Vitamin C, COVID, and cancer | Hand arthritis, and new treatment | Birthing in the COVID world | Blood cancer treatment advances

A question asked about COVID-19 was whether high doses of intravenous vitamin C could fight it. Two randomised controlled trials showed no benefit for COVID-19. But high-dose Vitamin C can benefit cancer treatment.Arthritis of the hands is common, painful, a bit of a mystery, and hard to treat. Researchers have trialled a drug commonly used for rheumatoid arthritis, and found some benefit.In Victoria, hospital researchers have been watching how COVID and lockdowns affected births there. Some hospital adaptations persisted well past the lockdown phases—including shorter hospital stays after birth.Blood cancers often affect people younger than the average person who develops cancer, and Australian and New Zealand haematologists have been pioneers in trialling new treatments—this year marking the 50th anniversary of the clinical trial group that coordinates studies.