More than a Spoonful

Back in December 2006, readers got their first dose of the Spoonful of Medicine blog. Over the last eight years, there’s been a lot of news to dispense—from our reporting in April about experimental Ebola drugs (when much of the world was ignoring the rising outbreak in West Africa) to our look at the ongoing problem of drug shortages and the movement to pressure companies to make cheaper therapies available. We’ve highlighted many of the biggest breakthroughs in biomedical research, and also detailed a few of the ones that went under the radar. Take, for example, our reporting on insights into the tapeworm genome last year, or a study indicating that a diabetes drug could potentially work to treat emphysema. In every instance we went beyond simply reporting the results and tried to give our readers a better understanding of the biological mechanisms underpinning new findings, as well as a level-headed take on what the real implications were for any future medical applications.  Read more

We’re seeking an assistant news editor

Nature Medicine (that’s us!) seeks an assistant news editor to report and edit must-read stories about the fast-changing field of drug development. We are looking for a person with a passion for understanding and communicating biomedical research, who is eager to break new ground with insightful investigative journalism in this area. The responsibilities of the position include writing and editing news content, as well as helping to manage the journal’s robust online presence.  Read more

Intern at Nature Medicine

Have a passion for reporting on biomedical news? We’re currently accepting applications for our science writing internship. The intern will be closely involved in the editorial process and write news articles and briefs. This is not a paper-pushing internship! The person selected for the position will be reporting stories and working on editorial content, including the blog (https://blogs.nature.com/spoonful/).  Read more

UPDATED: GSK inquiry reports signs of possible data fabrication in multiple sclerosis paper

An inquiry by the British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) into allegations of possible data fabrication in a 2010 Nature Medicine paper regarding the role of specialized T cells in autoimmune disease has found what it sees as evidence of misconduct. Concerns regarding the paper surfaced last week, when news sources reported that the company had begun investigating the research conducted for the study at a GSK lab in Shanghai.  Read more

Cancer drug in the works might double as reversible male contraceptive

Cancer drug in the works might double as reversible male contraceptive

The serendipitous finding that a potential cancer-fighting compound temporarily halts sperm production in mice has seeded new hopes for a reversible male contraceptive pill. At a time when the only non-hormonal contraceptive choices for men consist of condoms and vasectomies, the finding, published today in the journal Cell, has stirred the interest of pharmaceutical companies, although it’s quite far from entering clinical trials.  Read more

Combination drug ‘sprinkles’ in the works for infants with HIV

Combination drug ‘sprinkles’ in the works for infants with HIV

WASHINGTON, DC — Last year, 330,000 infants were born infected with HIV, many of whom will succumb to the disease unless more baby-friendly formulations of antiretrovirals become available, AIDS advocates warned here yesterday at the International AIDS Society conference. “We know that existing treatments are very often difficult to administer,” Bernard Pécoul, executive director of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), a Geneva-based non-profit that works to foster new treatments, told meeting attendees.  Read more