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Refugee and immigrant children less likely to use emergency departments for minor illnesses

Refugee and immigrant children are less likely to visit the emergency department (ED) for minor illnesses (e.g., respiratory infections) compared to children born in Ontario, according to a new study from ICES and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).

27 Feb 2026

Denmark achieves historic elimination of mother-to-child HIV and syphilis transmission

The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Denmark for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV and syphilis, recognizing the country's sustained commitment to ensuring every child is born free of these infections.

27 Feb 2026

How physical strength and self-belief grow together in teens

Physical fitness and psychological resilience develop side by side during adolescence, a life stage that lays the foundation for adult health. Cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, and agility are well-known predictors of cardiometabolic health, while self-efficacy, defined as the belief in one's ability to overcome challenges, shapes motivation, persistence, and coping strategies.

26 Feb 2026

Transforming modern dentistry with AI tools

When Hend Alqaderiwas studying how saliva could predict the risk of diabetes or the severity of a coronavirus infection, she collected a lot of saliva samples-thousands, measuring hundreds of bacteria samples for each patient.

26 Feb 2026

Heavy alcohol intake is associated with dangerous belly fat accumulation, large UK study shows

In a large UK population cohort, higher weekly alcohol consumption was dose-dependently associated with greater visceral fat mass measured by DXA, independent of total body fat. Heavy drinkers showed over 10% higher proportional visceral fat compared with lower consumption groups, a pattern linked to increased cardiometabolic risk.

26 Feb 2026

Global study reveals rising disparities in early-onset gastric cancer

Gastric cancer remains the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although its overall incidence has declined, early-onset cases-diagnosed before age 50-display unique biological and clinical patterns.

26 Feb 2026

Immune cells shape maternal and infant health during lactation

It's widely known that breastfeeding impacts the health of both mother and child, but the underlying biology that leads to these effects has been understudied.

26 Feb 2026

HIT cell therapy eradicates solid tumors in preclinical models

CAR T cell therapy has revolutionized the treatment of many blood cancers, but has shown little success against solid tumors, which account for over 85% of all cancers.

26 Feb 2026

‘You aren’t trapped’: Hundreds of US nurses choose Canada over Trump’s America

Last month, Justin and Amy Miller packed their vehicles with three kids, two dogs, a pet bearded dragon, and whatever belongings they could fit, then drove 2,000 miles from Wisconsin to British Columbia to leave President Donald Trump’s America.

26 Feb 2026

Study finds sharp drop in benzodiazepine use among older adults

Benzodiazepine treatment declined among U.S. adults between 2018 and 2022, with the steepest drop among adults ages 56 and older, according to a new study by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

25 Feb 2026

Prior COVID infection increases kidney disease risk

Approximately one in seven adults in the United States has kidney disease, where the organs responsible for filtering waste and excess water from the blood are damaged, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

25 Feb 2026

COVID-19 initially reduced asthma attacks but widened socioeconomic disparities, study finds

A large retrospective study of more than 162,000 asthma patients in the Bronx found that asthma exacerbations dropped sharply after the onset of COVID-19 before rebounding in children but remaining lower in adults. Socioeconomic disparities widened during the pandemic, particularly among Medicaid recipients, certain income groups, and patients with documented unmet social needs, while racial and ethnic gaps persisted without significantly expanding.

25 Feb 2026

Meningococcal B vaccine fails to prevent gonorrhea, trial shows

Contrary to existing evidence from observational studies, the meningococcal B vaccine (4CMenB) has no effect on preventing the acquisition of gonorrhea, according to the results of the world's largest randomized control trial (RCT) into possible efficacy, conducted by Griffith University's Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics and the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney.

25 Feb 2026

Study confirms long-term effectiveness of HPV vaccination

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is associated with a significantly reduced risk of invasive cervical cancer, with no indication of waning protection up to 18 years after vaccination, finds a study from Sweden published by The BMJ today.

25 Feb 2026

Combining healthy lifestyle and GLP-1 therapy reduces heart risks in diabetes

Individuals living with type 2 diabetes (T2D) had a significantly lower risk of poor cardiovascular health when they used a GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) in combination with adhering to healthy lifestyle habits, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System.

25 Feb 2026

Long-term cola intake weakens immune cell counts in controlled rat study

Replacing drinking water entirely with sugar-sweetened or sugar-free cola for eight weeks altered gut microbiota composition and immune-related indices in rats, despite no changes in body weight or blood glucose. Both beverages were associated with leukocyte reductions and organ-related biochemical shifts, with sugar-sweetened cola more strongly linked to renal markers and diet cola to elevated liver enzymes.

25 Feb 2026

Opioids offer limited short-term relief for acute pain

The world's largest review of opioid pain relievers prescribed for acute pain found these medicines provide only small, short-term relief for some acute conditions and are ineffective for some others.

25 Feb 2026

Nearly 6 in 10 women in the U.S. may have cardiovascular disease in the next 25 years

Driven by rising rates in high blood pressure, nearly 6 in 10 women in the U.S. will have some type of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the next 25 years, according to a new scientific statement published today in Circulation, the peer-reviewed, flagship journal of the American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all.

25 Feb 2026

Democrats decry meager medical care for detainees in funding fight

Fernando Viera Reyes needed a biopsy for possible prostate cancer when the Trump administration sent him to an immigration detention center in California's Mojave Desert.

25 Feb 2026

High-risk patients account for majority of postoperative deaths and readmissions

A major new study, led by Queen Mary University of London and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has been published in The Lancet Public Health.

25 Feb 2026