An experimental vaccine that could offer one-stop prevention for both COVID-19 and influenza is showing positive results among older adults in trials, maker Moderna announced Monday. The shot — for now called mRNA-1083 — “has met its primary endpoints, eliciting a higher immune response than the licensed comparator vaccines used in the trial,” Moderna said…  read on >  read on >

A plant-based eating regimen designed to save the Earth also saves people’s lives, a large study confirms. “Shifting how we eat can help slow the process of climate change,” said corresponding author Dr. Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “And what’s healthiest for the planet…  read on >  read on >

Researchers have developed a novel way to promote hair growth in people who have the autoimmune disease alopecia areata. It’s a skin patch that delivers immune-system controllers through an array of tiny needles. In alopecia, the body’s own T-cells mistakenly attack hair follicles. The experimental treatment strategy uses a patch to deliver specialized cells called…  read on >  read on >

If tropical lands like South America or Africa are your travel destinations, getting yourself protected against yellow fever before you go is imperative, an expert says. What is yellow fever? According to  Dr. Jill Weatherhead, an assistant professor of tropical medicine and infectious diseases at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, it’s a viral illness endemic to…  read on >  read on >

A ban on Juul e-cigarettes has been reversed, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday. Why? The agency said it needs to review both new court decisions and updated data from the vape maker. While the company’s e-cigarettes are back under review, they have not been fully cleared for sale in this country, the…  read on >  read on >

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel on Wednesday recommended updating the formula for COVID vaccines ahead of a fall campaign that will encourage Americans to get the latest shots. The unanimous vote recommends that vaccine makers tailor the next vaccine to target the JN.1 variant, which dominated infections in the United States last winter, the…  read on >  read on >

Teenagers who are part of close-knit neighborhoods and families are less likely to have sex at a young age, a new study has found. On the other hand, teens’ schools have less influence on their sexual behavior, researchers report. “Our results echo other studies’ findings on the importance of families and neighborhoods in protecting youth…  read on >  read on >