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Contextual errors limit real-world performance of medical AI

Medical artificial intelligence is a hugely appealing concept. In theory, models can analyze vast amounts of information, recognize subtle patterns in data, and are never too tired or busy to provide a response.

3 Feb 2026

A common diabetes drug may prevent long COVID when taken early

Research supports metformin's efficacy in reducing long COVID symptoms, suggesting its use in acute COVID-19 cases could alleviate long-term health impacts.

3 Feb 2026

Poll: Many adults over 50 skip flu and COVID vaccines

This winter's brutal flu season isn't over, and COVID-19 cases have risen recently too. But a new poll taken in recent weeks shows that vaccination against both viruses lags among people 50 and over, and the national survey reveals key reasons why.

3 Feb 2026

Chronic eczema burdens physical and mental health in older people

Eczema is a group of inflammatory and chronic skin conditions, and it is the most common skin disease among older people.

3 Feb 2026

Cardiologists highlight overlooked heart risks across women’s lives

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women in the United States, yet awareness of cardiovascular risk—particularly among younger women and women of color—has stalled, even as rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol continue to rise.

3 Feb 2026

Study aims to explore how noise in nurseries affects early language development

Nearly two million children in the UK are affected by early language delays. New research will examine whether noise in nurseries is a hidden factor.

3 Feb 2026

Everday diabetes medicine linked to less progression of age-related macular degeneration

Doctors have found that metformin, an everyday medicine for diabetes, is associated with less progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the commonest cause of blindness in western countries.

3 Feb 2026

Why cardiologist evaluation matters after non-cardiac surgery

Interdisciplinary collaboration with cardiologists in non-cardiac surgery enhances patient outcomes, reducing cardiac event risks and improving survival rates.

3 Feb 2026

Psychotic disorders increasingly diagnosed in younger Canadians

A new study suggests that people born more recently are being diagnosed with psychotic disorders (e.g., schizophrenia) more often and at younger ages compared with people born earlier.

3 Feb 2026

NIH grant disruptions slow down breast cancer research

Inside a cancer research laboratory on the campus of Harvard Medical School, two dozen small jars with pink plastic lids sat on a metal counter. Inside these humble-looking jars is the core of Joan Brugge's current multiyear research project.

3 Feb 2026

Digital therapy significantly improves sexual function in women

Sexual dysfunction is a reality for many women, but the subject remains taboo. A large percentage of women remain untreated, a problem that is exacerbated by the shortage of treatment options for female sexual dysfunction.

3 Feb 2026

Single-dose HIV vaccine candidate induces neutralizing antibodies

Scientists at The Wistar Institute have developed an HIV vaccine candidate that achieves something never before observed in the field: inducing neutralizing antibodies against HIV after a single immunization in nonhuman primates.

3 Feb 2026

Study maps highest hemochromatosis risk in Celtic populations

People from the Outer Hebrides and north-west Ireland have the highest risk of developing a genetic disease that causes a dangerous build-up of iron in the body, a study suggests.

3 Feb 2026

Six years after COVID-19: Lessons learned and pandemic preparedness

Six years ago, the Director-General of the World Health Organization sounded the highest global alarm available under international law at the time, declaring the outbreak of a new coronavirus disease (later known as COVID-19) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

3 Feb 2026

If you’re pregnant and uninsured, Medicaid might be your answer

When she noticed an unusual craving for hot dogs, Matte'a Brooks suspected her body was telling her something, so she decided to take a pregnancy test. She took two just to be sure. Both were positive.

3 Feb 2026

New guidance on diagnosing UTIs without an in-person exam

Researchers developed criteria for triaging suspected UTIs, focusing on antibiotic use and urine testing to improve outpatient care and telehealth efficiency.

3 Feb 2026

How conflicting MIC breakpoints distort antimicrobial resistance data

The review emphasizes that differing CLSI and EUCAST breakpoints complicate AMR tracking, calling for standardized criteria to enhance global health security.

3 Feb 2026

Aging alters social preferences through distinct brain mechanisms

The loss of social connectedness as people age increases the odds of cognitive-related disorders and can worsen health outcomes in older populations. But is there a direct relationship between social behavior and cognition? Subhadeep Dutta Gupta, Peter Rapp, and colleagues, from the National Institute on Aging, developed a rat model to probe social cognition in the aging brain.

2 Feb 2026

Hopeful climate engagement may reduce mental health distress

Climate worry is associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms among Finns of all ages. However, these symptoms are less common among individuals whose climate-related hope is combined with various forms of action, such as volunteering, following a plant‑based diet or avoiding air travel.

2 Feb 2026