People with opioid use disorder (OUD) are at increased risk of contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). While there are effective interventions that can substantially reduce HIV incidence and opioid overdose, like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), many patients still face barriers to accessing and staying engaged in care.

22 May 2026

New study reveals nitric oxide’s widespread impact on genetics

Genes undergo extensive editing through a process called alternative splicing, which greatly increases the size of the functional genome, the working portion of our DNA that helps make each person unique. Put simply, a single gene can be edited in different ways to produce multiple sets of instructions.

22 May 2026

Could blocking inflammation help treat difficult-to-treat depression?

A small proof-of-concept RCT found that tocilizumab, an IL-6 receptor blocker, showed a non-significant but clinically suggestive pattern of improvement in difficult-to-treat depression linked to low-grade inflammation. The study found that baseline hs-CRP, rather than IL-6, may help identify patients most likely to respond, supporting larger trials of immune-targeted depression care.

22 May 2026

Research show worsening health trends for post-1946 generations

Younger generations appear to be experiencing poorer health earlier in life than previous generations, according to a review of studies comparing national birth cohort datasets involving tens of thousands of people across the UK born since 1946.

22 May 2026

Extreme heat increasingly threatens vulnerable people in the United Kingdom

Older people, care home residents and those living in poor-quality housing are facing growing danger from extreme heat, as new research warns that the UK is failing to protect those most at risk.

21 May 2026

Scientists capture immune cells attacking live melanoma cells in real time

Scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have captured, for the first time, 'housekeeping' immune cells actively attacking and engulfing live melanoma cells – a discovery that could change the way we approach treatment for one of Australia's most common and deadly cancers.

21 May 2026

NHS cost to treat youth mental health crises quadruples over a decade

The annual cost to the NHS to treat children and young people experiencing a mental health crisis in specialised acute hospital wards in England quadrupled to £87.5 million between 2012 and 2022, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

21 May 2026

New immuno-infrared sensor aids in early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease

An early start to treatment is crucial to successful therapy. A new sensor is helping with early detection.

21 May 2026

Bacterial sexually transmitted infections reach highest level in a decade

The latest Annual Epidemiological Reports from ECDC indicate a surge in bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) across Europe.

21 May 2026

Healthcare systems need human connection to prevent employee burnout

Healthcare has lost its human, moral, and relational foundations and must reconnect with its core values to improve both patient and staff well-being, argue experts in The BMJ today.

21 May 2026

Scientists discover how vitamin K pathway regulates bone remodeling

Bone is continuously renewed through a process known as bone remodeling, in which osteoblasts (bone-forming cells) build new bone, while osteoclasts (bone-resorbing cells) remove older mineralized tissue.

21 May 2026

Phase two clinical trial demonstrates dramatic mobility gains in children with severe fibrous dysplasia

Fibrous dysplasia is a rare skeletal disorder in which normal bone is gradually replaced by weak fibro-osseous tissue, leading to fractures, pain, deformities, and severe mobility impairment. In many patients, diseased bone tissue produces excessive amounts of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23), a hormone that causes phosphate loss through the kidneys.

21 May 2026

Study supports reusable catheters as safe and cost-effective alternatives

Reusable catheters are just as safe for patients as single-use ones and do not increase the risk of urinary tract infections, a new study has found.

21 May 2026

Common food preservatives linked to higher cardiovascular disease risks

Eating foods that contain common preservative food additives may increase the risks of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, according to research published in the European Heart Journal today.

21 May 2026

Pregnancy magnifies heart risk, but age alone does not explain why

A large U.S. cohort-crossover study found that pregnancy and the postpartum period were linked to about a seven-fold higher relative risk of major adverse cardiovascular events compared with patients’ nonpregnant baseline risk. This relative risk increase did not vary by maternal age, suggesting pregnancy broadly amplifies existing cardiovascular risk rather than making older age itself the driver of pregnancy-specific cardiovascular complications.

20 May 2026

Wastewater tracking catches hospital fungus before patients show symptoms

A new UNLV-led wastewater surveillance study brings scientists one step closer in the global race to detect and deter skyrocketing cases of a potentially deadly drug-resistant fungus that puts hospital patients at risk of serious blood, heart, or brain infections.

20 May 2026