All articles tagged: Medications

French researchers have developed a new drug delivery system that could cut the dosing schedule for type 2 diabetes and weight control drug semaglutide to just once a month, according to new research to be presented at this year's annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Madrid (9-13 Sept).

The antibody–drug conjugate ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd) has shown clinically meaningful responses in pretreated patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC), according to an interim analysis of the Phase 2 IDeate-Lung01 study. The data was presented today at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer.

Psychological distress is the most common negative outcome experienced by health care professionals after making medication errors, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland. After such events, turnover intentions and absenteeism were more common among those experiencing inadequate organizational support and so-called second victim distress.

The growing legal use of recreational and medical cannabis has generated an increased concern for potential side effects from long-term use, particularly regarding problems with memory and sleep. Until now, the effect of cannabis use on sleep and on memory have only been studied separately. Research led by Francesca Filbey, Ph.D., from the Laboratory of Neuroimaging of Reward Dynamics at The Unive

A new study reveals that young patients treated with psychiatric medications receive potentially dangerous combinations with concerning frequency.

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) reduced the risk of cardiovascular death or heart failure (HF) hospitalization in patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and also in those with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction (HFmrEF/HFpEF), according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session at ESC Congress 2024.

For researchers, projects can sometimes feel like babies, and there is nothing more satisfying than seeing your baby grow up. For William Tansey, professor of cell and developmental biology, this baby started 10 years ago when he and Stephen Fesik, Orrin H. Ingram II, Professor of Cancer Research and professor of biochemistry, discovered that a protein called WDR5 is a "partner in crime" to MYC, a

People with chronic diabetic foot ulcers could soon have a new way to treat their wounds for faster healing and fewer hospital stays. Researchers from Michigan State University and South Shore Hospital have uncovered that the combination of two common diabetes drugs—injectable insulin and orally-administered metformin—increases the amount of metformin at the wound site. As metformin can accelerate

Stroke patients who survive a blood clot in the brain's blood vessels are prone to developing new blockages during their recovery periods, even if they receive vessel-clearing interventions. In an effort to avoid further clots, doctors at 57 sites around the U.S. have tested a possible solution: the addition of anti-coagulant drugs to medicine that dissolves blood clots.

The American Journal of Gastroenterology has published a new guideline on the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.

Despite decades of advancement in treatment, cancer spreading to multiple parts of the body remains one of the biggest challenges facing patients and their health-care teams.

More hospitals and clinics now offer patients ketamine therapy for severe depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions that haven't responded to other treatments.

There was no apparent benefit to continuing oral anticoagulants compared with interruption in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2024. The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Folks taking weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound might think they've found a shortcut to better health.

A low-dose triple single-pill combination was effective at lowering blood pressure (BP) in two trials presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2024.

Long-term use of beta-blockers in patients with myocardial infarction and preserved heart function does not significantly change quality of life or well-being compared to no beta-blockers. This is according to a study from Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University, presented at the European Society of Cardiology's annual congress in London and simultaneously published in the European Heart Jour

Asundexian 50 mg daily was inferior to apixaban for stroke and systemic embolism prevention in high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session Sept. 1 at ESC Congress 2024.

In two trials, one in frail elderly patients, evening administration of BP-lowering medications had no clinical benefits over morning administration, according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session August 31 at ESC Congress 2024.

Among patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery more than one year after coronary drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation, there was no difference with respect to ischemic outcomes or major bleeding between perioperative aspirin monotherapy and receiving no antiplatelet therapy, according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session August 31 at ESC Congress 2024.

A single-pill combination of four BP-lowering medications was significantly more effective than a combination of three medications, according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session August 31 at ESC Congress 2024.

Edoxaban monotherapy reduced net adverse clinical events compared with edoxaban plus a single antiplatelet agent, when used as long-term antithrombotic therapy, in patients with high-risk atrial fibrillation (AF) and stable coronary artery disease (CAD), according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session Sept. 1 at ESC Congress 2024.

New research shows that a treatment plan based on a novel combination of low doses of three anti-hypertensive drugs in a single pill—known as GMRx2—was superior to a high-quality standard care treatment plan at lowering blood pressure in patients with uncontrolled hypertension.

Patients with heart failure, a condition affecting more than 60 million worldwide, are four times more likely to receive the optimal combination of medications after 12 weeks of digital consultations. Researchers from five Dutch hospitals, coordinated by Amsterdam UMC, found that the use of digital consults improved care while maintaining patient satisfaction. These results are published today in

Vutrisiran significantly improved mortality, cardiovascular events and markers of disease progression in patients with transthyretin amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session held today, August 30, at ESC Congress 2024.

The cardiovascular safety of an interrupting beta-blocker could not be shown in comparison to continuation in patients with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) and there was no benefit to the patients' quality of life, according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2024.

