EurekAlert! News by Subject: Medicine & Health - News by Subject: Medicine & Health

Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 2-Jan-2026 05:11 ET (2-Jan-2026 10:11 GMT/UTC)

19-Nov-2025

Smoking cannabis and eating highly processed foods raises cardiac health risks, USF study finds

University of South Florida
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Cannabis smoke and processed-food diets weaken the immune system, making it harder for the body to repair heart damage caused by inhaled cannabis. Cannabis compounds rapidly accumulate in major organs, including the heart, lungs and brain, where they can intensify inflammation. The risks are greatest for individuals already eating seed-oil–rich processed foods, a pattern common among populations with high rates of obesity and chronic illness.

Journal: Life Sciences
Funder: Florida Department of Health

19-Nov-2025

Researchers diagnose disease with a drop of blood, a microscope and AI

University of Tokyo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Scientists developed an automated, high-throughput system that relies on imaging biofluid droplets for disease diagnosis, reducing the number of consumables and equipment needed for biomedical testing. In the workflow, images of a drying droplet are analyzed by machine-learning algorithms to diagnose abnormalities in blood. Differences in the drying process of biofluid droplets are used to distinguish between normal and disease samples. This technology can also be used with other bodily fluids, including saliva and urine, and may provide a fast, cost-efficient diagnostic testing means in underserved communities and developing countries.

Journal: Advanced Intelligent Systems

19-Nov-2025

UC San Diego researchers expand virus-based treatment options for antibiotic-resistant infections

University of California - San Diego
Peer-Reviewed Publication

UC San Diego researchers are using bacteriophages — viruses that kill bacteria — to fight antibiotic-resistant pathogens, a major threat to public health.

Journal: Nature Communications

19-Nov-2025

Phase 2 clinical trial results show potential to shorten TB treatment time

TB Alliance
Reports and Proceedings

New clinical trial results presented by TB Alliance at the Union World Conference on Lung Health show that the novel antibiotic candidate sorfequiline (TBAJ-876), a next-generation diarylquinoline, has the potential to improve tuberculosis (TB) treatment when combined with pretomanid and linezolid in a treatment regimen known as “SPaL.”

The NC-009 trial (a pan-Phase 2 clinical trial) showed that, overall, sorfequiline had greater activity than bedaquiline. The 100 mg SPaL regimen had greater activity against TB than the standard of care HRZE (isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol), indicating the potential to shorten treatment time for active TB. In addition, the SPaL regimen had a comparable safety profile to the standard of care for people with drug-sensitive TB (DS-TB).