Credits: Canva
An experimental treatment happens to be the solution to delay Alzheimer's symptoms in some people. These people are the ones who are genetically destined to get the disease in their 40s or 50s. These new findings form ongoing research has now been caught up in Trump administration funding delas. The early results of the study has been published on Wednesday and the participants too are worried that politics could cut their access to a possible lifeline.
One of the participants had said, "It is still a study but it has given me an extension to my life that I never banked on having." The participant is named Jake Henrichs, form New York City, who is 50 years old. He is one of them to be treated in that study for more than a decade now and has remained symptom-free despite inheriting an Alzheimer's-causing gene that had killed his father and brother around the same age.
Two drugs which can modestly slow down early-stage Alzheimer's are sold in the United States. These drugs clear the brain of one of its hallmarks, a sticky gunk-like part called the amyloid. However, there have not been any hints that removing amyloid far earlier, way many years before the first symptoms appear, may postpone the disease.
The research is led by Washington University in St Louis, which involved families that passed down rare gene mutation as participants. This meant it was almost guaranteed that they will develop symptoms at the same age their affected relatives did.
The new findings is based on a subset of 22 participants who received amyloid-removing drugs the longest, on average eight years. Long-term amyloid removal cut in half their risk of symptom onset. The study is published in the journal Lancet Neurology.
Washington University's Dr Randall Bateman, who directs the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Network of studies involving families with these rare genes says, "What we want to determine over the next five years is how strong is the protection. Will they ever get the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease if we keep treating them?”
The researchers before though did not know what exactly caused Alzheimer's which affects nearly 7 million Americans, most of them in their later life. However, it is clear that these silent changes occur in the brain at least two decades before the first symptom shows up. The big contributor. At some point amyloid buildup can trigger a protein named tau that then starts to kill neurons, which can lead to cognitive decline.
Researchers are now thus studying the Tau-fighting drugs and are looking into other factors, like inflammation, brain's immune cells and certain virus.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) has expanded its focus as researchers have found more reasons for Alzheimer's. In 2013, the NIH's National Institute on Aging funded 14 trials of possible Alzheimer's drugs over a third targeting amyloid. By last fall, there were 68 drugs and 18% of them target amyloid. However, there are scientists too who think that amyloid is not everything and their is way more in the brain tissue, immune cells, and more which can be studied.
Credit: PIB
Robotic technology is set to become an accelerating tool across every specialty of medicine, covering diagnostics, treatment and therapy in India, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh said.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the International Conference of the Society of Robotic Surgery in New Delhi, Singh said robotics should not be viewed as technology limited to surgery but as a tool that could increasingly be used across different branches of medicine.
“It’s a tool. It will happen everywhere,” he said, adding that the future could see the emergence of robotic medicine, robotic endocrinology and robotic cardiology, just as AI is finding applications across medical specialties.
Singh said robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and nanoscience could create a larger ecosystem for precision health delivery and precision medicine.
Emerging technologies, he said, could enable increasingly personalized healthcare based on an individual's genetic profile, environmental conditions, lifestyle and dietary patterns.
He said the next phase of medicine could see greater use of genetically driven diagnostics alongside advances in quantum technologies, nanomedicine, AI and robotics.
Singh also expressed a desire to launch gene sequencing for every newborn. Referring to the Genome India Program, he said 10,000 individuals have already been sequenced and that AI and robotics could support detailed genetic sequencing across India's population of 1.4 billion.
He also highlighted the potential of tele-robotics, sharing his experience of performing an ultrasound on a person located 10,000 kilometers away in Antarctica.
The shift toward robotic medicine is already visible in surgery. AIIMS experts recently explained how robotic technology is changing gallbladder surgery, building on the transition from open surgery to laparoscopy and now robotic-assisted procedures.
Professor Hemanga K Bhattacharjee, Department of Surgical Disciplines, AIIMS New Delhi, said inflammation, adhesions, scarring and unexpected anatomy can make gallbladder surgery difficult.
“What the surgeon encounters once the procedure begins can be very different from what was expected. In such situations, robotic-assisted surgery can be an ideal option, as the enhanced visualization and instrument control can help the surgeon navigate difficult anatomy with greater precision,” Bhattacharjee said.
The AIIMS Department of Surgical Disciplines uses the da Vinci robotic system, which provides a high-definition 3D view and wristed instruments for controlled movements. The department has performed more than 1,500 robot-assisted surgeries across specialties, according to hospital authorities.
Dr. Sunil Chumber, Head of the Department of Surgical Disciplines at AIIMS, Delhi, has worked through the evolution from open surgery and mini-laparotomy to laparoscopy and robotic-assisted surgery.
He described robotic-assisted surgery as “a significant step forward” and said he considers it “a superior surgical platform” based on his experience.
“My expectation is that, eventually, gallbladder surgery will be performed robotically and conventional laparoscopy will be phased out,” Chumber said.
“Every generation of surgery builds on what came before it. Laparoscopy was a major advancement in its time, but having worked with robotic-assisted surgery, I believe robotics is the next step in that evolution.”
Credit: Instagram
TikTok star Brooke Eby, who chronicled her life with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), through candid, humorous and deeply personal videos, has died at 37.
Eby was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2022 at age 33. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that damages the nerve cells responsible for voluntary muscle movement.
Eby became known for sharing the realities of living with ALS on social media. Her videos combined humor with candid accounts of how the disease affected her mobility, breathing, speech and daily life.
