Advertisement
Advertisement
-
TOPIC COLLECTION

Health & Pharmaceuticals

Included topics:
Overall average depression and anxiety scores in Hong Kong have hit the highest levels on record, according to a survey. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Hong Kong society

‘AI may know me better’: why Hongkongers turn to chatbots for mental health help

Survey reveals growing trend of residents seeking help from AI to deal with emotional stress.

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Editorial | Hong Kong’s war on obesity will result in a healthier society

Fame and celebrity

Horrible stuff, some fun, then awful again: Christina Applegate’s life story

She didn’t ignore her brain fog – now she’s helping others with perimenopause

Femtech pioneers are tackling perimenopause with bold new tools, breaking long-standing taboos and empowering women.

Mayra Hurtado, co-founder of Hormony. Photo: courtesy Hormony

Here are 5 ways to enter China without a visa – by land, sea or air

China has continually expanded its visa-free policies in recent years. Here is a breakdown of the latest rules.

5

Obstacle course racing is heading to the Olympics – are Hong Kong’s ninjas ready?

Ninja sports and obstacle course racing hone confidence, courage and problem-solving – and a local giant is making our tiny city proud.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

These new at-home tests let women get insights into their reproductive health

A Singapore-based start-up offers a hormone testing kit for perimenopausal women, while a German one gives insights based on menstrual blood.

Mayra Hurtado co-founded Hormony to address perimenopausal challenges by providing an at-home rapid hormone testing kit. New at-home tests are allowing women to gain insights into their reproductive health and may help narrow the gender data gap. Photo: Hormony

How a multivitamin a day could help keep you biologically younger

A study that examined tiny changes in DNA suggests that taking multivitamins daily can slow biological ageing.

videocam

Cartel boss on US ‘most wanted’ list captured in Bolivia raid

Sebastian Enrique Marset Cabrera, who had a US$2 million bounty on his head, was immediately put on a plane to be transferred to the US.

Funding cuts trigger calls for help on jobs from Hong Kong’s physiotherapists

Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association alarmed by hiring freezes and job losses at NGOs despite rising demand for services.

Hong Kong has about six physiotherapists for every 10,000 residents. Photo: Shutterstock

In a first for China, Neuracle’s brain-computer interface wins approval

China’s BCI start-ups, seen as potential rivals to Elon Musk’s Neuralink, gain momentum as regulatory support and new capital fuel growth.

A man demonstrates a robotic hand with a brain-computer interface at the China International Import Expo on November 7, 2025. Neuracle’s regulatory milestone underscores China’s accelerating push in neurotechnology. Photo: AFP

How a 102-year-old ‘baby’ in China has been hospital-free for 50 years

‘Cheerful’ centenarian with sharp eyesight, nimble hands still mend shoes and socks; values family harmony above all else.

Beijing urged to boost rural pensions as lawmakers fight for farmers’ fair share

Appeals highlight a long-standing lack of benefits for elderly citizens outside cities, and proposals include leveraging state assets and new taxes to bridge the vast disparity.

videocam

Group warns plain packs hinder Hongkongers’ efforts to detect smuggled cigarettes

Survey finds 88 per cent of smokers cannot tell smuggled from taxed cigarettes under proposed plain pack design as advocates call for better QR code system.

Advocates have called for clearer labelling and QR code checks on cigarette boxes ahead of the proposed introduction of plain packaging in Hong Kong. Photo: Karma Lo

Iran-linked hackers claim attack on US medical tech giant Stryker

Handala claims responsibility for cyberattack, says it is retaliation for US strike on Minab ⁠school that killed dozens.

videocam
Coffins of children who were killed in a strike on a primary school in Iran. Photo: AFP

Eli Lilly boosts China footprint with US$3 billion plan to expand supply chain

US firm is strengthening its China operations amid an intensifying expansion race with other pharmaceutical giants.

Hong Kong to expand scheme cutting stroke patient transfer time by 80 minutes

Before pilot scheme, ambulances would take patients to nearest public hospital regardless of whether it could handle stroke cases.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Told she might only have 5 years left, she lost 40kg and transformed her life

At 49, Shyy Sachdev was a 100kg obese chain smoker with high blood pressure and cholesterol. Today, she is a fitness influencer.

Shyy Sachdev in New York (left) when she weighed 100kg in 2009; and in London (right) weighing 60kg in November 2025. A mid-life health pronouncement that she might have only five years to live was the motivation this single mum of two needed to switch up her life. Photo: Shyy Sachdev

Hong Kong stocks slip, led by tech firms, after Beijing’s OpenClaw warning

Tencent and Alibaba lose ground while CATL and Geely buck market trend.

Romi Beauty’s founders on creating multitasking products for Asian skin

Arissa Cheo, Yoyo Cao and Lin Ting sat down with Style as the Singaporean make-up and skincare brand lands at Sephora in Hong Kong.

WHO warns of toxic ‘black rain’ in Iran after strikes on oil facilities

There have been reports of oil-laden rain, and a ‘massive’ amount of hydrocarbons and other compounds have been released into the air.

videocam
An explosion erupts following strikes near Azadi Tower in Tehran on Saturday. Photo: AFP

Tai Po fire: Hong Kong Red Cross raises HK$530 million for affected residents

Charity says it has ended donation drive and vows no more than 5 per cent of funds will go towards administrative fees.

Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po after the deadly blaze. Photo: Eugene Lee

Wealth, drugs and rape: US luxury real estate stars convicted of sex trafficking

Once the kings of high-stakes property, Alexander twins Oren and Alon and brother Tal face life in prison after a trial exposed a pattern of drugged assaults.

China investors energise Hong Kong biotech stocks. Is foreign money missing out?

Stock Connect reshuffle reflects biotech sector’s growing role on international stage, though overseas funds remain cautious.

Why the 5am Club isn’t for everyone

Ahead of World Sleep Day, we look at how to get the best night’s sleep and why getting up early isn’t always as productive as you may think.

Sleeping and waking up early works for some people, but others are more naturally suited to a later timetable. Photo: Shutterstock

US and China clash over fentanyl and tariffs at global drugs meeting

The exchange underscored tensions ‌between the two countries ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting in China at the end of the month.

videocam
4
A US Drug Enforcement Administration chemist checks confiscated pills containing fentanyl in New York in October 2019. Photo: TNS

The early signs of dementia you need to look for in loved ones and yourself

Verbal tests don’t always pick up Alzheimer’s disease. Falls, problems swallowing, bladder issues and other symptoms can be better signs.

Malaysia slashes gym licence fees by 80% to fight urban obesity

Faced with some of Southeast Asia’s highest obesity rates, officials are dangling a regulatory ‘carrot’ to gym operators – but will it work?

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Health & Pharmaceuticals
The latest news on health and wellness, including healthcare, health insurance and hospitals. Also covers topics around the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology, cancer, dementia, disability, obesity, mental health and well-being, plus diet and fitness.