SATURDAY, Aug. 16, 2025 (HealthDay News)  — Most folks probably think of gene mutations as something people are born with, but genes can also change later in life, sometimes making people sick. Scientists recently discovered a new disease that starts just that way in midlife.  Called VEXAS, it’s marked by repeated attacks of inflammation caused…  read on >  read on >

People living in neighborhoods once labeled “hazardous” on federal housing maps are still more likely to wait longer for an ambulance, new research shows. Rutgers University researchers who analyzed 236 U.S. urban areas found that 7.06% of residents in historically redlined “Grade D” areas lacked quick access to emergency medical services (EMS).  That compared to…  read on >  read on >

Folks fighting an addiction can boost their chances of success if they also drop the smokes, a new study says. Addicts who quit smoking have up to 42% better odds of recovery, researchers reported Aug. 13 in JAMA Psychiatry. These results indicate that smoking cessation programs should be made part of virtually all substance abuse…  read on >  read on >

A new way to battle bloodborne staph infections could help save lives while combating the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to new clinical trial results. Two intravenous doses of the antibiotic dalbavancin delivered seven days apart worked just as well as daily IV doses of conventional antibiotics in quelling Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections, researchers reported…  read on >  read on >

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being touted as a means of improving doctors’ effectiveness, but the new tool might dull their skills in some instances, a new study argues. Specifically, doctors became worse at performing colonoscopies after AI started assisting them, researchers reported Aug. 12 in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. Doctors’ ability to detect precancerous…  read on >  read on >

An under-the-scalp implant can improve monitoring of a person’s epilepsy, giving doctors data they need to improve control over seizures, a new pilot study says. Epilepsy patients must now keep a diary to track their symptoms. But these self-observations are only right about half the time, researchers found when they compared patients’ diaries to tens…  read on >  read on >

Advanced technology has boosted the ability of children and adults to manage their type 1 diabetes, a new study says. The number of kids under 18 who’ve achieved optimal control over their blood sugar skyrocketed 171% between 2009 and 2023, from 7% to 19%, researchers reported Aug. 11 in JAMA Network Open. Meanwhile, the number…  read on >  read on >