scientist

Scientists Say They Have Fully Reversed Alzheimer’s In Mice 

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Alzheimer’s disease impacts more than seven million Americans, devastating their cognitive ability and overall identity. It’s a highly researched disease that even the biggest minds in science and healthcare are continuing to learn more about. 

Now, a team of American scientists are claiming that they’ve “cured” lab mice suffering from the disease, a monumental step towards the future of fighting Alzheimer’s and, potentially, other cognitive diseases. 

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According to a new paper in the journal Cell Reports Medicine. Scientists from Ohio’s Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), University Hospitals, and the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, researchers administered rodents with the compound P7C3-A20 leading to the reversal of Alzheimer’s. 

“The key takeaway is a message of hope — the effects of Alzheimer’s disease may not be inevitably permanent. The damaged brain can, under some conditions, repair itself and regain function.” said Andrew A. Pieper, the study’s principal investigator in a statement. 

This research is a part of a much larger wave of new lab studies that are working to help treat, and even cure, Alzheimer’s and other neurological issues. 

University of Edinburgh neuroscience professor Tara Spires-Jones, who wasn’t part of this study, told the BBC “scientists are closer than ever to a truly life-changing treatment — in as little as five to 10 years; instead of a slow death where people lose themselves. New tests will detect the condition early and innovative treatments will really make your life normal.”

Scientists have been moving closer and closer to understand the causes of Alzheimer’s, looking at factors such as genetics, environment, and other stressors. 

According to Sharon Adaro of Futurism Magazine, “In the P7C3-A20 study, the scientists focused on the impact of the crucial molecule NAD+, a coenzyme important for driving cellular metabolism and which decreases as we age. 

Patients with Alzheimer’s suffer from a significant decrease of NAD+ in the brain, and hence their brain cells have trouble maintaining normal functionality, staving off inflammation, and canceling other physical hallmarks of the disease,” Adaro wrote. 

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In this study, the team looked at two types of lab mice that were genetically bred to be predisposed to Alzheimer’s. The groups were differentiated based on which specific proteins they had that contained mutations causing them to be predisposed. The team injected P7C3-A20 into both groups when they were two months old. 

As the mice aged, they didn’t develop the disease. Additionally, the team injected the compound into a batch of lab mice who were six months old and suffering from an advanced stage of Alzheimer’s. 

After that group received their injections, they completely recovered their cognitive ability as well as NAD+ levels were completely restored to normal levels. 

“We were very excited and encouraged by our results,” said Pieper in the statement. 

“Restoring the brain’s energy balance achieved pathological and functional recovery in both lines of mice with advanced Alzheimer’s. Seeing this effect in two very different animal models, each driven by different genetic causes, strengthens the new idea that recovery from advanced disease might be possible in people with AD when the brain’s NAD+ balance is restored.”

“What’s also good about this study is that P7C3-A20 offers an alternative pathway to boosting NAD+ levels versus taking over-the-counter chemical precursors for NAD+, which can raise NAD+ to such toxic levels that people could develop cancer,” Pieper said.

measles

World Health Organization Says Measles Cases Are Concerningly Surging

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Between 2000 and 2024, deaths caused by measles dropped 88% thanks to vaccination, according to reports from the World Health Organization (WHO). It’s estimated that 58 million lives were saved from the success of the vaccine worldwide. 

Now, however, the WHO has released a new report that states vaccine coverage is now well below the level needed to stop transmission, with cases surging globally. 59 nations have reported large/disruptive measles outbreaks within the last year. This marks almost three times the number reported in 2021. 

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About 25% of these outbreaks are occurring in nations that were previously declared to be measles-free, including the United States. 

“Global measles elimination remains a distant goal.”

This rise in outbreaks and decline in resources for immunization and disease surveillance is contributing as well, the report noted.

In order for “elimination” to occur, the virus needs to stop circulating within a country. Canada, for example, recently lost their elimination status, and WHO is concerned about the US losing its status next, according to Dr. Kate O’Brien, director of the WHO’s Department of Immunization. 

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports “1,798 confirmed measles cases in the US this year, the highest number of cases since the country reached elimination status in 2000.”

“Measles remains the world’s most contagious virus,” WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. 

“Even though there’s a highly effective low-cost vaccine, the disease exploits gaps in immunization coverage.”

In 2024, there were more than 30 million children globally that were considered to be under-protected against measles. 

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“We have made measurable progress towards measles elimination,” said Diana Chang Blanc, head of WHO’s Essential Program on Immunization. 

“But progress toward elimination is still too slow. Cases and deaths are still unacceptably high.”

A few nations have yet to give out the second dose of a measles vaccine as standard practice, which is essential because the second dose “increases vaccine effectiveness to 95%, providing most individuals with long-lasting immunity,” Chang Blanc stated. 

In 2024, the reports noted that only 84% of children received the first dose with only 76% receiving the second dose around the world. 

“This means that 30 million children remained underprotected from measles in 2024. Children living in fragile, vulnerable conflict-afflicted settings are the most adversely affected.” 

Chang Blanc stated that progress is not being accomplished due to the fact that there has been lower global immunization rates and a “backsliding of vaccination” since the Covid-19 pandemic. 

“Measles acts as a fire alarm for immunization programs. When the disease resurfaces, it warns that there are gaps in immunization coverage and health care access inequities,” O’Brien stated. 

Misinformation and disinformation are notable factors in slowed vaccination rates, WHO stated. 

Chang Blanc said that “the breakdown or lack of a strong foundation in the routine immunization system is the No. 1 reason for high measles case counts and outbreaks.

Although it sounds simple, those routine systems require trained health workforces, logistic systems, transport, surveillance systems and other resources that many countries do not have.

The major barrier to reaching 95% measles vaccine coverage is access to populations that need it most.”

long covid

Strange Structures In The Blood Of Long Covid Patients Could Be The Cause Of Their Symptoms 

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In a new study, medical researchers have found that unusual microscopic structures in the blood of those suffering from long Covid may be the cause of their symptoms such as brain fog and fatigue. 

A team of medical researchers, led by geneticist Alain Thierry of Montpellier University in France, wrote in a paper that “this study shows a robust association between biomarkers indicative of thromboinflammatory activity and long Covid.”

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“The discovery of these biomarker linkages not only presents a possible novel diagnostic methodology but also novel therapeutic targets, offering prospects for future markedly improved clinical management.”

While a direct reasoning for the symptoms of long Covid lasting for months to years after their initial Covid-19 infection isn’t yet clear, this study offers a window of opportunity for treatment. 

Science Alert reported that back in 2021, physiologist Resia Pretorius of Stellenbosch University in South Africa said microclots could be a reason for the lingering symptoms. Microclots are abnormally persistent blood clots that are smaller than those seen in conditions like stroke, but large enough to impact blood flow. 

In 2022, Thierry and his colleagues showed that patients with long Covid have “elevated levels of neutrophil extracellular traps, also known as NETs.” NETs are “sticky webs of DNA and enzymes released by white blood cells to capture and contain pathogens invading the body,” Michelle Starr of Science Alert reports. 

In typical circumstances, NETs do their jobs and then break down, but when they’re released in larger numbers, they can cause blood flow problems. 

Both Pretorius and Thierry collaborated on this new research, and have combined their previous findings to suggest that NETS and microclots both interact in the blood of long Covid patients. 

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The researchers studied blood samples from 50 patients with long Covid and 38 healthy volunteers. They focused particularly on comparing the differences in microclots and NETs in both groups; who had individuals from France and South Africa. 

It was revealed that patients with long Covid had a noticeably higher number of microclots when compared to the healthy group. An increase in NETs also paralleled the increase in microclots within long Covid patients. 

Something new that the team reported was “the NETs appeared to be physically embedded within the microclots, an association that had never before been reported.”

That particular association was found in all the samples observed from both groups. The impact of this increase was more prominent in the long Covid group.

“This finding suggests the existence of underlying physiological interactions between microclots and NETs that, when dysregulated, may become pathogenic,” Thierry explained.

Now, scientists, researchers, and medical professionals could utilize both microclots and NETs as a biomarker to diagnose long Covid, which has been difficult to diagnose. 

The research has been published in the Journal of Medical Virology.

running

To Lower Heart Disease Risk, Men Need Twice As Much Exercise As Women

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According to new research published in Nature Cardiovascular Research, in order to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, men need twice as much the amount of exercise as women. The scientists who were a part of the study said that healthy living guidelines need to take more of an account of the biological differences in the sexes to truly help everyone reduce the risk of developing heart disease, or other diseases for that matter. 

