Today's Healthcare News

March 19, 2026

Top Headlines

New Drug Protects Liver After Intestinal Surgery and Boosts Nutrient Absorption

Mar. 18, 2026 A risky but often lifesaving surgery that removes damaged parts of the small intestine can leave patients facing a new threat: serious liver damage with no available treatment. Now, scientists have ...

He Survived 48 Hours Without Lungs and Lived

Mar. 18, 2026 A critically ill 33-year-old man survived an almost unimaginable scenario—living for 48 hours without lungs—thanks to a groundbreaking surgical approach. After a severe flu-triggered infection destroyed his lungs and caused multiple organ ...

Scientists Link Childhood Stress to Lifelong Digestive Issues

Mar. 17, 2026 Early life stress may set the stage for long-term digestive problems by disrupting the gut-brain connection. Studies in both mice and thousands of children found links to symptoms like pain, constipation, and IBS. Scientists discovered that ...

Scientists Create a Cancer Flashlight That Lights Up Tumors

Mar. 16, 2026 Researchers have developed a tiny antibody that can find a common cancer protein and make tumors light up during PET scans. In tests with mice, tumors containing the protein EphA2 glowed clearly when the antibody was used. This could help doctors ...

Scientists Tested Vitamin D for COVID and Found an Unexpected Long COVID Clue

Mar. 15, 2026 A major clinical trial has delivered an unexpected twist in the search for ways to fight COVID-19 and its lingering effects. Researchers at Mass General Brigham found that taking high doses of ...

Gut Bacteria That Make Serotonin May Hold the Key to IBS

Mar. 13, 2026 Researchers have identified two gut bacteria that can produce serotonin, a key chemical that regulates bowel movements. In experiments with mice lacking serotonin, the microbes boosted serotonin levels, increased nerve cells in the colon, and ...

Depression May Start with an Energy Problem in Brain Cells

Mar. 12, 2026 Researchers have discovered a surprising change in how cells produce energy in people with depression. Brain and blood cells in young adults with major depressive disorder produced more energy molecules at rest but had trouble increasing energy ...

New "Super Antibiotic" Stops Deadly Gut Infection Without Destroying the Microbiome

Mar. 11, 2026 A newly developed antibiotic called EVG7 could offer a powerful new way to stop Clostridioides difficile, a dangerous gut bacterium that often returns after treatment. In mouse studies, researchers ...

AI Finally Tests a Century Old Theory About How Cancer Begins

Mar. 10, 2026 Cancer often begins when the genetic instructions that guide our cells become scrambled, allowing cells to grow uncontrollably. Now, scientists at EMBL have developed an AI-powered system called MAGIC that can automatically spot and tag cells ...

Stanford Scientists Say Colorblindness May Hide a Deadly Bladder Cancer Warning

Mar. 10, 2026 Colorblindness may be doing more than making traffic lights confusing — it could also be hiding a life-threatening warning sign. Researchers analyzing millions of medical records found that people ...

Researchers Find Alarming Alzheimer’s Pattern in Rural America

Mar. 10, 2026 A new analysis of more than 422,000 patients reveals a stark Alzheimer’s care gap between Maryland’s urban and rural communities. Rural regions often lack hospitals and dementia specialists, forcing older patients to travel farther for diagnosis ...

Brain Scans Reveal How Ketamine Quickly Lifts Severe Depression

Mar. 8, 2026 A new brain-imaging study has revealed how ketamine produces its fast antidepressant effects in people with treatment-resistant depression. Researchers tracked changes in a critical brain receptor that helps neurons communicate and found that ...

Latest Headlines

updated 8:37am EDT

A Lab Mistake at Cambridge Reveals a Powerful New Way to Modify Drug Molecules

Mar. 14, 2026 Cambridge scientists have discovered a light-powered chemical reaction that lets researchers modify complex drug molecules at the final stages of ...