A randomized controlled trial of 435 women having a medical abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy found 71% of patients who took the first dose of misoprostol at home spent fewer than 9 hours in hospital, compared to 46% of patients who took the first dose of misoprostol at hospital. There was no difference in safety outcomes observed between the two groups. However, of the women who took the first

Expanding access to naloxone is a key component of the national strategy to end the opioid crisis in America, and community pharmacies play a central role in distributing this overdose-reversing medication.

Delirium is a sudden onset and temporary state of disturbed consciousness or cognition, occurring due to underlying medical issues like fever or alcohol withdrawal. It is most common among older hospitalized adults aged 75 years or above, leading to increased risk of falls, dementia, low life expectancy, and high health care expenses.

Karolinska Institutet has discovered that an already registered antidepressant, duloxetine, may also have positive effects on memory and cognitive functions in the elderly.

When taken at the first signs of a migraine, before headache pain begins, a drug called ubrogepant may be effective in helping people with migraine go about their daily lives with little or no symptoms, according to a study published in the August 28, 2024, online issue of Neurology.

The weight-loss drug Wegovy is now available in Australia.

Nearly half of counties in the United States have at least one 'pharmacy desert' where there is no retail pharmacy within 10 miles, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center—Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC—James).

In the late 1960s, three Weizmann Institute of Science researchers developed several protein-like molecules, called copolymers, that they believed would produce a disease similar to multiple sclerosis in laboratory animals. The scientists—Prof. Michael Sela, Prof. Ruth Arnon and Dr. Dvora Teitelbaum—were surprised to discover that, instead of causing the disease, the copolymers cured it; one of th

Artificial intelligence (AI) and traditional medicine may seem like strange bedfellows but African researchers are harnessing both to advance drug discovery on the continent.

Australia currently finds itself in the unusual position of being both in an opioid epidemic and experiencing a shortage of these critical medicines.

Dementia with Lewy bodies is a type of dementia that is similar to both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, but studies on long-term treatments are lacking. A new study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia, highlights the potential cognitive benefits of cholinesterase inhibitor treatment.

The investigational drug elinzanetant significantly reduces the frequency and severity of hot flashes associated with menopause while improving women's quality of life, according to new UVA Health research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) shows.

Chronic cough, with symptoms lasting more than eight weeks, affects approximately one in 10 adults. Cough is among the most common reasons for seeking medical care in the United States, yet chronic cough is difficult to treat.

A type of drug developed for treating cancer holds promise as a new treatment for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, according to a study by researchers at Penn State, Stanford University and an international team of collaborators.

A wildly popular class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists—which includes Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound—are revolutionizing the treatment of obesity.

The anti-cancer drug olaparib may be effective in treating biochemically recurrent prostate cancer without accompanying hormone therapy for men who have mutations in genes such as BRCA2, according to results of a Phase II clinical trial of 51 patients conducted at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and three other sites.

Higher thiazide doses are associated with greater reductions in urine calcium, which in turn correlate with fewer symptomatic kidney stone events, according to a Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) study published in JAMA Network Open.

A newly developed compound that reduces harmful inflammation caused by overactive neutrophils in rats shows great potential as a safer treatment for various inflammatory diseases in humans.

A study carried out in St Vincent's University Hospital (SVUH) Dublin challenges the belief that weight-loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy or Monjaro work just by promoting satiety and making you eat less.

When UC San Francisco research showed that routinely treating children in Sub-Saharan Africa with a common antibiotic could reduce deaths in children under five, the World Health Organization (WHO) moved quickly to recommend the treatment—but only for infants between 1 and 11 months old.

Drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, have surged in popularity as a treatment for weight loss and management. The increase involves not only adults but also adolescents, along with bariatric surgery patients.

Drugs such as Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy have made news for their abilities to treat diabetes and encourage weight loss.

Researchers at the University of Liverpool have found that the weight-loss drug tirzepatide is associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D).

UVA Health scientists seeking drugs that can trigger the regeneration of heart tissue after a heart attack say their efforts show promise and may lead to future treatment options.

People with Down syndrome are likely to develop Alzheimer's disease at a young age, with autopsy studies showing that by age 40 years, the brains of individuals with Down syndrome have amyloid plaques. Yet people with Down syndrome have been excluded from or underrepresented in clinical trials of new therapies for treating AD. Lecanemab, which has been shown to target and remove beta-amyloid plaqu

The investigation into the death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry has led to a sweeping indictment that pulled in five people who prosecutors say contributed to his ketamine overdose in October, including two doctors and a street dealer involved in providing Perry large amounts of the powerful anesthetic.

Millions of Americans who have allergies have really had only one option when it comes to emergency treatment for a severe reaction: using an autoinjector like the EpiPen.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Galderma's Nemluvio (nemolizumab) for adult patients living with prurigo nodularis.

Major pharmaceutical companies lashed out following a landmark deal unveiled Thursday to cut the costs of 10 key medicines, with some saying the price-setting process was not transparent.

