Health & Wellbeing

The US National Institutes of Health is investing $470 million dollars into research on long COVID. The massive nationwide study into this often-debilitating condition will include tens of thousands of patients and span more than 30 research institutions.

Can the make-up of your gut microbiome affect the success of a weight loss intervention? A unique new study is indicating this is certainly possible, identifying several mechanisms by which gut bacteria can either help or hinder weight loss.

A new article published in The Lancet is arguing against broadly administering COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. The article is co-authored by two of the FDA's top vaccine advisors, both of whom recently announced they were stepping down from their positions.

New CDC data is offering up-to-date insights into the effect of the Delta variant on vaccine effectiveness. The reports indicate unvaccinated people are still 10 times more likely to suffer hospitalization from COVID-19 compared to vaccinated people.

A small study is offering insights into the characteristics of severe COVID-19 infections in fully vaccinated individuals. Although these kinds of infections are rare, the research helps doctors understand who may be most at-risk of hospitalization.

New research has found a correlation between air quality in office environments and workers’ cognitive function. The study found low ventilation rates and increased levels of particulate matter were linked with reduced performance on cognitive tests.

The director of the WHO has said he is “appalled” at the extent of vaccine inequity spreading across the world. Global vaccine-sharing initiative COVAX has reported it is falling short of its distribution milestones as wealthy countries take most doses.

A milestone study is reporting how gut bacteria can store quantities of therapeutic drugs and potentially reduce their effectiveness. The research builds on insights into the ways our microbiome can either reduce or enhance the activity of medicines.

A study is describing how the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 has become dominant all over the world. The research offers evidence Delta’s effective spread is through a combination of greater resistance to antibodies and a more efficient ability to infect cells.

Impressive research is suggesting bacterial imbalances in the gut microbiome may play a major role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. The preclinical study found damage to the gut lining directly correlates with joint inflammation and severity.

The first participants have been dosed in a large Phase 2/3 trial testing a novel oral treatment designed to alleviate symptoms of COVID-19. The first results are expected by the end of this year.

A large study led by researchers from King’s College London has found fully vaccinated adults are around 50 percent less likely to suffer from long COVID if they are unfortunate enough to experience a breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection.