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.

Slowing Down The Symptoms

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.

How Was The Research Conducted?

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.

Did COVID-19 emerge naturally or from a laboratory leak? Nearly seven years after the pandemic began in late 2019, and despite more than 7.1 million confirmed deaths worldwide and numerous investigations, there is still no definitive answer about the virus's origins.

Now, Tulsi Gabbard, on her last day as the Director of National Intelligence, US, has reignited the debate by alleging that Anthony Fauci, who led the scientific and medical response to the COVID-19 pandemic in America, funded research at China's infamous Wuhan Institute of Virology that contributed to the pandemic.

"The COVID-19 pandemic caused tremendous hardship and pain for millions of Americans and countless people around the world," Gabbard said in a statement.

"After years of lies, censorship, and cover-ups, the American people deserve transparency, truth, and accountability."

What Are the Documents?

According to Gabbard's office, the materials were released following a year-long declassification review conducted by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) as part of President Trump's transparency initiative.

During the review, officials reportedly gathered testimony from intelligence community whistleblowers who alleged they faced retaliation for challenging official assessments of the virus's origins.

Gabbard said the testimony revealed a pattern of suppressing dissenting views, discouraging debate, and sidelining evidence that conflicted with prevailing intelligence assessments.

Also read: COVID-19 Vaccination Reduced Risk of Heart Attacks and Strokes in Elderly by 40%: Study

What Does The Documents Show?

According to Gabbard, the newly declassified communications and documents reveal that

• Fauci worked with intelligence officials to suppress information related to the COVID-19 lab-leak theory and allegedly had a role in directing US funding for coronavirus research.
• Fauci influenced Intelligence Community assessments regarding the origins of COVID-19.
• Fauci misled Congress during his 2024 testimony when he denied knowledge of or participation in discussions with intelligence officials about viral research.
• Fauci held significant influence during the pandemic and occupied multiple roles that shielded him from scrutiny.
• Fauci funded coronavirus research linked to efforts to develop so-called "universal vaccines."
• Fauci selected scientific advisers who encouraged intelligence agencies to support a natural-origin theory while downplaying the lab-leak hypothesis.
• Fauci publicly promoted narratives that discouraged debate over alternative explanations for the origins of COVID-19.
• Fauci maintained close relationships with intelligence officials, enabling him to influence both intelligence assessments and public narratives surrounding the pandemic.
• Fauci's statement — "not to my knowledge about COVID" — was inconsistent with documented communications regarding interactions with intelligence agencies.

Read More: 1 in 6 Americans May Be Suffering From Long COVID, Study Finds

Whistleblower Allegations

Importantly, the declassified materials also include testimony from whistleblowers who claim analysts supporting the lab-leak theory faced professional consequences. These include:

• A contractor was reportedly dismissed shortly after submitting a whistleblower complaint to ODNI.
• Analysts advocating for the lab-leak hypothesis were allegedly warned that career advancement decisions rested with leadership.
• Some whistleblowers claimed senior officials created barriers to anonymous reporting, fostering an atmosphere of intimidation.

Read: COVID Pandemic Left 55,000 Cancer Cases Undiagnosed In 7 Nations, Including Australia and the UK

What Happens Next?

Gabbard said these allegations have been referred to the intelligence community's inspector general for further review.

Whether the allegations lead to congressional hearings, legal action, or additional independent review remains uncertain.

Any conclusions will depend on careful examination of the documents, corroborating evidence, and responses from those named in the allegations. Fauci is yet to comment on the allegations.

The UK's human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program, initiated in 2018, has achieved a remarkable milestone: no women aged 20 to 24 died from cervical cancer in England between 2020 and 2024, according to a study published in the journal The Lancet.

England introduced the HPV vaccine for girls in 2008 and expanded the program to boys in 2019. By 2024, vaccine coverage among women aged 20-24 had reached nearly 90 per cent.

Researchers found that there were no cervical cancer deaths in this age group during the five-year period, compared with an estimated 23 deaths that would have been expected based on historical trends.

The study also estimated that HPV vaccination has prevented approximately 200 cervical cancer deaths among young women in England since the program began.

"It's amazing news that no women aged between 20 and 24 died from cervical cancer in the whole of England between 2020 and 2024," said Peter Sasieni, Professor of Cancer Epidemiology at Queen Mary University of London.

"That remarkable fact is thanks to nearly 90% of Gen Z women having received the HPV vaccine through the school vaccination and catch-up programs," he added.

This marks the first time that zero cervical cancer deaths have been recorded in this age group and provides compelling evidence of the vaccine's life-saving impact.

Children Vaccinated At 12-13 Had Near-Zero Risk

Read More: HPV Vaccine Can Help Curb Rising Head And Neck Cancers, Says Top US Doctor

The study found that girls vaccinated at ages 12-13 had an almost zero risk of dying from cervical cancer before the age of 30, highlighting the success of the school-based vaccination program.

