Marta Iraola Iribarren

Health news

Feeling lonely? This can cost you up to six healthy years

Loneliness and social isolation could shorten the number of disease-free years a person has left, and men and women aren't affected in the same way.

23 September 2026

Health news

Most European men would try new contraception methods if available

Most men would embrace contraception designed for them, such as on-demand pills taken before sex, a daily hormonal gel or a thermal silicone ring, but funding gaps are keeping these products years away from pharmacy shelves.

23 September 2026

Health news

Rare infections in pregnancy linked to intellectual disability, autism

Children born with infections such as syphilis, rubella and cytomegalovirus are far more likely to be diagnosed with autism and intellectual disability, according to a new study.

22 September 2026

Health news

World Cup viewers saw unhealthy ads every seven seconds

Advertising for junk food, alcohol and gambling during the match live coverage of the World Cup occupied almost a quarter of the tournament’s total live broadcast time, a new study has found.

22 September 2026

Health news

Who deserves a transplant? AI disagrees with human doctors

AI chatbots make faster, more confident, but less nuanced decisions than human doctors when choosing who gets a life-saving kidney transplant.

19 September 2026

Health news

Women in health earn 19% less than men, WHO warns

Despite dominating Europe's health and care sector, women hold just over half of its top-paying jobs, according to a new WHO report.

18 September 2026

Health news

Women offered less intensive treatment than men for same conditions

Women are less likely than men to be offered invasive or intensive treatments, such as surgery or strong painkillers, for the same medical conditions, a new study has found.

18 September 2026

Health news

Fiji declares national HIV crisis as cases spike

Fiji has declared a national HIV emergency after a surge in new cases, with the government and international agencies racing to contain a crisis driven by sexual transmission and injection drug use.

17 September 2026

Health news

Novo to use Anthropic’s Claude to advance AI drug discovery

The deal underscores a broader push by drugmakers to integrate AI across research and development to boost new drug discovery.

16 September 2026

Health news

Air pollution linked to higher suicide risk, study finds

Short- and long-term exposure to air pollution may contribute to a higher risk of suicidal thoughts and death by suicide, according to a new analysis.

16 September 2026

Health news

‘We need AI for health’ done in a European way, von der Leyen says

AI can improve healthcare in Europe, but must never replace doctors, the EU’s Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in her State of the Union speech today.

16 September 2026

Health news

Increase in air pollution takes a toll on your sleep

The human respiratory system is extremely sensitive to short-term fine particulate matter changes even in relatively clean urban environments, a new study found.

16 September 2026

Health news

From bedtime stories to book clubs: Reading protects your brain for life

Reading for pleasure isn't just enjoyable, new research suggests it could also boost brain health and lower dementia risk.

15 September 2026

Health news

Wanna thrive? You gotta love yourself – not only others

Being kind to oneself and to others is key to well-being; and one cannot go without the other to feel the best.

10 September 2026

Health news

Weekend meals at random times can hurt men’s hearts

A new study suggests that eating at inconsistent times on weekends compared to weekdays could increase the risk of heart disease.

8 September 2026

Health news

A third of the world’s population exposed to second-hand smoke

Second-hand smoke causes serious health harm, including heart disease, respiratory illness and cancer, and remains a leading cause of preventable death worldwide.

8 September 2026

Health news

Pesticides cause 400 million farmer poisoning cases a year

Nearly half the world's farmers get poisoned with pesticides annually, while global pesticide use continues to rise, a study finds.

7 September 2026

Health news

Sheep virus found hidden in medieval manuscripts

Hidden in the pages of medieval manuscripts, researchers have found DNA traces of a deadly sheep virus dating back thousands of years.

5 September 2026

Health news

Man lived with pig kidney as 'bridge' before human transplant

A genetically modified pig kidney has kept a man off dialysis for a record nine months in the first successful use of an animal organ as a "bridge" to a human one.

4 September 2026

Health news

'Social jet lag': How sleep habits affect teen anxiety

Teenagers with inconsistent sleep schedules on weekdays and weekends may be more likely to experience anxiety, according to a new study.

3 September 2026