US towns spent opioid settlement cash on streetlights, cameras and a pickleball court, a database of 17,500 items shows

The stories

27 on this beat today.

Every story told the same way: what happened, who is involved, why it matters, how it works, the truth and the good news.

1. 01

   US towns spent opioid settlement cash on streetlights, cameras and a pickleball court, a database of 17,500 items shows

   $3.7 billion

   of opioid settlement money spent or committed by US states and towns in 2025

   found among about 17,500 spending items [1]

   $60 billion

   the settlements are expected to pay over nearly 2 decades

   local governments control nearly half of it [1]

   30% or more

   of the money that cannot be tracked through public reports, in 12 states

   many towns publish no report at all [1]

   under 3%

   of 1998 tobacco settlement and tax money that reached anti-smoking work in 20 years

   much of it plugged state budget gaps [1]

   What happened

   • State and local governments in the US spent or committed about $3.7 billion of opioid settlement money in 2025. [1]
   • The money comes from companies sued for aggressively pushing painkillers and fuelling the opioid crisis. [1]
   • Camden, New Jersey, spent $150,000 of it on street lighting. [1] Gilmer County, West Virginia, spent $36,200 on a pickleball court. [1]
   • KFF Health News, a US health newsroom, found these among about 17,500 spending items. [1] It built the database with Johns Hopkins University and Shatterproof, an addiction charity. [1]
   • The settlement money is expected to total about $60 billion over nearly 2 decades. [1]
   • The overdose crisis has claimed more than 1 million lives in the US since 2000. [2]
   • In November 2025 a US judge said he would approve a $7.4 billion deal with Purdue Pharma and its owners. [3]
   • Purdue made OxyContin, a prescription painkiller that often served as a way into drugs like heroin. [3]
   • Large amounts went to addiction treatment and recovery housing, which many researchers and families agree fit the settlements' purpose. [1]
   • More than $340 million, about 9% of what was spent, went to housing. [2]
   • Syringe services and help for babies exposed to drugs in the womb each got less than 1% of spending. [1]
   • Both are among 9 core strategies most of the opioid agreements recommend. [1]
   • Mullens, West Virginia, spent at least $84,000 on city insurance, building bills and vehicle repairs. [1]
   • About 100 towns in 20 states committed $3.7 million to buys that included defibrillators and heart monitors. [1]
   • A defibrillator works only in a heart emergency, said Dalton Barrett, a paramedic in North Carolina. [1] In an opioid overdose, people stop breathing. [1]
   • They usually need oxygen or naloxone, a medicine that can reverse an overdose, Barrett said. [1]
   • Spencer County, Indiana, spent about $16,700 on 8 defibrillators for its sheriff. [1] They were on Indiana's list of banned buys. [1]
   • Indiana's addiction commission said the list was only guidance. [1] State law gives it no power to enforce how towns spend the money. [1]
   • Iowa's attorney general's office collects county reports but does not sign off on them, a spokesperson said. [1]
   • In 12 states, 30% or more of the settlement money cannot be tracked through public reports. [1]
   • Local governments control nearly half the money, says OpioidSettlementTracker.com, a site that follows it. [1]
   • Many local leaders have no background in addiction policy, KFF found. [1] Some companies treat the settlements as a gold rush and pitch hard. [1]
   • Supporters of local control say these officials know their communities best and are closest to the problem. [1]

   Who is involved

   • KFF Health News a US health newsroom; built the 17,500-item database with Johns Hopkins and Shatterproof
   • Johns Hopkins public health school
   • Shatterproof addiction charity
   • Local leaders often new to addiction policy
   • Sellers pitching hard
   • Dalton Barrett a paramedic who runs an overdose response team in North Carolina; says defibrillators rarely help an overdose
   • Elizabeth Burke Beaty a New Jersey recovery advocate, herself in recovery; wants the money run by people hurt by the crisis
   • Indiana's Commission to Combat Substance Use Disorder the state's addiction body; says it has no power to enforce its list of banned buys

   How it unfolded

   States and towns had already received more than $6 billion in 2022 and 2023, KFF's earlier database found. [4]

   1. 2022-23 states and towns receive more than $6 billion in opioid money [4]
   2. 2025 about $3.7 billion spent or committed [1]
   3. 1998 tobacco settlement; under 3% reaches anti-smoking work over 20 years [1]
   4. Nov 2025 a judge says he will approve Purdue Pharma's $7.4 billion deal [3]
   5. Aug 2026 Meta agrees an $18 billion settlement with almost all US states [5]

   Why it matters

   Recovery advocates fear towns will use the money to replace ordinary tax funding, rather than add new help. [2]

   Advocates fear the same mistakes for social media settlements. [1] Meta agreed an $18 billion settlement with almost all US states in August. [5]

   How it works

   Public finance experts call this supplanting: new money pays for old costs, so total help does not grow.

   Ambulance kit is a cost a town's general budget should cover, Barrett said. [1] Buying it with opioid money mostly plugs a gap in that budget, he said. [1]

   Seen it before

   A gift card for school books that buys the books your parents were buying anyway leaves you no more books.