165,000 Dementia Patients Reveal Hidden Stroke Risk from Common Drug

Mar. 8, 2026 A massive UK study of more than 165,000 dementia patients has uncovered troubling new evidence about risperidone, a commonly used drug for severe agitation. Researchers found the antipsychotic ...

Scientists Finally Reveal Why Mint Feels Cold

Mar. 8, 2026 Scientists have revealed how the body’s microscopic cold sensor, TRPM8, detects both chilly temperatures and the cooling effect of menthol. The discovery finally shows how the sensation of ...

Study Finds Phone Use on the Toilet May Cause Painful Medical Condition

Mar. 7, 2026 Scrolling on your phone while sitting on the toilet might be doing more harm than you think. A new study found that people who use smartphones during bathroom visits had a 46% higher risk of ...

Mayo Clinic Discovers Rare Gene Mutation That Causes Fatty Liver Disease

Mar. 7, 2026 Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a rare mutation in the MET gene that can directly cause metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. The mutation disrupts the liver’s ability ...

Cannabis Compounds CBD and CBG May Help Reverse Fatty Liver Disease, Study Finds

Mar. 6, 2026 CBD and CBG, two non-intoxicating cannabis compounds, may help combat fatty liver disease by boosting liver energy reserves and restoring cellular ...

Eating Less Protein May Slow Liver Cancer Growth, Study Finds

Mar. 6, 2026 A Rutgers-led study found that eating less protein may help slow liver cancer in people with impaired liver function. When damaged livers can’t properly clear toxic ammonia from protein metabolism, ...

AI Blood Test Finds Silent Liver Disease Years Before Symptoms

Mar. 6, 2026 Researchers created an AI-driven liquid biopsy that scans patterns in fragments of DNA circulating in the blood. The system detected early liver fibrosis and cirrhosis—conditions that often go ...

Millions Take Aspirin to Prevent Colon Cancer. A Major Review Says Don’t Count on It

Mar. 4, 2026 Daily aspirin does not reliably prevent bowel cancer in people at average risk, according to a major new review. Any potential protective effect may ...

Millions With Joint Pain and Osteoarthritis Are Missing the Most Powerful Treatment

Mar. 4, 2026 Stiff knees and aching hips may seem like an inevitable part of aging, but experts say we’re getting osteoarthritis all wrong. Despite affecting ...

Laser Printed Hydrogel Implant Could Transform Bone Repair

Mar. 3, 2026 When a bone break is too severe to heal on its own, surgeons often rely on grafts or rigid metal implants — but both come with serious drawbacks. Now, researchers at ETH Zurich have created a ...

A Simple Hand Photo May Be the Key to Detecting a Serious Disease

Mar. 4, 2026 Researchers at Kobe University have developed an AI system that can detect acromegaly, a rare hormone disorder, by analyzing photos of the back of the hand and a clenched fist. The disease often ...

Scientists Discover a Bacterial Kill Switch and It Could Change the Fight Against Superbugs

Feb. 28, 2026 Drug-resistant bacteria are becoming harder to treat, pushing scientists to look for new antibiotic targets. Researchers have now discovered that several unrelated viruses disable a key bacterial ...

American Heart Association Warns 60% of US Women Will Have Cardiovascular Disease by 2050

Feb. 27, 2026 Heart disease is on track to tighten its grip on American women. New projections from the American Heart Association warn that over the next 25 years, cardiovascular disease will rise sharply, driven ...

Microplastics Found in 90% of Prostate Cancer Tumors, Study Reveals

Feb. 25, 2026 Researchers have detected microplastics in nearly all prostate cancer tumors examined in a new study. Tumor tissue contained about 2.5 times more plastic than nearby healthy prostate tissue. ...

Alzheimer’s May Begin With a Silent Drop in Brain Blood Flow

Feb. 24, 2026 Subtle changes in brain blood flow and oxygen use are closely linked to hallmark signs of Alzheimer’s, including amyloid plaques and memory-related brain shrinkage. Simple, noninvasive scans may ...

