Biomedical innovation reached a new era during the COVID-19 pandemic as drug development went into overdrive. But the ways that brand companies license their patented drugs grant them market monopoly, preventing other entities from making generics so they can exclusively profit. This significantly limits the reach of lifesaving drugs, ...Read more

The annual pattern of winter depression and melancholy – better known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD – suggests a strong link between your mood and the amount of light you get during the day.

To put it simply: The less light exposure one has, the more one’s mood may decline.

Wintertime blues are common, but about...Read more

After decades of failure in Alzheimer’s disease research, scientists are buoyed by new findings that could mark a turning point in the field, offering hope that treatment may someday slow the grim deterioration of the brain.

The data, published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine and presented to applause at a sold-out ...Read more

Since the first motion picture, adults have worried about how children would respond to violent imagery. Now that mobile screens offer kids unlimited access to violent images and videos, we have even more to worry about.

Virtual violence is any act of aggression your child might absorb through TV, movies, video games, social media and other ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am a 50-year-old man who enjoys running. I have completed several half-marathons and began training for longer distances. A few months ago, I tore my calf muscle. I went to physical therapy, and all seemed to heal well. However, last weekend while running, I felt a strain in my calf. Is there anything I can do, or will I have...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — As disease raced through her body, Ruby suffered unrelenting pain for years.

Her hands and feet burned with neuropathy. High blood pressure made her dizzy. She wound up more than once in a hospital emergency room, where doctors hooked her up to an IV to send insulin into her bloodstream, lowering dangerously high blood ...Read more

Researchers estimate that more than half a million people in the U.S. have Crohn's disease, and 600,000 to 900,000 people in the U.S. have ulcerative colitis, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Inflammatory bowel disease is an umbrella term used to describe disorders that involve chronic ...Read more

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

Children of nurses who identify as Republican are less likely to receive a COVID-19 vaccination compared with children of nurses who identify as Democrat, according to our recently published study in the Journal of Community Health.

We surveyed more than 1,000...Read more

It's flu season again, so most people get a flu shot and strive to stay healthy. But can certain foods or supplements boost the immune system and help with that "staying healthy" goal?

While having a healthy immune system is a plus during the season of colds and flu, consider these tips for keeping your immune system strong throughout the year....Read more

Have you recently taken a COVID-19 test? If you're waiting for your COVID-19 test results, Mayo Clinic COVID-19 diagnostic experts have some helpful guidelines to walk you through the process.

It all depends on the type of test and your results.

Next steps after testing positive with polymerase chain reaction test

If you test positive for ...Read more

During a routine visit to the Good Samaritan Clinic in Morganton, North Carolina, in 2018, Herbert Buff casually mentioned that he sometimes had trouble breathing.

He was 55 years old and a decadeslong smoker. So the doctor recommended that Buff schedule time on a 35-foot-long bus operated by the Levine Cancer Institute that would roll through ...Read more

More than 44% of teens reported persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness in the first half of 2021, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The early 2022 report, which was based on an online survey, also found that nearly 20% had seriously considered suicide, and 9% attempted suicide.

The ...Read more

Twitter’s decision to no longer enforce its COVID-19 misinformation policy, quietly posted on the site’s rules page and listed as effective Nov. 23, 2022, has researchers and experts in public health seriously concerned about the possible repercussions.

Health misinformation is not new. A classic case is the misinformation about a...Read more

When Jerry Bilinski, a 67-year-old retired social worker, scheduled cataract surgery with Carolina Eye Associates near his home in Fayetteville, North Carolina, he expected no drama, just a future with better vision.

Cataract procedures are among the most common surgeries in the U.S. — nearly 4 million take place annually — and generally ...Read more

Preventable failures in U.S. maternal health care result in far too many pregnancy-related deaths. Each year, approximately 700 parents die from pregnancy and childbirth complications. As such, the U.S. maternal mortality rate is more than double that of most other developed countries.

The Department of Health and Human Services ...Read more

There’s nothing like the festive spread of beloved holiday meals to heighten the season’s celebratory gatherings. If you’re looking to enhance this year’s menu, try increasing the amount of plant-based foods. Adding plant foods, like vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils and whole grains, is a great way to make a meal healthier...Read more

A strong immune system is the foundation of good health, warding off infections and allowing you to bounce back more quickly if you do get sick. Although there is no one food or supplement that has been scientifically proven to improve immunity, there are certain foods and health practices that can give you a natural boost.

A diet rich in whole...Read more

Some people may be cautious when it comes to using oils in cooking or with their food. Eating fat with meals conjures thoughts of high cholesterol and, well, getting fat. The fact that some fats are labeled as “bad” adds to the confusion and misconception that all fats are unhealthy.

But that isn’t the case.

“It’s important to ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I threw out my back doing yardwork. While I was laid up for a few weeks, I’m OK now. I’m concerned I will reinjure my back shoveling snow this winter. How can I protect my back while shoveling?

ANSWER: Winters in certain parts of the country can be long and snowy. While seemingly an innocuous task, snow shoveling can be a ...Read more