   The truth

   • What is really going on US towns and counties spent opioid settlement money on streetlights, town bills and heart kits. [1]Iowa does not check their reports, and Indiana has no power to enforce its own rules. [1]
   • Tobacco companies paid US states hundreds of billions in a 1998 settlement. [1] Over 20 years, under 3% of it, with tobacco taxes, went to anti-smoking work. [1]
   • The database misses some spending, because many towns publish no public report at all. [1]
   • Who gains Town and county budgets in the US — Settlement money pays for kit their general budgets should cover, such as ambulance equipment, which frees their own money. [1]
   • Who pays People with addiction in towns that spend on other things — Money meant for their treatment can go on town bills instead, and a New Jersey advocate says towns can legally do it. [1]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How much of the opioid money was spent on things unrelated to addiction.

     Many towns publish no public report, and in 12 states 30% or more of the money cannot be tracked. [1]

   What comes next

   A bill in New Jersey would make the state review town reports and force them to pay back misused money. [1]

1. 02

   Taliban stop male doctors treating women

   What happened

   • Male doctors and dentists across Afghanistan are being told not to treat women, the Guardian and Zan Times report. [7]
   • No ban has been publicly announced. [7] Dentists say Taliban forces have raided clinics and threatened them with prison. [7]
   • Farida, 37, in Herat had to pay for her dental treatment in advance. [7] On her third visit, the clinic sent her home. [7]
   • Three months on, her treatment is still unfinished. [7] In one city, a patient said, not a single female doctor can be found. [7]

   Who is involved

   • The Taliban Afghanistan's rulers
   • Women patients turned away

   How it unfolded

   Since December 2024, women have also been barred from studying at medical institutes. [7]

   1. December 2024 women barred from medical study
   2. Now male doctors told not to treat women

   Why it matters

   Women can risk themselves and their doctors by getting treated, see unqualified female helpers, or live with the illness. [7]

   How it works

   Public health researchers call this a barrier to access: the care exists, but a rule stops some people reaching it.

   Women may not train as doctors, and hospitals say they may not hire female staff. [7] Now male doctors are barred from treating women too. [7]

   Seen it before

   If the only shop in town will not serve you, it makes no difference that it sells what you need.

   The truth

   • In February, Taliban minister Hamdullah Nomani said male doctors would count as a woman's guardian when treating her. [7] Patients' accounts say otherwise. [7]
   • Who pays Women in Afghanistan — Turned away by male doctors and dentists, they risk themselves and their doctors, use untrained helpers or stay ill. [7]

1. 03

   Health influencers sell in 38% of posts

   What happened

   • Pew Research Center, a US research group, studied 535,512 posts by 6,334 health and wellness influencers. [6]
   • The posts ran on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube from 1 February to 30 April 2026. [6]
   • 38% of the posts promoted a product or service, Pew found. [6]
   • Information was promoted most, in 45% of those posts: workout programmes, nutrition guides, books and videos. [6]
   • Physical products appeared in 32% of them, and services such as coaching in 22%. [6]
   • Among influencers who sell, 10% made 46% of all the selling posts. [6]
   • 63% of US adults who get information from these influencers say they tried a routine they heard about. [6] 55% say they bought a product. [6]

   How it unfolded

   1. 1 February posts collected from here
   2. 30 April to here

   Why it matters

   Health workers remain the most common source of health information for US adults, but many also use social media. [6]

   How it works

   Researchers who study medical evidence call this a conflict of interest: the adviser gains if the advice is followed.

   In 15% of the selling posts, influencers pointed people to services they mostly provide themselves, such as coaching. [6]

   Seen it before

   A shop worker paid by commission praises the dearer phone, and may even be right about it.

   Why a health claim needs a second check when its maker sells the product

   Medical research ethics calls it a conflict of interest: a person who gains from a claim may be right, but someone with nothing to gain must check it.

   The twist

   A claim is not false because its maker earns from it. But nobody can know it is true until someone who earns nothing checks it.

   The picture

   Information45%

   Physical products32%

   Services22%

   Step by step

   1. 1 Someone makes a health claim
   2. 2 They gain if people believe it
   3. 3 That stake shapes which results they run and share
   4. 4 The claim may still be true
   5. 5 So someone with no stake has to check it

   The same force, elsewhere today

   Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.

   • Sound in sleep gives a small memory gain

     Three authors are inventors on a pending patent for the method, and no outside reviewer has checked the study yet.

   • Health influencers sell in 38% of posts

     In 15% of the selling posts, influencers pointed people to coaching and services they sell themselves.

   • Tiny weight-drug doses sold for long life

     Novo Nordisk, which makes Ozempic, showed its own new analyses before any peer review.

   • Home HPV tests aim at a rural cancer gap

     The author told readers her university took research money from the swab's maker, so readers can weigh her case.

   Where you've seen this

   Product reviews

   a review paid for by the brand needs a second review that was not paid for

   Drug trials

   journals ask authors to declare who funded the work and who owns shares

   School reports

   a pupil marking their own homework is checked by the teacher

   The catch

   Having no stake is not the same as being right. An independent checker can also be wrong, and some honest findings come from the people who sell the product.

   And the whole of it

   The influencer, the device maker and the researcher with a patent each see the evidence from where their money sits. A buyer sees it from the shop, and a patient from the clinic, and none of them sees all of it.

