HowStuffWorks Newsletter
Medicine has to do with diseases and conditions that affect the entire body. In this section, learn about testing and treatment plans including the medicines used to prevent and treat a range of diseases and conditions.
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Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections pose a grave danger to the health of millions of people every year. Phage therapy may provide a solution.
By Carrie Tatro
An as-yet untested Ebola vaccine is giving health officials hope of containing the outbreak sweeping the Democratic Republic of Congo in central Africa.
Have a medicine cabinet full of expired prescriptions? This weekend is the time to get rid of them.
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Not all drugs are created equal. And not all drugs are prescribed for the particular conditions they're technically approved to treat, either. That's when they fall into the off-label category, and they're more common than you think.
It may sound counterintuitive, but hallucinogenic drugs could be useful for treating a host of disorders, including addiction.
By Diana Brown
Hearing loss due to loud noise or certain medicines is irreversible, but soon we might be able to prevent hearing loss before it begins.
Two new studies show that regular use of ibuprofen might lower men's fertility, and even that of a woman's unborn daughter.
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Scientists hope to grow transplant organs from patients' own stem cells, but success may still be a long way off.
Ingestible sensors in pills are becoming a reality with digital drugs.
By Diana Brown
Spermbots, originally designed to help lethargic human sperm fertilize eggs, also may be used to deliver chemotherapy to fight cervical cancer.
Fecal transplants have been proven effective in treating C. diff bacterial infections, but a new pill might be cheaper and less invasive.
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What happens when permanent teeth don't come in behind our baby teeth? Turns out there are treatments, but they'll cost you (both time and money).
Is microdosing LSD just a silly fad or is it time to take a comprehensive look at its potential benefits?
By Jamie Allen
The FDA has approved the first drug for use in the U.S. that includes a digital ingestion tracking system.
Lots of factors can affect a bystander's decision to perform CPR, and a big one seems to be gender.
By Robert Lamb
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Psilocybin (the drug in magic mushrooms) provides relief for severely depressed people, according to new research. But there are some caveats.
By Alia Hoyt
Public Enemy may have rapped that 911 was a joke in 1990, but in the 21st century, ambulances have to take their servicing seriously.
By Dave Roos
There's a good chance you've taken a personality test, and can now officially claim your type. But how valid are these assessments, and why do we even take them in the first place?
The strong and sticky goo of the Dusky Arion slug provided scientists with unlikely inspiration for a glue that sticks well to wet surfaces.
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Despite the very long waiting lists for donor kidneys in the U.S., a study found that transplant centers often reject these organs for nebulous reasons.
By Alia Hoyt
A single vial of snakebite antivenom can run thousands of dollars. Why? It actually has little to do with the production process.
A new study found gifts from pharmaceutical reps could be influencing the prescribing behavior of doctors.
By Alia Hoyt
Maple syrup for medicinal purposes? Sign us up.
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Hospice is too often seen as a last resort — a sign that someone has given up on life. But it can actually be a very life-affirming service, an end to suffering and sometimes even a health improvement.
By Alia Hoyt
A huge number of clinical trials — many of which are testing life-saving drugs — languish due to low participation levels. Why is that, and what can be done?
By Alia Hoyt