Author: healthadmin

California youth consistently perceive marijuana to be less harmful than other commonly used substances, according to a new study that analyzed data from two large statewide school surveys. Dr. Xu Hong Zhu, from the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Sciences at the University of California, San Diego, and her co-authors investigated how teens view the risks of regular and occasional use of cannabis compared to alcohol, nicotine e-cigarettes, and cigarettes, based on responses from more than 175,000 students across surveys conducted in 2019-2020 and 2024. The findings show a clear and persistent pattern. Cannabis is considered…

Scientists are developing tests that could one day be used to predict how a patient’s disease will progress and even how well they will respond to treatment. An international team led by researchers at Imperial College London has already tested the method (called VeloCD) and successfully predicted patient outcomes for a range of health conditions, including infections and the likelihood of chronic disease progression.In a proof-of-concept study, we were able to confidently predict whether children with acute fever were more likely to recover or worsen, and whether healthy adults were more likely to develop influenza or COVID-19 after being exposed…

NYU Langone Health continues to earn the nation’s top ratings for patient safety and quality for the sixth year in a row, joining just 1% of hospitals nationwide to earn an A rating for the 12th year in a row from the Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog organization focused on health care safety and quality. The A rating applies to Tisch Hospital and Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Pavilion in Manhattan, NYU Langone Hospital in Brooklyn, and NYU Langone Hospital on Long Island. Additionally, NYU Langone Hospital Suffolk maintained its B Leapfrog grade, continuing its strong performance following…

Following a series of “most-favored-nation” (MFN) pricing agreements with 17 major pharmaceutical companies, the Trump administration released a report Tuesday predicting the policies would save the country $529 billion over the next 10 years. According to a May 5 report from the White House Council of Economic Advisers, the $529 billion figure comes from an estimate of a future MFN that would commit biopharmaceutical companies to release all future U.S. drugs at prices comparable to those in some high-income countries. This figure is based on reference data for all new drug launches from 2021 to 2025. If only the 2025…

Researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and the University of Texas at Austin have identified specific blood-based genomic biomarkers that distinguish inflammatory breast cancer from other subtypes, providing a new, less invasive method for early diagnosis, disease progression monitoring, and treatment development for patients with this aggressive disease. This study scientific progressused an improved method of RNA sequencing called TGIRT sequencing. This provides a more comprehensive overview of all RNA types and amounts present in a given sample. The study was led by Savitri Krishnamurthy, MD, professor of anatomic pathology at UT MD Anderson, in collaboration…

Amwell, the telemedicine platform formerly known as American Well, posted first-quarter revenue of $54.9 million, down about 18% from a year earlier, as management discussed artificial intelligence and key contract renewals with investors on Tuesday. The company has been shifting toward subscription revenue, with subscription software revenue of $24.9 million in the first quarter, accounting for 53% of total revenue, which was down “approximately 23%” year-over-year, Chief Financial Officer Mark Hirshhorn said on a May 5 conference call to discuss first-quarter results. “Encouragingly, renewal and retention rates were above budget in the first quarter, giving us great confidence in the…

A new trial will test whether a tool powered by Apple Watch health data and artificial intelligence can help protect children undergoing cancer treatment from infectious diseases. The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) aims to investigate the ability of a custom-designed research app to detect signs of impending infection over a four-week period. In the study, consenting participants will share data collected on their Apple Watch, including breathing rate, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and physical activity, through a secure app. MCRI’s Professor Rachel Conyers said the app had the potential to detect infections earlier, allowing clinicians to intervene sooner.…

More than half of major clinical trials testing treatments for adult ADHD have not adequately tested whether participants actually have ADHD, raising serious concerns about the reliability of the evidence supporting current treatments. This new research european psychiatry. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was originally described as a childhood condition defined by observable behaviors that parents and teachers could report, such as excessive running, difficulty sitting still, or constant interruptions. However, in recent decades, ADHD diagnoses in adults have skyrocketed. This proliferation has raised concerns among researchers and clinicians about whether diagnostic criteria originally designed for children are still fit for purpose…

Cleveland Clinic scientists have found in a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that hormones associated with male development may play an important role in limiting the growth of brain tumors in men. The research team found that in a preclinical model of glioblastoma, loss of androgenic hormones such as testosterone promotes tumor growth by inducing local inflammation and triggering the production of stress hormones. Analyzing data from more than 1,300 men with glioblastoma, the authors found that testosterone supplementation was significantly associated with improved survival, consistent with preclinical experiments. The results are a welcome…

A National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study found that an emerging class of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs inhibits pleasure eating, or hedonic eating, in mice by modulating reward circuits deep in the brain. This newly demonstrated pathway is distinct from previously described mechanisms that broadly affect appetite, and could provide a means for GLP-1 to treat other dysfunctions in reward processing, such as substance use disorders. In this study, researchers at the University of Virginia specifically investigated small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved orforglyprone. Orforglipron can be taken orally and is cheaper to manufacture than…