   The truth

   • What is really going on Across the rest of the day, the people saying a health product works were often the people selling it. [6][18][22]
   • Pew counted any post suggesting a purchase. [6] It says it likely missed subtle and undisclosed sponsorships. [6]
   • Who gains The most active health influencers — They recommend coaching and services they sell themselves, so each follower who takes the advice pays them. [6]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How much health advice online is paid for without saying so.

     Pew says its count likely missed subtle and undisclosed sponsorships. [6]

1. 04

   Acne antibiotic linked to pregnancy loss

   What happened

   • Women given the antibiotic doxycycline early in pregnancy lost more pregnancies, a US study of 224,870 pregnancies found. [8]
   • Doxycycline treats acne, airway infections and sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia. [8]
   • The study used two US insurance databases and was published on 10 November in Annals of Internal Medicine. [8]
   • Among women with airway infections, doxycycline carried a 40% to 54% higher risk of loss than amoxicillin. [8]
   • That is 7 to 11 extra losses for every 100 pregnancies, against the other antibiotics. [8]

   How it unfolded

   Doctors already avoid it later in pregnancy, because it can bind to calcium in growing bones. [8]

   1. Insurance records pregnancies traced
   2. 10 November study published

   Why it matters

   The drug may be prescribed before a pregnancy is recognised, said Luke Grzeskowiak, a pharmacist at Flinders University. [8]

   How it works

   Because the study was observational, it cannot prove the antibiotic itself caused the losses. [8]

   Animal studies hint the drug may disturb the early placenta. [8] That has not been shown in people. [8]

   Seen it before

   Ice cream sales and sunburn rise together in summer, but ice cream does not burn skin.

   The truth

   • Pregnancy loss affects around 1 in 4 pregnancies and has many causes, Grzeskowiak said. [8]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether doxycycline itself causes the extra pregnancy losses.

     The study was observational, and the possible cause, harm to the early placenta, has only been seen in animals. [8]

2. 05

   Opioid cash moves people off the street

   What happened

   • Connecticut spent about $59 million of opioid settlement money on a housing program for people with addiction. [2]
   • It gives each person a rental voucher, a case manager and money for a deposit or furniture. [2]
   • Jason Fazekas, 49, spent most of his adult life on the street or behind bars. [2] In September he moved into his own flat. [2]
   • New Brunswick, New Jersey, spent $520,000 on homeless services. [2] Its report to the state called the money "budgetary offsets and allocations". [2]
   • A city spokesperson did not say how the services related to addiction. [2]

   How it unfolded

   1. For decades street or prison
   2. September his own flat

   Why it matters

   Housing can steady people's lives enough to get them into treatment, researchers and families say. [2]

   How it works

   Public health workers call this Housing First: people get a home before they stop using drugs, not after.

   The Trump administration opposes federal money for housing people before they are sober. [2] Settlement money can still pay for it. [2]

   Seen it before

   A pupil who sleeps on a different sofa every night struggles in class, however good the teacher.

   The truth

   • Louisville spent more than $1 million on a Goodwill job scheme for people on the street. [2] It does not screen them for addiction. [2]

   Good news

   • Fazekas celebrated 9 months of recovery in October and goes to a daily treatment program. [2]
3. 06

   Watchdog finds harm across NHS Grampian

   What happened

   • Healthcare Improvement Scotland, the health watchdog, found "recurring patterns of harm" across NHS Grampian on Thursday. [15]
   • NHS Grampian runs health care in north-east Scotland, including Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin. [15] The watchdog called it its most serious review ever. [15]
   • It found repeated failures to act on safety warnings or to learn from mistakes. [15]
   • Chief executive Laura Skaife-Knight, paid £170,000 to £175,000 a year, gave the watchdog misleading information. [15]

   Who is involved

   She had said senior staff never saw a review of a patient's death in surgery. [15] Medical director Hugh Bishop had, and has since left. [15]

   • Laura Skaife-Knight chief executive, stays
   • Hugh Bishop medical director, left

   How it unfolded

   1. Thursday the watchdog's report
   2. Next week update to parliament

   Why it matters

   Scotland's government plans to cut its 14 health boards to 2. [15] Whether that improves leadership is debated. [15]

   How it works

   Management researchers call this accountability: the person in charge answers for a failure and faces a consequence.

   Staff lower down felt managers had tried to shift the blame onto them, the BBC reports. [15]

   Seen it before

   When a team captain fumbles and the youngest player is dropped, everyone learns who pays for mistakes.

   The truth

   • In Glasgow, staff scored their confidence in leadership at 32 out of 100 in a survey. [15]
   • Who pays Patients of NHS Grampian — The watchdog found warnings went unheeded and mistakes were repeated, so harm kept reaching patients. [15]
   • Nobody knows yet

     What Scotland's government will do about NHS Grampian's leaders.