The antiviral drug tecovirimat did not reduce the duration of mpox lesions among children and adults with clade I mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), based on an initial analysis of data from a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. However, the study's 1.7% overall mortality among enrollees, regardless of whether they received the drug or not, was much lower than the mpox mortality

The Biden administration said Thursday that it has signed deals with drug companies that will lower the prices on 10 of the most popular and expensive drugs used by American seniors.

In the U.S., Hispanic women have been disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic in recent years. Yet they've been less likely to take advantage of PrEP, a medication that significantly reduces the risk of getting HIV.

Donald Trump suggested he was open to revoking access to the abortion pill if he won the presidential race, after being asked by a reporter last Thursday if he would "revoke access" to the drug. The following day, Trump's campaign office said he didn't hear the question properly.

Patients with a prescription for an opioid use disorder medication may have a tough time getting it filled if their pharmacy is in a community that's racially and economically segregated, according to a new study led by scientists at Oregon State University and Johns Hopkins University.

Many people have lost unwanted pounds by using popular injectable weight-loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound. These drugs contain semaglutide, liraglutide or tirzepatide, which curb appetite and increase insulin sensitivity. Some studies show that you can lose up to 15% of your body weight. But what if you want to wean off weight-loss medications?

A study involving 22 Parkinson's disease (PD) patients has shown that use of the dopaminergic drug levodopa improves sleep quality. When the patients took the drug, the number of times they woke up during the night fell 25% and the amount of time they remained awake fell 30% on average.

A new study provides important insights into the pharmacokinetics and safety of intravenous remdesivir in treating the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in pregnant women.

Drugmaker Lykos Therapeutics announced on Aug. 9, 2024, that the Food and Drug Administration declined to approve the company's application for the use of MDMA-assisted therapy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. It is the first such decision issued on a psychedelic drug application.

For patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), dupilumab maintains its clinical effectiveness up to five years and is discontinued by 23.8% of patients, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in JAMA Dermatology.

Independence Health System has introduced a new service that capitalizes on an overwhelming patient medical need and two new medicines.

Folks nervous about administering a rescue shot for anaphylaxis finally have a new alternative in a nasal spray.

US health regulators on Friday denied an application for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with the drug MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, saying more investigation needed to be done.

Most tumors release various signaling molecules to support their incessant growth, invasion, and metastasis. Some of these molecules, known as tumor angiogenic factors (TAF), are able to stimulate the formation of new blood vessels, which is crucial for the growth of tumors. Blocking the function of TAFs by chemical or biological molecules has been shown to shrink tumors or make them dormant, sugg

It has been discovered that older adults over 60 years old who are prescribed statins against air pollutant exposure can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially stroke.

We're firmly in the "buyer beware" era of obesity drugs. And unfortunately, it seems like we're going to be stuck here for a while—even after product shortages are resolved.

A drug effective in treating breast cancer shows new promise in addressing breast cancer with brain metastases or recurrent glioblastoma, as reported by results of a prospective window-of-opportunity trial at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio).

Elite gymnast Simone Biles made headlines in 2021 when she withdrew from the team finals and the individual all-around finals in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for mental health reasons. Before that, Biles's confidential medical records from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) database had been leaked by hackers alongside the records of dozens of other athletes worldwide.

Two classes of commonly prescribed oral antibiotics are associated with the greatest risk for severe drug rashes that can lead to emergency department visits, hospitalizations and even death, according to a new study.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Johnson & Johnson's Darzalex Faspro (daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj) in combination with bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (D-VRd) for induction and consolidation in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) who are eligible for an autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT).

A new scientific review of 148 studies enrolling over 4.3 million adult chronic pain patients treated with prescription opioid painkillers has found that nearly one in ten patients experiences opioid dependence or opioid use disorder and nearly one in three shows symptoms of dependence and opioid use disorder. This review provides a more accurate—and more concerning—rate of opioid misuse than has

"I couldn't stop being sick. My side and my back were hurting and I just felt like my body was totally shutting down." That's how one woman described the side effects of weight loss injections she'd bought off-label in a BBC investigation. Her experience is far from uncommon. Medics in the UK are even reporting that young girls are ending up in A&E as a result of taking these products illicitly.

A new drug for treatment of a type of brain cancer, called IDH-mutant low-grade glioma, was approved Aug. 6 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The promising new drug stems from a 2008 genetic discovery made at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.

A new study reveals a significant sex bias in pain management at emergency departments, showing that female patients are consistently less likely to receive pain medication prescriptions compared to male patients with similar complaints. This bias persists across different ages, pain levels, and physician sex, indicating a systemic issue.

Cambridge researchers have cast doubt on whether new amyloid immunotherapy drugs will have the desired effect of significantly reducing the impact of Alzheimer's disease.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) degrades the protective insulation around nerve cells, leaving their axons, which carry electrical impulses, exposed like bare wires. This can cause devastating problems with movement, balance and vision; and without treatment, it can lead to paralysis, loss of independence and a shortened lifespan.

