RX

Antibiotics wreak havoc on the gut. Can we kill the bad bugs and spare the good ones?

LOS ANGELES TIMES – Inside every human is a thriving zoo of bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microscopic organisms collectively known as the microbiome. Trillions of microbes live in the digestive tract alone, a menagerie estimated to contain more than 1,000 species. This ecosystem of tiny stuff affects our health in ways science is only beginning to understand, facilitating digestion, metabolism, the immune response and more. But when serious infection sets in, the most powerful antibiotics take...

People using popular drugs for weight loss, diabetes are more likely to be diagnosed with stomach paralysis

CNN – Injected medications that treat diabetes and obesity increase the risk of a rare but serious side effect: stomach paralysis, according to new data on the real-world use of the drugs. At least three new studies based on large collections of patient records show that the risk of being diagnosed with stomach paralysis, or gastroparesis, is higher for people who take GLP-1 agonists than for those who don’t. 1 in 8 adults in the US...

“Outrageously” priced weight-loss drugs could bankrupt US health care

Without a dramatic price cut, Americans will likely face either losing access to the drugs or shouldering higher overall health care costs, or some of both.

Dementia treatments linked with serious side effects: Study

The treatments are highly controversial due to the serious side-effects and their limited efficiency.

Antidepressants and Sex Drive: What Are the Side Effects?

GREATEST – Some folks find that antidepressants cause sexual problems. However, there may be alternative options, so chat with your doctor! In the quest for mental wellness, many peeps tackle depression or anxiety head-on with the help of antidepressants. They’re a trusty sidekick in the battle against the blues. But when you thought you had the upper hand, they throw you a curveball — one that hits right in the libido department. Yep, these meds have a...

Eli Lilly warns of temporary short supply of two insulin products

CNN – Drugmaker Eli Lilly warned this week that two of its formulations of insulin would be temporarily out of stock through the beginning of April, citing a “brief delay in manufacturing.” The 10-milliliter vials of Humalog and insulin lispro injection will be in short supply at wholesalers and some pharmacies, Lilly said in a statement posted online Wednesday. The company said that prefilled pen versions of those medicines are still available in the US and...

‘It feels like we’ve been lobotomised’: the possible sexual consequences of SSRIs

"My clitoris feels like my elbow now, and there’s nothing I can do to reverse it.”

Antidepressant prescribing for youths surged during COVID

AXOIS – Antidepressant prescribing to youths rose 63.5% during the pandemic, with adolescent girls accounting for some of the sharpest increases, according to new research in Pediatrics. It's further evidence of a youth mental health crisis characterized by depression and anxiety brought on by social isolation, concern about the future and financial and other stressors. But a shortage of mental health workers and the shift toward telehealth and remote prescribing may have contributed to a prioritization...

Big Pharma spends billions more on executives and stockholders than on R&D

ARS TECHNICA – When big pharmaceutical companies are confronted over their exorbitant pricing of prescription drugs in the US, they often retreat to two well-worn arguments: One, that the high drug prices cover costs of researching and developing new drugs, a risky and expensive endeavor, and two, that middle managers—pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), to be specific—are actually the ones price gouging Americans. Both of these arguments faced substantial blows in a hearing Thursday held by the...

Newsom signs bill making HIV prevention meds available without prescription

THE HILL – California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a bill Tuesday that makes medication preventing HIV available to residents without a prescription. The bill, S.B. 339, authorizes pharmacists to furnish preexposure prophylaxis, commonly called PrEP, a drug that helps prevent HIV infection prior to exposure, as well as postexposure prophylaxis, a drug used for patients exposed to HIV, if specified conditions are met. The bill was introduced by state Sen. Scott Wiener (D) and will allow pharmacists...

Men on Viagra may reduce their Alzheimer’s risk – study

BBC – Men who take drugs for erectile dysfunction, such as Viagra, may reduce their risk of Alzheimer's disease, a study suggests. In research on more than 260,000 men, those taking the drugs were 18% less likely to develop the dementia-causing condition. But more research is needed to prove that the drugs are causing the effect. Two new Alzheimer's drugs have shown huge promise at slowing the pace of the disease in its earliest stages. By attacking ...

New antibiotic kills deadly, drug-resistant bacteria in ‘scientific breakthrough’

In animal studies, zosurabalpin was shown effective against a harmful bacteria that primarily affects hospital patients

Mayo Clinic Minute: Weight-loss medications alone are not a quick fix

Mayo Clinic News Network One of the most common New Year's resolutions is to lose weight. Many may be wondering if weight-loss medications can help them reach their goal. Medications called semaglutides — better known by the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy — have been shown to help people lose about 15% of their body weight. But as Dr. Andres Acosta explains in this Mayo Clinic Minute, these medications alone are not a quick solution. Watch: The...

Canada vows to defend its drug supply against Florida importation plan

ARS TECHNICA – Canada issued a warning Monday that it stands ready to defend its prescription drug supply from US importation plans—and also said the plans wouldn't work for the US, anyway. "Bulk importation will not provide an effective solution to the problem of high drug prices in the US," Health Canada said in a statement. The defensive stance comes just days after the US Food and Drug Administration granted Florida authorization to directly import cheaper...

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