Testing for just three genes could help prevent 75% of avoidable side effects for certain medications

A new study from Queen Mary University of London found that 9% of all reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reported to the UK medicines regulator are associated with medications where side effect risk is partly dependent on the patient’s genes. Of this subset of ADRs, 75% were associated with only three genes that impact how the body processes medication. Genetic testing before prescribing could therefore help avoid ADRs in these cases.

Cyanide plays a major role in the human body, study reveals

Cyanide is a highly lethal chemical that has been used in warfare and poisonings for centuries—that was the general consensus on the naturally occurring chemical up until spring 2025. But in a global study published in Nature Metabolism, a research team from seven countries and 12 universities, including South Dakota State University, has upended the world’s consensus on cyanide. The researchers have found that while cyanide remains highly poisonous, it also plays a fundamental role in normal cell function.

Youth gun homicides doubled during second half of pandemic while adult rates returned to pre-COVID levels, study finds

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, firearm violence surpassed motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of death among US children. A new study led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) for the first time reveals how this worrying pattern among children varied by age—and how the pandemic-related gun homicide spike is rising faster among kids than adults.

Study reveals association between dietary sodium consumption and general and abdominal obesity

New research to be presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025, Malaga, Spain, 11–14 May) shows an association between the amount of sodium consumed in the diet and the risk of both general and abdominal obesity. The study is by Annika Santalahti, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland, and colleagues.