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Health News

‘Alcoholic’

Illustration by Liz Zonarich/Harvard Staff Health ‘Alcoholic’ Sy Boles Harvard Staff Writer April 10, 2026 5 min read Term conjures outdated stereotypes about an illness that afflicts 28 million Americans, says expert A series about meanings People just aren’t drinking the way they used to.…

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Psychedelics and the search for truth

Photo by Paula Ortiz Health Psychedelics and the search for truth Legal scholar sees common interests with law, religion, humanities Sy Boles Harvard Staff Writer April 16, 2026 5 min read Universities and psychedelic experiences have something in common, argues Noah Feldman: They can act…

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Dangers coming from inside the house

Health Dangers coming from inside the house John Spengler. Veasey Conway/Harvard Staff Photographer Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer April 21, 2026 5 min read John D. Spengler reflects on 50-year career of clearing the air — including in hockey rinks and on airplanes John D.…

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Hearing breakthrough holds up

Zheng-Yi Chen. Veasey Conway/Harvard Staff Photographer Health Hearing breakthrough holds up Gene therapy yields lasting gains for patients with inherited deafness: ‘How well it worked is really amazing.’ Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer April 22, 2026 5 min read An experimental gene therapy for people…

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What to make of ‘AI psychosis’?

Health What to make of ‘AI psychosis’? ‘Until we know what the term really means, we can’t even begin to understand what’s happening.’ Sy Boles Harvard Staff Writer April 24, 2026 6 min read John Torous. File photo by Veasey Conway/Harvard Staff Photographer John Torous…

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Guide to a healthy gut

Health Guide to a healthy gut Illustrations by Liz Zonarich/Harvard Staff Sy Boles Harvard Staff Writer April 27, 2026 1 min read Test your knowledge by taking our quiz — featuring advice from doctor’s new book About 40 percent of Americans say their bowel movements,…

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Simpler is better when it comes to saving lives

Vishal Patel. Photo by Grace DuVal Health Simpler is better when it comes to saving lives Teen, young adult suicides fall from long upward trend after national crisis hotline shifts to three digits Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer May 7, 2026 4 min read Suicide…

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Should you ask ChatGPT for medical advice? 

Health Should you ask ChatGPT for medical advice?  Physician and AI researcher Adam Rodman says AI can be helpful but has some tips on how, when to use it safely Sy Boles Harvard Staff Writer May 5, 2026 6 min read Adam Rodman. Niles Singer/Harvard…

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Glint of light in therapy for deadly ALS after decades of struggle

Merit Cudkowicz. Health Glint of light in therapy for deadly ALS after decades of struggle New drug shows researchers ‘this illness can be stopped’ Max Larkin Harvard Staff Writer May 8, 2026 6 min read Merit Cudkowicz has been working on ALS for three decades.…

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Hantavirus likely to be fully contained but may take time, Hanage says

William Hanage. File photo by Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer Health Hantavirus likely to be fully contained but may take time, Hanage says Disease much deadlier than COVID but a lot harder to spread Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer May 12, 2026 8 min read The…

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Is napping a sign of a deeper health problem?

Health Is napping a sign of a deeper health problem? Anna Lamb Harvard Staff Writer May 13, 2026 5 min read New study finds link between certain sleep patterns and higher mortality in older adults If Grandpa occasionally dozes off in front of the TV…

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‘Harvard Thinking’: Breaking the regret cycle

Health ‘Harvard Thinking’: Breaking the regret cycle Illustrations by Liz Zonarich/Harvard Staff Samantha Laine Perfas Harvard Staff Writer May 13, 2026 long read In podcast, experts offer a better way to cope with mistakes and missed opportunities If you’ve ever felt bad about the way…

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Materializing safe, on-demand living therapeutics

David Mooney in his lab. Mooney led the research team. Credit: Wyss Institute Health Materializing safe, on-demand living therapeutics Implantable Living Materials platform offers novel avenues for deploying future microbial medicines May 14, 2026 4 min read Patient recovery from debilitating conditions and diseases could…

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Food as medicine? How nutrition can improve cancer outcomes.

Health Food as medicine? How nutrition can improve cancer outcomes. Tufts professor shares early research regarding programs as part of oncology care Samantha Laine Perfas Harvard Staff Writer May 15, 2026 4 min read Fang Fang Zhang. Veasey Conway/Harvard Staff Photographer Cancer treatment plans are…

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When stress is a punch to the gut

Health When stress is a punch to the gut Jacqueline Mitchell BIDMC Communications May 19, 2026 3 min read New study traces network of nerves that disrupt digestion, pointing to potential IBS treatment When stress affects the gut, the stomach tightens, digestion slows. For some,…

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Predicting cancer outcomes with a selfie

Health Predicting cancer outcomes with a selfie Slower ‘face aging’ linked to better survival odds, according to second study of AI tool designed to aid precision care Alvin Powell Harvard Staff Writer May 21, 2026 8 min read Hugo Aerts (left) and Raymond Mak. Stephanie…