Massive US Study Finds Higher Cancer Death Rates Near Nuclear Power Plants

Feb. 24, 2026 A sweeping nationwide study has found that U.S. counties located closer to operating nuclear power plants have higher cancer death rates than those farther away. Researchers analyzed data from every ...

Simple Blood Test Can Forecast Alzheimer’s Years Before Memory Loss

Feb. 23, 2026 Scientists have created a blood test that can estimate when Alzheimer’s symptoms are likely to begin. By measuring a protein called p-tau217, the model predicts symptom onset within roughly three ...

Scientists Finally Explain Why Chronic Constipation Treatments Often Fail

Feb. 19, 2026 A newly discovered bacterial duo may be the hidden cause of chronic constipation. The two microbes break down the colon’s protective mucus layer, leaving stool dry and hard — a problem ...

Babies Exposed to Far More “forever Chemicals” Before Birth Than Scientists Knew

Feb. 23, 2026 Babies born in the early 2000s were exposed in the womb to far more “forever chemicals” than researchers once realized, according to a new study. By using advanced chemical screening on umbilical ...

Massive Review Suggests Exercise May Do Little for Osteoarthritis Pain

Feb. 25, 2026 A sweeping new analysis of the evidence suggests that exercise therapy — long promoted as a first-line treatment for osteoarthritis — may offer only small and short-lived relief, and in some ...

New Oxygen Gel Could Prevent Amputation in Diabetic Wound Patients

Feb. 22, 2026 Chronic wounds often spiral out of control because oxygen can’t reach the deepest layers of injured tissue. A new gel developed at UC Riverside delivers a continuous flow of oxygen right where ...

Air Pollution Linked to Higher Alzheimer’s Risk in 28 Million Older Americans

Feb. 20, 2026 Breathing polluted air may do more than harm your lungs — it could also increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. In a sweeping study of nearly 28 million older Americans, researchers found that ...

Frozen for 5,000 Years, This Ice Cave Bacterium Resists Modern Antibiotics

Feb. 21, 2026 Deep inside a Romanian ice cave, locked away in a 5,000-year-old layer of ice, scientists have uncovered a bacterium with a startling secret: it’s resistant to many modern antibiotics. Despite ...

Intermittent Fasting Fails to Beat Standard Dieting for Weight Loss

Feb. 18, 2026 Intermittent fasting has become one of the most talked-about weight loss trends in recent years, promising dramatic results with simple changes to when you eat. But a major Cochrane review suggests ...

The Human Exposome Could Change Everything We Know About Disease

Feb. 14, 2026 Scientists are launching an ambitious global effort to map the “human exposome” — the lifelong mix of environmental and chemical exposures that drive most diseases. Backed by new partnerships ...

The Exact Speed That Makes an AI Prosthetic Arm Feel Like Your Own

Feb. 13, 2026 A robotic arm that moves too quickly can feel creepy. One that moves too slowly feels awkward and unhelpful. In a VR study, researchers found that AI-powered prosthetic arms were best accepted when ...

Beyond Amyloid Plaques: AI Reveals Hidden Chemical Changes Across the Alzheimer’s Brain

Mar. 1, 2026 Scientists at Rice University have produced the first full, dye-free molecular atlas of an Alzheimer’s brain. By combining laser-based imaging with machine learning, they uncovered chemical changes ...

Scientists Find Cancer-Linked Chemicals in Popular Hair Extensions

Feb. 19, 2026 A sweeping new study has uncovered a troubling mix of hazardous chemicals in popular hair extensions, including products made from human hair. Researchers detected dozens of substances linked to ...

Lab Grown Human Spinal Cord Heals After Injury in Major Breakthrough

Feb. 16, 2026 Researchers have built a realistic human mini spinal cord in the lab and used it to simulate traumatic injury. The model reproduced key damage seen in real spinal cord injuries, including ...