Health News

Health News

How can a book make you cry?

AP Photo/Noah Berger Health How can a book make you cry? New Nobel laureate Karl Deisseroth draws line from his early interest in power of words to research on how brain works Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer October 14, 2026 9 min read How can…

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Living longer, disease-free

Health Living longer, disease-free “How do we think about the next century of public health, and try to make it so we can all age healthier, not just live a long time?” asked William Mair, director of the Healthy Aging Initiative at Harvard’s Chan School. Photos…

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Heart attack, stroke — and hip fractures

Health Heart attack, stroke — and hip fractures Endocrinologist discusses life-or-death stakes of weak bones and how to protect against devastating falls Max Larkin Harvard Staff Writer October 8, 2026 long read Joy Tsai. Photos by Niles Singer/Harvard Staff Photographer The hip joint is a well-known…

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The healing power of gene therapy

Health ‘Harvard Thinking’: The healing power of gene therapy Illustrations by Liz Zonarich/Harvard Staff Samantha Laine Perfas Harvard Staff Writer September 23, 2026 long read How researchers are seeing their work changing lives — from restoring children’s hearing to saving a baby born with a…

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How did her sister become so sick so fast?

Joan Brugge. Niles Singer/Harvard Staff Photographer Health How did her sister become so sick so fast? Joan Brugge’s decadeslong professional fight against cancer began when she tried to make sense of a tragedy Anna Lamb Harvard Staff Writer September 14, 2026 6 min read A…

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Who needs opioids?

Health Who needs opioids? Kathleen Refior HSDM Communications September 10, 2026 5 min read As concerns about misuse persist, paper suggests role for AI in making pain treatment more precise For a patient having their wisdom teeth removed, the days after surgery can bring an…

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Has pancreatic cancer met its match?

Health Has pancreatic cancer met its match? Frontline researcher sees newly approved medication as ‘critical first step’ toward transformation of care Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer September 9, 2026 7 min read Brian Wolpin. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new drug…

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More evidence that mass shootings are suicidal acts

Mark Czeisler. Veasey Conway/Harvard Staff Photographer Health More evidence that mass shootings are suicidal acts New research finds national peaks for suicides, gun rampages take place within days of each other in summer Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer September 8, 2026 4 min read Research…

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Why is yogurt good for us? 

Health Why is yogurt good for us? Genghis Khan supposedly fed it to his troops for strength and bravery. He might have been onto something. September 2, 2026 3 min read Part of the Wondering series A series of random questions answered by Harvard experts.…

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Pioneering cancer fighter sees promise beyond melanoma breakthrough

Health Pioneering cancer fighter sees promise beyond melanoma breakthrough File photo by Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Photographer August 31, 2026 6 min read ‘This is not a time that we should be pulling back,’ says Catherine Wu. ‘It’s a very, very…

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Note to stressed parents: Instead of trying to be perfect, do this.

Health Note to stressed parents: Instead of trying to be perfect, do this. Experts offer tips for raising children while overwhelmed Anna Lamb Harvard Staff Writer August 28, 2026 6 min read Parental stress is an urgent public health crisis, according to a 2024 U.S.…

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Which diet is right for you? Wrong question.

Illustrations by Liz Zonarich/Harvard Staff Health Which diet is right for you? Wrong question. Sy Boles Harvard Staff Writer August 26, 2026 1 min read Quiz based on Daniel Lieberman’s new book looks at food fads through evolutionary lens Humans didn’t evolve to shop for…

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Crackers are past date on box. Should I toss them?

Photo by Austin Lewis Health Crackers are past date on box. Should I toss them? Policy expert says new California law highlights need for national standards on safety labels to cut high levels of U.S. food waste  Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer August 25, 2026…

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How to fix U.S. healthcare? ‘Radical action,’ says John McDonough.

Health How to fix U.S. healthcare? ‘Radical action,’ says John McDonough. Chan School expert links soaring costs to broader policy shifts in ‘America’s Wrong Turn’ Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer August 18, 2026 5 min read John McDonough.Veasey Conway/Harvard Staff Photographer “What happened in 1980?”…

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Screening newborns for cancer risk

Health Screening newborns for cancer risk Blood samples routinely collected at birth could be used for genetic testing, potentially helping 1,000 children a year, study suggests Mass General Brigham Communications August 18, 2026 5 min read Genetic testing added to routine newborn screening could identify…

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For women in menopause, ‘not all healthy diets are equal’

Tong Xia. Niles Singer/Harvard Staff Photographer Health For women in menopause, ‘not all healthy diets are equal’ Study comparing 11 eating patterns finds two clear paths to curbing weight gain Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer August 11, 2026 4 min read A recent study examining…