     Health Secretary Angela Constance will only update parliament next week. [15]

   What comes next

   Health Secretary Angela Constance is keeping faith in Skaife-Knight. [15] She will update Scotland's parliament next week. [15]

4. 07

   Doctors and nurses win US seats

   What happened

   • At least 7 newly elected Democrats in the US Congress have medical degrees or nursing careers, Vox counts. [21]
   • Candidates backed by 314 Action, which helps Democratic doctors and scientists run, flipped 10 seats in the US Congress. [20]
   • They campaigned on lower costs, wider health coverage and changes to drug prices and insurance denials. [21]

   Who is involved

   They include pediatrician Annie Andrews, South Carolina's first Democrat in the Senate since 2005. [20]

   • Annie Andrews pediatrician, new senator
   • Abdul El-Sayed public health doctor, new senator

   Why it matters

   Several US states passed laws last year that vaccine supporters say curb vaccine uptake. [20]

   The truth

   • More than 120 lawmakers who oppose Covid shots were also elected, an anti-vaccine group says. [20]
   • Florida's next governor, Byron Donalds, called removing all state vaccine rules "a step in the right direction". [20]
5. 08

   Home HPV tests aim at a rural cancer gap

   What happened

   • Rural US women have a 25% higher rate of cervical cancer and a 42% higher death rate than urban women. [27]
   • Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by lasting infections with HPV, a virus usually passed through sex. [27]
   • In one study, rural women were 20% less likely to be up to date on screening. [27]
   • In 2025 the US regulator, the FDA, authorised the Teal Wand, a swab women use at home. [27] It is mailed to a lab for testing. [27]
   • In 4 Appalachian states, mailed kits raised screening to 15%, against 5% after a reminder letter. [27]

   Why it matters

   Rural women are more often diagnosed late, when chemotherapy or radiation may be needed. [27]

   How it works

   Researchers call this self-collection: a woman takes her own sample, so no clinic visit is needed. [27]

   A rural clinic visit for a smear test can take half a day or more. [27] A mailed swab needs no trip. [27]

   Seen it before

   A library that posts books to your door gets more readers than one an hour's drive away.

   The author told readers her university took research money from the swab's maker, so readers can weigh her case.

   The idea, in story 03: Why a health claim needs a second check when its maker sells the product →

   The truth

   • The author, a gynaecologist, says her university got research money from Teal Health, the swab's maker. [27] She holds no shares in it. [27]
   • Who pays Rural women in the US — Far from clinics, they are more often diagnosed late, when chemotherapy or radiation may be needed. [27]

   Good news

   • In 4 Appalachian states in the US, mailing overdue women a home HPV swab tripled cervical screening, from 5% to 15%.
6. 09

   Tiny weight-drug doses sold for long life

   What happened

   • Some US online clinics are selling tiny doses of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic as a way to slow ageing. [18]
   • A microdose is any amount below the lowest dose the US regulator, the FDA, has approved. [18]
   • Longevity influencer Bryan Johnson took one in 2024. [18] He quit weeks later, after his resting heart rate rose. [18]
   • In a Berkeley study, older female mice given daily semaglutide lived almost 100 days longer. [18]
   • That study used a standard dose, not a microdose. [18]

   How it unfolded

   1. 2024 starts a microdose
   2. Weeks later quits as heart rate rises

   Why it matters

   Many microdose products are compounded, so the FDA does not regulate them like approved drugs. [18] Buyers may get a different mix than they think. [18]

   How it works

   Pharmacologists call this the dose-response relationship: what a drug does changes with how much is given.

   Benefits seen at full doses may not appear at doses far smaller, endocrinologist Nicolas Musi says. [18]

   Seen it before

   One drop of squash in a big jug of water does not taste of squash.

   Novo Nordisk, which makes Ozempic, showed its own new analyses before any peer review.

   The idea, in story 03: Why a health claim needs a second check when its maker sells the product →

   The truth

   • Novo Nordisk, which makes Ozempic, presented its own new analyses at a longevity conference in October. [18] The preprint has not been peer-reviewed. [18]
   • Who gains US online clinics selling microdoses — Compounded doses are not regulated by the FDA like approved drugs, which leaves room to sell them for ageing. [18]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether tiny doses of weight-loss drugs do anything for ageing.

     The mouse study that showed longer life used a standard dose, and no microdose has been tested in people. [18]

7. 10

   Fewer teeth, more dementia in Japan study

   What happened

   • Japanese adults 65 or older with no teeth had a 27% higher dementia risk than those with 20 or more. [9]
   • The study followed 47,293 people from 2013 to 2022. [9] During that time, 8,247 of them developed dementia. [9]
   • The researchers estimated tooth loss could account for 7.2% of the dementia cases, if it is a cause. [9]
   • That ranked third, after depression symptoms at 10.5% and social isolation at 9.4%. [9] In men it ranked first, at 12%. [9]

   How it unfolded

   1. 2013 47,293 people enrolled
   2. 2022 8,247 had dementia

   Why it matters

   Fewer teeth can make chewing harder and diets poorer, the authors say. [9] Tooth loss is also linked to isolation and inflammation. [9]

   How it works

   Epidemiologists call this a population attributable fraction: the share of cases a factor would explain, if it were a cause. [9]

   So the 7.2% assumes tooth loss causes dementia, which this study did not show. [9]

   Seen it before

   Blaming one player for a team's losses only adds up if that player is really why they lose.