Two new studies show how eager Americans are to obtain either safe, legitimate versions of Ozempic or counterfeit and potentially dangerous forms of the diabetes/weight-loss drug.

Recently, there was an increase in availability of naloxone after it was approved to be sold as an over-the-counter (OTC) medication, according to a study published online July 26 in JAMA Health Forum.

Semaglutide products are being sold online, with products likely unregistered or unlicensed, according to a research letter published online Aug. 2 in JAMA Network Open.

A drug prescribed for diabetes and weight loss has been shown to reduce brain shrinkage in Alzheimer's patients by almost 50%.

Ensuring older hospital patients receive specialized medication management could reduce their stay in hospital and potentially lower their risk of death, according to new research conducted by Flinders University in collaboration with Flinders Medical Center.

In a hopeful sign for demand for more safe, effective antibiotics for humans, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have leveraged artificial intelligence to develop a new drug that already is showing promise in animal trials.

A drug that is currently used for the treatment of psoriasis has been found to be effective in treating the early stages of type-1 diabetes in children and adolescents, finds a new clinical trial led by Cardiff University.

There's limited evidence to back up the widespread and increasing rates of prescribing mood-altering drugs (psychotropics) as the mainstay of mental health treatment for children and young people, warn experts in an editorial, published today in the August issue of Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin.

A team of researchers at the University of Michigan Health Rogel Cancer Center has designed a molecule that impairs signaling mediated by two key drivers of cancer therapy resistance. The design and preclinical evaluation of the inhibitor, MTX-531, was published in Nature Cancer.

Researchers at Western have found an over-the-counter natural health product may help counteract the negative effects of heavy cannabis use among adolescents aged 12 to 17, including depression, anxiety and diminished motivation in adulthood.

A growing number of people are waiting longer to have kids. While there are many reasons people may want to hold back on that decision, about one-third of couples will have difficulties getting pregnant if the female partner is over 35. This is because women's fertility begins declining around that age.

Past studies have suggested that taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may lower individuals' risk of developing liver cancer. In a new study of non-statin cholesterol-lowering medications, one type was linked to lower risks of liver cancer. The findings are published by Wiley online in Cancer.

New research from the Center for Integration of Science and Industry at Bentley University shows that differences between the financial structures of large pharmaceutical producers and smaller, emerging biotechnology companies creates synergies that contribute to the pipeline of new, innovative products in response to reductions in drug prices anticipated under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Europe's medicines watchdog on Friday rejected a marketing request for a new Alzheimer's disease treatment, saying the risks of the medicine's side effects, including potential brain bleeding, outweighed the benefits.

Migraine is many things, but one thing it's not is "just a headache."

A Mayo Clinic retrospective study of 9,731 patients explored the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to predict a patient's need for opioid refills after surgery. The study used deep learning models, a form of AI, to predict which patients are most likely to require additional opioid refills after surgery while ensuring adequate pain management and minimizing the risk of opioid dependence. R

Researchers may have found a powerful new preventative against the AIDS virus, which has killed more than 40 million people since the epidemic began in 1981.

A research team from the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) performed a cost-effectiveness analysis of treatment strategies for patients in Hong Kong with rheumatoid arthritis.

Prescribing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to people at high risk of harm from them is estimated to cost the NHS in England around £31 million and cause more than 6,000 lost years of good health over 10 years, finds a study published by The BMJ.

More than 82% of Americans aged 50 to 80 take one or more kinds of prescription medication, and 80% of them say they'd be open to stopping one or more of those drugs if their health care provider gave the green light, a new University of Michigan study shows.

During my work as a clinical psychologist and neurobiologist, I have spoken with many individuals who are considering taking antidepressant medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Many ask me for my thoughts on whether they need medication, whether the talk therapy will be enough or whether they are "strong enough" to get over it without medications.

The prevalence of impaired awareness of hypoglycemia (IAH) is high among patients using sulfonylureas long term, according to a study published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.

Twice-yearly shots used to treat AIDS were 100% effective in preventing new infections in women, according to study results published Wednesday.

A randomized clinical trial published in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology has assessed whether injections of botulinumtoxin-A in calf muscles benefit children with cerebral palsy.

Current or previous use of the antiretroviral drug (ARV) abacavir was associated with an elevated risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in people with HIV, according to an exploratory analysis from a large international clinical trial. There was no elevated MACE risk for the other antiretroviral drugs included in the analysis. The findings will be presented at the 2024 International A

In a new study, researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia found that the total amount of antibiotics prescribed to extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) decreased over time. The findings are published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood Fetal and Neonatal Edition.

For older nursing home (NH) residents, use of CYP2D6-metabolized opioids concomitantly with CYP2D6-inhibiting antidepressants is associated with worsening pain and increased risk of opioid-related adverse events (ORAEs), according to a study published online July 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

A new "vaccine-like" HIV drug that currently costs over $40,000 per person a year could be made for as little as $40, researchers estimated on Tuesday.

