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Hormone therapy boosts heart health markers but raises some risks

Researchers assess hormone therapy-induced changes in cardiovascular biomarkers.

29 Apr 2025

Why your heart works harder at night after a few drinks, according to new research

Researchers at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich found that moderate alcohol consumption transiently raises nocturnal resting heart rate without altering objective sleep stages. However, it worsens subjective sleep quality, highlighting subtle cardiovascular stress even at low alcohol doses.

28 Apr 2025

New topical gel reduces painful rash from colorectal cancer treatment

Researchers from the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have demonstrated that a novel topical BRAF inhibitor gel called LUT014 significantly reduces the severity of an acne-like rash, a common and painful side effect experienced by patients undergoing anti-EGFR therapies for colorectal cancer.

28 Apr 2025

Erythropoietin fails to improve outcomes for newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

Erythropoietin, a treatment for newborns with critically low levels of oxygen or blood supply to the brain at birth, does not prevent death or disability, according to a new multinational study.

25 Apr 2025

Common diabetes drug can reduce the pain of people with knee osteoarthritis and obesity

A common diabetes drug can reduce the pain of people with knee osteoarthritis and overweight or obesity, possibly delaying the need for knee replacements, Monash University-led research has found.

24 Apr 2025

Global clinical trial tests two anti-inflammatory drugs for long COVID

Spanning four continents and enrolling hundreds of people, a new clinical trial will test the effectiveness of two anti-inflammatory medicines as potential treatments for long COVID, scientists from Western University and the Schmidt Initiative for Long Covid (SILC) announced today.

24 Apr 2025

Baloxavir marboxil shows promise in reducing household flu spread

One dose of the antiviral baloxavir marboxil lowers the chance of transmitting the influenza virus to family members by about 30%, according to research in the New England Journal of Medicine.

24 Apr 2025

Daily peanut doses help adults overcome severe allergies

The first clinical trial to test whether adults allergic to peanuts can be desensitised has shown great success with two thirds of the cohort consuming the equivalent of five peanuts without reacting.

23 Apr 2025

One RSV shot cuts severe lung infections in older adults for three seasons, trial shows

A phase 3 trial involving nearly 25,000 older adults across 17 countries found that a single dose of the RSVPreF3 OA vaccine reduced RSV-related lower respiratory tract disease by 63% over three seasons. Protection remained substantial despite waning, with similar efficacy to a two-dose regimen and a favorable safety profile.

23 Apr 2025

Varenicline found to help teens and young adults quit vaping

A new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham showed that teens and young adults who took varenicline-an FDA-approved, twice-daily smoking cessation pill for adults-are more than three times as likely to successfully quit vaping compared to those who received only behavioral counseling. Results are published in JAMA.

23 Apr 2025

Single psychedelic dose boosts long-term cognitive flexibility in mice

University of Michigan researchers have found that certain psychedelic compounds improve the brain’s ability to adapt and flexibly learn new concepts over long periods.

22 Apr 2025

FDA approved anti-inflammatory drug shows promise for treating alcohol use disorder and pain

A preclinical study from scientists at Scripps Research finds that a drug already FDA-approved for treating inflammatory conditions may help reduce both alcohol intake and pain sensitivity-two issues that commonly co-occur with alcohol use disorder (AUD).

22 Apr 2025

New treatment approach offers hope for people with primary progressive aphasia

Primary progressive aphasia is a neurological condition that causes a gradual decline in language abilities.

21 Apr 2025

iPS cell transplants show early promise for treating Parkinson's disease safely

In a first-of-its-kind human trial, researchers transplanted iPS-cell-derived dopaminergic progenitors into patients with Parkinson’s disease and observed promising motor improvements with no serious safety concerns over 24 months. The therapy showed increased dopamine synthesis without tumor formation or graft-induced dyskinesia.

21 Apr 2025

Evaluating hydronidone for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B-associated liver fibrosis

Liver fibrosis is a key process in the progression of chronic liver diseases. However, there are currently no drugs specifically designed to treat liver fibrosis.

18 Apr 2025

Stem cell therapy shows promise for treating advanced Parkinson's disease

A stem cell–based therapy initially developed at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) may lead to a new treatment for advanced Parkinson's disease, according to results from a phase 1 clinical trial reported in Nature.

16 Apr 2025

Promising findings for the treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension with a high risk of mortality

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare and severe lung disease with a life-threatening prognosis. After several positive trials, a recent study has confirmed the efficacy of a biotherapy, sotatercept.

16 Apr 2025

Lithium shifts circadian rhythms early in bipolar disorder and may offer clues to treatment response

A randomized controlled trial shows that lithium treatment in bipolar disorder patients reduces daytime activity, advances its onset time, and increases volatility in circadian rest-activity patterns. These changes appear early and independently of mood, offering promise as early biomarkers of treatment response.

14 Apr 2025

COVID-19 treatments show minimal serious side effects

Numerous treatment options for COVID-19 have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration over the last four years, including antiviral drugs and monoclonal antibodies that suppress an excessive immune response.

11 Apr 2025

Probiotics improve emotional state in healthy adults, study finds

A randomized controlled trial in 88 healthy adults found that probiotics reduced negative mood when assessed using daily self-reports, though traditional questionnaires failed to detect significant changes. These findings suggest that daily mood tracking may offer a more sensitive way to capture subtle emotional effects of probiotics in non-clinical populations.

10 Apr 2025

Placebo News and Research

Hormone therapy boosts heart health markers but raises some risks

Why your heart works harder at night after a few drinks, according to new research

New topical gel reduces painful rash from colorectal cancer treatment

Erythropoietin fails to improve outcomes for newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

Common diabetes drug can reduce the pain of people with knee osteoarthritis and obesity

Global clinical trial tests two anti-inflammatory drugs for long COVID

Baloxavir marboxil shows promise in reducing household flu spread

Daily peanut doses help adults overcome severe allergies

One RSV shot cuts severe lung infections in older adults for three seasons, trial shows

Varenicline found to help teens and young adults quit vaping

Single psychedelic dose boosts long-term cognitive flexibility in mice

FDA approved anti-inflammatory drug shows promise for treating alcohol use disorder and pain

New treatment approach offers hope for people with primary progressive aphasia

iPS cell transplants show early promise for treating Parkinson's disease safely

Evaluating hydronidone for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B-associated liver fibrosis

Stem cell therapy shows promise for treating advanced Parkinson's disease

Promising findings for the treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension with a high risk of mortality

Lithium shifts circadian rhythms early in bipolar disorder and may offer clues to treatment response

COVID-19 treatments show minimal serious side effects

Probiotics improve emotional state in healthy adults, study finds

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