A newly discovered genetic variant might explain why some people of African ancestry have naturally lower viral loads of HIV, an international team of researchers reports. This variant, carried by an estimated 4% to 13% of people of African origin, reduces their risk of transmitting the virus and slows the progress of their own illness.…  read on >  read on >

Millions of American smokers suffer from a potentially serious lung disease that’s not technically chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study finds. They would benefit from a clear diagnosis, though, and the new findings demonstrate a major gap in care for people with a history of tobacco use, the researchers said. Among folks who…  read on >  read on >

Artificial intelligence (AI) programs can safely be used to help radiologists review mammogram images and detect breast cancers, early results from an ongoing clinical trial show. A single radiologist aided by AI wound up detecting about 20% more breast cancers from mammogram images than two radiologists working together, according to a report in the August…  read on >  read on >

The President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program that’s long successfully provided relief to people with AIDS around the world, will now be housed within the U.S. State Department. The move comes after years of pressure by anti-abortion groups and some Republican members of Congress to attach abortion-related limits on U.S. health support…  read on >  read on >