Category: Health

Autism is often thought of as a childhood condition, but this is far from true. Autism is a lifelong condition – and most autistic people are adults. Yet less than 1% of autism research has focused on older autistic people. This means we know very little about the needs of autistic people are they grow […]

A new drug, baxdrostat, has demonstrated significant effectiveness in lowering blood pressure among patients with treatment-resistant hypertension, according to results from the Phase III BaxHTN clinical trial. The study, involving 796 participants across multiple countries, found that patients receiving baxdrostat experienced a reduction in systolic blood pressure of approximately 9–10 mmHg more than those on […]

Distribution of gifts to cancer patients on International Childhood Cancer Day 2025. Photo: WHO 1 September 2025 – Globally, 400 000 children are diagnosed with cancer annually, which means 3 children are diagnosed with cancer every 4 minutes. Of these cases, 90% occur in low- and middle-income countries, where only a fifth of diagnosed children survive. In […]

In my youth, I spent an unreasonable amount of time questioning why A-level chemistry was a prerequisite for medical school. Why was it as essential as biology? Why did I need to learn about electrons and entropy? The penny finally dropped when my rather brilliant teachers turned my attention towards the periodic table. Every single […]

How can we live longer? The eternal question, and one that scientists have long been trying to answer. We know that diet, exercise, and genes play a big role in the ageing process and how long each of us might be alive for. We also know that certain drugs or medicines have the potential to […]

Former tennis star Monica Seles has revealed she has been diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a rare autoimmune condition that affects how the muscles work. The multiple Grand Slam champion says she was actually diagnosed three years ago after experiencing trouble with her vision and weakness in her arms and legs. It is estimated that myasthenia […]

Vitamin D supplements could help protect the caps on our chromosomes that slow ageing, sparking hopes the sunshine vitamin might keep us healthier for longer, a recent study suggests. The researchers discovered that taking 2,000 IU (international units, a standard measure for vitamins) of vitamin D daily helped maintain telomeres – the tiny structures that […]

Minimally processed foods are whole foods that are altered only to make them safer or easier to prepare. GoodStudio/ Shutterstock If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you’ve probably been told that cooking your own meals is the way to go. This has been backed up by a recent study, which found that people who […]

When scientists cracked the human genome in 2003 – sequencing the entire genetic code of a human being – many expected it would unlock the secrets of disease. But genetics explained only about 10% of the risk. The other 90% lies in the environment – and diet plays a huge part. Worldwide, poor diet is […]

05 August 2025 Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, It is a pleasure to join you today for this timely roundtable on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and health workforce education. I thank Dr Saad Alfuhaid, President of the Arabian Gulf University, for bringing us together, and I warmly acknowledge the leadership of Dr Jameela Alsalman, Chair of WHO’s Strategic […]