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Scientists in the study looked at physical activity records from over 80,000 people, according to reports. They found that the risk of heart disease decreased 30% in women who got up to 250 minutes of exercise every week, while men needed to hit 530 minutes (about nine hours) to have the same effect. 

The study also cited previous research which suggested that women benefit more than men from the same level and amount of exercise, however, it also showed that women are, in general, less physically active and less likely to meet the recommended targets. 

NHS guidelines state that men and women from ages 16 to 64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week, and also perform muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week. 

“Compared with male individuals, females derive equivalent health benefits with only half the exercise time. The findings might have potential to encourage females to engage in physical activity,” the authors wrote. 

Utilizing the UK Biobank project, Dr. Jiajin Chen at Xiamen University in China and his team analyzed data from activity trackers worn by middle-aged volunteers. 

They initially reviewed data from 80,243 participants who did not have coronary heart disease. Within that group, women who did 150-minutes of exercise a week had a 22% lower risk of developing heart disease over eight years of following up when compared to those who did not reach that target. For men, the risk was 17% lower. 

The team revealed that it also showed that women could reduce their heart disease risk by 30% through exercising for 250 minutes a week. Men only achieved this rate by reaching 530 minutes of physical activity weekly. 

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The study also showed that of more than 5,000 men and women who already had coronary heart disease, the risk of dying was three times lower for women who met the weekly exercise target than for active men. 

Professor Yan Wang, a senior author on the paper, said “the work showed both sexes could gain substantial cardiovascular benefit from physical activity.” In general, it’s recommended that everyone gets regular exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle and reduce the chances of experiencing health ailments and disease. 

“We particularly hope that our findings could encourage physically inactive females to become more active, thereby reducing their cardiovascular risk,” he said.

While the data showed a pattern, there is no conclusive evidence as to why exercise benefits women more than men in these findings. They hypothesized that it could be due to differences in hormone balances, muscle fibers, or digestion. 

In an accompanying article, Dr Emily Lau, a women’s cardiovascular health specialist at Massachusetts General hospital, stated: 

“This study provides further evidence that one size really does not fit all and challenges us to move from conversation to action. It is time to embed sex-specific strategies into guidelines and to develop tailored interventions to optimize cardiovascular health for women.”

antibiotic

Antibiotic Resistance Hits Crisis Levels, WHO Reports

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning about the surging spread of drug-resistant bacteria, threatening the effectiveness of vital antibiotics and making once-treatable infections increasingly dangerous.

According to new data released Monday, one in six bacterial infections confirmed by laboratories worldwide in 2023 showed resistance to commonly used antibiotics.

“These findings are deeply concerning,” said Yvan J-F. Hutin, who heads the WHO’s department for antimicrobial resistance.

“As antibiotic resistance continues to rise, we are running out of treatment options and we are putting lives at risk, especially in countries where infection prevention and control is weak and access to diagnostics and effective medicine is already limited.”

The WHO report, based on five years of surveillance data, paints a grim picture: resistance rose in more than 40% of the antibiotics it tracked between 2018 and 2023, with yearly increases ranging from 5% to 15%.

Antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections now directly kill over a million people annually and contribute to nearly five million deaths worldwide, the organization said. The agency examined 22 antibiotics used to treat infections of the urinary tract, bloodstream, and gastrointestinal system, as well as gonorrhea, and found widespread resistance.

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For urinary tract infections alone, resistance to widely prescribed antibiotics exceeded 30% in most regions.

Among the eight pathogens examined, including E. coli and K. pneumoniae, resistance has become alarmingly common. More than 40% of E. coli infections and 55% of K. pneumoniae infections are now resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, the standard first-line treatment.

“Antimicrobial resistance is outpacing advances in modern medicine, threatening the health of families worldwide,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The WHO said antibiotic resistance was highest in regions with weaker healthcare systems and limited laboratory capacity. In Southeast Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean, one in three infections showed resistance, while in Africa, one in five did.

Silvia Bertagnolio, who leads WHO’s AMR surveillance unit, said these systems often lack the capacity to diagnose or treat infections effectively. She added that limited surveillance in some countries means data is often collected only from the sickest patients, skewing resistance figures upward.

While global surveillance has improved, 48% of countries still report no data at all. “We are definitely flying blind in a number of countries and regions,” Hutin admitted.

Overuse and misuse of antibiotics in humans, animals, and agriculture continue to drive resistance, allowing bacteria to evolve faster than new treatments can be developed. The WHO warned that the global drug pipeline — the number of new antibiotics in development — remains alarmingly thin.

