The anti-vax movement is making waves globally: U.K. loses "measles-free" status

cdn.pixabay.com
  • The UK has lost its World Health Organization "measles-free" status.
  • Measles has spread in America and over 10 countries in Europe, including the UK.
  • Anti vaccination factions, disinformation and negligence all contribute to the spread of curable infectious diseases.
Keep reading Show less
science vaccines health health care disease

Vaping changes blood vessels after one use, even without nicotine

E-cigarettes might possibly be safer than traditional cigarettes, but they come with their own risks.


John Keeble/GETTY
  • A new study used an MRI machine to examine how vaping e-cigarettes affects users' cardiovascular systems immediately after inhalation.
  • The results showed that vaping causes impaired circulation, stiffer arteries and less oxygen in their blood.
  • The new study adds to a growing body of research showing that e-cigarettes – while possibly safer than traditional cigarettes – are far from harmless.
Keep reading Show less
disease medical research health human body

Ebola is now largely curable, new clinical trials suggest

A recent clinical trial shows that two new drugs are far more effective than current treatments.

Photo credit: AUGUSTIN WAMENYA / Getty Contributor
  • The Democratic Republic of Congo has been suffering a major Ebola outbreak since August 2018.
  • In November 2018, a clinical trial began comparing the efficacy of four Ebola treatments.
  • Two of those treatments — based on monoclonal antibodies — are nearly twice as effective as the standard treatment.
Keep reading Show less
war africa disease ebola

What we know about the dangers of e-cigarettes

Compared to traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes are extremely understudied. There is, however, some evidence on their negative effects on your health.

Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash
  • Traditional cigarettes have the benefit of decades' worth of research on their harmful effects. E-cigarettes are relatively new, and our understanding of their long-term effects is limited.
  • To fill this gap, researchers are conducting studies to identify exactly how e-cigarettes effect our bodies.
  • To date, it appears that e-cigarettes are better for you than traditional cigarettes, but that doesn't make them harmless.
Keep reading Show less
cancer addiction disease human body medical research

CRISPR used in human trials for first time in U.S.

Do scientists know enough about gene editing to move forward with human trials?

Photo credit: Gregor Fischer / picture alliance via Getty Images
  • Doctors used the gene-editing tool in an attempt to treat a 34-year-old patient with sickle cell disease.
  • Last year, a Chinese scientist caused major controversy when he used CRISPR to genetically edit two human embryos.
  • It's unclear exactly what risks are involved in gene editing.
Keep reading Show less
disease medical research biology genetics crispr