To ensure that all kinds of patients get drugs and devices that are safe and effective for them, they need to be represented in clinical trials, but a new study shows that representation of women in key disease areas continues to lag. Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston examined female participation in…  read on >  read on >

Pets have helped people weather both the HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics, a survey of long-term HIV/AIDS survivors shows. “The underlying question in our minds has always been: What role do pets play for people who are so isolated and suffering so much stigma?” said study leader Lynette Hart, a professor of veterinary medicine at the…  read on >  read on >

Breathing in air pollution can lead to toxic particles entering the brain — and not just through the nose. New research suggests they have a direct pathway through the bloodstream, potentially contributing to brain disorders and neurological damage. “There are gaps in our knowledge around the harmful effects of airborne fine particles on the central…  read on >  read on >

After years of decline, infertility rates among U.S. women have held steady in the past decade or so, a new study finds. The reasons behind the stall are unclear. But researchers said rising rates of sexually transmitted diseases, and unequal access to reproductive health care could be factors. The study found that from 2006 to…  read on >  read on >

More and more of America’s teens are getting vaccinated against the human papillomavirus virus (HPV), new research indicates. Between 2015 and 2020, the study found, the percentage of 13- to 17-year-olds who had gotten at least one dose of the vaccine steadily increased, rising from 56% to just over 75%. “In addition, the adolescents who…  read on >  read on >

It’s an icky truth: Everyone has millions of tiny mites living and mating on their skin. Not to worry, though — Demodex folliculorum skin mites actually help keep your pores clean and your skin healthy, stressed Alejandra Perotti, an associate professor of invertebrate biology with the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. However, her…  read on >  read on >

Keeping your bedroom dark not only helps you get a good night’s sleep, but may significantly lower your odds of developing three major health problems, a new study suggests. Older men and women who used night lights, or left their TV, smartphone or tablet on in the room were more likely to be obese, and…  read on >  read on >