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French doctor accused of serial poisonings was at first 'above suspicion'

A French doctor accused of intentionally poisoning 30 child and adult patients, 12 of whom died, was "above suspicion" at the start of a probe in 2017, an investigator said on Thursday.

Scientists behind breakthrough cystic fibrosis treatment awarded top US prize

Cystic fibrosis was once a dire, likely deadly diagnosis, destroying a patient's ability to breathe and digest food -- but a revolutionary new treatment offers reason for hope.

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Informing parents not enough to fight childhood obesity: study

Government-led programmes attempting to curb childhood obesity by educating parents do not work, an international study published Thursday concluded, and researchers are calling for policies that prioritise society-wide solutions.

US pharma giant Merck ditches plan for $1.4-bn research centre in UK

Merck, the US pharmaceutical group, said on Wednesday it has dropped plans to build a $1.4-billion research centre in Britain, blaming the country's "lack of investment" in the sector and its drugs prices.

UK aims to transform Alzheimer's diagnosis with blood test trial

UK researchers on Wednesday announced the trial of a blood test for Alzheimer's which it is hoped will transform diagnosis of the disease.

Obese surpass undernourished youths for first time, UN warns

Obesity has skyrocketed among children and adolescents bombarded by "unethical" marketing of junk food, outpacing undernourishment to become the leading form of malnutrition worldwide for the first time among those age five to 19, UNICEF warned Tuesday.

US unveils new health plan avoiding curbs on junk food, pesticides

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday unveiled the Trump administration's long-awaited plan to tackle chronic disease, calling for better nutrition, tighter scrutiny of medical advertising, and even a new push to boost fertility.

Trial of doctor accused of poisoning 30 patients begins in France

A French doctor accused of intentionally poisoning 30 child and adult patients, 12 of whom died, went on trial Monday, saying before the hearing he was not responsible for the "distress" of his alleged victims and their families.

AI-powered meet-up apps fight loneliness

On a summer evening in San Francisco, JT Mason went to dinner with five complete strangers, confident he would have a good time thanks to careful guest selection by a new type of app for meeting people.

RFK Jr defends US health agency shake up, Democrats call for his ouster

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy said Thursday that firing a top government scientist was "absolutely necessary," as he faced blistering criticism from Democrats urging him to resign over his steps to curb vaccines.

Could humans become immortal, as Putin was heard telling Xi?

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have been recorded on a hot mic discussing how organ transplants and other medical advances could let humans live past 150 years -- or even become immortal.

RFK Jr defends health agency shake up, Democrats call for his ouster

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy said Thursday that firing the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was "absolutely necessary" to restore high standards, as he faced blistering criticism from Democrats urging him to resign.

Florida to scrap all vaccine mandates, West Coast states push back

A top health official in Florida on Wednesday vowed to end all vaccine mandates in the state, including school requirements, likening the measure to prevent childhood diseases to "slavery."

Florida to end 'slavery' of vaccine mandates

A top Florida health official on Wednesday vowed to end all vaccine mandates, including school immunization requirements, likening the measures to prevent childhood diseases to slavery.

US West Coast states announce new agency for vaccine guidelines

California, Washington and Oregon announced Wednesday they will form a new public health body to issue vaccine guidelines, saying the move is needed to counter the Trump administration's growing "politicization" of science.

ChatGPT to get parental controls after teen's death

American artificial intelligence firm OpenAI said Tuesday it would add parental controls to its chatbot ChatGPT, a week after an American couple said the system encouraged their teenaged son to kill himself.

RFK Jr 'endangering' all Americans, health agency ex-chiefs warn

Nine former leaders of the top US health body sounded the alarm Monday about the Trump administration's evisceration of the agency and warned that vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr is "endangering every American's health."

Directors who quit US health agency warn it is 'destroying' protections

Senior experts who recently resigned in protest from the top US public health agency denounced Sunday growing politicization of the organization, warning of a breakdown in the "firewall" between science and ideology.

Lay off our eggs market, French producers tell Ukraine

The leading French eggs association has sounded alarm over the import of hundreds of thousands of eggs from Ukraine, warning they breach with European production standards and may contain banned antibiotics.

Mistrust undermines Ivory Coast's universal healthcare dream

As patients enter a major Abidjan hospital, a large sign informs them that Ivory Coast's universal health insurance will cover some of their medical expenses.

White House fires US health agency head after she refused to quit

The Trump administration confirmed Wednesday it was firing the head of the top US public health agency after she refused to step down during a stand-off with vaccine skeptic Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

1 in 4 people lack access to safe drinking water: UN

More than two billion people worldwide still lack access to safely-managed drinking water, the United Nations said Tuesday, warning that progress towards universal coverage was moving nowhere near quickly enough.

A healer and a fighter: The double life of UFC star Shi Ming

By day Shi Ming heals patients as a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. By night she trains to deliver brutal knockouts in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

AI helps UK woman rediscover lost voice after 25 years

A British woman suffering from motor neurone disease who lost her ability to speak is once again talking in her own voice thanks to artificial intelligence and a barely audible eight-second clip from an old home video.

Canada measles cases pass 4,500, highest count in Americas

Canada's measles case count has passed 4,500, with the western province of Alberta -- which has about five million people -- recording more cases this year than the United States, figures updated Thursday showed.

Record number of mosquito-borne disease outbreaks in Europe: health agency

Europe has registered a record number of outbreaks of mosquito-borne illnesses such as chikungunya and West Nile virus this year, the EU health agency said Wednesday, saying climate change was contributing to a "new normal".

Sounds serious: NYC noise pollution takes a toll

Tim Mulligan moved to central Manhattan so he could be closer to work and avoid a daily ordeal on the rattling, screeching subway, just one part of the urban noisescape that tests New Yorkers every day.

Majority of Americans think alcohol bad for health: poll

A narrow majority of Americans now believe even moderate consumption of alcohol negatively affects health, as US drinking levels continue to decline, according to a recent survey.

New compromise but still no deal at plastic pollution talks

Countries trying to break the deadlock and strike a landmark global treaty on combating plastic pollution negotiated through the night into Friday on a last-minute revised proposal.

Tainted fentanyl blamed for 87 hospital deaths in Argentina

At least 87 people have died in Argentina after being administered bacteria-infected fentanyl in hospitals, a judge investigating the deaths said Wednesday.

New cancer plan urged as survival improvements in England slow

Improvements in cancer survival rates in England and Wales have slowed down significantly since 2010, according to a major study released Wednesday, leading to calls for an urgent national cancer plan.

Gambia baby death heightens alarm over female genital mutilation

Rights activists in The Gambia are calling for justice after a one-month-old baby's death was linked to female genital mutilation, a widely practised but illegal procedure up for review before the country's Supreme Court.

Indian top court orders roundup of stray dogs in Delhi

India's Supreme Court on Monday ordered the removal of tens of thousands of stray dogs from the capital, citing public safety concerns after a surge in dog bites.

New York declares total war on prolific rat population

New York is waging a war on multiple fronts to combat the near ubiquitous rats that plague city streets and the subways, leaving some residents afraid to let their children walk on sidewalks.

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