...
Higher meat consumption may delay Alzheimer’s risk in some – Karolinska study
Older people with gene variants associated with higher Alzheimer’s risk didn’t show the expected cognitive decline if they ate relatively high amounts of meat....
Brief bursts of hard exercise may slash disease risk – large global study
Vigorous exercise has a substantial link to a reduced risk of developing eight different conditions or groups of conditions, including type 2 diabetes, immune-mediated...
Simple antiseptic can reduce newborn infections – Cochrane analysis
A Cochrane review finds that chlorhexidine may slash umbilical cord infection rates by about 29% in low- and middle- income countries and reduce newborn...
South Africa’s shame of child stunting and its echoes of HIV
Weeks after pledging to end child stunting by 2030, President Cyril Ramaphosa has kick-started a task team to tackle this crisis. Janet Heard from...
Nicotine vaping linked to lung cancer – Australian analysis
Nicotine vaping is likely to cause lung and oral cancers, a comprehensive review of more than 100 studies has suggested, with the researchers warning...
No link between vaccines and sudden cardiac death – Canadian study
The worldwide roll-out of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccines was controversial, with many claiming it took more lives than the infection itself. However, a recent...
Early menopause linked to higher lifetime heart disease risk – US study
A recent study has linked premature menopause with a 40% higher lifetime risk of coronary heart disease, also finding that black women were more...
Landmark South African study shows efficacy of HPV vaccination
A national HPV vaccination programme can be extremely effective in a high HIV-prevalence setting, a Wits-led research published in The Lancet Global Health shows...
Weight-gain fears after stopping Ozempic unfounded – Cleveland Clinic study
Stopping popular weight-loss injections like Ozempic or Mounjaro might not trigger the dramatic kilogram-laden rebound many fear, according to a study of nearly 8...
Common drug class may increase heart disease risk – Swedish study
People who use drugs with anticholinergic effects, including certain anti-depressants, drugs for urinary incontinence and common antihistamines, could have a higher risk of developing...
Wegovy may have highest risk of blinding condition – Canadian study
The obesity drug semaglutide (Wegovy) conferred a significantly higher risk of ischaemic optic neuropathy (ION) than any other GLP-1 agonist, including semaglutide for diabetes...
Hospitals botching pain management – South African study
Most patients do not receive important pain treatment during and after surgery, reports GroundUp, with a recent local study – published in Lancet Africa...
Under 7.32 hours' sleep ideal for glucose disposal – Chinese study
A cross-sectional study led by researchers from Nantong University in China and published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care found that just under...
Higher risk of osteoporosis and gout with GLP drugs – US study
A large analysis has suggested that popular weight loss drugs may carry an increased risk to bone health, and conditions like osteoporosis, reports NBC...
Vegetarians have lower risk of five cancers – large global study
A landmark study on the role of diet – using data from more than 1.8m people – has suggested that vegetarians have a substantially...
Global breast cancer cases expected to rise to 3.5m by 2050 – Lancet
Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among women globally, and the number of cases worldwide is estimated to reach more than 3.5m by 2050,...
Heart disease in young women likely to spike by 2050 – US study
Nearly a third of women aged 20 to 44 will have been diagnosed with a cardiovascular disease by 2050, according to a recent study,...
ChatGPT Health fails to ID emergencies – US study
Although ChatGPT Health performed well in textbook emergencies like stroke or severe allergic reactions, it regularly misses the need for medical urgent care and...
Why some breast cancers evade treatment – Texas study
Up to 20% of hormone receptor-positive breast cancers do not respond to anti-oestrogen therapies, and a study led by researchers at the University of...
Migraine drug trial advances after positive results
Danish pharmaceutical company Lundbeck will advance the IV formulation of its migraine prevention drug to phase 3 trials after the successful phase 2b trial,...
Cats may hold clues for human cancer treatment – global study
Although cancer studies have been carried out extensively in dogs, cats have remained unexplored, until now – with the recent first detailed genetic map...
Scientists find cause of blood clots linked to Covid jab
Australian researchers have said they finally know what caused the blood clots linked to Covid-19 vaccines early on in the pandemic.
A “rare and severe”...
Indigenous African foods might help fight diabetes – SA study
African indigenous food groups present an exciting area to explore when it comes to taste and nutrition, and may even offer potential as nutritional...
Harmful chemicals found in SA sanitary products – UFS study
Menstrual products used by millions of South Africans may contain hormone-disrupting chemicals – even when marketed as “free from harmful chemicals” – suggests research...
High deaths rates among starving Limpopo children – Wits study
Thousands of South African children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), say concerned experts, calling for urgent review of data quality and reporting...
Surprising link between aspirin, cancer deaths – ASPREE trial follow-up
A team of researchers has suggested that low-dose aspirin was not associated with a reduced incidence of cancer in older adults, but was associated...
Statin pills safer than advertised, major British review finds
Cholesterol-lowering statins, used by millions, are far safer than previously thought, a major review has found, with the authors suggesting packaging leaflets should be...