Lyme disease vaccine found to be safe and effective in clinical trial
French company Valneva has developed a vaccine that works by stopping Lyme-causing bacteria in ticks from passing into people’s bloodstreams when the ticks bite.
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.
New blood test can detect prostate cancer with unprecedented precision
A new blood test for prostate cancer is producing a 99% accuracy rating—precision that has never before been achieved for a blood test of this particular kind of cancer. The test can also determine the exact stage and progression of the cancer, reducing the need for invasive biopsies and scans.
Flu shots significantly cut risk of heart attack or stroke for people over 50, shows news study
One of the largest studies of its kind looked at data from more than seven million patients and found that a seasonal flu shot cut the risk of heart attacks by up to 85 percent, and halved the number of strokes.
Oklahoma voters approve Medicaid expansion
At least 200,000 Oklahoman adults will be newly eligible for Medicaid, but program enrollment may climb even higher as the state’s unemployment rate has surged to nearly 13 percent.
The Vatican urges Catholics to drop investments in fossil fuels and arms
The calls were contained in a 225-page manual for church leaders and workers to mark the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical “Laudato Si” on the need to protect nature, life and defenseless people.
Scientists find a switch to flip and turn off breast cancer growth and metastasis
Researchers at Tulane University School of Medicine have also discovered a way to inhibit an aggressive form of breast cancer from occurring. The animal study results have been so compelling that the team is now working on FDA approval to begin clinical trials.
E.U. to dedicate €10 billion on “Farm to Fork” strategy
The Farm to Fork Strategy proposes dedicating €10 billion toward the research and innovation on “food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, and the environment as well as the use of digital technologies and nature-based solutions for agri-food.”
Kenyan scientists discover microbe that protects mosquitoes from malaria
The researchers are now investigating whether they can release infected mosquitoes into the wild, or use spores to suppress the disease, in order to reduce the incidence of the disease among humans.
Malaysia close to attaining malaria-free status after reporting no cases since 2018
Malaysia has not recorded any domestic malaria cases since 2018 after recording than 5,000 cases in 2010. If it succeeds in preventing more cases, Malaysia would be eligible to apply for malaria-free status certification from the World Health Organization in 2021.
Canada to ban assault-style weapons
Canada’s government is set to announce a ban on assault-style weapons following a deadly shooting in Nova Scotia this month that killed 22 people.