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“The increasing antibiotic use, the increasing resistance and the reduction of the pipeline is a very dangerous combination.”

The situation isn’t limited to developing regions. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last month that infections from drug-resistant “nightmare bacteria” jumped nearly 70% between 2019 and 2023.

Dr Manica Balasegaram at the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership said the report shows how drug-resistant infections have reached “a critical tipping point”.

“The most difficult-to-treat gram-negative infections are now beginning to outpace antibiotic development, either because the right antibiotics are not reaching the people who need them, or because they are not being developed in the first place.”

The WHO called for urgent global action, including better monitoring, stricter antibiotic stewardship, and investment in new treatments. Without these steps, even minor infections or routine surgeries could become life-threatening.

“It’s not enough to develop new antibiotics; they have to be the right ones, those that target infections that have the greatest public health impact. We are failing to replace the antibiotics that are being lost to resistance, and this latest WHO report shows that the consequences of that are now finally beginning to be felt,” he said.

“Until now, the AMR narrative has focused rightfully on the overuse of antibiotics, but this isn’t enough. To avoid the tipping point, we must now also focus efforts on accelerating innovation and increasing their appropriate use.”

depressed

Women Carry A Higher Risk Of Depression Genetically, Study Says 

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A new recently published study has found that women carry a higher genetic risk of depression. The research was published this week in Nature Communications, and has claimed to be the largest genetic study on major depression in different sexes. It found 16 genetic variants linked to depression in women and eight in men.

Australia’s QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute led the study, which showed a large amount of the genetic variants linked to depression were shared between the sexes, but were “higher burden of genetic risk in females which could be due to female-specific variants,” according to the Guardian.

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“We already know that females are twice as likely to suffer from depression in their lifetime than males,” said Dr. Brittany Mitchell, a senior researcher at QIMR Berghofer’s genetic epidemiology lab.  

“We also know that depression looks very different from one person to another. Until now, there hasn’t been much consistent research to explain why depression affects females and males differently, including the possible role of genetics.”

The study also emphasized previous research and knowledge regarding the higher rate of depression in women and its links to behavioral, environmental, and pre-existing biological factors. One of these factors includes the fact that men are less likely to seek out counseling and treatment.

Women are also more exposed to sexual abuse and interpersonal violence, which is one of the biggest environmental factors for these findings. 

The study stated that these factors emphasize the need for a “multifaceted approach” in order to understand all the underlying mechanisms of depression, and “proposed that a key component of the biological mechanisms underlying these disparities could be differences in genetics.”

For the study, researchers looked at DNA from five international cohorts: Australia, the Netherlands, United States and two from the United Kingdom, the Guardian reported. Their final sample size included 130,471 women and 64,805 men with major depression, as well as 159,521 women and 132,185 men without the diagnosis.  

The authors acknowledged that the study included about twice the amount of women with depression as men, so they performed additional analyses to ensure their findings were not caused by the difference in sample sizes. 

They also found a stronger genetic correlation in women between depression and metabolic traits when compared to men with the same traits. 

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Dr Jodi Thomas, the lead researcher, said “these genetic differences may help explain why females with depression more often experience metabolic symptoms, such as weight changes or altered energy levels.”

Professor Philip Mitchell, from the School of Clinical Medicine at the University of New South Wales, said: “there has been longstanding debate about the reasons for the consistent finding around the world that depression is more common in females than males, with most studies reporting that women have two to three times the risk of depression compared to men.” 

“The most dominant theories have been related to social and psychological factors, for example the impact of the female role in caring for families compared to the income earning role of males, or personality vulnerabilities in women,” said Mitchell. 

“This very interesting novel genetic study in a very large global study provides strong evidence that these differences in rates of depression may in fact be due to genetic factors, with the statistically significant finding of more depression risk regions in the genome in females compared to males, and little overlap in these regions between males and females.”

“As well as strengthening the evidence that the differences in depression rates between men and women may be largely due to biological factors, it also points to the future possibility of different pharmacological treatments for depression in women and men, as the biological systems coded for by these genetic regions become better understood.”

party

What We Learned from Studying the World’s Oldest Living Person

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When Maria Branyas Morera passed away at the age of 117, she held the title of the world’s oldest living person. But before her death, she made a simple but profound request: “Please study me.” Scientists honored her wish.