While several countries have reported declines in cervical cancer rates following HPV vaccination campaigns, evidence linking vaccination programs directly to reductions in cervical cancer deaths has been limited.

"This is the first national-level evidence, albeit observational, linking high HPV vaccination coverage to a major reduction in cervical cancer deaths," the researchers noted.

How The Study Was Conducted

Researchers analyzed HPV vaccination rates and cervical cancer mortality data among women in England between 2001 and 2024.

In addition to recording zero cervical cancer deaths among women aged 20-24 between 2020 and 2024, the study found an 80 per cent reduction in cervical cancer deaths in the same age group between 2015 and 2019.

The findings underscore the importance of achieving high vaccination coverage against a disease that remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among younger women worldwide.

"We estimate that since its introduction, HPV vaccination has prevented nearly 200 young women from dying from cervical cancer in England," said Sasieni.

"But that's just the tip of the iceberg. As vaccinated generations grow older, we'll see many more lives saved from cervical cancer. It is incredible to think that a single jab can almost eliminate a particular type of cancer."

What Is HPV? How A vaccine helps?

Also read: Affordable India-Made HPV Test Offers Hope For Early Cervical Cancer Detection

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common viral infection worldwide, with more than 200 known types. While some types lead to benign skin warts, others are responsible for severe health threats, such as cervical, throat, anal, and penile cancers. The HPV vaccine provides strong protection against the most lethal strains, avoiding long-term health complications.

The HPV vaccine helps the immune system recognize and fight off high-risk strains of the virus before they cause harm. It protects against:

• Genital warts
• Cervical cancer
• Vaginal, vulvar, anal, and penile cancers
• Mouth, throat, head, and neck cancers linked to HPV.

Have you been popping omega-3 pills hoping to improve your memory or keep your brain sharp as you age? New research suggests they may not deliver the cognitive benefits many people expect.

A clinical trial, published in the journal eBioMedicine, found that omega-3 supplements did not improve memory, cognition, or brain health in older adults at risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Omega-3 fish oil and algae-based supplements have long been promoted as a way to protect against dementia and Alzheimer's disease. However, the new randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial — considered the gold standard in medical research — found no evidence that these supplements slowed cognitive decline or protected the brain.

The study was led by researchers at the University of Southern California and included 365 adults aged 55 to 80 who rarely consumed fish, a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids.

"We all wish there was a silver bullet for preventing Alzheimer's, but our findings showed that fish oil supplements do not appear to protect brain health," said Hussein Naji Yassine, director of the USC Center for Personalized Brain Health and lead investigator of the study.

"While omega-3s play an important role in forming brain cell connections needed for cognition, our results do not support fish oil supplements as a preventive measure against Alzheimer's," he added.

How The Study Was Conducted?

Also read: Kim Kardashian Says She Takes 35 Supplements Daily, Suffers From 'Pill Fatigue'

Researchers recruited 365 adults who were considered at elevated risk for Alzheimer's disease. Nearly half (47 per cent) carried the APOE4 gene, the strongest known genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's.

Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a daily omega-3 supplement or a placebo.

The supplement contained 2,000 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid essential for brain function.

The researchers first examined whether DHA from the supplements could reach the brain. By measuring DHA levels in cerebrospinal fluid — the liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord — they found a 17 per cent increase after six months, confirming that the nutrient successfully reached its target.

The team then assessed memory and cognitive performance at the beginning of the study and again two years later.

Despite higher DHA levels in the brain, participants who received the supplements performed no better on memory and cognitive tests than those taking the placebo. Brain scans also revealed no difference in shrinkage of the hippocampus, a memory-related brain region that commonly deteriorates with aging and Alzheimer's disease.

What Works Instead? A Healthy Lifestyle

The researchers emphasized that maintaining overall health remains the most effective strategy for preserving brain function and reducing Alzheimer's risk.

"Staying healthy throughout life remains the most powerful tool we have for reducing Alzheimer's risk, including regular exercise, quality sleep, and a balanced diet," said Yassine.

He compared brain health to maintaining a vehicle.

"Living a healthy lifestyle is the brain's equivalent of getting regular car maintenance and high-quality oil changes. The brain is more likely to lose function if health issues elsewhere in the body go unaddressed, just as an engine eventually fails without proper maintenance."

Read More: Sickle Cell Disease: Why India Must Add Curative Treatment to Meet Its 2047 Elimination Goal

What's Next?

Yassine and his colleagues are now investigating why omega-3 supplements can successfully reach the brain yet fail to produce measurable cognitive benefits.

The team is also exploring new therapies that could help the brain make better use of omega-3 fatty acids and potentially preserve cognitive function as people age.