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Medicine
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Medicine. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
A barista pours a freshly made coffee. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

That morning coffee is doing wonders for your health, says new study

Researchers at Tulane University have found drinking coffee in the morning appears to be better for health outcomes than caffeinating throughout the day – though they don’t know why.

Wellness

Iodine deficiency has made a comeback. The risks, and how to get enough

Wellness

AI mirror on the wall, who’s the most stressed of all? Tech at CES says you

Wellness

How a Japanese electric spoon could help reduce the salt in your diet

The spoon uses an electric current to make food taste saltier, so you don’t feel the need to add more, and the risks of salt overconsumption.

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A spoon from Kirin uses a light electronic current to make food taste saltier than it actually is. Photo: Kirin
Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Hong Kong health officials take aim at 168 schools for not joining flu jab drive

Official urges members of the public to get vaccinated as surveillance data shows Hong Kong has entered the flu season.

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United States

‘Life-changing’ move as Biden administration bans medical debt from credit reports

This decision will remove US$49 billion in medical debt and could lead to an average credit score increase of 20 points.

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Wellness

Hong Kong researcher on how TCM could be used to fight dementia

A neuroscientist describes how traditional Chinese medicine may provide modern solutions to preserving cognitive function as we age.

Researchers, including in Hong Kong, have been looking at the potential of traditional Chinese medicine to treat dementia, cases of which are forecast to rise as the elderly population grows. Photo: Yik Yeung-man
Wellness

5 million people. 1 psychiatric hospital. Many patients are chained to beds

At Mauritania’s Nouakchott Centre for Specialised Medicine, most patients stay for only a few days as beds and staff are too scarce.

Science

Surgery via satellite: China conducts remote medical procedures in world first

Remote doctors have successfully operated on a series of patients using a Chinese satellite and surgical robot system.

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Profile

Melanie Cheng on leaving Australia for Hong Kong, and becoming a doctor and author

The Australian GP and writer talks about meeting other girls ‘like her’ and the magic of writing a passion project.

Australian-born Melanie Cheng moved to Hong Kong with her family when she was seven. Photo: Courtesy of Melanie Cheng
Education in Hong Kong

Outgoing CUHK head to focus on medical research, remain involved in academia

Rocky Tuan also cites navigating the Covid-19 pandemic as one of the most unforgettable experiences during his tenure.

Professor Rocky Tuan delivers a speech during the 94th congregation ceremony at the university in November of last year. Photo: Elson Li
Wellness

Pancreatic cancer needs catching early. The signs and symptoms to look for

The disease is rarely found in time for lifesaving treatment, and kills about half a million people annually; here is what to look for.

Wellness

How gender stereotyping of girls with ADHD delays diagnosis often until adulthood

Despite signs of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder during childhood, it is often not diagnosed until adulthood, especially in women.

Wellness

Trucks converted to mobile clinics offer medical services to Greek islands

Free dental and medical consultations, and scans, are provided by truck to people of Greece’s remote islands and regions.

Doctors examine patients aboard a truck used as a mobile clinic on Sikinos Island, Greece, on December 14, 2024. Converted into medical examination units, the trucks and a local school are part of a campaign funded over the past decade by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. Photo: AFP
Wellness

The celebrities driving traditional Chinese medicine’s boom in the West

Stars from Ariana Grande to Tom Brady are helping traditional Chinese medicine treatments like cupping and acupuncture soar in popularity.

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Ex-One Direction band member Zayn Malik praises Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa, a Chinese herbal syrup, as an “elixir” for his voice in an interview with British Vogue in June 2024. Photo: SCMP composite/YouTube (@British Vogue)/Ninjiom.com
Science

Chinese scientists show animal brain changes while awake through neural imaging

Microscopy technology is promising because of potential for taking live imaging of the brain and other organs and tissues, say researchers.

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Wellness

Personal health forecasts based on DNA are getting close to reality

Personal well-being guides based on our genetic make-up that have the potential to predict disease risks are becoming increasingly possible.

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Wellness

5 new OCD research findings that could drive better treatment

The holidays can exacerbate symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder but new research into its causes is leading to greater understanding.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) stimulates and resets specific areas of the brain to provide relief from OCD symptoms. Photo: Shutterstock
Science

China-born biologist Wang Cunyu returns from decades in US to head institute

Wang was recognised by Science magazine in 1996 for his work on cancer cell death.

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Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Hong Kong should open third medical school sooner amid Sino-US tensions: expert

Former head of Hospital Authority Anthony Wu says new institution must embrace technology and prepare to train talent soon.

Wellness

5 years after pandemic began, long Covid still turns lives upside down

Two victims describe lingering, debilitating symptoms that keep them from reclaiming their lives; WHO expert describes barriers to diagnosis.

Andrea Vanek in Vienna, Austria, with medicine she takes for long Covid, a condition in which patients fail to recover fully from the acute phase of Covid infection. Photo: AFP
US-China relations

Opinion | US-China science pact renewal a ray of hope amid techno-nationalism

The pact sustains targeted collaboration, but it also risks reinforcing emerging scientific blocs, potentially reshaping the global research landscape.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Wellness

Snake gut secrets unlocked by new study may help treat human diseases

Research on how pythons regenerate their guts may open door to treatment for Crohn’s and coeliac diseases, colorectal cancer, even diabetes.

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Science

A liver acid could be an anti-ageing ‘elixir’, Chinese scientists say

Researchers find naturally occurring acid induces pseudo-starvation effects, resulting in anti-ageing effects in animals.

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Wellness

Why Chinese Gen Z are getting TCM winter body check-ups

Lei Yun Shang’s traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinic in Shanghai is seeing more young people get health checks as winter sets in.

Qiu Jingchuan, deputy chief practitioner at Lei Yun Shang, takes a patient’s blood pressure at the company’s TCM clinic in Shanghai, China. Photo: Lisa Cam
Wellness

Surge in colon cancer in young people reflects global lifestyle changes

Colon cancer rates are falling among older people, but rising among young people because of sedentary lifestyles and processed-food diets.

Snack foods tend to be in high in salt, sugar, and fat. Photo: Shutterstock
United States

Trump nominees should ‘steer clear’ of undermining polio vaccine: McConnell

Republican heavyweight Mitch McConnell warns against efforts to undermine public confidence in the polio vaccine.

New medical drugs

Novel drug awaits Hong Kong diabetics suffering from debilitating eye disease

Oculis’ OCS-01 eye drops, currently in phase 3 trials for diabetic macular edema, can be an alternative to injection, CEO says.

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