Led by Dr. Manel Esteller at the University of Barcelona, a team of scientists set out to uncover what made Maria such an extraordinary outlier in human aging. They examined her blood, urine, saliva, and stool, hoping to piece together the biological puzzle of her long life.

The study, recently published in Cell Reports Medicine, pointed to several intriguing factors. Some of the answers, it turns out, may lie in her everyday habits. Maria reportedly walked daily well into her 90s, avoided alcohol and tobacco, and followed a healthy diet. She also had a remarkably stable social life, staying close to family and continually building new friendships even as old ones faded.

“She lived a healthy life,” Dr. Esteller said. “She had cells that seemed younger than her age.”

“She was a lucky person from the start, and she got an extra plus through her life. She never smoked, she never drank alcohol, and she liked to work until she could not. She lived in the countryside, she did moderated exercise, mostly walking one hour a day. She had a diet that included olive oil, Mediterranean style and, in her case, yogurt.”

The research team found that Maria’s microbiome, the vast collection of microbes living in and on her body, showed signs of low inflammation. This is significant because chronic inflammation is often associated with aging and disease. Her body also contained high levels of Bifidobacterium, a beneficial bacterium commonly encouraged by fermented foods like yogurt, which she ate three times a day.

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Her genetic analysis revealed something even more unusual: variants believed to protect against common age-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease, dementia, and cancer. These genetic factors may have helped shield her from the chronic illnesses that claim most lives long before 100.

Not all scientists agree that genes or gut bacteria can offer a complete explanation. Dr. Mary Armanios, a geneticist and oncologist at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, warned that predicting longevity based on genetic variants remains an unsolved challenge. While some gene patterns may lower disease risk, their effects are still not fully understood.

“The genetics of longevity are notoriously confusing,” she said. Many studies compare centenarians to younger individuals, but as Dr. Armanios pointed out, it’s impossible to know how long those younger people will live, a flaw that limits what such comparisons can reveal.

She also emphasized the critical role of environment and inequality. In Baltimore, she noted, life expectancy can differ by two decades depending on income level and access to education.

“I do think there are obviously bad genetics that limit life span. But I am not sure good genetics are sufficient to overcome socioeconomic limitations.”

Maria’s story isn’t just one of biological good fortune. Born in San Francisco in 1907 to Spanish parents, she returned to Spain with her mother after her father’s early death. She went on to raise three children, outliving one of them, and spent most of her life in the town of Olot.

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She lived independently until age 94, and even after moving into a nursing home, she remained active. She continued playing piano until she was around 112. Her family, including daughters now in their 90s, recalls her vitality and independence.

While her relatives died from a range of common causes, including cancer, tuberculosis, heart disease, and accidents, Maria simply kept going. Her lifestyle, social connections, and potential genetic advantages may have combined to create the conditions for an unusually long and healthy life.

Dr. Immaculata De Vivo, a molecular geneticist at Harvard, praised the study as scientifically sound but urged caution. Findings based on a single person, however fascinating, don’t always scale up.

“Disease causation is generally a matter of probabilities rather than absolutes,” she said. In other words, even with the perfect genetic profile and a clean lifestyle, there are no guarantees, only improved odds.

However, Claire Steves, a professor of aging at King’s College London, who wasn’t involved in the study, told CNN, “The level of detail in this paper is extraordinary.”

“They have gone very deep and managed to assess a wide range of different biological aging mechanisms. To my note, this is the first paper that’s ever really done this in this detail.”

Maria Branyas Morera’s life offers researchers a rare window into human longevity. If nothing else, her story reminds us that aging well may be less about hacks and more about consistency of movement, connection, and maybe a little yogurt every day.

cdc

Ex-CDC Director Says RFK Jr. Pressured Her to Back Vaccine Schedule Overhaul, Cites Political Meddling

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At a tense Senate hearing on Wednesday, former CDC Director Susan Monarez alleged that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pressured her to support a revision of the childhood vaccine schedule — a plan she says lacked scientific basis and led to her removal.

Monarez told members of the Senate Health Committee that Kennedy insisted changes to the immunization schedule would take effect in September and demanded her support without providing any data. “He said I needed to be on board,” Monarez recounted under questioning from Committee Chair Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.).

The testimony came as part of a broader inquiry into upheaval within the CDC and Kennedy’s controversial role in shaping the agency’s direction. Cassidy reminded the room that Kennedy had promised not to alter the vaccine schedule when he was nominated in January.

