Drugs and Medications News
- What's Behind Major Rise in Heart Failure Deaths?
May 3, 2024 — After falling for over a decade, the death rate climbed for several years and now is about the same as in 1999.
- When Does Old Age Start? It Depends on Who You Ask
May 2, 2024 — The goalpost for old age has been moving. Until now.
- Ground Beef Sold at Walmart Recalled Due to E. coli
May 2, 2024 — More than 16,000 pounds of raw ground beef packaged in trays for Walmart stores is being recalled because of potential E. coli bacterial contamination.
- Prospects for Crohn's Relief Brighten With New Advancements
May 2, 2024 — More than 1 million Americans live with Crohn’s, a chronic and sometimes crippling bowel disease that affects the intestines and leads to digestive issues. But in 2024, breakthroughs could bring relief in different ways. Here's what to know.
- Managing the Social Media Menopause Hype
May 2, 2024 — Social media's allure for menopause relief masks dangers, and doctors can help you know how to combat misinformation and provide education on heavily-marketed products that could put you at risk for harm.
- Mpox Cases Up in 2024: Is This Another Surge?
May 1, 2024 — Although nowhere near the tens of thousands of cases seen in a 2022-23 outbreak, Mpox cases are up the first few months of 2024, compared to the same time last year. Here's what to know.
- Regular Breast Cancer Screening Should Start at 40: Task Force
May 1, 2024 — The USPSTF has shifted to a stronger recommendation to start mammograms earlier, while noting a need for more research on breast cancer for Black and older women and those with dense breasts.
- Are Female Doctors Better? Here's What to Know
May 1, 2024 — A new study suggests female doctors may provide patients better care, especially when those patients are women. Here's what to know.
- Easing Marijuana Laws Doesn’t Mean the Drug Is Safer
May 1, 2024 — You shouldn’t draw major conclusions about the safety of marijuana amid the recent announcement that federal regulators may reclassify the drug, experts are cautioning.
- Drinking Tiny Gold Crystals May Help With MS Vision Problems
April 30, 2024 — People with multiple sclerosis who drank a medicine containing gold nanocrystals daily for nearly 3 years got better vision, according to study results presented at a neurology conference this month.
- New ‘FLiRT’ Variants Spark Summer COVID Surge Warning
April 30, 2024 — A data scientist who has accurately predicted COVID waves since the beginning of the pandemic warns that a surge is on the horizon.
- We Face Little Threat From Bird Flu – for Now
April 30, 2024 — As the bird flu outbreak in cattle has spread, federal officials have stepped up safety measures while insisting that the public health risk is low. But questions and fears linger. Here's what to know.
- New Tests Reaffirm Safety of Pasteurized Milk Amid Bird Flu
April 29, 2024 — The virus that causes bird flu is effectively inactivated through the process of heating milk known as pasteurization, the FDA confirmed.
- Jump-Start Your Exercise With This Mindset Reset
April 29, 2024 — There are far more powerful motivators than “get abs!” to help you start an exercise routine you’ll stick to.
- 1 in 5 Pasteurized Milk Samples Show Traces of Bird Flu Virus: FDA
April 26, 2024 — A nationwide survey found traces of the bird flu virus in 1 in 5 retail samples of pasteurized milk.
- Pre-Ozempic Obesity Drugs: Effective and Budget-Friendly
April 26, 2024 — Before there was Ozempic, there were these cost-friendly, safe, and highly effective weight loss drugs. FDA-approved obesity medication like orlistat (Xenical), phentermine/topiramate (Qsymia), and naltrexone/bupropion extended release (Contrave) have been on the market for decades.
- Acid Reflux Drugs Linked to Increased Risk of Migraines
April 25, 2024 — A new study strongly links usage of acid reflux treatments with an increased risk of experiencing migraines or severe headaches.
- Cataract Surgery Tricky for Those With Past Radial Keratotomy
April 25, 2024 — The surgery, known as RK, was considered a successful tool for correcting vision. But in recent years, many of these patients who went on to have cataract surgery are having major post-surgery complications.
