Many of those who’ve had COVID-19 have suffered from a temporary loss of their sense of smell, but some have had what seems to be an even worse symptom weeks or months later—a distorted sense of smell, where everything, from coffee to flowers, smells sickeningly awful. An expert and a former sufferer discuss how disruptive to life this can be and what people can do to make it through to recovery.

In the mid-1960’s, many Ivy League and Seven Sister colleges as well as prestigious prep schools allowed researchers to photograph incoming students naked as part of work on a now-discredited theory linking physical characteristics to leadership potential. A former student who went through it, now a physician and writer, discusses how research ethics have changed in the last 50 years.

A look at the top medical headlines for the week of May 9, 2021 including: The injection of nanoparticles deep into the brain can produce relief for those with chronic pain and depression. Then, diagnoses for the four most common cancers take a big jump when people hit age 65. And finally, a new study shows that narcissistic people pump themselves up only because deep down inside, they don’t believe they’re any good.

A look at the top medical headlines for the week of May 2, 2021 including: Doctors are preparing for the possibility of COVID-19 variants that vaccines don’t prevent. Then, a new drug that shows promise against Pancreatic and triple-negative breast cancers. And finally… mindfulness and meditation apps are good for reducing stress and anxiety, but they can also make you selfish.

Bottled water sales have skyrocketed, in part because many people believe it is safer than tap water. Actually, bottled water faces few of the safety regulations that tap water does. The disconnect, according to a new study, comes from society’s pervasive distrust in all governmental institutions. The lead researcher discusses how restoring faith in water could begin to restore faith in all American institutions.

Studies show that as many as a third of people who were very ill with COVID-19 later develop PTSD. Caregivers and health care workers may be afflicted as well. An expert discusses how this develops and what people can do to get better.

Millions of Americans cannot afford the medications they’ve been prescribed. Many skip doses, split pills or don’t fill prescriptions at all as a result, with sometimes even fatal consequences. But doctors are often unable to consider cost very well in prescribing, as the same drug often costs patients vastly different amounts due to insurance differences. Experts discuss the problem and what patients can do to save.

Brain aneurysms—bulging in a brain blood vessel, like an inflated balloon—affect 1 in 50 people and are generally without symptoms until they burst. This occurs in about 30,000 people per year in the US, accounting for 3-5 percent of all new strokes. Here is the story of one survivor in her own words.

A look at the top medical headlines for the week of April 25, 2021 including: New research shows that reopening schools can be safe. Then, The brain cancer glioblastoma has no cure… but that may be changing. And finally, as air pollution from cars declines, scientists in Los Angeles say another polluter is becoming more important—palm trees.

Scientists are testing hundreds of different kinds of animals as well as waste and stormwater for Covid-19, looking for reservoirs for possible mutation. They’ve learned even pets can possibly harbor the virus but probably aren’t a threat. An expert discusses how the knowledge will combat Covid variants.