Swallowing a handful of pills is a daily ritual for many people, from young adults coping with anxiety to older adults managing chronic conditions. Overall, 13% of people in the U.S. take five or more prescription drugs. For those 65 and older, that number is 42%.

A new research paper published in Oncotarget is titled "Improved efficacy of pembrolizumab combined with soluble EphB4-albumin in HPV-negative EphrinB2 positive head neck squamous cell carcinoma."

Spurred by fed-up consumers, states are trying to curb spiraling prescription drug costs by assembling special public boards to investigate and regulate pricing.

It's long been known that popping the antibiotic doxycycline within 72 hours of a risky sexual encounter can greatly reduce a person's risk for a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

Postexposure prophylaxis with nirmatrelvir-ritonavir for five or 10 days does not reduce the risk for symptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, according to a study published in the July 18 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

For patients with moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease, risankizumab is noninferior to ustekinumab for clinical remission at week 24 and is superior for endoscopic remission at week 48, according to a study published in the July 18 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

"Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (RDEB) is the worst disease you've probably never heard of," says dermatology researcher Andrew South, Ph.D.. RDEB patients and their families know just how horrible it can be. Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) diseases such as RDEB are a rare group of skin blistering diseases that also increase fibrosis, or scarring. Fibrosis is a normal part of the wound heal

The 20th century saw humanity develop in leaps and bounds, and without a doubt one of the most revolutionary advances was oral contraceptives, more commonly known as "the pill."

For people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study has found that the drug ofatumumab is more effective than teriflunomide at helping people across racial and ethnic groups reach a period of no disease activity. The study is published in the July 17, 2024, online issue of Neurology. Ofatumumab, a monoclonal antibody, is a newer drug for treating MS. Teriflunomide, an immunomo

Scientists at the University of Sydney and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine have made a remarkable discovery: a commonly-used blood thinner, heparin, can be repurposed as an inexpensive antidote for cobra venom.

Opioids have long been known as natural substances with substantial pharmacological effects and have been used as effective painkillers. A very prominent example is morphine, which was first isolated and synthesized in the early 19th century. It is a relief for severely ill patients in the last phases of their lives. However, when opioids are used inappropriately they can cause addiction and even

Researchers at the University of Arizona Health Sciences identified a new way to make opioids safer, increasing the pain-relieving properties of opioids while decreasing unwanted side effects through the spinal inhibition of a Heat shock protein 90 isoform.

A drug commonly used to treat cystic fibrosis improved outcomes for patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia and could be used to treat other respiratory infections, according to clinical trial results from researchers at UCL, UCLH and the Francis Crick Institute.

A new research paper titled "Comparison of FDG-PET/CT and CT for evaluation of tumor response to nivolumab plus ipilimumab combination therapy and prognosis prediction in patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma" has been published in Oncotarget.

A network of proteins found in the central nervous system could be harnessed to increase the effectiveness and reduce the side effects of popular diabetes and weight-loss drugs, according to new research from the University of Michigan.

About one-third of adults have high blood pressure. Two-thirds of these have uncontrolled high blood pressure.

There are many drugs that anesthesiologists can use to induce unconsciousness in patients. Exactly how these drugs cause the brain to lose consciousness has been a longstanding question, but MIT neuroscientists have now answered that question for one commonly used anesthesia drug.

Over-the-counter nasal sprays could be a potent weapon against a major public health threat—antibiotic resistance, researchers report.

New research aims to help reduce the quantity of unused prescription opioids after emergency department visits and lessen the risk of opioid misuse and overdose. The study, titled "Opioid prescribing requirements to minimize unused medications after an emergency department visit for acute pain: a prospective cohort study," is published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Obesity increases the risk of developing a number of cancers, so it stands to reason that drugs that reduce body weight should also reduce the risk of developing these cancers.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Arcutis Biotherapeutics' Zoryve (roflumilast) cream, 0.15%, for the treatment of mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis in adult and pediatric patients (ages 6 years and older).

An investigational medication designated TAS-303 shows efficacy and safety in treatment of women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), reports a placebo-controlled clinical trial in the August issue of The Journal of Urology.

The Psychiatry and Mental Health research group at the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), together with the ETEP (Study and Treatment of Psychotic Episodes) group at Hospital del Mar, has published a study in the Spanish Journal of Psychiatry and Mental Health that analyzes the use of clozapine in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia in the first two years after the first

A new study has revealed significant discrepancies in the prescription of COVID-19 antivirals, indicating that many patients may not have received the most effective treatment available.

Inequities in pain medication treatment received postpartum, after giving birth, were found in a Cedars-Sinai study of 18,000 women. The disparities were observed even among patients reporting the highest pain levels.

