No link between paracetamol and autism, major review finds
Paris, France -- There is no clear link between pregnant women taking the common painkiller paracetamol and autism in their...
Science
NYU Abu Dhabi team develops wireless pill to control gut neurons
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) have developed an ingestible device that uses light to activate...
Science
Geostrategy
WHO registers eighty percent rise in measles case
Geneva, Switzerland - The World Health Organization voiced alarm on Tuesday at the rapid spread of measles, with more than 306,000...
- At least 95 percent of children need to be fully vaccinated against the disease in a locality to prevent outbreaks, but global vaccination rates have slipped to 83 percent.
- WHO official Crowcroft pointed out that 92 percent of all children who die from measles live among less than a quarter of the global population, mainly in very low-income countries
UN agencies warn of ‘explosion’ in Gaza child deaths
Twenty weeks into Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, UN agencies warned that food and safe water had...
- At least 90 percent of children under five in Gaza are affected by one or more infectious diseases, according to a joint assessment by the UN agencies
- Seventy percent children had had diarrhea in the two weeks prior to the assessment, marking a 23-fold increase compared to the 2022 baseline
Business
HMG 2023 net profit $544m
The rise was due to the hospitals and pharmacy segments.
- The increase in net profit came as revenues edged up 14.41 percent year-on-year (YoY) to US$2.5 billion (SAR 9.5 billion).
- Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose 18.49 percent YoY to US$666 million (SAR 2.5 billion).
Business
WEF24: AI-generated drugs promise cost reduction
AI is playing a critical role across the biomedical spectrum, from accelerating drug discovery to improving care delivery systems, says...
- AI is playing a critical role across the biomedical spectrum, from accelerating drug discovery to improving care delivery systems, says Dr Alex Zhavoronkov of Insilico Medicine.
- The latest technology enables end-to-end systems, and today, what we see is the true pinnacle of AI-powered drug discovery: the integration of AI and robotics, he adds
Science
World’s biggest flying lab comes to Asia on air pollution mission
Clark, Philippines - NASA has kicked off a series of marathon flights in Asia with the world's biggest flying laboratory, in...
- Starting this week in the Philippines, the US agency's DC-8 is flying for up to eight hours at a time, sometimes just 50 feet from the ground, to swoop up air particles for study.
- Millions of deaths each year are linked to air pollution, and improving the ability to identify its sources and behavior can lead to more accurate warning systems for the public.
Arts & Culture
Healthcare experts must keep up with tech innovations
She emphasizes the significant impact of technology on the healthcare sector and highlighted the 'Let's Talk Innovation' Symposium's focus on...
- Dr. Kalthoom AlBlooshi of EHS emphasizes the need for professionals to stay abreast of technological advancements in healthcare.
- The 'Let's Talk Innovation' Symposium aims to engage the youth in shaping the future of the UAE healthcare sector, adds AlBlooshi.
Business
Czech farmer cull 140,000 birds to halt spread of bird flu outbreak
Prague, Czech Republic - Czech farmers have killed about 140,000 birds since the start of the year in a bid to...
- The infected birds had the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu strain, which is potentially transmissible to humans
- The three commercial farms, all in central Czech Republic, have had to cull 50,000 ducks and 90,000 chicken
Economy
UAE healthcare spending set to reach $30.6bn by 2027
The sector witnesses a shift towards personalized and precision medicine, underscored by healthcare's significant digitization and data generation, says a...
- The sector witnesses a shift towards personalized and precision medicine, underscored by healthcare's significant digitization and data generation, says a white paper.
- Precision medicine has been identified as a key departure from traditional healthcare approaches, focusing on patient-centered care, the report highlights.
Research
WHO warns new cancer cases will rise to 35 million by 2050
Geneva, Switzerland - The number of new cancer cases will rise to more than 35 million in 2050 -- 77 percent...
- The WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) cited tobacco, alcohol, obesity and air pollution as key factors in the estimated rise
- The most-developed countries are expected to record the greatest increases in case numbers, with an additional 4.8 million new cases predicted in 2050 compared with 2022 estimates,
Average lifespan in Saudi Arabia rises to 77.6 years
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia reached 77.6 years compared to 74 years in 2016, the...
- The remarkable progress is attributed to a series of strategic efforts, notably the incorporation of health promotion principles into all facets of life and policy
- Initiatives such as promoting walking culture, reducing salt in foods, and fortifying health services have collectively contributed to the nation's improved health landscape
No link between paracetamol and autism, major review finds
Paris, France -- There is no clear link between pregnant women taking the common painkiller paracetamol and autism in their...
Science
Company News
Latest News
WHO countries strike landmark agreement on tackling future pandemics
Geneva, Switzerland -- Years of negotiations culminated early Wednesday with countries agreeing the text of a landmark accord on how...
Geostrategy
Accord reached ‘in principle’ over tackling future pandemics: negotiating body
WHO members on Saturday reached agreement over how to tackle future pandemics after three years of discussions, the co-chair of...
Science
Trump – oldest elected US president – undergoes physical
Washington, United States - Donald Trump had his first annual medical checkup Friday since returning to power, putting focus on...
Geostrategy

Most Read
Science
World’s tiniest pacemaker is smaller than grain of rice
Paris, France -- Scientists said Wednesday they have developed the world's tiniest pacemaker, a temporary heartbeat regulator smaller than a...
- While still years away from being tested in humans, the wireless pacemaker was hailed as a "transformative breakthrough" that could spur advances in other areas of medicine.
- Millions of people across the world have permanent pacemakers, which stimulate hearts with electrical pulses to ensure they beat normally.
Science
Stealth to Health: Medical innovation to combat silent killers
The future of healthcare is shifting towards decentralized, preventive care, leveraging AI to anticipate risks and improve long-term health outcomes,...
- Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, developing silently without symptoms, making early detection crucial, Kevin Choi tells TRENDS
- Our AI models can predict the risk of cardiovascular diseases based on retinal photographs, unlocking new possibilities for non-invasive diagnostics, he adds
Science
GCC healthcare: Transforming the region and impacting the world
PwC forecasts that AI could contribute US$320 billion to Middle Eastern economies by 2030, with healthcare predicted to see some...
- At the heart of this transformation is the adoption of advanced technologies like Artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, genomic medicine
- Saudi Arabia exemplifies this technological shift through its National AI Strategy 2031, which integrates AI into healthcare and other sectors