The ALS Network described her as an “extraordinary advocate, storyteller, community builder and friend” whose honesty and humor helped change how people understood ALS.
“Brooke changed the way people see ALS, but she also changed the way people living with ALS find and support one another,” said Sheri Strahl, president and CEO of the ALS Network.
Eby also used her platform to challenge the perception that ALS mainly affects older men.
“I didn’t choose ALS, but I did choose to get loud, and be irreverent about it,” Eby said after receiving an award from the ALS Network for her advocacy.
Eby regularly updated followers as her condition progressed.
In June 2025, she said her breathing capacity had declined significantly over six months. She also shared that she had undergone a procedure to have a feeding tube placed in her stomach.
By January 2026, Eby said she had begun experiencing bulbar symptoms, which can affect speech and swallowing. She reported trouble swallowing, speech disturbances and excess saliva.
In September 2026, she shared that her speech had deteriorated rapidly.
“In the last few weeks, people just can’t understand me at all,” she said, explaining that speaking had also begun requiring careful positioning of her body.
In a PEOPLE essay, Eby wrote that she wanted people to understand that ALS does not discriminate by age, gender or demographic.
“I have ALS at a relatable age. Personally, I always associated this disease with older men,” she wrote. “But I could be someone’s daughter, sister, mom, girlfriend, wife.”
While much of her content was comedic, Eby also educated her audience about ALS, including how symptoms can vary and how the disease progresses.
ALS affects motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. As these nerve cells degenerate, people can develop muscle weakness, loss of movement, difficulty speaking and swallowing, and eventually breathing problems.
ALS can begin in the limbs or with speech and swallowing problems, known as bulbar-onset ALS.
There is currently no cure for ALS, although treatments can help manage symptoms, improve quality of life and extend survival.
Symptoms vary but can include:
Some people with ALS also develop cognitive or behavioral changes.
Eby’s social media posts gave thousands of followers a candid look at how the disease could change everyday life, while helping raise awareness about a condition that is often associated with older adults.
Credit: ProPublica
Raw milk is often promoted as a natural alternative to pasteurized milk. But unpasteurized milk can carry harmful bacteria, including E. coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter.
Two young girls in California — 17-month-old Brooklyn and 6-year-old Victoria — were hospitalized with severe E. coli infections after drinking raw goat milk from the same farm, ProPublica reported.
Brooklyn developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a potentially life-threatening complication of E. coli infection, and nearly died.
Doctors suspected the raw milk was the source of the infections.
Brooklyn’s mother, Emily Marris, had been looking for an alternative to formula after breastfeeding her daughter for a year. As she could not continue breastfeeding due to a medication for chronic hip pain, she tried cow’s milk, which left Brooklyn with constipation.
Marris was then guided to raw goat milk in a Facebook group run by her chiropractor.
Members recommended it, claiming goat milk was easier to digest. The group also directed her to MoonLight Ridge Farm.
Also read: Unsafe Sleep Factors Linked To 73% Of Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths In US: CDC
Brooklyn drank the raw milk for about six months. But on June 2, Brooklyn suddenly began vomiting. Her condition rapidly worsened and she was transferred to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego.
Doctors diagnosed her with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), in which blood clots damage small blood vessels and can cause kidney failure.
A stool test confirmed E. coli O157:H7. Doctors suspected the raw milk was the likely source.
Brooklyn required intensive care, including a breathing tube and dialysis. Her condition became so severe that her parents feared she would not survive. She also went into cardiac arrest three times.
E. coli can live in animal intestines and contaminate milk through fecal matter. Even a small amount can cause infection.
Brooklyn was not the only child affected. Six-year-old Victoria, who had also consumed milk from the same farm, was treated at the same San Diego hospital for a severe E. coli infection and required blood transfusions.
There are more children suffering from severe infections after drinking raw milk. In the past two years alone, hundreds had fallen ill across nine states from drinking raw milk or eating products made with it, as social media influencers and President Donald Trump’s White House continue to promote the unproven benefits of raw milk and downplaying its risks.
Read More: Are GLP-1 Drugs Safe for Children? Study Finds Nutritional Deficiency in Nearly 17% Within a Year
California regulates raw-milk sales, but ProPublica reported the farm sold unlabeled milk without the required license. However, on August 1, the Food and Agriculture Department found that the farm had sold unapproved raw milk without a CDFA license. It was not penalized, the report said.
After leaving the hospital, Brooklyn required physical therapy and experienced problems with walking and sleep. Her mother said her development had stalled.
Doctors also warned of possible long-term kidney problems and advised regular nephrology follow-up.
Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized. Pasteurization uses heat to destroy harmful bacteria and other pathogens.
Raw-milk proponents often claim that pasteurization destroys nutrients or improves the health benefits of milk. However, experts say pasteurization does not significantly alter milk’s mineral or protein content.
Claims that raw milk improves digestion or boosts immunity have not been scientifically established.
Raw milk can be contaminated through:
Animals: E. coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter can enter milk through infected animals or fecal contamination.
Environment and equipment: Polluted water, dirt, manure and contaminated milking equipment can also introduce pathogens.
Raw milk can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and fever. In some cases, infections can become severe or life-threatening.
Children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable.
Certain E. coli infections can cause HUS, which may lead to kidney failure and other serious complications.
Pasteurization destroys harmful bacteria while preserving the nutritional value of milk. The FDA, CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics advise against consuming raw milk because of its foodborne infection risks.
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