Three of four patients stop taking Ozempic or Wegovy two years after being prescribed the blockbuster drugs for weight loss, a new analysis shows.

The University of Barcelona has led a study that suggests using the drug known as pemafibrate to treat liver disease associated with metabolic disorders, the most common liver pathology in the world, which affects 1 in 4 people.

Generic versions of erectile dysfunction drugs Viagra and Cialis, among other medications, were allowed on the U.S. market using potentially problematic data that call into question their safety and efficacy, a Bloomberg analysis found.

A new research paper was published in Oncotarget titled, "Regorafenib synergizes with TAS102 against multiple gastrointestinal cancers and overcomes cancer stemness, trifluridine-induced angiogenesis, ERK1/2 and STAT3 signaling regardless of KRAS or BRAF mutational status."

From 1999 to the mid-2000s, the proportion of U.S. adults aged 65 years or older who used prescription medications increased, according to a research letter published online July 1 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

We've all seen the ads and read about celebrities who have successfully lost weight using one of the new weight loss medications like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound that have exploded in popularity over the past year.

Rachel L. Wasserman, PharmD, of the Department of General Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, is the lead author and David W. Bates, MD, medical director of Clinical and Quality Analysis for Mass General Brigham and Co-Director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence and BioInformatics for Mass General Brigham, is the senior author of a new study published in BMJ Quality & Safety,

Medical advocacy groups welcomed Johnson & Johnson's decision not to enforce its patent on a critical tuberculosis medication, allowing its production at much lower prices, after South African authorities opened an investigation into the conglomerate.

For patients with cirrhosis and nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF), initiators of rivaroxaban or warfarin versus apixaban have significantly higher rates of major hemorrhage, according to a study published online July 9 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

With Ozempic-type weight loss drugs in short supply, more people are turning to old-school weight loss drugs such as Qsymia and Contrave, which come in pill form but also include serious warning labels.

Mounjaro outperforms Ozempic in helping people lose weight, a new study shows.

A seven-day, extended-release version of buprenorphine—a treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) that can reduce opioid use and overdose deaths—is safe and effective for people with OUD experiencing minimal symptoms of withdrawal, a new Yale study finds.

New research has demonstrated the effectiveness of a first-in-class oral, non-hormonal drug in increasing embryo implantation, pregnancy and live birth rates among infertile women who are undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

A class of diabetes medications, which include the best-selling drug Ozempic, are associated with a reduced risk of certain obesity-related cancers, according to a study released Friday.

Teams at two of Melbourne's leading research and medical institutes are developing high-tech solutions to rapidly test for drugs and better treat patients presenting to hospital.

Cancer's resistance to chemotherapy could be reversed by targeting lactate—the product that builds up as cancer cells convert nutrients to energy, according to new research published in Nature.

Only half (53%) of online advertisements for medicines are correctly categorized by consumers as legitimate or illicit. This result emerged from project CAPSULE, conducted by Transcrime, Joint Research Center of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in cooperation with the Inspection & Certification Department of the Italian Medicines Agency—AIFA and supported by Michigan State University's Cen

Twelve years ago, cancer researchers at University of California San Diego identified a molecule that helps cancer cells survive by shuttling damaging inflammatory cells into tumor tissue. In new research, they show that the same molecule does the same thing in lung tissue infected with COVID-19—and that the molecule can be suppressed with a repurposed cancer drug.

The European Union has approved Sanofi's blockbuster drug Dupixent for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the French pharmaceutical giant said on Wednesday.

Psilocybin, a compound found in many types of mushrooms, is an antidepressant with potential use in treating anxiety. Unfortunately, unscrupulous vendors have used these clinical results to sell products made from an unrelated and somewhat toxic mushroom: Amanita muscaria.

Dexamethasone is one of the most important drugs in the treatment of severe COVID-19, but patients respond very differently to the therapy. Researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin have now discovered how the cortisone compound influences the impaired inflammatory response and which patients benefit from it.

The ongoing opioid epidemic in the U.S. kills tens of thousands of people every year. Naloxone, sold under the brand name Narcan, has saved countless lives by reversing opioid overdoses. But new and more powerful opioids keep appearing, and first responders are finding it increasingly difficult to revive people who overdose.

A study led by investigators from Mass Eye and Ear found that patients prescribed semaglutide (as Ozempic or Wegovy) for diabetes or weight loss had a higher risk of having a potentially blinding eye condition called NAION (non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy) than similar patients who had not been prescribed these drugs.

A world-first study has found low-dose aspirin may treat flu-induced blood vessel inflammation, creating better blood flow to the placenta during pregnancy. The study, "Low dose aspirin prevents endothelial dysfunction in the aorta and foetal loss in pregnant mice infected with influenza A virus," was published in Frontiers in Immunology.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Anesthesia investigated the relationship between semaglutide use and residual gastric content in patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (EGD).

A new drug to treat Alzheimer's disease was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday.