   The truth

   • The teeth counts and health data were self-reported, which may bring errors, the researchers note. [9]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether losing teeth causes dementia.

     The 7.2% estimate only holds if tooth loss is a cause, which the Japanese study did not show. [9]

8. 11

   Europe's hospitals plan for war

   What happened

   • A major war could put Europe's health systems under pressure from missiles, drones and chemical or biological attacks, Euronews reports. [25]
   • "We are around 200 metres in the 400-metre lap," Iversen said. [25]
   • Countries bordering Russia are furthest ahead, he said. [25] Germany, Norway and the Baltic states are adding hospital beds. [25]
   • The EU's health emergency agency, HERA, is preparing medicines against several kinds of attack, including bioterrorism. [25]

   Who is involved

   Brigadier General Petter Iversen, Norway's Surgeon General, chairs NATO's committee of military medical chiefs. [25]

   • Petter Iversen Norway's Surgeon General, NATO medical chair

   How it unfolded

   Its deputy head, Laurent Muschel, warned that AI could help attackers create new viruses. [25]

   Why it matters

   A major attack could bring huge numbers of patients needing very different treatments at once. [25]

   How it works

   Emergency planners call this surge capacity: room to treat far more patients than usual, at short notice.

   Iversen said that takes funding, training and regular exercises, not only more beds. [25]

   Seen it before

   A school that plans its fire drill only on paper learns on the day whether anyone knows the way out.

9. 12

   Harmful ideas about gender start by 13

   What happened

   • By 13, nearly 3 in 5 boys hold at least one harmful view about men and women, UNICEF finds. [23]
   • The report studied nearly 5,000 boys and young men aged 13 to 24. [23] They live in Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe. [23]
   • One such view is that a husband may hit his wife in some circumstances. [23]
   • The views were about as common at 13 as in older boys. [23]

   Why it matters

   Boys with these views were more likely to report risky sex, mental distress and violence against a partner. [23]

   How it works

   Sociologists call these social norms: shared ideas about how people should behave, learned from those around them.

   Because the views are set by 13, the writers say lessons must start at ages 10 to 14. [23]

   Seen it before

   A school's unwritten rule about who sits where is learned in the first week, before anyone questions it.

   The truth

   • The piece is written by people who work with boys across the region, and it argues for more such work. [23]
10. 13

    A wrist device eases Tourette's tics

    What happened

    • A wrist device from Nottingham University helped Katie, 15, calm down "in an instant", she says. [22]
    • Tourette's is a condition of brain development that usually starts in childhood. [22] Katie's tics once kept her in bed for two weeks. [22]
    • The device, Neupulse, sends electrical pulses to the median nerve at the wrist. [22]
    • In a 2023 UK trial of 121 people, tics fell by 25% on average with a prototype. [22]
    • One version is sold now as a consumer wellness device. [22] The medical version is still awaiting regulatory approval. [22]

    Why it matters

    More than 300,000 people in the UK have Tourette's, which has no cure, a charity says. [22]

    How it works

    Neuroscientists call this nerve stimulation: steady pulses on a nerve change activity in the brain it connects to.

    Rhythmic pulses change activity in the brain areas that control movement, trials showed. [22] That cut how often and how strongly tics came. [22]

    Seen it before

    A steady drumbeat helps a marching band keep in step.

    The truth

    • Why it works on people One named person helped at once, like Katie calming down "in an instant", feels like proof while the long-term evidence is still missing. [22]
    • NICE, which judges treatments for the NHS, called it promising but wants evidence of long-term benefit. [22] Thousands have already been sold. [22]
    • Who gains Neurotherapeutics, the Neupulse spin-out — Selling the wrist device as a wellness gadget lets it earn from thousands of users while medical approval is pending. [22]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether the Neupulse wrist device helps people with Tourette's over years.

      NICE has asked for long-term evidence before any NHS use, and the medical version is still awaiting approval. [22]

11. 14

    A throat condition mistaken for allergy

    What happened

    • Eosinophilic oesophagitis, or EoE, can look like a severe allergic reaction, two studies at a US allergy meeting found. [17]
    • In EoE, a type of white blood cell called an eosinophil builds up in the oesophagus. [17] It affects about 40 in every 100,000 people. [17]
    • At Georgetown University, doctors studied 29 adults sent to a specialist for suspected anaphylaxis, a severe allergy reaction. [17]
    • On average each had been to hospital 3 times and had at least one dose of adrenaline. [17]
    • A second study found more than 500,000 US people with EoE. [17] Diagnoses have risen about sevenfold since 2009. [17]

    Why it matters

    Untreated EoE can scar and narrow the oesophagus, and that risk rises 9% for each untreated year. [17]

    How it works

    Doctors call this a differential diagnosis: list every illness that fits the symptoms, then test to rule each out.

    The 29 tested negative for the allergy reaction. [17] Samples from the oesophagus lining then showed EoE. [17]

    Seen it before

    A cough can mean a cold or hay fever, so a doctor checks which before choosing a treatment.

