Health News

Germany to end free COVID tests to boost jab take-up

Germany will end free coronavirus tests in October, regional leaders and the federal government agreed on Tuesday, in a push to incentivise more people to get vaccinated. COVID-19 tests or proof of vaccination or recovery will be required to access facilities including restaurants, cinemas and gyms, in areas where infection rates rise above a certain […]

Health News

How much do our genes restrict free will?

Many of us believe we are masters of own destiny, but new research is revealing the extent to which our behavior is influenced by our genes. It’s now possible to decipher our individual genetic code, the sequence of 3.2 billion DNA “letters” unique to each of us, that forms a blueprint for our brains and […]

Health News

Mailing free home HIV tests helps detect more infections

Mailing free home HIV tests to high-risk men offers a potentially better strategy for detecting infections than usual care. That’s according to a U.S. government study that resulted in many more infections found—including among friends with whom recipients shared extra kits. The yearlong experiment recruited 2,600 men from online social network and music sites. Those […]

Health News

It will take a lot more than free menstrual pads to end period poverty

All of those who menstruate, wherever they live, experience challenges when managing their period. These might include a lack of products, toilets or disposal facilities, enduring pain, being bullied or being restricted from activities and locations. In high income countries these challenges are often referred to as “period poverty” and in low-middle income countries as […]

Health News

Nail polishes with ‘n-free’ labels are not necessarily free of toxic compounds

Consumers are growing more knowledgeable about the potential health effects of nail polish, and manufacturers have taken action. They have started removing potentially toxic ingredients and labeling their products as being free of those substances. However, these labels aren’t always accurate, and reformulated products aren’t necessarily safer, according to a report in Environmental Science & […]