Greater access to mental health staff in schools can buffer risk of growing up in disadvantaged communities

26 June 2025, Cairo, Egypt – On International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, marked on 26 June, the World Health Organization (WHO) is highlighting the drug trade’s devastating effects on the health and well-being of populations. Drug use impacts security, safety, and development, costing some countries up to 2% of their GDP due to health-related expenses, crime, and lost productivity. Beyond its economic burden, drug use constitutes a significant public health issue, linked to a range of health issues, including mental health conditions, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and cardiovascular diseases. Despite these public health implications, drug use has been overwhelmingly addressed through a law enforcement and supply restriction lens, using strategies that reinforce stigma and overlook the health dimensions of the issue. Globally, an estimated 292 million people (5.6% of those between 15 and 64) used drugs in 2022. There are 64 million individuals suffering from drug use disorders. In 2022, in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, an estimated 6.7% of the population aged between 15 and 64 years used drugs, and more than 3.4 million people suffered from drug use disorders. Despite the alarming levels of substance use, and the fact that investing in substance use treatment offers returns of between US$ 4–12 for every dollar spent, in 2022, only 1 in 11 individuals with drug use disorders globally, and 1 in 13 in the Region, received treatment. To reduce morbidity, mortality, and the social costs associated with substance use disorders, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean launched the “Regional Flagship Initiative on Read more...

From Romulus and Remus—the myth of the twin brothers who founded the city of Rome—to the synchronized speech of Australia's "Twinnies" Paula and Brigette Powers, identical siblings have long inspired our fascination and imagination.

In May 2025, researchers announced that K.J. Muldoon, a baby boy born without the ability to process dietary protein properly, had become the first person to be treated with a customized gene-editing therapy. Based on a technology developed by Broad Institute core member David Liu's laboratory, the treatment is the first in a series of new medicines being tested to treat rare diseases by repairing patients' particular genetic misspellings.

Brightly colored, inexpensive and disposable electronic cigarettes and vapes continue to gain popularity. These devices turn flavored nicotine-containing liquid into a vapor that people inhale over hundreds or thousands of puffs—commonly called vaping.

A team of engineers at the University of California, Los Angeles, working with a colleague from K Medical LLC, has developed a pressurized mattress that reduces the likelihood of developing bed sores for bedbound patients. In their paper published in the journal Science Robotics, the group describes how they developed their new mattress and how it can be used to help patients.

The human brain is known to store various memories for long periods of time, progressively learning from new experiences and forming adaptive representations that ultimately guide decision-making and behavior. When people experience new things, their brain creates new memories and mental representations, without overwriting or deleting old ones.

Policymakers and drinkers are speaking different languages when it comes to alcohol consumption, according to new research.

Weak bones can have deadly consequences. Women often get bone density tests to screen for osteoporosis, yet many men don't even realize they are at risk until they suffer a major fracture.

It's no secret that women often become less interested in sex with age. However, orgasm and satisfaction have been shown to not decline significantly with age. A new study suggests regular sexual activity may limit vulvar pain, irritation, and dryness, which are all common reasons women have less sex as they get older.

Academics at King's College London and the University of East Anglia have released guidance for GPs on how to manage patients who may be privately accessing weight loss drugs.

While heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the U.S. for over a century, the past 50 years have seen a substantial decrease (66%) in overall age-adjusted heart disease death rates, including a nearly 90% drop in heart attack deaths, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association

While it's well known that spending time with dogs can ease stress, new research shows that watching a short video of a dog can have a similar comforting effect.

When it comes to automobiles, no matter how well they are maintained, at some point the check engine light is going to come on. Inevitably, a look under the hood or trip to the mechanic is in order. The human body doesn't have a check engine light, but wearable sensors could fill that role for people thanks to the power of data.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have developed two brief, low-threshold digital interventions aimed at preventing and reducing mental health problems among adolescents and their parents. A pilot study published in JAMA Network Open indicates that the interventions are well-received and potentially effective for adolescents experiencing mental health issues and their caregivers.

Little is known about what causes ovarian cancer, and there is no way to detect it early yet. About 75% of the time when someone is diagnosed with ovarian cancer, it has already progressed to stage 3 or stage 4, which means it has spread to other parts of the body.

A vaccine panel appointed by US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will revisit long-settled science and spotlight rare risks linked to childhood immunizations in a meeting beginning Wednesday, raising fears that fringe theories could seep into national policy.

Anxiety, grief, anger, fear, helplessness. The emotional toll of climate change is broad-ranging, especially for young people.

As many as 19% of packaged foods and beverages sold by top US food manufacturers contain synthetic food dyes, according to new research evaluating the content of 39,763 American grocery store products.