HealthCholesterol’s New ChallengerWhat's going on: High cholesterol is no joke — and most people know exactly what’s coming when a doctor breaks the news (goodbye, bacon). But researchers say they may be closing in on a shortcut. In an early clinical trial, a single dose of a gene-editing treatment cut 15 patients’ cholesterol levels by nearly half. Because the drug is experimental, this first phase was meant only to test whether it was safe for humans at all — it just happened to deliver promising results, too. The drug works by tweaking a gene in the liver that typically boosts cholesterol. If the results hold up, patients could get a one-and-done alternative to daily pills. What it means: While the initial results are encouraging, the medical community is still approaching this drug (and other promising options like it) with cautious optimism. Gene editing permanently changes a person’s DNA, and no one knows what that might mean decades down the line. For now, experts are hailing it as a “step in the right direction.” Roughly 86 million Americans have high cholesterol, and heart disease remains the nation’s leading cause of death. If larger studies confirm that the treatment works safely and consistently, it could be a game-changer. Related: You’re Telling Us There Is a Cheese That Is Low In Cholesterol? (Everyday Health Group) | 
