Drugs and Medications News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday issued warning letters to companies marketing supplements that they claim will counter the effects of the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Sepsis is a leading cause of hospital deaths. Now, researchers at several hospitals are trying to reproduce the success one Virginia doctor had with a combination of vitamins and steroids.

Last fall, more than 912,000 pounds of prescription drugs were turned in at more than 5,300 Take Back Day sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,300 state and local law enforcement partners.

Overall, nearly two-thirds of opioids prescribed after surgery went unused by patients, the study found. These drugs wound up lingering in patients' homes, inviting abuse and the potential for addiction, Habermann said.

Health officials say these new bacteria must be contained quickly, lest they share their antibiotic-resistance genetics with other potentially more dangerous germs.

Making a medication taste better can interfere with its basic chemistry and, sometimes, raise the concerns of parents and caregivers that it’s too attractive to children.

Of 109 ER doctors at four hospitals, two-thirds underestimated how often they prescribed opioids such as OxyContin (oxycodone) and Vicodin (hydrocodone), the researchers said.

Their analysis of data from 76 countries found large increases in antibiotic use in low- and middle-income countries, and a slight decrease in high-income countries.

Researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, in Germany, tested about 1,000 medicines on 40 species of gut bacteria. Of 923 non-antibiotics tested, 250 affected the growth of at least one of species of gut bacteria.

The study of women age 60 or older found those who took antibiotics for at least two months were 27 percent more likely to die from all causes over a period of eight years, and they had a 58 percent greater risk of dying from heart disease, specifically.

Emergency room visits for opioid overdoses increased nationwide and across all demographic groups between July 2016 and September 2017, according to ER records analyzed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Disagreement centers largely upon the herb's ability to activate opioid receptors in the brain, experts say.

Kratom -- a plant that grows in Asia -- poses serious health risks, according to the FDA. Earlier this month, the agency declared that kratom acts like an opioid in the human brain.

Nearly $64 billion of that spending was for the development of 84 first-in-class drugs that use new biological mechanisms or targets.

Nurse practitioners and physician assistants were 15 percent more likely than a doctor to prescribe an antibiotic to adults with these four conditions, the study found.

The new study included more than 560,000 people who were prescribed opioids such as OxyContin or Percocet after surgery. None had a history of recent or chronic opioid use.

The drug, Diclegis, failed to meet minimum effectiveness goals in the clinical trial relied upon by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its approval in 2013, Canadian researchers reported.

These prescription medicines involve any that include codeine or oxycodone, the FDA said.

The scourge is now so widespread that, just last week, research suggested that deaths from opioid overdoses may be the biggest factor driving a decline in overall U.S. life expectancy.

On Saturday, Oct. 28, you can safely dispose of unwanted medicines at sites across the country as part of the next "Take Back Day," sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and state and local partners.

More expensive brand-name prescriptions come from doctors who received perks, study finds

Hardest-hit communities need targeted preventive measures, report suggests

Health insurance giant signs deal with another opioid maker.

Treatment-related worries might make you feel sick

Popular anti-inflammatory leads list of top-selling drugs for fifth straight year.