We could all use some positivity right now.
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| One of my undergraduate majors was science communication, and it involved reading a lot of social science research. One thing I remember learning about is called “negativity bias,” which explains that we’re hardwired to pay more attention to negative news than to positive stories. It’s also hard to ignore negativity in the press when the news cycle seems stuck on it.
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| Still, a little good news is never a bad idea, which is why I decided to share some lesser-reported-on health breakthroughs (from around the world) that deserve more attention today.
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Enjoy your weekend!
Sarah Matysiak
Newsletter Editor, Healthline
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Written by Sarah Matysiak
March 13, 2026 • 3 min read |
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| Did you know?
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| Team of scientists cures HPV with novel treatment
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| Though these findings were published in 2023, the results are astounding: Scientists in Mexico eliminated human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection that can lead to cervical cancer, in all 29 people of their test group using a new light-sensitive drug therapy. These participants did not have cancerous lesions.
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| Even in 420 people with various stages of cervical cancer and HPV, the treatment was effective in 64% of women who had HPV as well as cervical cancer, and effective in 57% of women who had cervical cancer but no HPV.
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| Why is this important? The team’s findings point to a potential cure for HPV, for which only a vaccine to help prevent transmission and protect from cervical cancer currently exists.
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| Triple-drug treatment stops pancreatic tumors in mice
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| The scientists who conducted this late 2025 study in Spain eliminated pancreatic cancer tumors in mice using a three-drug treatment that blocks cancer-growth pathways and prevents resistance. The triple-threat regimen involved an FDA approved drug, one currently undergoing clinical testing, and a newer compound.
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| Why is this important? Pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates. Like the other study, this one also has the potential to reduce the incidence of cancer and the number of related deaths.
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| Investigational drug reduces disability progression in primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS)
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| In February 2026, a California-based biotechnology company announced that an investigational drug, fenebrutinib, showed a 12% reduction in the risk of disability progression compared to Ocrevus, the only other medication approved for PPMS.
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| Why is this important? Fenebrutinib is the first drug developed to treat PPMS progression in over a decade. It has the potential to be an effective oral treatment that acts directly in the brain and may slow disability progression.
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| Scientists discover key brain network in Parkinson’s
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| A recent collaborative study published by Chinese and American researchers pinpointed a key brain network disrupted by Parkinson’s disease. The findings upend what scientists have previously thought true about a region of your brain that controls your body’s movements.
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| Why is this important? This discovery advances Parkinson’s disease research and the understanding of how it affects movement. What these scientists discovered can help develop new treatments that target this network and improve existing ones.
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