Illnesses and conditions

A new experimental painkiller has shown promise in dulling or eliminating pain without the addictive qualities exhibited by today's most popular opioids. The drug also sidesteps common opioid side effects like constipation and sedation.

The first clinical trial comparing semaglutide and tirzepatide, two popular, injectable weight-loss drugs, has been published, examining their ability to reduce weight and waist circumference. And one clearly comes out on top.

High blood sugars have long been known to cause eye damage in diabetics. However, new research has found that low blood sugar may also contribute. The good news is that it also identified a way of preventing or treating the damage.

Using an existing steroid-free topical foam daily significantly improved the signs and symptoms of psoriasis on the scalp and the body, according to a recent clinical trial. It could be a game-changer for people with the condition in both places.

Following on from a remarkable study in mice, scientists have now confirmed that silencing a certain protein in muscle tissue leads to energy-deprived human cells seeking out fat for fuel, while blocking the body's ability to store extra fat cells.

Clinical trials of a minimally invasive treatment for degenerated spinal discs have produced impressive results, significantly reducing back pain severity and improving function. It may mean delaying surgical intervention or preventing it altogether.

What if the key to reducing your chronic pain was not in tackling the symptoms, but in regulating your emotions? A study shows that retraining your brain to deescalate negative emotions could be an effective therapy for persistent pain.

The first once-daily oral GLP-1 medication could be on shelves by this time next year, making the weight-loss drug easier to take and potentially cheaper. In the race to be the first, Novo Nordisk has scored a huge win, while Pfizer has failed again.

A mainstay diabetes drug reduced pain and stiffness and improved function in overweight people with knee osteoarthritis, a new study has found. It may mean that, as a result, invasive knee replacement surgery can be delayed for as long as possible.

A compound derived from a Himalayan fungus has been refined by scientists for a chemotherapy drug with powerful anti-cancer effects. NUC-7738 is yielding encouraging results in ongoing Phase 2 clinical trials, and is advancing towards approval.

It's never a good thing when harmful bacteria are present on surfaces in hospitals, as they can cause life-threatening infections in patients. A new paint could help keep that from happening, by quickly killing any microbes that land on it.

Nerve or neuropathic pain has long been a tricky condition to treat effectively. However, a new study has comprehensively evaluated current drug and non-drug therapies to provide up-to-date guidelines to inform treatment options.

This week a study set off alarm bells, estimating that the overuse of computed tomography – or CT – examinations could result in five per cent of new cancers disagnoses annually. Since 2007, the use of the imaging technology has risen 30% in the US.

For the first time, surgeons have successfully performed a heart transplant in which the donor organ never skips a beat, limiting muscle damage and improving acceptance and recovery. It ushers in a new era of our approach to this lifesaving operation.

The world's largest study into the long-term health impact of floods has found that there are surges in hospitalizations for months after an event – and current responses are inadequate when it comes to treating cancer, diabetes, mental health and more.