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Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 22-Jun-2026 19:15 ET (22-Jun-2026 23:15 GMT/UTC)

Major Canadian study finds strong link between cannabis, anxiety and depression

McMaster University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

An analysis of 35,000 Canadians shows that rising cannabis use and worsening mental‑health symptoms are increasingly appearing together, with the connection between the two strengthening over time.

Journal: The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry

More organ donations now come from people who die after their heart stops beating

NYU Langone Health / NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Organ donation after the heart stops beating, a practice called donation after circulatory death, has gone from rare to routine in the United States, a new study shows. This shift over the past 25 years, aided by technological advances, is helping to meet the growing demand for transplants, the authors say.

Journal: JAMA

Immune cells link lactation to long-lasting health

Cell Press
Peer-Reviewed Publication

It’s widely known that breastfeeding impacts the health of both mother and child, but the underlying biology that leads to these effects has been understudied. In a review article publishing in the Cell Press journal Trends in Immunology on February 26, researchers highlight recent studies showing T cells—white blood cells that play a pivotal role in the immune system—shape the baby’s immune system, support healthy gut bacteria, and reduce the risk of breast cancer for the mother.

Journal: Trends in Immunology

Pickleball players’ reported use of protective eyewear

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: In this survey study, the rate of reported protective eyewear use was low among pickleball professionals and higher, but still less than half, among amateurs. Many players used personal prescription glasses, which may not meet the specifications for adequate protection. Given the rise in pickleball-related eye injuries, further efforts to improve the consistent use of high-quality protective eyewear seem warranted.

Journal: JAMA Ophthalmology

Changes in organ donation after circulatory death in the US

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: This study found that donation after circulatory death donors now comprise about half of deceased donors, including most donors at 44% of organ procurement organizations. Furthermore, contemporary donation after circulatory death (DCD) donors are more medically complex than those from prior eras. This growing reliance on DCD organs to maintain transplant access necessitates establishing best practices in DCD organ selection, preservation, and allocation.

Journal: JAMA

Fertility preservation in people with cancer

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Article: Cancer treatment can impair fertility and raise concerns about potential health risks to offspring. Clinicians should inform all patients undergoing cancer treatments about options for fertility preservation, ideally prior to initiation of cancer treatment, with consideration of the planned treatment’s gonadotoxic potential. This article summarizes the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s 2025 updated recommendations on fertility preservation in people with cancer.

Journal: JAMA

A universal 'instruction manual' helps immune cells protect our organs

University of Liège
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at the University of Liège have identified a key genetic regulator that enables macrophages to reach full maturity and preserve the health of our organs. The MafB factor, a veritable "molecular switch", activates or deactivates certain genes at the right time and in the right place, leading to the production of macrophages responsible for defending our body and supporting the functioning of our organs. Without MafB, macrophages can become dysfunctional, no longer performing their beneficial roles properly.

Journal: Immunity
Funder: Wel Research Institute, Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS, European Research Council, Fonds Baillet Latour

CSIC develops an antibody that protects immune system cells in vitro from a dangerous hospital-acquired bacterium

Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A monoclonal antibody created by the Nanobiotechnology for Diagnostics group (Nb4D) at the Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC), part of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), has demonstrated in cell cultures that it can neutralize the toxin pyocyanin produced by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which the World Health Organization considers highly dangerous due to its strong resistance to nearly all antibiotics and its prevalence in hospital settings.

Journal: ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science

Some infant formula fats may contribute to early liver disease, study finds

Virginia Tech
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New research helps explain how steatotic liver disease can appear in babies — and the role early nutrition may play.