Researchers identified key enzymes in toxic plants wolfsbane and larkspur, demonstrating how to recreate complex diterpenoid alkaloids in the lab for future medicines.
AstraZeneca CEO Sir Pascal Soriot, 67, is under scrutiny for a potential $400bn merger with Bristol Myers Squibb, which could jeopardize his legacy and expose the company to debt and patent cliff risks.
Meet 7 individuals who pursued medical degrees but found fame in writing, acting, revolution, and comedy, leveraging their unique backgrounds to make impactful career shifts.
New York has confirmed its first Bourbon virus case, a rare tick-borne infection, prompting researchers to urge expanded surveillance and testing. The virus, transmitted by lone star ticks, may be more prevalent than known, with no vaccine or treatment available.
Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least seven Palestinians and destroyed medicine warehouses vital for Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, days after a disarmament agreement. The attacks, including drone strikes, also damaged shelters for displaced people, with officials calling for international intervention.
Novo Nordisk's shares dropped significantly after its late-stage heart drug ziltivekimab failed to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events in a trial. This marks another setback for the Danish drugmaker, impacting investor confidence in its pipeline.
Syngenta will stop selling paraquat in Australia due to new regulations making it commercially unviable, despite the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) finding no increased Parkinson’s disease risk from approved uses. The decision follows June's restrictions to mitigate acute exposure and animal risks.
A Berlin court sentences a 32-year-old Chinese medical student to 5 years for aiding aggravated rape, leaving victims and observers, including a Chinese student named Kristina, with mixed emotions over the leniency of the sentence and differing legal approaches between Germany and China.
Displaced families in Gaza, including Malak al-Zaanin and Manal Hamad, struggle with food spoilage and health risks due to the severe electricity crisis caused by Israel's siege. Lack of refrigeration forces residents to discard food and medicine, while some resort to costly, unreliable cooling services.
Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has warned about a "rare but severe" eye disorder, non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION), linked to type 2 diabetes and obesity treatments like Ozempic and Mounjaro. The warning, based on 36 reported cases, advises patients to seek urgent medical attention for sudden vision loss but not to stop treatment without consulting a doctor.
Astronauts on long Mars missions face medicine expiration. A UC San Diego study proposes growing pharmaceuticals mid-flight, cultivating cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) on plants in simulated microgravity. This method could provide fresh medicine, addressing issues like blood clots and routine ailments experienced on the ISS.
Russia has deployed the Koshchey hexacopter to Ukraine's special military operation area, enabling stealthy delivery of water, provisions, and medicines to hard-to-reach units. The upgraded drone can also drop 10-kg anti-tank mines and has an operating range of up to 30 km.
Hong Kong's Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine launched the city's first community pharmacist-led osteoporosis screening program. The scheme identifies high-risk patients for bone density scans, addressing the high rate of undiagnosed cases and severe mortality associated with hip fractures in the elderly.
The author argues that the legitimacy of US elections died last week due to three events: the Secretary of State's speech targeting the domestic left as a transnational enemy, a White House official's dehumanizing rhetoric, and the President's claims of a corrupt election system, with the public's response misdirecting attention.
The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong will launch two strategic treatment programs for stroke and lower back pain next week, with bookings opening Wednesday. The hospital emphasizes the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine and a multidisciplinary approach, with more programs planned for the coming years.
The European Commission expects EU generic medicines to be exempt from new U.S. tariffs announced by Donald Trump, citing a 2025 transatlantic trade deal. Trump's plan, aiming to boost U.S. pharmaceutical production, proposes 100% tariffs on generic drugs by 2028, escalating to 200% in 2029.
The Department of Justice has accused UC San Diego School of Medicine of racial discrimination in its admissions, alleging data manipulation to favor certain minorities, violating a 2023 Supreme Court ruling. The DOJ seeks a resolution agreement. Separately, Harvard University faces a new federal probe over foreign funding and potential discrimination against US students.
China's NMPA has approved a rare-disease therapy for commercial sales to treat narcolepsy type 1 in individuals aged 16 and older. The unnamed drug previously received fast-track status in the US and orphan-drug designation in Japan and the EU, indicating international recognition for its importance.
Queensland's Liberal National government buried a report by domestic violence victim-survivors that criticized police handling of cases and advocated for civilian review mechanisms, despite promises to prioritize victims in justice policies.
US President Donald Trump announced a phased tariff regime on imported generic medicines, starting with zero duty for two years, then 100% for one year, and 200% thereafter, effective August 1, 2026. The policy aims to encourage domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing and protect US citizens.
Novo Nordisk is suing Eli Lilly, alleging "false and misleading" advertisements for its weight-loss and anti-diabetes treatments, Zepbound and Mounjaro. Novo Nordisk claims Lilly used outdated studies comparing its highest doses against lower doses of Novo Nordisk's drugs, creating a deceptive impression of superiority. Eli Lilly defends its ads, citing the Surmount-5 trial as the only direct comparison.
A New South Wales tribunal found surgeon Dr Liu-Ming Schmidt guilty of professional misconduct, barring her from practice for six months. She failed to detect cancer in one patient and operated on the wrong end of another's bowel, contributing to his death, among other substandard treatments.
Jenitar Na'amoana gave birth to naturally conceived identical quadruplets at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Emily, Harriet, Alexa, and Catherine, born at 28 weeks, are Australia's first known identical quads, expanding the family to 10.
Online networks are reportedly 'gamifying' violence and encouraging self-harm, targeting children in games like Roblox and Minecraft, with cases globally. Meanwhile, Iran declares 'full-scale war' with the US, and Andy Burnham becomes the UK's new prime minister, pledging to end rough sleeping.
