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HKU’s Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine. Photo: SCMP
Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

HKU launches clinical trial in Hong Kong to treat chronic hepatitis B patients

Existing medication only suppresses virus and has to be taken for decades, researcher says.

Trending in China

China cross-dresser secretly films sex with hundreds of men, sparks health fears

Science

Top Chinese oncologist and director of Jilin Cancer Hospital, Cheng Ying, dies

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Science

Neurobiologist Wang Jing leaves US to lead institute at China’s Shenzhen Bay Lab

Wang leaves University of California San Diego after 20 years to become director of the laboratory’s Institute of Molecular Physiology.

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Wang Jing’s full-time role at the Greater Bay Area lab marks a new direction in a career that has drawn on his experience in several disciplines, including engineering and biology. Photo: Handout
Wellness

How to save your own life after cancer? Exercise, a survivor explains

Mountaineer Petra Thaller, who survived breast cancer, leaned on exercise to thrive in recovery and set up an NGO to help others do the same.

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Science

Human heart structure beats 21 days in pig embryo in Chinese chimera study

The research could have implications for organ transplants, which are limited by the small number of donors.

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Wellness

Are you developing Parkinson’s disease? Earwax may show if you are at risk

Earwax tests could help with early Parkinson’s detection, Chinese researchers discover, offering hope for improved diagnosis and prevention.

Earwax from people with Parkinson’s disease was significantly different than the earwax from people without the disease, according to a recent study published by the American Chemical Society. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

How a Hong Kong man’s drug-resistant epilepsy was relieved using robotics

Neurosurgery expert says new approach could encourage more people to get check-ups for epilepsy conditions.

Indonesia

The rat in the room: understanding Indonesia’s hantavirus cases

Medical experts say there is no cause for alarm as the 8 reported cases of a disease linked to the virus happened at a local level.

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Science

Mammals could regenerate tissue by turning on ‘genetic switch’: Chinese team

Scientists studying ability of mice to regenerate ear damage say therapies based on retinoic acid might work across various tissue types.

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Chinese scientists studying regeneration say a mouse’s failure to regenerate stems from an inability to produce sufficient retinoic acid, a derivative of vitamin A. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

Why swimming is so good for brain health, especially as we age

Swimming is not just a great physical exercise but is also associated with better cognition and memory, and improved blood flow to the brain.

An older man swims in a pool. Researchers say one of the benefits of swimming is that it facilitates blood flow in the brain. Photo: Shutterstock
Science

The unsung spleen may play a big role in fighting diabetes: Chinese scientists

Researchers say nanoparticles could help engineer the spleen – a more promising long-term survival site than the liver – into a transplant hub.

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South Korea

Blood cancer cases at Seoul Metro spark workplace safety concerns

Thirteen maintenance workers affected so far, with new study citing prolonged exposure to toxic chemicals such as benzene as possible cause.

Coronavirus pandemic: All stories

Nimbus: the Covid-19 variant that may cause ‘razor blade throat’

Variant linked to severe sore throat spreads, growing in prevalence globally.

Covid-19 appears to be on the rise with a new, contagious subvariant featuring ‘razor blade throat’ symptoms. Photo: Shutterstock
Medicine

US approves Gilead’s twice-yearly shot for HIV prevention

Lenacapavir was nearly 100 per cent effective in preventing HIV in clinical trials.

A vial of Gilead’s HIV prevention medication. Photo: Gilead Sciences via AP
Trending in China

‘Cyborg’ Chinese woman with rare disorder lives on feeding tube, stays optimistic

‘Inspiring’ 32-year-old also wears a pacemaker, enjoys the fine arts, showcases her desire to thrive despite adversity on social media.

Wellness

What’s really causing your cold feet? A doctor explains possible issues

Circulation problems commonly cause cold feet, an expert says. People who are overweight or have high blood pressure are at increased risk.

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Japan

Young Japanese women twice as likely to take extended sick leave as men: study

Mental health conditions and pregnancy-related complications are the most cited reasons for being absent for over a month, survey shows.

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Mental illness is one of the reasons women in their twenties in Japan are calling in sick for extended periods. Photo: Shutterstock
Japan

Fatal virus fears rise in Japan after first suspected animal-to-human SFTS death

A Japanese veterinarian’s puzzling death from SFTS highlights the danger of this tick-borne virus for which there is no known cure.

Viral stories

Dying Thai boy, 6, fulfils final wish to meet famous pygmy hippo Moo Deng

Boy’s medical team reaches out to zoo last year to facilitate special visit to see Moo Deng, zoo quickly responds to accommodate.

United States

Opinion | US vaccine sceptics are now in charge. That’s bad news for the world

As RFK Jnr replaces CDC vaccine experts with hand-picked sceptics, at peril is not just US public health but its global scientific authority.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Wellness

A stroke at 31 left her not wanting to go out. How she got her life back

Kandi Schmitz was afraid of leaving the house or exercising after a stroke during a 5km run. Now she’s back training for a half marathon.

Kandi Schmitz (left) with her husband and two children in 2024. Schmitz had a stroke at 31 while running a 5K race; almost a decade later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Photo: Courtesy of Heather Lynn Photography/ American Heart Association
Wellness

Ignoring signs of a mini stroke means trouble later on, doctors say

Doing nothing if you have a mini stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) puts you at risk of a bigger one later on, and of having dementia.

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

How Hong Kong’s pilot disease scheme can help save HK$2.7 billion in expenses

Health Bureau says if 200,000 people join scheme, 9,000 cardiovascular diseases and 11,000 deaths could be prevented, leading to medical cost savings.

Japan

Japan’s Osaka Expo water shows suspended as Legionella levels top safety limit

Resumption of the shows will depend on the results of stepped-up sanitisation measures, including pipe cleaning and chemical disinfection.

The waterfront area of Expo 2025 Osaka. Photo: AFP
Wellness

From ‘cancer man’ at 35 to Ironman less than 2 years later, how he did it

To lose weight after gaining nearly 20kg after blood cancer treatment, Indian policeman Nidhin Valsan set his sights on his first triathlon.

Cancer survivor Nidhin Valsan finishes the 1.9km-long swimming leg of the Ironman 70.3 Goa competition in 2022. Photo: Nidhin Valsan
Wellness

Women’s longevity, heart health and more in focus at Hong Kong summit

Medical gaslighting, AI-driven tools also among topics to be examined by experts at the inaugural Women’s Health in Focus: A Global Summit.

Wellness

Colon cancer survival rates soar with regular exercise, study shows

New study suggests exercise coaching should be a new standard of care for treating colon cancer patients, with benefits rivalling some drugs.

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