Medical Treatments

The first customer of the day, Rittipomng Bachkul celebrates after buying legal marijuana at the Highland Cafe in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, June 9, 2022.

Thailand decriminalizes marijuana, but not the strong stuff

2:42am June 09, 2022

by The Associated Press

Thailand's government says it is promoting cannabis for medical use only, warning that lighting up recreationally in public could still considered to be a nuisance subject to a potential fines.

Moderna says its new COVID vaccine is effective against omicron

4:50pm June 08, 2022

by Rob Stein

Moderna says a new version of the company's COVID-19 vaccine appears to be highly effective against the omicron variant.

Dr. Stephaun Wallace, who leads the global external relations strategies for the COVID-19 Prevention Network at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, receives his second injection from Dr. Tia Babu during the Novavax vaccine phase 3 clini

Health & Safety

Advisers to the FDA back Novavax COVID vaccine

5:21pm June 07, 2022

Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration overwhelmingly voted to recommend that it authorize Novavax's two-dose vaccine against COVID-19.

The new treatment is categorized as immunotherapy.

Health & Safety

This experimental drug could change the field of cancer research

4:32pm June 07, 2022

A small trial using the drug dostarlimab yielded an unprecedented success rate in eliminating tumors.

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Psychedelics might be the next big thing in mental health care, experts say

4:29pm June 07, 2022

by Eilís O'Neill

Researchers at the University of Washington are investigating whether psychedelics could alleviate depression in healthcare workers. The pandemic saw record burnout among doctors and nurses.

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An experimental treatment made rectal cancer tumors disappear for a small trial group

5:29pm June 06, 2022

NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer talks with University of North Carolina's Dr. Hanna Sanoff, who wrote a commentary about a promising rectal cancer trial.

Health & Safety

A new COVID-19 vaccine may be on the way

8:02am June 04, 2022

by Rob Stein

FDA scientists say another COVID-19 vaccine appears to be highly effective, potentially offering a new tool to entice the millions of people who still aren't vaccinated to finally get inoculated.

A new, more traditional COVID shot may appeal to those hesitant to get mRNA vaccines

5:13pm June 03, 2022

by Rob Stein

FDA scientists have concluded that a new COVID vaccine — that could appeal to some vaccine-hesitant people — appears to be safe and effective, which means it may soon win authorization.

Vaccinating young kids might finally be possible this month. But will it be easy?

4:27pm June 03, 2022

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, about the latest guidance on children under 5 getting the vaccine to protect against COVID-19.

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Syringes filled with the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine were prepared for use at a vaccination center in Berlin, Germany, in February. Soon the vaccine could become available in the U.S.

Health & Safety

Novavax's COVID vaccine nears the finish line

1:27pm June 03, 2022

by Rob Stein

The Novavax vaccine appears to be about 90% effective at preventing mild, moderate and severe COVID-19, Food and Drug Administration scientists say in an analysis of the company's data.