HEALTH

India has launched a free, nationwide campaign to vaccinate 1.15 crore 14-year-old girls against HPV, aiming to curb cervical cancer deaths using the Gardasil 4 vaccine.

India has launched its first indigenously manufactured Tetanus and adult Diphtheria (Td) vaccine at the Central Research Institute in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh. The move replaces the old tetanus toxoid shot, will supply 55 lakh doses by April 2026, and is expected to lower vaccine costs under the Universal Immunization Programme.

With up to half of hypertension patients struggling to take multiple daily medications, the FDA has approved Widaplik—a single-pill combination therapy—while new research highlights the benefits of "quadpill" strategies and even hot water immersion for managing high blood pressure.

A landmark Swedish study of over 100,000 women shows AI-supported mammography reduces interval breast cancer diagnoses by 12%, detects more aggressive cancers earlier, and lowers radiologists’ workload by 44%.

New research shows that a risk model based on neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) genes accurately predicts prognosis and chemotherapy response in colorectal cancer, offering hope for more personalized treatment strategies.

The 2026 American Cancer Society report reveals record-high cancer survival rates, with five-year survival at 70% and 90% of childhood leukemia patients cured, but warns of lingering risks for survivors and ongoing disparities in access to care.

The phase 2b PIONEER trial published in Nature Cancer shows that combining megestrol with letrozole significantly improves tumor suppression and reduces hot flashes for postmenopausal women with early-stage ER-positive breast cancer, though some side effects remain.

Chronic stress quietly affects blood circulation and keeps cortisol high, say Indian and US doctors. Everyday habits—like skipping meals or poor sleep—may silently worsen symptoms, impacting heart health and immunity.

Researchers from Harvard, Oxford, and the British Heart Foundation identify a routine blood test that predicts risk and severity in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, potentially transforming care for millions with the common inherited heart condition.

A mutated influenza A strain dubbed H3N2 subclade K—known as the “super flu”—is causing a spike in U.S. infections and raising concern of a severe flu season, with early evidence of vaccine mismatch but continued recommendations to get vaccinated.