12. 15

    Sound in sleep gives a small memory gain

    What happened

    • Bursts of pink noise played during sleep helped 37 people with early Alzheimer's recall slightly more, a small study suggests. [10]
    • Pink noise is a low-pitched hiss. [10] Each person learned 30 word pairs before bed, on 2 nights 14 days apart. [10]
    • After the night with sound, they recalled 0.88 more pairs on average, about 19% better, researchers say. [10]

    How it unfolded

    Slow brain waves in deep sleep help store memories, and Alzheimer's can disrupt that. [10]

    1. First night pink noise played
    2. 14 days later a quiet night

    Why it matters

    Ken Paller of Northwestern University, who was not involved, said the results fit growing evidence linking memory to sleep. [10]

    How it works

    Sleep scientists call this memory consolidation: the sleeping brain turns the day's learning into lasting memory. [10]

    A system timed each 50-millisecond pulse to the peak of a slow wave. [10] The useful window is about 200 milliseconds wide. [10]

    Seen it before

    Pushing a swing at the top of its arc sends it higher; push at the wrong moment and little happens.

    Three authors are inventors on a pending patent for the method, and no outside reviewer has checked the study yet.

    The idea, in story 03: Why a health claim needs a second check when its maker sells the product →

    The truth

    • The study is not peer-reviewed. [10] Several authors have commercial links to the makers, and 3 are inventors on a pending patent. [10]
    • Who gains The pink noise researchers with a patent — A positive early result supports a method that 3 of them are inventors on, in a pending patent. [10]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether the memory gain from pink noise lasts, or matters in daily life.

      The study is small and not peer-reviewed, and a 6-month home test has only just begun. [10]

    What comes next

    The team is now testing home equipment for 6 months to see whether any benefit lasts. [10]

13. 16

    A phone game eased depression in a trial

    What happened

    • A smartphone game called Fig, with online therapy, eased depression in Swedish adults already on antidepressants, a trial found. [11]
    • 148 adults who still had symptoms despite their medicine took part, in a trial led from Linkoping University. [11]
    • The game rewards routines for medicine, sleep, meals and exercise by letting players build a virtual world. [11]
    • 51% of the game group improved by at least 30%, against 19% of those on a waiting list. [11]

    Why it matters

    Many people on antidepressants keep having symptoms, and many do not take their medicine regularly. [11]

    How it works

    Psychologists call this reinforcement: a reward that comes after a behaviour makes it more likely to happen again.

    Fig rewards players each time they keep a routine, such as taking their medicine. [11]

    Seen it before

    A sticker chart for brushing teeth works because the sticker comes straight after the brushing.

    The truth

    • 41% of the game group missed the final check, against 18% of the others, and everyone knew their group. [11]

    Good news

    • In a Swedish trial, 51% of adults who used the Fig game with their antidepressants improved by at least 30%, against 19% on a waiting list.
14. 17

    Fresh cell batteries for babies' hearts

    What happened

    • Doctors at Boston Children's Hospital inject fresh mitochondria into babies' hearts damaged after surgery. [29]
    • Mitochondria are the parts of a cell that make most of its energy. [29]
    • About 10,000 US babies a year are born with critical heart defects that may need surgery. [29]
    • Blood rushing back into a repaired heart can stun it, and some babies need a heart-lung machine. [29] Only about 40% get off it. [29]
    • As of April, 17 babies had the treatment, and 80% came off the machine. [29]

    Why it matters

    It is too soon to say whether it improves survival, and a clinical trial is under way. [29]

    How it works

    Doctors call this mitochondrial transplantation: moving energy makers from healthy cells into injured ones. [29]

    The mitochondria are taken from a belly muscle, purified, then injected straight into the heart. [29]

    Seen it before

    A torch with a flat battery shines again once a charged one goes in.

    The truth

    • The work is still highly experimental, and its route to approval is unclear. [29]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether fresh mitochondria help babies survive heart surgery.

      Only 17 babies had been treated by April, and the clinical trial has not reported. [29]

    Good news

    • At Boston Children's Hospital, 80% of 17 newborns given fresh mitochondria came off the heart-lung machine, against about 40% usually.
15. 18

    Young carers ask not to be forgotten

    What happened

    • Madeline, 16, from Bridgend in Wales, cares for her mum and granddad, and says she is burnt out. [16]
    • She helps them get up, makes sure they take their medicine, cooks and cleans. [16]
    • The UK has an estimated 170,000 young carers aged 5 to 17, including 8,200 in Wales. [16]
    • The Carers Trust charity calls that figure "the tip of the iceberg". [16]

    Who is involved

    • Madeline, 16 young carer, Bridgend

    Why it matters

    Friends who are not carers often do not understand, so she gets "pushed aside and forgotten", she says. [16]

    How it works

    Sociologists call this role strain: one person's duties pull against each other until something gives.

    She often cannot go out when her friends do, so they leave her out. [16]

    Seen it before

    A pupil with a weekend job misses the party, then the jokes about it on Monday.

