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Received yesterday — 13 February 2026

Sunny Dancer review – ‘chemo camp’ gives teen drama a fresh spin

13 February 2026 at 02:20

Berlin film festival
Bella Ramsey leads this likable coming-of-age story where the shared experience of adolescent cancer gives new warmth to a familiar genre

Bella Ramsey leads the cast of this likable coming-of-age movie from 26-year-old actor-turned-director George Jaques about a summer camp for teens with cancer. Though maybe sometimes a bit too euphoric in its positivity, and unrealistic about the life-changing experiences to be had at a camp like this or any other, it’s big-hearted, well acted, topped off with an amusing star cameo – and for those who think they can spot the “tragic-sacrificial” character in stories like this, writer-director Jaques executes a smart misdirection-twist.

There’s a kind of Heartstopper energy and a strongly LGBTQ+ cast but perhaps oddly, heterosexuality is dominant. It is as if the centrality of cancer has left no room for any additional “other” identities.

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© Photograph: © Colin J Smith, SUNNY DANCER Distribution Limited

© Photograph: © Colin J Smith, SUNNY DANCER Distribution Limited

© Photograph: © Colin J Smith, SUNNY DANCER Distribution Limited

Received before yesterday

Dewormer ivermectin as cancer cure? RFK Jr.'s NIH funds "absurd" study.

10 February 2026 at 13:44

The National Cancer Institute is using federal funds to study whether cancer can be cured by ivermectin, a cheap, off-patent anti-parasitic and deworming drug that fringe medical groups falsely claimed could treat COVID-19 during the pandemic and have since touted as a cure-all.

Large, high-quality clinical trials have resoundingly concluded that ivermectin is not effective against COVID-19. And there is no old or new scientific evidence to support a hypothesis that ivermectin can cure cancer—or justify any such federal expenditure. But, under anti-vaccine Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—who is otherwise well-known for claiming to have a parasitic worm in his brain—numerous members of the medical fringe are now in powerful federal positions or otherwise hold sway with the administration.

During a January 30 event, Anthony Letai, a cancer researcher the Trump administration installed as the director of the NCI in September, said the NCI was pursuing ivermectin.

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© Getty | Nurphoto

Having that high-deductible health plan might kill you, literally

29 January 2026 at 18:22

Having a health insurance plan with a high deductible could not only cost you—it could also kill you.

A new study in JAMA Network Open found that people who faced those high out-of-pocket costs as well as a cancer diagnosis had worse overall survival and cancer-specific survival than those with more standard health plans.

The findings, while perhaps not surprising, are a stark reminder of the fraught decisions Americans face as the price of health care only continues to rise and more people try to offset costs by accepting insurance plans with higher deductibles—that is, higher out-of-pocket costs they have to pay before their health insurance provider starts paying its share.

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© Getty | krisanapong detraphiphat

Peter H. Duesberg, 89, Renowned Biologist Turned H.I.V. Denialist, Dies

27 January 2026 at 17:33
His pioneering work on the origins of cancer was later overshadowed by his contrarian views, notably his rejection of the established theory that H.I.V. causes AIDS.

© Roger Ressmeyer/Corbis — VCG, via Getty Images

Peter H. Duesberg in 1985, holding a tray of petri dishes containing cultured cancer cells. In the late 1960s, he discovered the first known cancer-causing gene, or oncogene.

For Men, How Much Alcohol Is Too Much?

16 January 2026 at 05:01
Federal officials working on the new dietary guidelines had considered limiting men to one drink daily. The final advice was only that everyone should drink less.

© Robert Wright for The New York Times

“There are a lot of reasons people drink alcohol,” said one epidemiologist who led an advisory panel on alcohol. “What we’re saying is health shouldn’t be one of them.”

The War Over the Weedkiller Roundup Might Be Headed to the Supreme Court

9 January 2026 at 14:49
Bayer has asked the justices to decide whether federal law shields the company from lawsuits over its Roundup herbicide and cancer. Democrats and MAHA activists aren’t happy.

© Seth Perlman/Associated Press

The herbicide Roundup, when paired with genetically modified seeds, kills weeds without damaging crops. But some evidence has indicated a link to cancer.

New Dietary Guidelines Abandon Longstanding Advice on Alcohol

8 January 2026 at 07:05
Now the government’s recommendation is to “limit” drinking, without specifying safe amounts for men and women. The guidelines no longer warn of risks like cancer.

© Jason Henry for The New York Times

New guidelines issued on Wednesday say that people should consume less alcohol “for better overall health” and “limit alcohol beverages,” but they don’t recommend clear limits.

A Study Is Retracted, Renewing Concerns About the Weedkiller Roundup

2 January 2026 at 15:25
Problems with a 25-year-old landmark paper on the safety of Roundup’s active ingredient, glyphosate, have led to calls for the E.P.A. to reassess the widely used chemical.

© Seth Perlman/Associated Press

U.S. regulators consider it safe, but the World Health Organization has said glyphosate is probably carcinogenic.
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