More from Health & Medicine

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  South Africa's Student Stress Crisis

  South Africa's Class of 2025 celebrated an 88% matric pass rate, but beneath the success lies a growing mental health crisis among youth. The fierce competition for university spots, with 25 applicants per place at top institutions like Wits and UCT, fuels anxiety and a toxic achievement culture. Experts like Jennifer Breheny Wallace warn this pressure damages creativity and self-worth, urging parents to foster a sense of 'mattering' beyond grades. The challenge now is to redefine success and support young people's mental well-being amid economic and social pressures.

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  REITs' Grip on Nursing Homes Sparks Outcry

  Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are increasingly buying long-term care facilities, influencing management decisions that affect resident care quality. Lawsuits highlight tragic cases like Pearlene Darby and Shirley Adams, who suffered fatal neglect linked to understaffing and poor oversight. Despite owning a significant share of senior housing, REITs avoid direct operational responsibility, complicating accountability. As scrutiny grows, regulators face pressure to enhance transparency and protect vulnerable residents.

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  Old Weight Loss Methods: Why They Failed

  As the 5-year mark of Wegovy's approval approaches, it's clear that many past weight loss treatments like DNP, lap bands, fen-phen, lorcaserin, and rainbow pills fell out of favor due to severe side effects or limited effectiveness. These treatments, once popular, often caused dangerous health issues or failed to deliver lasting results. Today, GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide are revolutionizing obesity care, though challenges remain. The focus now is on safer, more effective solutions to combat obesity long-term.

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  Breakthrough in KRAS Pancreatic Cancer Drug

  A promising new drug, daraxonrasib, developed by Revolution Medicines, is showing potential to extend the lives of patients with KRAS-mutated pancreatic cancer, a notoriously aggressive disease. After decades of failed attempts to target the KRAS gene, this breakthrough offers hope where previous drugs only provided marginal benefits. Patients like Leanna Stokes have experienced significantly improved outcomes in clinical trials, signaling a new era in pancreatic cancer treatment. Researchers are optimistic this progress could also impact other KRAS-driven cancers, with many companies now racing to develop similar therapies.