A study lead by the Economic Evaluation of Chronic Diseases group of Biogipuzkoa Health Research Institute has revealed the relationship between the use of antipsychotics in dementia and socioeconomic status. This work have been authored by Javier Mar, Uxue Zubiagirre, Igor Larrañaga, Myriam Soto-Gordoa, Lorea Mar-Barrutia, Ana González-Pinto and Oliver Ibarrondo from Biogipuzkoa HRI, Bioaraba HRI

Benzodiazepines do not appear to increase dementia risk, but could have subtle long-term effects on brain structure, a new study reports.

Researchers looked at over 100 cases of misconduct involving the overprescription of opioid drugs in an anonymized US state. The study investigated professional bodies composed predominantly of doctors tasked with assessing and disciplining physician misconduct.

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday called on pharmaceutical giants Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to lower prices for diabetes and weight loss drugs such as Ozempic, saying firms must stop "ripping off the American people."

Drugs for serious or life-threatening diseases can receive expedited U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review, allowing patients to receive faster access to promising new treatments. Under the expedited review pathway of accelerated approval, drugs can be FDA-approved based on surrogate markers or proxy measures such as changes in imaging or lab tests that are "reasonably likely" to predict

New evidence comparing weight gain under eight different first-line antidepressants finds that bupropion users are 15–20% less likely to gain a clinically significant amount of weight than users of sertraline, the most common medication.

A total of 135 batches of potassium chloride capsules have been recalled because the extended release capsules might not release.

A new pill that slowly releases ketamine could treat people with severe depression without giving them the psychedelic side effects of the often-misused drug, early trial results suggested on Monday.

A small number of surgical procedures, including orthopedic procedures and cesarean delivery, account for a large proportion of opioid prescriptions dispensed after surgery, according to a study published online June 26 in JAMA Network Open.

Older GPs are more likely to prescribe antibiotics than their younger colleagues. A more cautious approach will not degrade treatment—and it can help fight antibiotic resistance that could soon kill millions of people annually. The discovery was made in a new study from the Department of Economics at the University of Copenhagen.

A team of biomedical researchers from the U.S. and the U.K. has identified two groups of neurons that take part in the process of feeling full—one before eating and one after. In their study, published in the journal Science, the group conducted experiments with mice to learn more about factors in the brain that lead to feelings of fullness after eating.

Doctors are prescribing antibiotics to most kids and teens who have pink eye, despite guidelines that discourage their use, researchers reported Thursday.

Just 25% of people battling opioid use disorder are getting medications aimed at helping them quit and potentially avoid an overdose, new data shows.

In a far-reaching effort to understand the factors contributing to HIV transmission among sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals and improve HIV prevention strategies, a team of scientists at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH) and the CUNY Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health (CUNY ISPH) led a four-year national cohort study of 6,059 c

A drug used to prevent migraine may also be effective in people with migraine who experience rebound headaches, according to a new study published in Neurology.

Underrepresented populations have been historically excluded from clinical trials including women, racial and ethnic minority groups, and pregnant, lactating, pediatric and geriatric populations. While the importance of including these groups in clinical trials is slowly being recognized and remedied, there are still questions about how currently prescribed drugs affect these populations, includin

NIAID research has led to the availability of a new over-the-counter topical eczema probiotic. The probiotic is based on the discovery by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, that bacteria present on healthy skin called Roseomonas mucosa can safely relieve eczema symptoms in adults and children.

Novo Nordisk's flagship weight-loss drug Wegovy has been approved for use in China, the Danish pharmaceutical giant said.

Studies of mouse models of Fragile X syndrome and Phelan-McDermid syndrome show that treatment with cannabidiol (CBD) and the diabetes drug metformin can alleviate behavioral difficulties, according to research presented today (Wednesday) at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2024.

The use of the active ingredient 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as "ecstasy," to support psychotherapy for mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder is being discussed worldwide.

A survey representing about 150 million adults annually suggests that aspirin use for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains prevalent among older adults, contrary to recommendations from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. According to the study authors, these findings highlight the urgent need for physicians to inquire about aspirin use and

For patients with resected stage III melanoma, adjuvant therapy with dabrafenib plus trametinib is associated with a nonsignificant benefit in terms of overall survival, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

For patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation, posttransplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) prophylaxis yields comparable relapse incidence (RI) and significantly lower incidence of GVHD than conventional prophylaxis, according to a study published online June 10 in the American Journal of Hematology.

For those suffering from treatment-resistant depression, the anesthetic drug ketamine offers hope, but it has side effects and can be costly to access—a University of Otago-led clinical trial may change that.

Researchers compared patients who received care remotely to those who got ultrasounds and found no differences in outcomes. Medication abortion patients who receive pills by mail without first getting an ultrasound do just as well as those who are examined and given the drugs in person, new research from UC San Francisco has found.

