Grace O’Connor — Health & Science Editor 
Scientists warn that 2026 could become the hottest year on record due to a strengthening El Niño, according to multiple climate researchers and organizations. While the year remains the third-hottest on record so far, behind 2024 and 2025, a combination of human-caused global warming and an intensifying El Niño has increased the likelihood of 2026 … Read more
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is investigating the first documented case of locally acquired dengue virus in Virginia, confirmed on August 4, 2026. The infection occurred in a Northern Virginia resident who had not traveled outside the state, likely transmitted by a local Aedes mosquito after biting another person with an internationally acquired case. … Read more
An international clinical trial called ISLEND-1 has demonstrated that a once-weekly oral tablet combining islatravir and lenacapavir is as effective as standard daily HIV treatments. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study found that more than 93% of participants maintained viral suppression over 48 weeks. For millions of people living with HIV, … Read more
Clinical data from the S1706 trial indicates that concurrent administration of the PARP inhibitor olaparib with radiotherapy in inflammatory breast cancer patients significantly increases grade 3 toxicities. The pursuit of better locoregional control in inflammatory breast cancer has led researchers to test whether PARP inhibitors can sensitize tumors to radiation. However, a phase 2 trial … Read more
Researchers have established a target blood level range of 750 to 1,150 ng/mL for hydroxychloroquine in lupus patients, balancing disease control with the prevention of toxicities like retinopathy. Rheumatologists managing systemic lupus erythematosus faced a persistent clinical challenge: how to dose hydroxychloroquine safely. Standard clinical practice relies on body weight to calculate a daily regimen. … Read more
The Democratic Republic of the Congo faces its second-largest and fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record, driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain. As the death toll surpasses 1,700, the World Health Organization and international partners have accelerated clinical trials for experimental treatments, preventive drugs, and mRNA vaccines in Canada and the U.K. The outbreak, officially declared … Read more
Current NHS criteria used by general practitioners to screen and refer women under 50 for breast cancer are too narrow, missing up to 95% of patients who develop the disease, according to a study published in the cam.ac.uk. Researchers from the University of Cambridge and the Institute of Cancer Research, London, analyzed data from 1,258 … Read more
A collaborative study led by researchers at Howard University and the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences has found that certain genes involved in the human immune response carry markers from ancient battles with infectious diseases, which may influence how individuals respond to COVID-19. The research identifies rare genetic variants that could explain … Read more
The East London NHS Foundation Trust, rated outstanding by regulators, must save millions this year. The cuts threaten up to 330 jobs across London and Bedfordshire. Unions plan strike ballots over the reductions, while leaders defend the fiscal target as essential for safe care. East London NHS Foundation Trust Faces Savings Target A mental health … Read more
A 37-year-old woman experienced suspected biphasic anaphylaxis after her first known subcutaneous dose of tirzepatide, according to a case report published by Cureus. The patient required emergency treatment for respiratory and cardiovascular distress, followed by a second reaction an hour later, highlighting the potential for severe hypersensitivity reactions to the dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor … Read more