Monarez described Kennedy’s demeanor during their exchange as “extremely animated” and said he launched into a tirade, accusing CDC employees of endangering children.

“He said that CDC employees were killing children, and they don’t care. He said that CDC employees were bought by the pharmaceutical industry. He said the CDC forced people to wear masks and social distance like a dictatorship. He said during the Covid outbreak, the CDC told hospitals to turn away sick Covid patients until they had blue lips before allowing them to get treatment. Those statements are not true.”

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In an emotional moment, Monarez also described the lingering trauma at the CDC following an August shooting in which a gunman, who reportedly blamed vaccines for his health issues, opened fire on the agency’s Atlanta headquarters, killing a police officer.

“Each bullet was meant for a person, and each of my staff were very traumatized afterwards,” she said, adding that staff became so afraid they removed their names from vaccine-related studies and refused to speak publicly on the topic.

The hearing also featured testimony from Dr. Deb Houry, the CDC’s former chief medical officer, who recently resigned in protest alongside two other senior officials. Houry accused Kennedy of compromising the agency’s scientific independence, saying he “censored CDC science, politicized its processes and stripped leaders of independence.”

“I could not, in good conscience, remain under those conditions,” she added.

Both Monarez and Houry pointed to increasing political interference in areas traditionally governed by science. They specifically named Stuart Burns, a former GOP staffer and Kennedy aide with known ties to the anti-vaccine movement, as someone playing a central role in determining which vaccines are recommended by federal advisory panels.

Monarez further testified that Kennedy had asked her to meet with Aaron Siri, an anti-vaccine attorney and longtime associate of Kennedy who represented him during his failed presidential run. Siri has made a name and fortune challenging vaccine mandates and representing clients claiming vaccine injury. He once filed a petition to revoke approval for a polio vaccine.

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The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the federal panel responsible for vaccine guidance, is scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss the childhood immunization schedule. Kennedy removed previous members of the committee in June and replaced them with individuals widely viewed as vaccine skeptics, many of whom lack direct medical or scientific expertise.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, Andrew Nixon, defended Monarez’s dismissal, claiming she had “acted maliciously to undermine the president’s agenda.” He insisted that any updates to the vaccine schedule would be “based on the latest available science.”

“Any potential changes to the childhood vaccine schedule will be based on the latest available science, and only after the ACIP recommends it and the acting CDC director reviews and approves those recommendations.”

Still, the growing number of departures and allegations of political meddling have raised alarm bells among public health experts and lawmakers alike. Cassidy noted the apparent contradiction between Kennedy’s public assurances and his private push for unvetted changes.

Less than a month after praising her “unimpeachable scientific credentials,” Secretary Kennedy fired her,” Cassidy said, referring to Monarez’s swearing-in. “

united

Luigi Mangione Has State Terrorism Charges Dropped in UnitedHealthcare CEO Murder Case

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A Manhattan judge has dismissed two state terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old accused in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, ruling that prosecutors failed to meet the legal threshold for terrorism-related crimes.

The decision, delivered Tuesday by Judge Gregory Carro during a pre-trial hearing in Manhattan Criminal Court, narrows the state’s case but leaves serious charges, including second-degree murder, intact as the proceedings move toward trial.

Mangione, who faces both state and federal charges in the December 2024 killing outside a Manhattan hotel, could still spend decades in prison if convicted.

In his written opinion, Judge Carro explained that the facts of the case, while “heinous,” did not meet the legal definition of terrorism under New York law.

“There was no evidence presented of a desire to terrorize the public, inspire widespread fear, engage in a broader campaign of violence, or to conspire with organized terrorist groups. Here, the crime — the heinous, but targeted and discrete killing of one person — is very different from the examples of terrorism set forth in the statute.”

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Prosecutors had argued that Mangione intended to “violently broadcast a social and political message to the public at large,” but the judge disagreed, dismissing both charges of murder in the first degree in furtherance of an act of terrorism and murder in the second degree as a crime of terrorism as legally insufficient.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, while acknowledging the court’s decision, emphasized that the remaining charges still carry heavy penalties. Eight of the counts are weapons-related charges.

“We respect the Court’s decision and will proceed on the remaining nine counts, including murder in the second degree.”

