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Patients couldn’t pay their utility bills. One hospital turned to solar power for help.

Anna Goldman, a primary care physician at Boston Medical Center, got tired of hearing that her patients couldn't afford the electricity needed to run breathing assistance machines, recharge wheelchairs, turn on air conditioning, or keep their refrigerators plugged in.

12 Dec 2024

WHO report highlights decline in global health spending in 2022

The 2024 Global Heath Expenditure Report by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that the average per capita government spending on health in all country income groups fell in 2022 from 2021 after a surge in the early pandemic years.

12 Dec 2024

electronRx to launch purpleDx pulmonary disease smartphone app for remote lung function monitoring

electronRx, a leading digital medicine and biomarker company driving healthcare through pulmonary innovation, today announced that it will launch purpleDx, a cardiopulmonary assessment app built to medical device standards, at CES 2025 from 7-10 Jan in Las Vegas, USA.

12 Dec 2024

New tool accelerates drug discovery

The development of molecules to study and treat disease is becoming increasingly burdened by the time and specificity required to analyze the vast amounts of data generated by synthesizing large collections of new molecules.

12 Dec 2024

Widening childhood vaccination inequality in England raises concerns

Inequalities in childhood vaccination are widening in England, with uptake rates of five key vaccines consistently lower in young children living in areas of higher deprivation from 2019 to 2023, finds a study published by The BMJ today.

11 Dec 2024

Controversy surrounds landmark anti-platelet drug trial

An investigation published by The BMJ today raises new concerns over the landmark clinical trial (PLATO) that was used to gain worldwide approval for the anti-platelet drug ticagrelor (Brilinta in the US and Brilique in Europe), manufactured by AstraZeneca.

11 Dec 2024

Air pollution kills millions in India

A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that long-term exposure to air pollution contributes to millions of deaths in India.

11 Dec 2024

Study reveals ableism as a barrier to mental health care for disabled individuals

People with disabilities (PWD) make up 25% of the U.S. population. They face elevated mental health concerns and are more likely to utilize mental health services compared to non-disabled individuals.

11 Dec 2024

New tool helps surgeons plan heart valve replacements with precision

Scientists at Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health have developed an innovative tool that simulates blood flow in the aorta, helping heart surgeons plan surgeries more precisely.

11 Dec 2024

WHO urges equitable action to end malaria burden

New data from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveal that an estimated 2.2 billion cases of malaria and 12.7 million deaths have been averted since 2000, but the disease remains a serious global health threat, particularly in the WHO African Region.

11 Dec 2024

Toxic ‘forever chemicals’ taint rural California drinking water, far from known sources

Juana Valle never imagined she'd be scared to drink water from her tap or eat fresh eggs and walnuts when she bought her 5-acre farm in San Juan Bautista, California, three years ago.

11 Dec 2024

Former Montana health staffer rebukes oversight rules as a hospital ‘wish list’

A former Montana health department staffer who described himself as the lead author of legislation to scrutinize nonprofit hospitals’ charitable acts said new rules implementing the bill amounted to a hospital "wish list" and that the state needs to go back to the drawing board.

11 Dec 2024

Mayo Clinic researchers advocate for comprehensive TPMT genotyping across ancestries

Mayo Clinic researchers found that a gene variant, the TPMT∗8 allele, is associated with reduced metabolism of the thiopurine class of drugs. TPMT∗8 is relatively common in individuals of African or African American descent. A novel study in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, published by Elsevier, details the researchers' goal to provide pharmacogenomic testing that can be used clinically to predict drug response that is beneficial to all patients, regardless of their ancestral background.

11 Dec 2024

New biomaterials improve signal-to-noise ratio in brain pacemakers

Two years ago, a medical professional approached scientists at the University of Tabriz in Iran with an interesting problem: Patients were having headaches after pacemaker implants. Working together to investigate, they began to wonder if the underlying issue is the materials used in the pacemakers.

11 Dec 2024

Ultra-processed foods dominate American home diets

A new analysis led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that more than half of calories consumed at home by adults in the U.S. come from ultraprocessed foods.

11 Dec 2024

Researchers explore patient's perceptions of AI in radiology

AI-powered MRIs could cut the potentially toxic dyes used in traditional MRIs by up to 80 percent, but will patients embrace AI-driven brain scans?

10 Dec 2024

Study links Western diet to chronic inflammation and colorectal cancer growth

Colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, may be fueled by the food on our plates.

10 Dec 2024

Geriatric Surgery Verification program enhances postoperative outcomes for older cancer patients

Implementing the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) program leads to better postoperative outcomes and preserves independence in older cancer patients undergoing major abdominal procedures, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons

10 Dec 2024

Public awareness and HPV vaccination rates remain low among American adults

The human papillomavirus (HPV), a common sexually transmitted infection, accounts for 70% of all throat cancers, according to the National Cancer Institute.

10 Dec 2024

Study explores factors influencing acceptance of home-care robots

Advances in medicine have led to an increase in human longevity. Estimates suggest that by 2030, one in every six individuals globally will be aged over 60 years.

10 Dec 2024