Health & Medicine

  1. Health & Medicine

    Merck’s COVID-19 pill may soon be here. How well will it work?

    Once hailed as a potential game changer, more complete data now reveal drawbacks of Merck’s antiviral COVID-19 pill, molnupiravir.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  2. Health & Medicine

    What we know and don’t know about the omicron coronavirus variant

    The new omicron variant has lots of mutations and sparked a surge of cases in South Africa, but researchers still don’t know a lot about it.

    By Erin Garcia de Jesús
  3. Microbes

    A sailor’s story captures the impact of rising serious fungal infections

    Fungal infections are hard to diagnose, hard to treat and are on the rise. A young sailor is staying positive to navigate the challenges.

    By Aimee Cunningham
  4. Health & Medicine

    No, COVID-19 vaccines won’t make you infertile

    Contrary to misinformation spread by Aaron Rodgers and Nicki Minaj, neither the Pfizer, Moderna nor J&J vaccines cause infertility, data show.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  5. Health & Medicine

    How to choose a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot

    To help you choose between the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 boosters, one reporter looked to the evidence and consulted experts.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  6. Microbes

    Are viruses alive, not alive or something in between? And why does it matter?

    The way we talk about viruses can shift scientific research and our understanding of evolution.

    By Megan Scudellari
  7. Health & Medicine

    What parents need to know about Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11

    Federal health officials authorized the Pfizer vaccine for this age group on October 29.

    By Aimee Cunningham
  8. Health & Medicine

    The antidepressant fluvoxamine can keep COVID-19 patients out of the hospital

    A 10-day course of fluvoxamine sharply reduced hospital visits and deaths, raising hopes for an easy at-home treatment for COVID-19.

    By Esther Landhuis
  9. Health & Medicine

    Epidemics have happened before and they’ll happen again. What will we remember?

    A century’s worth of science has helped us fend off infectious pathogens. But we have a lot to learn from the people who lived and died during epidemics.

    By Aimee Cunningham
  10. Health & Medicine

    What does the first successful test of a pig-to-human kidney transplant mean?

    For the first time, a pig organ was successfully attached to a human patient. It’s a step toward vastly increasing the supply of organs.

    By Jonathan Lambert
  11. Health & Medicine

    Here’s what we know about booster shots for Moderna’s and J&J’s COVID-19 vaccines

    Immunity against the coronavirus is waning, but additional doses of the same or different COVID-19 vaccines could help protect vulnerable people.

    By Erin Garcia de Jesús
  12. Health & Medicine

    COVID-19 testing in schools works. So why aren’t more doing it?

    School COVID-19 testing programs can keep kids in class and safe, but face challenges ranging from deciding on a testing strategy to parental buy-in.

    By Betsy Ladyzhets