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Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 25-Oct-2026 04:16 ET (25-Oct-2026 08:16 GMT/UTC)

NRG Oncology trial results show favorable bowel health related quality of life outcomes for localized immediate risk prostate cancer treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy – Results published

NRG Oncology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Results of the NRG Oncology NRG-GU005 clinical study comparing stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to moderately hypofractionated intensity-modulated radiation therapy (MH-IMRT) for patients with localized intermediate risk prostate cancer indicate that the use of SBRT improved bowel health related quality of life (HRQOL) in this patient population. There was no significant improvement for SBRT seen for the other primary objectives including urinary HRQOL and disease-free survival. These results are now published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) following the presentation during the Plenary Session of the 2025 American Society for Radiation Oncology Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California.

Journal: Journal of the American Medical Association

Researchers to lead $3.3 million project to study opioid treatment during breastfeeding

Binghamton University
Grant and Award Announcement

Researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York have been awarded a $3.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study drug transfer through human breast milk.

Anti-immigrant ‘public charge’ policy may have contributed to rise in HIV among Hispanic ropulations

Boston University School of Public Health
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Following the Trump administration's announcement of changes to the public charge rule in 2018, a new study showed a 16.8-percent increase in HIV incidence among Hispanic populations living in antisanctuary counties, compared to baseline counties. The researchers also examined HIV incidence by race, and found no comparable increase among Black populations, which further indicates that post-2018 immigration policies and rhetoric uniquely affected Hispanic communities.

Journal: Milbank Quarterly

Facilitated transitions to postpartum primary care and mental health care services

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In this ad hoc secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial, a supported transition from obstetric care to postpartum primary care was associated with greater use of primary care–provided mental health services among pregnant and postpartum individuals with anxiety, depression, or both. The intervention increased screening, counseling, and some treatment-related services in primary care, while differences in specialty mental health visits were not observed. This relatively low-cost intervention may be one strategy to facilitate ongoing access to mental health care supports and treatments beyond the immediate postpartum period.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

Hai Sun, MD, PhD receives $2.9 million NIH grant for epilepsy research

Rutgers University
Grant and Award Announcement

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS) neurosurgeon Hai Sun, MD, PhD, has been awarded a five-year, $2.9 million research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support a groundbreaking study aimed at improving the accuracy of pre-surgical mapping and planning for patients who seek surgery as a treatment option for epilepsy. RWJUH is a RWJBarnabas Health facility.

Prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides not associated with autism-related traits in children in large NIH study

Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Exposure during pregnancy to a common type of pesticide was not linked to autism-related traits in children, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program.

Journal: JAMA Pediatrics
Funder: NIH Office of the Director

How preference for sons affects women’s mental health in rural India

College of ACES at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In rural India, having a son is a strong social expectation that puts pressure on women to bear male children. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines how a firstborn son affects the well-being of childbearing women and their mothers-in-law, as well as the broader implications for household dynamics and economic outcomes.

Journal: Journal of Development Economics
Funder: World Bank Group, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, National Institute of Food and Agriculture

University of Tartu researchers showed that a single genetic test can uncover causes of previously unexplained premature ovarian insufficiency

Estonian Research Council
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Premature ovarian insufficiency affects up to 3.5% of women and is an important cause of female infertility. However, in most cases, the underlying cause remains unknown. A recent study by researchers at the University of Tartu showed that a single comprehensive genetic analysis can identify genetic causes in some women whose condition had previously remained unexplained.

Journal: Human Reproduction Open

PCORI awards funding for new patient-centered healthcare research to inform healthcare decisions

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Grant and Award Announcement

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) announced funding for new patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) and related projects to inform clinical practice. The projects span emergency, hospital and outpatient care and address a range of health concerns including cancer, cardiovascular disease, mental and behavioral health, women’s health, pediatric care, rare diseases and chronic disease management.