News Feature

The promise was global. The fracture, when it came, was painfully local.

Projects worldwide push for more diverse genomic databases across Asia, Africa and the Americas.

Studies with open-label placebos — sugar pills given without deception — suggest that the placebo effect is more psychologically complex than previously thought.

When clinical trials are suddenly halted by US funding cuts, there are repercussions for investigators and patients, and they do not stop at borders.

A digital twin, or virtual organ, can help clinicians and patients make better decisions, and can even help in the design of more-efficient clinical trials.

From cool roofs to mental health support, researchers worldwide evaluate the effects of climate adaptations on human health.

Campaigners want ultra-processed foods to be better defined and regulated. But does the evidence support strong policy changes?

Malaria has found a new ally in the concrete jungle — but scientists are fighting back with mosquitoes of their own.

As momentum grows to enlist the arts for better health, critics ask whether the practice is getting ahead of the evidence.

The latest brain–computer interfaces in pre-clinical testing receive — and send — signals, training the brains of participants.

The World Health Organization’s inaugural Investment Round aims to instill stability in the face of global health headwinds and a US exit.

Changes to the female brain during menopause, together with social and cultural factors, might affect disease risk.

Quantum computing can model molecular interactions for drug discovery and analyze complex health datasets, but better hardware is needed.

Trauma and infections increase during war, while routine cancer care is disrupted, but telemedicine, AI chatbots and electronic health records can help.

By understanding the biology of hibernating animals, scientists are developing new treatments to trigger weight loss and alter metabolic pathways.

Student doctors push for the health impacts of extreme weather to be taught in medical schools, as the carbon emissions from healthcare come under greater scrutiny.

As growing evidence shows that engagement with politics is associated with worsening mental and physical health, a bumper election year and increasing polarization could affect millions.

African nations now lead the world in the rollout of pre-exposure prophylaxis against HIV — in part thanks to social media influencers who promote use of the life-saving drug.

Simulations in virtual and augmented reality can help patients build confidence and self-esteem, supported by a real-life or virtual therapist.

Growing evidence shows that dietary interventions can be effective at treating or delaying some diseases, but further trials are needed for wider adoption.