New treatment allows blind mice to recover vision, will now be tested for humans
The new treatment is rapidly approaching human trials and hopes to have an FDA-approved treatment out the other end of the pipeline in 2-3 years.
Public health & disease
From disease eradication efforts to advances in vaccination and maternal health, this archive tracks real progress in public health. Stories here focus on what’s working — policies, interventions, and research that are improving and extending lives around the world.
Asthma rates in Kentucky improve as coal plants shut down, new study finds
After four coal plants in Kentucky either retired or were retrofitted, local asthma-related hospitalizations dropped and individuals used their inhalers less frequently.
Blood plasma taken from COVID-19 survivors could aid recovery, new study shows
In several of the patients the virus cleared up entirely, leading the authors to conclude that plasma “can serve as a promising rescue option” for severe COVID-19 cases.
New magnetic brain therapy relieved depression in 90% of the participants in small trial
“There’s never been a therapy for treatment-resistant depression that’s broken 55% remission rates in open-label testing,” the team says.
Iranian government makes medical services free for all COVID-19 patients
The Iranian Health Minister said that uninsured and underprivileged patients should not pay for the healthcare services and the costs will be compensated by the national health insurance system.
Portugal grants migrants and asylum-seekers citizenship rights during pandemic
Portugal has temporarily given all migrants and asylum seekers full citizenship rights, granting them full access to the country’s healthcare until at least June 30.
New coronavirus test provides results in as little as 5 minutes
The new point-of-care test, having just received an emergency-use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) begins shipping today, April 1.
MIT to publish plans for an emergency ventilator that can be built for $400
The ventilator shortage is a key barrier worldwide to effectively managing the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Now, teams around the world can use MIT’s plans to make them for less than $500.
Coronavirus home testing to be made available to millions in the U.K.
Millions of 15-minute home coronavirus tests are set to be available for delivery to people self-isolating, according to Public Health England, in a move that could restore many people’s lives to a semblance of normality.
Mylab becomes first Indian company to get COVID-19 test kits validated
Mylab’s innovation reduces test time from 4 to 2.5 hours. The company has promised that it can manufacture up to 100,000 tests in a week which can be further scaled up if needed.