- Cholesterol Experts Say Everyone Needs a Little-Known Blood Test
April 25, 2024 — Getting a standard cholesterol screening may soon involve one more blood test that has been around for decades but is rarely used. Evidence continues to mount showing that the additional analysis can flag otherwise unknown risks of dangerous heart problems resulting from plaque buildup in arteries.
- Have Male Urinary Tract Symptoms? An App May Offer Relief
April 24, 2024 — The urgent need to pee, a strangled flow and the feeling that you didn’t get it all out of you. Those are all the symptoms of male lower urinary tract problems and more than 72% of men experience at least one of them.
- FDA Says Milk Is Safe, Even After Tests Show Signs of Bird Flu
April 24, 2024 — Particles of the bird flu virus recently found in dairy cattle have been detected in pasteurized milk, but the nation’s milk supply remains safe to drink and the CDC has taken key steps toward making a vaccine in case one is needed, federal officials announced Tuesday.
- Weight Loss Drugs With Your Gym Membership? What to Know
April 24, 2024 — Weights, aerobics, and … Wegovy? Some in the fitness industry are moving to dispense the popular GLP-1 medications to club members, combining the new, easier method of losing weight with the old, more challenging one.
- Are Direct-to-Consumer Microbiome Tests Useful? Probably Not
April 24, 2024 — Some companies claim they can identify and treat gastrointestinal problems with proprietary technology and products — experts disagree.
- National Weather Service, CDC Unveil New ‘HeatRisk’ Forecast
April 23, 2024 — The National Weather Service will now issue heat warnings in a new way using a system called HeatRisk. Here's what to know.
- Ted Danson on Managing His Psoriasis With Humor
April 23, 2024 — Actor Ted Danson was diagnosed with plaque psoriasis when he was 25 years old. Danson, now 76, says he turned to self-deprecating humor in an effort to point out his own flaws with funny quips before anyone else could.
- Where Will the Legit Health Info Go If TikTok Goes Dark?
April 23, 2024 — If TikTok goes dark, it could render unavailable the work of those who have made the site a go-to for expert- and user-generated videos on topics that cover the spectrum of consumer health.
- Your Spouse’s Stroke Could Increase Your Depression Risk
April 22, 2024 — The spouses of people who have strokes, heart attacks, and heart failure are more likely to experience depression than people whose spouses didn’t have those health problems.
- Are 'Man Vans' Coming to a Parking Lot Near You Soon?
April 22, 2024 — "Game Changer Vehicles" – mobile medical units in a roving RV – are helping to bring cancer screening to where it's needed.
- How Long Should Active Surveillance of Prostate Cancer Last?
April 19, 2024 — Ending active surveillance for men with low-risk prostate cancer may never be appropriate, according to a new study that saw progression and need for treatment in some patients followed-up for more than 15 years.
- The Fat You Can’t See Can Be Most Dangerous to Your Health
April 19, 2024 — A little visceral fat is helpful. It cushions your heart, lungs, and the organs in your gut. Too much, though, and it becomes a bad player. So what can you do to lessen your health risks?
- National Drug Shortages Hit Record Levels
April 18, 2024 — Requesting a refill at the local pharmacy or getting a complete series of a specific chemotherapy is becoming hit-and-miss as problems with the pharmaceutical supply chain mount.
- Changing Entrenched Health Beliefs Is Not Impossible
April 18, 2024 — Some people with deep-rooted beliefs on a wide range of health topics – from COVID vaccination to mental health stigma to foods including genetically modified organisms – could be persuaded to rethink their positions.
- Don’t Worry, Gen Z, Your Face Isn’t Aging Faster Than Others
April 18, 2024 — Some members of Generation Z are worried they are aging more quickly, thanks to social media influencers selling products. But skin care experts said the claim is false. Rather, it largely boils down to perception.