    The truth

    • Who pays Young carers like Madeline in Bridgend — Caring for family takes the evenings she would spend with friends, and she says she is burnt out. [16]

    Good news

    • A carers' centre in Bridgend, part-funded by Children in Need, gives her breaks and friends who understand. [16]

    What comes next

    Wales's government says its new carers' plan, due this month, focuses on young carers. [16]

16. 19

    A parts list for a deep brain region

    What happened

    • Scientists published a cell-by-cell atlas of the basal ganglia, a brain region, in 28 papers on 12 November. [19]
    • It names 61 agreed groups of cells, from 1.8 million cell nuclei of humans, macaques and marmosets. [19]
    • The work comes from BICAN, a brain-mapping group funded by the US National Institutes of Health since 2022. [19]
    • "Here we have that parts list," said Peter Strick of the University of Pittsburgh, who was not involved. [19]

    How it unfolded

    1. 2027 planned end
    2. 2028 extension

    Why it matters

    Labs no longer have to build the whole map themselves, said John Ngai, who directs the US BRAIN Initiative. [19]

    How it works

    Biologists call this a taxonomy: one agreed system for naming and sorting kinds of things. [19]

    The labs agreed names from gene activity, location and electrical behaviour, so any lab's data can be compared. [19]

    Seen it before

    A supermarket where every branch uses the same aisle labels lets anyone find the milk.

    What comes next

    BICAN is due to run to 2027, with an extension to 2028. [19]

17. 20

    Petrol station workers breathe benzene

    What happened

    • More than three-quarters of petrol station workers in a study in north-east Ethiopia breathe benzene above work safety limits. [24]
    • Benzene comes from petrol and carries cancer risks, the Wollo University researchers write. [24]
    • They measured the air breathed by 61 fuel workers and 61 office staff in South Wollo. [24]
    • Fuel workers had a 50% higher lifetime cancer risk than office staff, the study estimates. [24]

    Why it matters

    Working at the pumps, having no protective gear and having no job training each raised the risk. [24]

    How it works

    Occupational health calls this an exposure assessment: measuring how much of a hazard each worker actually breathes. [24]

    Each worker wore a small sampler in their breathing zone, which measured the benzene they breathed. [24]

    Seen it before

    A smoke alarm on the ceiling reads the room; a sensor on a cook's collar reads what the cook breathes.

    The truth

    • Who pays Petrol station workers in South Wollo, Ethiopia — Without protective gear or training, they breathe more benzene, which raises their lifetime cancer risk. [24]
18. 21

    Weekly park trips linked to happier children

    What happened

    • Children taken to a park at least weekly from birth to 11 scored 16.5% higher on mental health checks. [13]
    • Researchers led from the University of Exeter followed 4,219 children. [13] The gain held after allowing for family income and family problems. [13]
    • Children from richer areas went to parks more when small. [13] Those from poorer families went more as they grew older. [13]

    How it unfolded

    1. Early years richer families visit more
    2. Older poorer families visit more

    Why it matters

    Parks give children room to be active and to play freely, which builds confidence, lead researcher Mark Ferguson said. [13]

    How it works

    Researchers call this an equigenic effect: a place that narrows health gaps between richer and poorer people. [13]

    Parks are free and open to everyone, so every family can use them, whatever its income. [13]

    Seen it before

    A free school library gives every pupil the same shelf of books, whatever their parents earn.

    The truth

    • Ferguson said parks must be safe, accessible and welcoming to families from all backgrounds to help. [13]
19. 22

    A kidney swap saves two lives

    What happened

    • Una gave a kidney to a stranger, so her husband Sean, in Belfast, could get one from another donor. [26]
    • The UK Living Kidney Sharing Scheme lets such pairs swap donors with other pairs. [26]
    • On 8 October, the morning of surgery, Sean's planned donor fell ill. [26] Una's recipient's original donor turned out to match Sean. [26]
    • In Northern Ireland, 20 of 69 living-donor kidney transplants in 2025/26 went through the scheme. [26]

    Who is involved

    Sean, 45, has kidney failure, and Una, 49, was not a full match for him. [26]

    • Sean, 45 kidney failure
    • Una, 49 donor, not a full match

    How it unfolded

    1. 8 October, morning Sean's donor falls ill
    2. Same day a second match found

    Why it matters

    Living-donor transplants can spare patients dialysis and a long wait for a kidney from someone who died. [26]

    How it works

    Transplant medicine calls this paired donation: a donor who cannot match their own partner gives to a stranger who matches. [26]

    Una's kidney was flown to Edinburgh, while Sean's donor kidney travelled to Belfast. [26]

    Seen it before

    Two children given the wrong team's shirts swap, and both end up with their own team.

    Good news

    • Sean and Una are recovering well and plan to return to work before Christmas. [26]
    • In Northern Ireland, 20 of the 69 living-donor kidney transplants in 2025/26 came through donor swaps between pairs.
20. 23

    A 1967 LSD guide matches today's advice

    What happened

    • Experienced psychedelic users agreed with 18 of 19 safety tips from a 1967 LSD booklet, a survey found. [12]
    • The survey asked 496 adults who had taken full doses, without saying where the tips came from. [12]
    • The top tip was to recognise that the experience will eventually end, rated 4.76 out of 5. [12]

    Who is involved

    Lisa Bieberman, who ran a psychedelic information centre in Massachusetts, self-published it for $1. [12]

    • Lisa Bieberman founded a psychedelic information centre in Massachusetts

    Why it matters

    In US states with legal supervised use, far more people take psychedelics outside those settings, said lead author Daniel Kruger. [12]

    How it works

    Public health calls this harm reduction: lowering the risks of drug use instead of only demanding none. [12]

    An earlier study linked taking psychedelics without a guide to a wider range of lasting problems. [12]

    Seen it before

    A swimming pool has a lifeguard because some people will swim whatever the rules say.

