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WHO Says Mysterious Illness in China Likely Being Caused by New Virus
The virus behind an outbreak that has sickened at least 59 people in Wuhan is thought to be a type of coronavirus, the family that includes SARS and MERS
Cause of Wuhan’s Mysterious Pneumonia Cases Still Unknown, Chinese Officials Say
The virus has sickened 59 people so far but does not appear to be transmitting among humans
Google AI Tool Can Pinpoint Breast Cancer Better Than Clinicians
The software detected cancers at higher rates than radiologists, with fewer false positives
CRISPR Babies Scientist Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison
A Chinese Court jailed He Jiankui for an “illegal medical practice” in editing embryos’ DNA
FDA Approves an Ebola Vaccine For the First Time
The first to be approved in the United States, the vaccine protects against the virus responsible for the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
What Mice Watching Orson Welles’s Touch of Evil Can Teach Scientists about Vision
The findings challenge textbook ideas about how visual cortex cells process imagery
Trump Administration Unveils Two Proposals to Permit Drug Importation
The proposals, which are still under review, are a step toward allowing drugs to be imported from Canada and other countries
Male Life Scientists More Likely to Frame Their Work as “Excellent”
Female researchers used positive words like “novel” or “unique” less frequently than male ones in clinical research studies
Senate Confirms Stephen Hahn as FDA Commissioner
Hahn, who has no previous political experience, will be in charge of regulating e-cigarettes, drug pricing, and more
Research Using Brains-in-a-Dish Forces a Radical Rethinking of Huntington’s Disease
The disease may begin in the womb and require treatment early in life
Trump Administration Program Will Provide HIV Prevention Drug for Free
The “Ready, Set, PrEP” program will provide donated drugs that could protect up to 200,000 people a year for 11 years
Ebola-Response Workers Killed in Attacks Force Withdrawal From Critical DRC Region
Four health care workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo were killed in two attacks last week, and six others were injured
How a Billionaire Couple Greased the Skids for Nancy Pelosi’s Drug-Pricing Bill
Former Enron employee John Arnold and his wife Laura have financed much of the Democrats’ efforts to cut prescription drug costs
CDC Report Finds 35,000 Americans Die of Antibiotic-Resistant Infections Each Year
While the number of deaths has gone down since 2013, new infections—such as the deadly Candida auris—have appeared
Apple Launches Virtual Health Studies Aiming to Enroll Hundreds of Thousands of Customers
Amid privacy concerns, the tech giant plans to monitor mobility, menstruation and hearing via users’ Apple watches and iPhones
Ebola Vaccine Approved in Europe in Landmark Moment
The approval of Merck’s vaccine comes after decades of research aimed at preventing the deadly disease
Health Officials Claim Breakthrough on Vaping Illness Culprit
The CDC says vitamin E acetate turned up in every sample of lung fluid from 29 patients
New Alzheimer’s Therapy Approved in China, Delivering a Surprise but Raising Questions
The drug targets the connection between the brain and the microbiome
Facebook Vows Strict Privacy Safeguards as it Rolls Out Preventive-Health Tool
The social media giant, which has faced scrutiny over its privacy practices in the past, will allow people to find information about health screenings and flu shots
In Shocking Reversal, Biogen to Submit Experimental Alzheimer’s Drug for Approval
The decision contradicts an earlier one to halt studies of the therapy, which followed a series of failed drugs that targeted diseased brain protein
Vaping-Related Illness Has a New Name: EVALI
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted the name in new guidance on the illness, which has sickened nearly 1,300 people across 49 states
What a Koala Virus Tells Us about the Human Genome
A study illuminates how genes defend against viral invasions
Vaping-Related Lung Injuries Resemble Chemical Burns
A study of 17 patients with the mysterious illnesses revealed inflammation suggestive of inhaled toxic substances
Flu Vaccine Selections Suggest This Year’s Shot May Be Off the Mark
The strains chosen for the Southern Hemisphere vaccine suggest the Northern Hemisphere one may not provide optimal protection