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Promising treatments for COVID-19 were reported early on. So why haven’t there been bigger breakthroughs?

The whole world is looking for solutions. But while vaccine researchers seem to be storming ahead, it’s been much more chaotic for researchers studying COVID-19 treatments.

Small additives can make old antibiotics work again

Norwegian researchers have created several promising additives for old antibiotics. But even if they were to reach the market, they would only be a short-term solution. “We can never win the battle against bacteria,” says professor Dag Berild.

Anabolic steroid use reported by a third of male substance users

A third of male patients seeking treatment for substance abuse had also used anabolic steroids, according to a new study from Oslo University Hospital. This puts them at greater risk for health problems.

How long does sex normally last before climaxing?

For sure not all night, in case you might have thought so.

Concealing results from medical studies on humans will be banned

Norwegian researchers will soon be legally required to share the results of medical research on humans. But will the law be followed? In the United States, six out of ten studies break the law, without penalty.

Greater risk of dying from a hip fracture if you live in the city

One to two years after a hip fracture, patients in urban areas had up to a 20 per cent greater risk of dying compared to those who lived in rural areas.

Radiation treatment for prostate cancer increases risk of bladder cancer

Prostate cancer patients who have received radiation have more than twice the risk of getting bladder cancer compared to those who received only hormone therapy. Nevertheless, radiation patients have a much better chance of living longer, according to a new Norwegian study.

Nine per cent of Norwegians newly diagnosed with HIV have viruses with resistant mutations

Researchers have recently released the sixth annual Resistance against antivirals in Norway report. 2018 saw no cases of resistant viruses for influenza, hepatitis B or Herpes, but 9 per cent of newly diagnosed HIV cases had viruses with resistant mutations.

Researchers find evidence of anxiety and alcohol use in wastewater

Norwegian and Australian scientists can now learn more about people's health from what they find in our untreated wastewater.

Some people are more prone to blood poisoning than others. Gry Hege was affected, and lost her hands and feet.

A tiny cut on your finger or having your wisdom teeth pulled can have serious consequences if you get blood poisoning, more properly called sepsis. Researchers say health care providers need better awareness of the disease.

What’s the lasting effect of surgical knee repair?

For the first time, a researcher has looked at how different surgical methods affect knee function 5-10 years after treatment.

Asthma or EILO: Are misdiagnosed breathing difficulties making children and adolescents less active?

EILO is a breathing problem that can be confused with asthma. Doctor believes many people don’t know they can get help.

New medicine for multiple myeloma shows promising results

A new drug reduced the risk of relapse and increased survival by five months, according to a recent study. The results were presented at a cancer conference in Chicago in June.

Cancer drug doesn’t work for chronic fatigue

Cancer drug rituximab has no effect on chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), according to a Norwegian study.

Common painkiller may substantially increase the risk of heart disease

Painkillers like Voltarol and Voltaren may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease by as much as 50 per cent, according to a new study.

How do we make sure that all have access to personalized medicine?

Personalized medicine demands much from the patient. But researchers warn that tomorrow’s health care, with all its promise, is at risk of unfairly excluding people unless we take steps to prevent this.

Kids might get ADHD if their mothers have taken a lot of paracetamol

Heavy use of the common pain and fever reliever paracetamol during pregnancy could have an effect on the development of ADHD. Norwegian researchers found genetic changes among the offspring of women who took paracetamol at least 20 days of their pregnancies.

Migraines eased by chiropractic? Probably the placebo effect

A visit to the chiropractor might help your migraine. But other treatments work equally well, a new Norwegian study shows.

Promising remedy for rheumatism

Researcher and Doctor Anita Kåss has found a medication that could be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. It supresses a sex hormone which appears to be involved in the disease. The new drug might also be relevant for the treatment of other autoimmune diseases.

A mathematician in the operating room

Mathematician Mathias Barra looks at hospitals as if they are health factories. His goal is to find the safest, most efficient way to organize surgery and the use of shared resources.

Should pneumonia be treated with antibiotics?

Many children are given antibiotics for pneumonia unnecessarily. Antibiotics only work for bacterial infections and most cases of pneumonia are caused by viruses.

Peptide found that predicts heart failure

Patients who have relatively high concentrations of secretoneurin in their blood run higher risks of a premature death. But this compound might be just what can save patients in the future.

Norway fights back against superbugs

A new national strategy on antimicrobial resistance aims to cut antibiotic use in Norway. But not enough is known about cutting use without compromising treatment, experts say.

Getting rid of headaches by cutting out headache pills

Half of all people with chronic headaches can be getting their throbbing heads from over-use of pain-relievers. This means many can get much relief very easily.

Children taking unapproved sleep meds for several years

More children are being prescribed melatonin as a sleep medication, although it is not approved for this use and little research exists on its long-term side effects.

Genetic variant protects against hepatitis C

Thanks to a genetic defect, quite a few of us have a better than average chance of overcoming the liver disease hepatitis C.

Brain-controlled prosthetic arm connected to nerves

A just-published study in Science Translational Medicine describes the success of a new kind of prosthesis, used by a Swedish truck driver for more than a year. The researchers say the device moves us one step closer to more natural control of artificial limbs.

Listening in on doctor-patient consultations

Nearly 200 consultations in doctors’ offices have now been transcribed and made available for extensive research. Early studies show the difficulties doctors face discussing existential issues with their patients.

No improvement in chronic fatigue with new medicine

Researchers hoped they had found the first effective drug against CFS, but the patients ended up just as exhausted as before.

Expectant mothers neglect their medications

One-third of all pregnant women with chronic disorders fail to take their medicines as prescribed by doctors.

Weak antibiotic doses undermine our body’s defences

Swedish scientists have found how an insufficient treatment can make cholera bacteria resistant to our immune system.

Insurance firm ponders nanoparticle risks

International experts on nanoparticles were recently invited to a symposium by the insurance company If. The firm wants to know whether nanoparticles could lead to some unpleasant surprises in the future

Gastric injections of Botox might curb obesity

Rats have lost weight after receiving Botox injections in the stomach. Researchers think such treatment could provide a less drastic alternative to current weight-loss surgery.

Norwegians more willing to get cancer check-ups

On the whole, Scandinavians have better attitudes than Brits, Australians and Canadians when it comes to making medical appointments to check out signs of cancer.

Slipping past slime with sneaky biological medicine

Researchers need to find a way to plow through a mucous barrier to deliver biological medicines to the right place.

Sleeping pills can double risk of traffic accidents

The risk of getting involved in a traffic accident is twice as high within a week after filling out a prescription for some of the most popular sleeping pills.

Edible vaccines can be grown everywhere

In the future, local farmers the world over could be growing broccoli, potatoes or lettuce that can protect against diseases such as rabies and dengue.

Cancer patients with high vitamin D levels live longer

The risk of dying from cancer is more than 2.5 times higher in patients with low vitamin D levels compared to patients who have high levels of the same vitamin.

Hospital describes experiences after last year's Oslo terrorist attack

On 22 July 2011, an extreme right-wing domestic terrorist car-bombed key government buildings in Oslo and shot down dozens of youths at a nearby Labour Party camp. A recent report explains how smart decision-making and interaction between the staff of hospital ERs and emergency services saved many lives.