    The truth

    • The respondents were found at a psychedelic advocacy festival and through online lists. [12]
21. 24

    Processed food linked to worse PMS

    What happened

    • Women in Turkey who ate more ultra-processed food reported somewhat worse premenstrual symptoms, a study of 607 found. [14]
    • PMS, premenstrual syndrome, brings bloating, tiredness and irritability in the days before a period. [14]
    • Ultra-processed foods include sugary soft drinks and some packaged snacks. [14]
    • Women who paused before acting on a craving, or did not judge themselves for eating, reported milder symptoms. [14]

    Why it matters

    Diet is one of many factors, along with shifting hormones, stress and sleep, said researcher Ziya Erokay Metin. [14]

    How it works

    Researchers call this a cross-sectional study: one snapshot, with diet and symptoms asked at the same time. [14]

    So the survey could not tell whether the food came before worse symptoms, or the symptoms changed the eating. [14]

    Seen it before

    One photo of a crowded shop cannot show whether the queue came before the sale or because of it.

    The truth

    • Metin said the link was relatively small after accounting for other factors. [14]
22. 25

    Food on prescription in Mississippi

    What happened

    • Food is medicine programmes give patients healthy food on a clinician's prescription, to help with illnesses like type 2 diabetes. [28]
    • They use food boxes, grocery vouchers or meals made for a patient's condition. [28]
    • In the 1960s, Dr Jack Geiger prescribed food in the Mississippi Delta. [28] Food, he said, was "the most specific therapy for malnutrition". [28]
    • In northern Mississippi, a food box programme for 55 households cut weight, waist size and blood fats over 2 years. [28]

    How it unfolded

    In 2024, more than 47 million Americans, including 7.3 million children, lived in households short of food. [28]

    Why it matters

    Rural families face more hunger as local grocery stores close and cities are far away, the authors write. [28]

    The truth

    • The authors ran these programmes themselves, and say their 4 projects have been small and local. [28]
23. 26

    Mine camp rooms leave workers isolated

    What happened

    • Living standards in remote Australian mine camps are slipping, advocates and researchers told the ABC. [30]
    • FIFO, or fly-in fly-out, workers fly to remote mines, work 12-hour shifts and sleep in camp rooms. [30]
    • Vicky Pellowe, a FIFO worker for 6 years, said workers are "isolated with your own thoughts in your room". [30]
    • Western Australia's draft code for worker housing asks for door deadbolts, better outdoor lighting, bigger beds and reliable internet. [30]

    How it unfolded

    The code was triggered partly by reports of widespread sexual harassment on mine sites. [30]

    A 2022 parliamentary report found nearly three-quarters of women in mining had been sexually harassed at work. [30]

    1. June feedback closed
    2. Next year code endorsed

    Why it matters

    Researcher Jack Tooley linked 60% of mine workers' psychosocial problems to the buildings around them. [30]

    How it works

    Occupational health calls these psychosocial hazards: parts of a job that harm the mind, like isolation or harassment. [30]

    Workers moved from room to room cannot keep photos or home comforts that help them recover, said trainer Erin Turner. [30]

    Seen it before

    A hotel room is fine for a night, but nobody feels at home in one after a month.

    The truth

    • Once the code is in place, mining companies will not be legally bound to follow it. [30]
    • Edith Cowan University researchers found Pilbara workers were scared to speak up about these hazards. [30]

    What comes next

    Western Australia's government says the code will get final endorsement next year. [30]

24. 27

    Illinois bans THC drinks

    What happened

    • Drinks made with hemp-derived THC became illegal in Illinois at midnight on Thursday, the Guardian reports. [31]
    • They had been sold in grocery and liquor stores as alternatives to alcohol. [31]
    • Under the new law, no container may hold more than 0.4mg of THC in total. [31]
    • A hemp trade group of about 250 businesses sued, but its pause until 19 November covers only those who sued. [31]
    • Makers rushed to sell stock cheaply or ship it to states such as Minnesota and Tennessee. [31]

    How it unfolded

    A US federal ban was added to last year's spending bill, and the US Congress delayed it until December. [31] Illinois kept its own start date, 12 November. [31]

    1. 12 November Illinois ban starts
    2. December federal ban starts

    Why it matters

    Joe Chura of Go Brewing in Naperville, Illinois, launched a THC beer last year. [31] He hoped it would give a buzz without heavy drinking's health harms. [31]

    How it works

    Regulators call this a dose cap: a limit on how much of a drug one product may hold.

    Chura says his online buyers preferred low doses, so he is weighing a beer with just 0.4mg. [31] Whether it would be legal is unclear. [31]

    Seen it before

    A canteen that caps the sugar in each drink ends up stocking different drinks.

    The truth

    • Industry figures do not expect strict federal enforcement, but alcohol distributors may refuse THC drinks to protect their licences. [31]