News

Yearly News Archives: 2026

News Archives

  • Clinical trial gives young pitcher a path back to baseball

    May 19, 2026

    When Chance Shipley was finishing high school in Southern California, baseball defined his future. A pitcher with a college scholarship, he was training for the transition to collegiate athletics when he became seriously ill during winter break in December 2019. He was vomiting, exhausted and noticed blood in his urine. At first, he said nothing.

    Read more...
  • Mpox study reveals hidden infections may fuel spread

    May 14, 2026

    A Kaiser Permanente study of nearly 8,000 men shows that in mid- to late 2024, mpox was far more common among men who have sex with men than previously thought. Individuals without symptoms accounted for most infections and likely played a prominent role in transmission, contrary to prior assumptions that people had to be symptomatic

    Read more...
  • DoxyPEP protects against some STIs, but effectiveness against gonorrhea diminishes

    May 8, 2026

    Taking doxycycline after sex helped prevent chlamydia and syphilis, but its ability to prevent gonorrhea faded over time as drug‑resistant strains became more common, according to new research. The findings show both the benefits and limits of a prevention strategy now widely used by patients, clinicians, and public health programs to prevent sexually transmitted infection

    Read more...
  • Education-focused diabetes care linked to better blood sugar control

    May 4, 2026

    A large study conducted within Kaiser Permanente Southern California found that people with type 2 diabetes who primarily received diabetes self-management education and support were more likely to achieve healthy blood sugar levels than those whose care focused mainly on physician visits. “For people living with type 2 diabetes, this study shows that actively participating

    Read more...
  • Nurses in research: Beatriz Alviso advances patient-centered science

    May 4, 2026

    This week, Nurses Week (May 6-12, 2026), we honor all the nurses who work within the Department of Research & Evaluation, who are a vital part of our research. Here we highlight Beatriz Alviso, RN, PHN, BSN who works in the Division of Health Services Research & Implementation Science. What is your background? I grew up

    Read more...
  • Transforming sight through clinical trials

    April 22, 2026

    While the typical assumption would be that it takes a major academic campus to foster medical innovation, Kaiser Permanente is proving that wrong. The Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center has become a hub for clinical trial innovation under the direction of Vivienne Hau, MD, PhD, a medical and surgical vitreoretinal specialist who has built a

    Read more...
  • 5 questions for Dr. Hui Zhou

    February 19, 2026

    Hui Zhou PhD, MS, is the biostatistician lead in the Division of Epidemiologic Research for the Department of Research & Evaluation. There she collaborates with epidemiologists and clinical investigators on research studies ranging from conditions like hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and bone fractures. Dr. Zhou has extensive research experience in prediction model

    Read more...
  • Study evaluates heart disease risk prediction across Asian ethnicities

    February 19, 2026

    A Kaiser Permanente study found that the PREVENT cardiovascular risk equation had strong overall ability to predict 10-year cardiovascular disease risk in Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Other Pacific Islander adults. However, its accuracy differed across specific Asian ethnic subgroups and showed consistent patterns of over- and under-estimating when grouping by race and ethnicity. The study

    Read more...
  • Rethinking MS treatment: Why less may be more

    February 3, 2026

    For years, people living with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) have depended on powerful medications to keep their disease under control. One of the most effective treatments has been rituximab, a therapy that works by depleting B cells, which are the immune cells that drive inflammation with MS. However, new research from Kaiser Permanente

    Read more...
  • Staying active during pregnancy helps keep postpartum weight off

    February 3, 2026

    For years, researchers have known that many people struggle to lose the weight they gain during pregnancy. Up to 1 in 4 individuals retain at least 10 pounds 1 to 2 years after giving birth, and this lingering weight can raise their long‑term risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and other metabolic problems. Despite the importance

    Read more...
  • Wildfire smoke studies reveal differing health risks

    February 3, 2026

    Wildfire smoke has increasingly been recognized as a serious public health threat. Now, 2 new Kaiser Permanente studies in Southern California have examined how health risks for both young and old people might be associated with exposure. One study showed that long-term exposure increased the risk of death among older adults, while another found that

    Read more...
  • Researcher Dr. Hui Zhou’s joyful New Year’s Day walk

    January 13, 2026

      On a rainy New Year’s morning in Pasadena, Dr. Hui Zhou, a research scientist with the Department of Research & Evaluation, walked alongside Kaiser Permanente’s float, “A Better Idea for Health Care,” in the Rose Parade. It was a moment of pride and joy.  Dr. Zhou wasn’t just proud to represent Kaiser Permanente. …

    Read more...