- Eli Lilly to Ask FDA to Approve Weight Loss Drug for Sleep Apnea
April 17, 2024 — Preliminary clinical trial results showed the obesity drug tirzepatide was highly effective at treating obstructive sleep apnea, according to information sent to investors of the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly.
- Asthma Attack: Allergies, Rising Costs Impacting Patients
April 17, 2024 — Across the U.S., an early spring and pollen season have made seasonal allergies worse. That, along with an ongoing respiratory virus season and barriers to patients getting inhalers, make this a tough time for those who struggle with allergies and asthma control.
- 4 Years On, What Progress is Being Made on Long COVID?
April 17, 2024 — We’ve come a long way, but there’s still a lot that we don’t understand about long COVID.
- Changes Are Coming to Melatonin Packaging, Industry Group Says
April 16, 2024 — An organization representing dietary supplement makers has advised its members to update packaging of melatonin sleep supplements and other dietary gummies to deter children from eating the products.
- This Heart Attack Hits Young Women, But Doctors Often Unaware
April 16, 2024 — SCAD accounts for 1 in 3 acute heart events in younger women. Many doctors are not aware it exists.
- To Eat Less When Snacking, Pick the Best Size
April 16, 2024 — Almost everyone who's watching their calories knows to bypass those family-size bags of snacks, with experts long warning us we’re likely to eat more than we planned. Now, new research suggests that the size of a snack matters. Bottom line: To eat less, pick the smallest-size snacks.
- CDC Investigating Illnesses from Potentially Bogus Botox
April 16, 2024 — At least 19 people from nine states have reported serious reactions after receiving botox injections from unlicensed or untrained individuals or in non-healthcare settings.
- Could U.S. Measles Cases Break a Record This Year? What to Know
April 12, 2024 — Within the first 3 months of 2024, the U.S. surpassed the total number of measles cases recorded in all of 2023. Could the nation break a record this year? Here's what to know.
- Gastric Sleeve Cheaper, More Effective Than Semaglutide
April 12, 2024 — Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), a nonsurgical weight loss procedure, is more cost-effective over a 5-year period than using semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, Wegovy, and other weight loss drugs, a new study shows.
- Emulsifiers Make Food Appetizing yet Bring Health Dangers
April 12, 2024 — Emulsifiers don’t necessarily equal junk food. Such substances can be found in many foods that are often considered healthy, such as some low-fat Greek yogurts, trail mix bars, or oat milk.
- Tylenol During Pregnancy Not Linked to Higher Risk of ADHD, Autism
April 12, 2024 — New findings should bring comfort to pregnant people who need pain relief, given that full-dose aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been shown to pose serious risks to pregnant patients.
- Schools Should Drop Lunchables, Consumer Reports Says
April 11, 2024 — Consumer Reports is calling on the U.S. government to remove Lunchables meal kits from school cafeterias that are subsidized by federal funds after testing by the advocacy group found concerning levels of sodium and heavy metals like lead.
- Speedy Eating and Late-Night Meals May Take Toll on Health
April 11, 2024 — A growing body of evidence shows that it's not just what and how much you eat that influence your health. How fast and when you eat also play a role.
- EPA Announces Rules for ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water
April 10, 2024 — More than 60,000 utility groups that supply much of the U.S. with its drinking water must ensure it’s free of six synthetic chemicals that the Environmental Protection Agency now says may lead to serious illnesses, such as cancer.
- Have Health Questions? Ask S.A.R.A.H., an AI Health Assistant
April 10, 2024 — S.A.R.A.H., which stands for Smart AI Resource Assistant for Health, uses Open AI’s GPT (generative pretrained transformer) large language model to answer a wide range of health questions.
- New Blood Test Promises Hope for Pancreatic Cancer
April 9, 2024 — Preliminary results showed that a type of blood test called a “liquid biopsy” was key to achieving a 97% accuracy rate at diagnosing the most common type of pancreatic cancer during early stages.