Health | WPN World People News

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that begins its damaging course in the brain many years before the onset of symptoms such as tremors, muscle stiffness, and slow movements. By 2030 the number of individuals with Parkinson’s is estimated to double to 9.3 million as a result of aging populations, but medications to prevent or delay the disease are not available.

Dying patients in the US have been benefitting from dosages of a drug found in psychedelic magic mushrooms.

The United Nations is moving swiftly to vaccinate 1.5 million children after a polio case was detected in an area of north-eastern Afghanistan which had been free of the disease for more than a decade.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions have found that exposure to lead in childhood may delay the onset of puberty in young girls, with higher doses increasing the chance for later maturation.

Falls are a major public health problem across the world with an estimated 424,000 fatalities occurring each year, making it the second leading cause of unintentional injury and death after road traffic accidents, according to the United Nations health agency.

Civil society representatives from more than 70 countries wrapped up a United Nations forum today with an urgent call to action to improve the health of millions of men, women and children worldwide and step up efforts to achieve the globally agreed anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

A cheap and effective filtering device developed by a South African university could provide safe drinking water to millions of people, drastically reducing the incidence of waterborne illnesses such as cholera and other diarrhoeal diseases.

Scientists have developed a technique that leads to the successful regrowth of damaged leg joints in rabbits. The accomplishment shows that it’s possible to lure the body's own cells to injured regions and generate new tissues, such as cartilage and bone. The finding could point the way toward joint renewal in humans.

Scientists have uncovered the largest set of genetic variants linked to blood lipid levels, which can contribute to heart disease. The findings could lead to more targeted therapies and a better understanding of how heredity can affect cardiovascular health.

Sri Lanka has launched a massive community prevention campaign targeting dengue fever using billboards, TV spots and even schoolchildren.