The 20-year journey of GLP-1 agonists marks a revolution in obesity treatment. Yet, like all revolutions, it comes with both promise and caution. The power of GLP-1 medications lie in responsible, informed use — not blind enthusiasm
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At a time when 99 polio cases were reported in Pakistan and Afghanistan last year and 18 cases as of July 15, 2025, and 297 circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) cases were reported last year, with the majority of them being from six countries, the decision to wind down the polio surveillance programme in India would undo the hard-gained achievement
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Biodiversity of peninsular India — home to unique plants and animals, and a dramatic geological history — has responded differentially to geoclimatic history, with a few groups remaining unperturbed by these events while others exhibiting varying rates of speciation.
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Aerosol coming from outside was not adding to the pollution already seen in the cities that are referred to as urban aerosol clean islands. Instead, these cities in northwest and in the northern Indo-Gangetic Plain region were stopping or diverting the incoming aerosol and moving it around the city
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If the Health Ministry is indeed serious in promoting healthy dietary habits, why has it failed to introduce clear front-of-package labels to caution consumers of food products loaded with sugar, salt and/or saturated fat products? And why has it done nothing to regulate adversiments and promotion of unhealthy food?
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Most antihistamines are sold as generics and are inexpensive. On the other hand, irrational combinations with montelukast sell at two-four times the cost of an antihistamine alone. The drug combinations are nothing but a sinister way to profiteer from common conditions. The proof: sales of montelukast as a standalone drug dropped 14%, while sales of combinations increased by 25% in 2023-24, with close to 200 registered brands selling combinations
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The genomic newborn screening initiative is gaining momentum across the world, with large-scale programmes now under way in the U.S., the UK, Europe, and Australia. At least 1.7 million babies in India are born every year with birth defects, many of which are due to genetic conditions. Almost 1 in 250 children have a 250treatable genetic disease. Yet, genetic screening at birth almost does not exist in the public healthcare system in India
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The dawn of animal domestication 6,500 years ago unleashed a hidden epidemic crisis across Eurasia, with zoonotic diseases becoming more widespread about 5,000 years ago. Analysis of DNA from the teeth and bones of 1,313 ancient humans spanning 37,000 years unravelled the first direct genomic evidence that close contact with livestock dramatically increased humanity’s burden of infectious diseases
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At least 25 papers of a Chennai-based researcher have been retracted in recent months. It will not be surprising if more papers of Dr. Joseph Raj Xavier of Saveetha University are retracted in the coming weeks and months as many of the papers listed on PubPeer have serious integrity issues
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The two studies confirm that enamel — a highly mineralised and durable tissue that serves as an extraordinary molecular archive — is capable of preserving endogenous peptides far beyond the temporal limits of ancient DNA, which typically degrades within a million years
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Seventeen of 23 individuals exposed to chemotherapy had far more genetic mutations than could be explained by normal aging. Even more revealing was the discovery of eight unique mutational signatures that were found only in the chemotherapy group. While some of these fingerprints matched the known damage profiles of certain chemo drugs, four of them were entirely new to science, uncovering previously unknown ways these treatments can alter our DNA
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The gene-edited lines were channelising the extra phosphate absorbed by the roots to produce more seeds by increasing the number of panicles — the fruiting body which bears seeds — leading to an increase in yield by 20%. The researchers analysed the seed size, seed dimension, seed length, starch and phosphate content, and found the seed dimension or seed quality to be normal
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There is no scientific evidence linking COVID vaccines to sudden deaths. On the contrary, COVID-19 disease itself poses a significant cardiovascular risk, even years after apparent recovery. Studies have shown that those who received COVID vaccine are at lower risk of subsequent cardiovascular events and deaths.
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