The current method for assessing medication-related liver injury is not providing an accurate picture of some medications' toxicity—or lack thereof—to the liver, according to a new study led by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

New research from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business explains how pharmaceutical companies were able to saturate the country with massive quantities of opioids, despite efforts by the Drug Enforcement Administration to regulate their supply.

Chocolate-flavored pills for children who hate taking medicine. Several drugs combined into one daily pill for seniors who have trouble remembering to take their medications. Drugs printed at your local pharmacy at personalized dosages that best suit your health needs.

Just two injections a year of a new HIV drug protected young women in Africa from infection with the sexually transmitted disease, new trial results show.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Merck's Keytruda (pembrolizumab) plus chemotherapy as treatment for adult patients with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma. This is the third FDA-approved indication for Keytruda in endometrial carcinoma.

Semaglutide, a medication initially developed for type 2 diabetes and obesity, significantly improves symptoms in men and women with a common type of heart failure that has had few therapeutic options.

The manufacturers of the most popular weight loss drugs are being challenged in court.

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and international collaborators have led a worldwide, advanced study demonstrating the potential of tirzepatide, known to manage type 2 diabetes, as the first effective drug therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep-related disorder characterized by repeated episodes of irregular breathing due to complete or partial bloc

People with type 2 diabetes who are treated with GLP-1 agonists have a decreased risk of developing dementia, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal eClinicalMedicine.

People with an irregular heart rhythm taking a common blood pressure drug may be at greater risk of serious bleeding, according to a study recently published in JAMA.

Last year, Oregon became the first state in the nation to provide state-regulated access to supervised services involving mind-altering magic mushrooms—raising the likelihood of introducing psilocybin to many Oregonians who have never experienced psychedelics before.

Heart attacks have been the leading cause of death in the U.S. for a century. While most treatments for cardiac events target breaking down blood clots, Georgia Tech researchers have found a way to prevent blood clots from even forming. Dramatically, their drug is shown to completely knock out the formation of blood clots without increasing the risks of bleeds in vivo.

A class of drugs already on the market to lower blood pressure appears to reduce adults' risk of developing epilepsy, Stanford Medicine researchers and their colleagues have discovered. The finding comes out of an analysis of the medical records of more than 2 million Americans taking blood pressure medications.

An analysis of data from a randomized clinical trial for patients with stage 3 colon cancer found that those with PIK3CA mutations who took celecoxib, an anti-inflammatory drug, after surgery lived significantly longer and had longer disease-free survival compared to those without the mutation. The study, highlighting a potential breakthrough in personalized cancer treatment, was led by clinical i

Combining antiobesity medications enhances preoperative weight loss in individuals with high body mass index (BMI) preparing for metabolic surgery, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, held from June 9 to 13 in San Diego.

Seventy-nine-year-old Genevieve Lane volunteered to take the Alzheimer's drug Leqembi in a clinical trial because she was forgetting words and misplacing her keys.

Only a third of outpatient community mental health treatment facilities in 20 states with the highest opioid related overdose deaths report offering medication treatment for opioid use disorders, suggesting efforts may be needed to strengthen such services, according to a new RAND study.

Therapists have discovered a variety of effective treatments for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder: Talk therapy, narrative writing, medication and a system that involves discussing painful experiences while focusing on blinking lights and vibrations.

In studies with genetically engineered mice, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say they have identified a potentially new biological target involving Aplp1, a cell surface protein that drives the spread of Parkinson's disease-causing alpha-synuclein.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first generic version of Emflaza (deflazacort) oral suspension for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Approval of the generic version of Emflaza oral suspension was granted to Cranbury Pharmaceuticals (Tris Pharma).

Around one in seven Australians take antidepressants. The decision to start is often made in a time of crisis, with the thought that they might help for a period and then be stopped. Most people don't start antidepressants thinking they will take them for life.

As temperatures rise, so do chances for migraine attacks, according to a new study from a team of researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Errex Inc. and Teva Pharmaceuticals U.S. Inc.

A widely available drug helps prevent upper gastrointestinal bleeding in critically ill adults on a breathing machine, according to the results of a global study and meta-analysis led by researchers at McMaster University.

A team of metabolic specialists and molecular biologists at Fudan University's Zhongshan Hospital, working with colleagues from other institutions in China, has found that some antimalarial drugs show promise in treating polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in women.

Early therapeutic interventions in inflammatory rheumatic diseases have proven successful in inducing drug-free remission, and EULAR—The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology—recommends early intervention in arthritis, since conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARD) have been shown to slow disease progression in both rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis.

Glucocorticoids are a mainstay of treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). But due to long-term adverse effects, dose reduction is becoming a crucial part of treat-to-target management goals. However, data regarding the optimum dose target is conflicting. Recommendations from EULAR—The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology—advise a glucocorticoid dose of no more than 5 mg/day

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday threw out a case that aimed to curb access to the controversial abortion drug mifepristone, saying the plaintiffs who brought the case to the court had no legal standing to do so.