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Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 23-Jun-2026 17:16 ET (23-Jun-2026 21:16 GMT/UTC)

Study compares ways to support opioid deprescribing in primary care

American Academy of Family Physicians
Peer-Reviewed Publication

This study examined how different types of support for 32 primary care clinics affected opioid prescribing and overall costs using a 2 x 2 design. Clinics were divided into four groups: education about opioid prescribing and regular feedback on their prescribing patterns only; education and feedback plus help changing clinic workflows; education and feedback plus coaching for prescribers; or education and feedback plus both clinic workflow support and prescriber coaching.

Journal: The Annals of Family Medicine

Nearly half of CDC surveillance databases have halted updates, raising concerns about health data gaps

American College of Physicians
Peer-Reviewed Publication

An audit of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) public databases found that nearly half of routinely updated federal health surveillance systems had stopped or delayed updates in 2025, raising concerns that gaps in data, particularly on vaccinations and respiratory diseases, could undermine clinical guidance, public health policy, and public trust.

Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine

Study links salty drinking water to higher blood pressure, especially in coastal areas

Florida International University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Salt is usually something people are warned to limit in food, not drinking water. But a global analysis suggests sodium in tap water may be an overlooked contributor to high blood pressure, particularly in coastal regions.

The study, published in BMJ Global Health, found that higher salinity in drinking water was associated with higher blood pressure and an increased risk of hypertension.

Journal: BMJ Global Health

WVU research team working to restore sight lost to genetic eye disease

West Virginia University
Grant and Award Announcement

Visvanathan Ramamurthy, professor and chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine and vice chair of research in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the West Virginia University School of Medicine, is leading the multidisciplinary study alongside a group of scientists and clinicians at WVU to restore vision in people who develop a form of inherited blindness.

New data show reduced overall PFAS exposures in subarctic ocean

Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Pilot whale samples from 1986-2023 show that legacy PFAS are declining in the open ocean. Newer PFAS remain a major unknown and may be accumulating in near-source environments.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Researchers discover a previously unknown bacterial component in kidney stone formation

University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In an unexpected finding, a UCLA-led team has discovered that bacteria are present inside the most common type of kidney stone, revealing a previously unrecognized component involved in their formation. The findings point to a possible therapeutic target that could be used for prevention and treatment for the millions of people who are affected by the frequently painful condition.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Funder: National Science Foundation, National Research Service Award, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago, CNSI Voucher Award

Stroke warning signs often overlooked in pregnancy

University of Pittsburgh
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A quarter of pregnant patients suffering stroke symptoms sought care but were misdiagnosed, underscoring the need for better clinician awareness.

Journal: Stroke
Funder: Helen Gurley Brown Foundation, Gerstner Family Foundation

Racism packs a punch for those enduring it over a lifetime

Washington University in St. Louis
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis find evidence that elevated stress exposure and its inflammatory correlates may contribute to Black-White racial disparities in mortality risk.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

New study may offer hope to women suffering menopausal hot flashes, night sweats

University of Victoria
Peer-Reviewed Publication

UVic research team discovers association between midlife insulin levels and menopause symptoms.

Journal: The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
Funder: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, Canadian Institutes of Health Research