Plaque found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients have been broken down in a study that tested a cancer drug, known as bexarotene, on mice.

The Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) has submitted a draft plan to the council that hopes to restrict fast food outlets in Auckland.

Those with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease can benefit from doing the slow and controlled movements of tai chi, according to a study by the Oregon Research Institute.

The school holidays are over, and it’s time for children and their parents to brush up on dental health routines.

A method of care that reduces the need for restraint and seclusion for mental health clients is being introduced to Greymouth Hospital’s Manaakitanga Acute Admissions Unit.

When faced with terminal illness, medical professionals often forgo further treatment and instead opt to die peacefully, at home.

Cancer patients will soon benefit from the first radiotherapy programme of its kind to arrive in New Zealand.

New referral guidelines for lead maternity carers (LMC) have been released this month by the Ministry of Health that require LMCs to refer pregnant women to a GP or primary care provider if a pregnant woman has certain conditions.

Sunscreen is not as protective as some Kiwis may think and, according to skin specialists, is no match for covering up with clothing.

Hamilton GP Suresh Vatsayayann will appeal his guilty verdict of professional misconduct issued by the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal in a hearing at the High Court this month.

Spanking kids can lead to developmental damage in the long run and may lower IQ, says a Canadian study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Surgeons who operate under the Waitemata District Health Board can earn over $6,000 dollars a day – almost four times as much as general practitioners and psychiatrists – in a new scheme that seeks to attract staff and reduce waiting list times. The pilot scheme, which only operates at Waitakere Hospital, pays orthopaedic surgeons $2,200 for a hip or knee replacement care package – which includes the operation, daily patient review and call backs.

A study of green tea drinkers has found that they are more likely to remain agile and live independently in old age. The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at around 14,000 adults aged 65 and over for a period of three years and found that 13 per cent of adults who drank less than one cup of green tea per day became functionally disabled, in comparison to 7 per cent in those who drank at least five cups a day.

Construction of the $40 million new building for Older Persons and Rehabilitation services at the Waiora Waikato Hospital campus in Hamilton is underway.

The health warning has now been lifted for Lake Waahi, but warnings remain in place for the other regularly tested lakes outside Hamilton. These lakes are Ngaroto Hakanoa, Waikare, and Whangape.

The bacteria Helicobacter pylori, which causes ulcers, has been linked to a higher risk of developing diabetes. Results of a study found that those who had been infected with Helicobacter pylori were twice as likely to develop diabetes.

Hamilton doctor Suresh Vatsyayann has been ordered by the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal to pay over $100,000 after being found guilty of misconduct, following an investigation of a patient misdiagnosis.

Brain abnormalities may make some people more prone to addiction, says a new study published in Science. Scientists at the University of Cambridge found that there were differences in the brains of addicted individuals and their non-addicted siblings.

A study published in Nature has revealed that exercise may play a key force in speeding up the removal of waste inside the body's cells.

New University of Otago research suggests that 6.5% of gay and bisexual men in Auckland have HIV, with a fifth (21%) of these unaware of their infection.