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CBD shows promise, but this review warns the hype is outpacing the science

A Neuropsychopharmacology Circumspectives article argues that cannabidiol has genuine therapeutic potential, especially in treatment-resistant pediatric epilepsy, but evidence for most other uses remains limited, heterogeneous, and not yet mature enough for broad clinical adoption. The authors also warn that poor retail product quality, inaccurate labeling, contaminants, hepatotoxicity risk, and drug interactions are major barriers to safe and effective real-world use.

20 Apr 2026

Study reveals what people ask AI chatbots about health most often

Researchers analyzed more than 500,000 de-identified Microsoft Copilot health conversations from January 2026 and found that health information queries were most common, while nearly one in five conversations involved personal symptoms or condition-related concerns. They also found that personal health queries were more common on mobile and at night, while desktop use was more often tied to research, paperwork, and academic support, highlighting how people use AI differently across contexts.

20 Apr 2026

Certain prenatal medications linked to increased risk of autism

A landmark study led by researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and published in Molecular Psychiatry has identified a significant association between prenatal prescription of commonly utilized medications and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children.

20 Apr 2026

Metastatic cells can be identified within primary breast tumors

Understanding which cells within a tumor will go on to form metastases remains one of the major challenges in cancer research.

20 Apr 2026

Exercise and ibuprofen help reduce cognitive impairment during chemotherapy

Up to 80% of people who receive chemotherapy experience cancer-related cognitive impairment, which most commonly involves mild-to-moderate changes such as difficulty paying attention, memory lapses, and struggles with multitasking.

20 Apr 2026

Newborns carry antibiotic resistance genes within first hours of life

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) – segments of DNA that help bacteria survive the effects of antibiotics – can be present in newborns within the first hours of life, according to research presented at ESCMID Global 2026.

20 Apr 2026

Antiretroviral therapy reduces biological aging in people living with HIV

A major study presented today at ESCMID Global 2026 has found that antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces accelerated biological ageing in people with HIV (PWH) by nearly four years, a finding that could transform how clinicians monitor HIV treatment and long-term health outcomes.

20 Apr 2026

New geometric brain marker predicts successful surgery for iNPH patients

Researchers at the University of Eastern Finland have identified a new geometric marker of the brain ventricles that could help predict which patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) will benefit from shunt surgery, according to a recent study published in Fluids and Barriers of the CNS.

20 Apr 2026

Fermentation boosts anti-inflammatory power in dairy alternatives

Investigating fermented oat and soy drinks, this study highlights their potential to enhance anti-inflammatory bioactivity through lipid transformation.

20 Apr 2026

Why heart risk is hard to predict in type 1 diabetes

A European study reveals cardiovascular risk patterns in type 1 diabetes, highlighting the need for tailored prevention strategies to catch complications early.

20 Apr 2026

Eating oranges daily may shift lipid patterns in fatty liver disease

A 4-week trial on 'Navelina' oranges shows potential effects on lipid metabolism in fatty liver disease, revealing intriguing but non-significant patterns.

20 Apr 2026

Microbes in the digestive tract help tailor treatment for melanoma patients

The specific mix of bacteria living in a person's gut can predict the chances that melanoma will recur after surgery and immunotherapy, which helps immune cells target cancer cells. This is according to a new study led by researchers from NYU Langone Health and its Perlmutter Cancer Center.

20 Apr 2026

Research shows AI discourages social interaction for autistic users

When people ask ChatGPT and other AI models for advice, they often share deeply personal details in hopes of getting better answers: their age, their gender, their mental health history, even medical diagnoses like autism.

20 Apr 2026

New study reveals CRISPR enzyme that responds to human DNA methylation

Cancer cells excel at evading detection, but subtle chemical differences set them apart from healthy cells. Now, a team of scientists from Wageningen University & Research and Van Andel Institute has identified a way to exploit this distinction. Using a variant of CRISPR, a modern tool for editing DNA, they distinguished tumor DNA from healthy DNA and selectively cut only the former. The study, published today in Nature, is an early but promising step toward a cancer therapy that targets and destroys tumor cells with high precision.

20 Apr 2026

What still drives childhood vaccine gaps in the United States

A nationwide analysis of provider-verified NIS-Child data from 2010 to 2023 found that US childhood vaccination coverage remained generally high but was consistently shaped by social and structural factors such as maternal education, income, insurance, language, and region. The study also showed that coverage of the combined seven-vaccine series rose over time, yet persistent disparities remained, especially for vaccines such as influenza, hepatitis A, and rotavirus.

19 Apr 2026

Climate change could make humidity-driven heat risks more dangerous, study finds

Researchers analyzing 2.46 million ambulance dispatches across 13 Chinese cities found that humidity can intensify the health risks linked to both hot and cold temperatures, with cold-dry and warm-wet conditions posing the greatest risks. Future climate projections suggest compound temperature-humidity events will become more frequent and increasingly shift health burdens toward heat-related events in China.

19 Apr 2026

Study finds many UK adults want to avoid ultra-processed foods but cannot define them clearly

A qualitative study of 30 UK adults found that many people see ultra-processed foods as unhealthy but struggle to define them clearly or distinguish them from other processed foods. The findings suggest that clearer communication and food-environment changes, not education alone, may be needed to help people reduce UPF intake.

19 Apr 2026

Generative AI may help scientists connect the many layers of cancer

A Cell Perspective argues that generative AI models could help tackle cancer’s multiscale, multimodal complexity by complementing the Hallmarks of Cancer framework. It proposes that models capable of complex pattern recognition, multimodal fusion, and contextual reasoning could improve cancer detection, biological discovery, and precision oncology, while still requiring rigorous validation and human oversight.

19 Apr 2026

Short-term and cumulative exposure to air pollution tied to increased migraine activity

Air pollution is associated with increased migraine activity, according to a study published on April 15, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

17 Apr 2026