TOPIC COLLECTION

Health & Pharmaceuticals

Included topics:
Sarah Baldassaro (left) demonstrates a strength-training regimen with her trainer, Hilary Granat, in Washington. Medical experts say strength training keeps bones and muscles healthy after menopause, when oestrogen loss speeds up a reduction in bone density and contributes to the gradual loss of muscle mass. Photo: AP
Wellness

At 52, she is stronger than ever. How strength training helps women in midlife

Strength training after 50 helps women counter bone loss post-menopause, build muscle and maintain a healthy weight.

Trending in China

China ‘dead or alive’ app allows solo users check in daily, alerts contacts if they miss it

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Beijing calls on Hong Kong to take lead in globalising traditional Chinese medicine

Novartis, SciNeuro deal offers hope for 55 million suffering from Alzheimer’s

SciNeuro’s anti-amyloid programme is one of the firm’s key strategic research and development priorities to target the brain disease.

videocam
Swiss drugmaker Novartis has gained global rights over SciNeuro’s novel amyloid beta targeted antibody programme. Photo: Reuters

‘Who can we trust?’: Nestle formula recall rattles Malaysian parents

Despite assurances that local stocks are safe, wary parents are scouring ingredient lists and doing their own ‘due diligence’.

Hong Kong stocks climb as yuan strengthens and investors broaden focus beyond US

Hang Seng Index advances as investors shift focus, boosting Asian equities, with pharmaceutical and healthcare shares leading gainers.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

China’s weight-loss drug war: prices slashed up to 80% as obesity crisis worsens

Foreign, local firms fight for market share as number of overweight or obese adults could top 630 million by 2050, from 400 million in 2021.

There were more than 400 million overweight or obese adults in China in 2021, according to a study. Photo: Getty Images

Sheinbaum tells Trump US military intervention in Mexico ‘unnecessary’

Mexico’s president said she rejected Trump’s offer of sending the US military after the cartels in her country.

5

5 power-ups for 2026 to start your 2026 wellness journey right

Check out apparel and footwear from the likes of Sporty & Rich and American Vintage, then sign up for Apple Fitness+ to stay focused on your goals.

New York City Mayor Mamdani joins picket line as 15,000 nurses strike

The city’s new mayor backs the walkout as thousands of nurses strike over pay, staffing and workplace safety.

videocam
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani joins nurses from New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Centre. Photo: AFP

Former British finance minister defects to Reform UK, backing Farage for PM

Nadhim Zahawi declares the Conservative Party a ‘defunct brand’ as he joins a growing exodus of Tories joining Nigel Farage’s party.

UK Reform leader Nigel Farage and Nadhim Zahawi. Photo: dpa

How mobility exercises can help you stay active and healthy as you age

Mobility exercises strengthen your muscles, increase your range of motion, and help you stay healthy in body and mind as you get older.

videocam

Meet Poppy Liu, who plays Helen on Netflix’s His & Hers

After studying theatre and women’s studies at university, they started a sex-positive production company and acted in shows like Better Call Saul – they’re also a trained doula.

Malaysian man who used home labs to brew drug drinks worth US$246,000 arrested

The suspect was using residences to process and store drug-laced soft drinks with a street value of up to US$75 per bottle, police say.

KL police display drug laced drinks seized in a 2023 raid. Photo: The Star

Singaporean dementia study links Alzheimer’s to clogged ‘brain drains’

Blocked glymphatic channels, part of the brain’s waste-cleaning network, could be an early Alzheimer’s marker, Singaporean researchers find.

An elderly Asian woman with dementia is comforted by her daughter. A study of nearly 1,000 Singaporeans found that those showing early signs of Alzheimer’s tended to have “enlarged perivascular spaces”, or blocked glymphatic channels, the pathways through which cerebrospinal fluid washes away toxins from the brain. Photo: Shutterstock

Hong Kong stocks rise on tech, health as mainland China turnover hits record

Alibaba Health soars over paediatric drug deal as trading volume on Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges tops US$513 billion.

How celebrity wellness brands are reshaping self-care

From wellness OG Gwyneth Paltrow, to newer entrepreneurs like Halle Berry, celebrities have shifted their focus from beauty to health.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

India’s Modi to host German leader to bolster trade, defence ties

Merz’s visit is his first to an Asian country since he took office, ahead of a planned EU-India summit and as they work on a free-trade agreement.

A poster featuring German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (right) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Ahmedabad, India, on Sunday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Hong Kong issues 4 tickets from 700 new site inspections under expanded smoking ban

New zones include outside hospitals, clinics and tram stops with possession of e-cigarettes in public to be a criminal offence from April 30.

5

This Chinese-Vietnamese plant-based influencer makes even haters love tofu

Wendy the Food Scientist is on a mission to make plant-based eating simple, healthy and satisfying – no ultra-processed ‘fake meat’ required.

Changing tastes: China’s new affluent consumers seek quality not extravagance

Rise of upper middle class reshapes China’s retail market, driving demand for quality goods and creating a battleground for global brands.

The success of US retailer Sam’s Club in China is attributed to its “premium-value” offering sought by upper-middle-income consumers. Photo: Eugene Lee

Opinion | Hong Kong’s ageing population needs purpose, not just medical care

Too many among the city’s ageing population struggle on their own due to stigmas around mental health and a lack of targeted policies.

videocam
An elderly woman at Oi Man Estate in Ho Man Tin in October 2025. Photo: Jelly Tse

China woman, 23, exercises 6 times a week, stops menstruating due to rapid weight loss

Intense workouts see woman’s female hormone levels slump to that of a 50-year-old; doctors warn her to slow down, try yoga instead.

Explainer | It’s not you, it’s the weather: all about seasonal affective disorder

Beat the winter blues – and even summer SAD – with expert tips on light therapy, diet and mindfulness for better seasonal mental health.

Nestlé Hong Kong recalls another baby milk formula batch as tests get all clear

Swiss food giant has added a batch of formula with best-before date of June 16, 2027, to its recall list.

Nestlé is embroiled in a global scare over the potential contamination of certain batches of baby milk formula. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority approves 85% of fee waiver requests on average

Authority says it receives an average of about 5,000 applications a day, releasing figures following complaints about complicated procedures.

Hong Kong’s new fees for public healthcare took effect on January 1. Photo: Dickson Lee

China woman who lost limbs in crash gives disabled staff jobs based on their strengths

30-year-old who suffered 3 heart attacks, 14 rounds of surgery dresses like a ‘warrior’; is described as the ‘pride of all women’ online.

Why your gut microbiome is so important for health and how to protect it

Bacteria in the gut perform important jobs that help prevent disease, but how to best protect and improve yours? An expert weighs in.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Health & Pharmaceuticals
The latest news on health and wellness, including healthcare, health insurance and hospitals. Also covers topics around the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology, cancer, dementia, disability, obesity, mental health and well-being, plus diet and fitness.