Tuesday’s hearing drew considerable attention, with members of the press, the public, and Mangione’s vocal supporters crowding the Manhattan courtroom. Some carried signs outside, chanting as they awaited news of the judge’s ruling.

Mangione, shackled and wearing a tan prison uniform, entered the courtroom shortly before 9:30 a.m., briefly glancing toward the gallery before staring straight ahead. As he exited, he acknowledged his supporters with raised eyebrows — once toward the defense’s first row inside the courtroom, and again as he passed reporters and spectators outside.

His supporters later trailed behind his defense team as the attorneys left the courthouse, underscoring the attention this case has drawn since the high-profile arrest.

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The December killing of Brian Thompson shocked both the business world and the Manhattan community where it occurred. Federal prosecutors have also charged Mangione, and those charges carry the potential for the death penalty — a key distinction from the state case, where the maximum sentence for second-degree murder is 25 years to life.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty in both jurisdictions. His defense attorneys have argued that trying him in both courts amounts to double jeopardy. Still, Judge Carro rejected that request in Tuesday’s ruling, allowing the state case to proceed alongside the federal one. Several legal battles remain unresolved as the December 1 hearings approach.

Defense attorneys are seeking to suppress evidence recovered from Mangione’s backpack — including a firearm and a notebook — alleging the search was conducted without a warrant. Prosecutors deny this and have asked the court to require the defense to disclose whether they plan to pursue an insanity defense or introduce psychiatric evidence at trial.

Judge Carro has yet to rule on either matter, but confirmed that upcoming hearings will address the admissibility of physical evidence, police statements, and whether a non-witness expert can testify.

The killing of Thompson, who led one of the nation’s largest health insurance companies, has generated intense public interest, with media outlets across the country following each development. Tuesday’s ruling marks a turning point in the state case, removing the most severe charges but leaving a long legal road ahead for both sides.

For now, all eyes are on the December 1 hearings, where key evidence and legal strategies will be presented before the case proceeds to trial.

tired

Long Covid Symptoms Comparable To Parkinson’s And Stroke, According To New Study 

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The World Health Organization defines long Covid as symptoms that are lasting at least three months after initial infection. The illness has become an ongoing battle for many individuals around the world from the pandemic, and while health experts and scientists have learned more about it in the past four years, there’s still a lot unknown regarding the intricacies of long Covid. 

A lot of the research surrounding long Covid has been focused around the symptoms such as fatigue and brain fog. Now, a new study from Australia published in the Australian Journal of Primary Health showed how limited individuals suffering from long Covid are in their daily life. 

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Long Covid impacts about 6% of people who have been infected with Covid-19. There have been more than 200 symptoms recorded. For some people, it lasts a few months, for others known as “long haulers” it can stretch into years. 

Past studies have shown that long Covid reduces quality of life to levels that parallel chronic fatigue syndrome, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, and Parkinson’s disease. 

This new study specifically surveyed 121 adults across Australia that are living with long Covid and initially were infected with Covid-19 between February 2020 and June 2022. Most of the individuals were aged 36 to 50 and were never hospitalized and able to manage their illness at home. 

Researchers asked the participants to complete two surveys that are used in health research to measure disability and quality of life known as the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule and the Short Form Health Survey. 

Both of the surveys work to paint a full picture of people’s lived experiences to show researchers what it truly means to live with these symptoms and how they impact their everyday life. 

The people who were surveyed with long Covid reported worse disability than 98% of the general population in Australia. 86% of the individuals with long Covid met the criteria for serious disability compared to 9% of Australians overall. 

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Reports show that people, on average, have trouble with daily activities about 27 days a month and are unable to function for about 18 days. While those surveyed said they could meet some basic needs, they didn’t have the ability to contribute to their homes, workplaces, and communities. 

Overall quality of life scores were 23% lower than the general population. 

Another study that surveyed people across 13 countries found similar levels of disability, and found that women have higher disability scores than men. 

Long Covid has no specific diagnostic test, and individuals suffering with it are often met with skepticism by their health professionals when it comes to their symptoms and its daily impact. 

There are some advancements being made to take long Covid more seriously, but so many are still suffering in the meantime. A 2023 parliamentary long Covid inquiry estimated hundreds of thousands of Australians are living with long Covid, and around the world the numbers are much higher. 

The researchers are stating that there needs to be developed services that are based on real peoples lived experiences. There needs to be accessible tools for people to manage fatigue, brain fog, and the ways in which long Covid impacts everyday life.