Latest Drug News

• Some Meds You Take May Increase Your Blood Pressure

  Trying to manage hypertension? Taking drugs for other conditions might make your blood pressure worse.

• CVS Health, Walmart and Walgreens Played Role in Opioid Crisis

  The Ohio case is the first time the retail side of the drug industry has been held accountable in the U.S. opioid crisis

• Does Eating Nuts Lead to Better Breast Cancer Outcomes?

  In a cohort study of more than 3,000 patients over 10 years, eating nuts was associated with significantly better disease-free survival compared with no nut consumption.

• State Lotteries Didn't Help Boost Vaccination Rates

  According to a new study, lotteries in 19 states designed to encourage people to get vaccinated for COVID-19 did not alter the rate of those who got the shot.

• COVID-19 Vaccine Technology May Help Combat the Flu

  Pharmaceutical companies are working to develop influenza vaccines that would use the same mRNA technology that has made the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccines so successful.

• Two Meds Better Than One for Many With High Blood Pressure: Study

  Doctors typically prescribe one blood pressure medicine at a low dose and increase its strength as needed.

• Booster Shot Back-and-Forth Creates Uncertainty, Confusion

  Most people are following the guidelines on getting their Pfizer booster shot, while some not yet eligible are 'gaming the system.'

• Flu Shot Highly Recommended This Year

  Waning natural immunity in the public due to last year's missing flu season will leave people -- and especially young children -- susceptible to the virus, warn flu trackers assessing this year's risk.

• U.S. to Donate 500 Million More Vaccine Doses

  The U.S. plans to donate an additional 500 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to countries around the world.

• U.S. Kidney Transplant Outcomes Are Improving

  Improvements in tissue matching, organ distribution systems, surgical techniques, immune-suppressing medicines and after-transplant medical care have helped contribute to better survival rates.

• FDA Fully Approves Pfizer COVID Vaccine, Paves Way for Mandates

  It is the first COVID-19 vaccine to be fully licensed in the U.S. It will be marketed under the trade name Comirnaty.

• Common Pesticide to Be Banned Over Links to  Problems in Children

  A widely used pesticide will be banned because it's been linked to neurological damage in children.

• Antibody Prevents Malaria in New Trial

  A new monoclonal antibody discovered and developed at the National Institutes of Health safely prevented malaria for up to 9 months in people who were exposed to the malaria parasite.

• Some Diabetes Meds Might Also Lower Alzheimer's Risk

  A new study suggests older adults who take certain diabetes drugs may see a slower decline in their memory and thinking skills.

• Immune-Based Therapy May Help Some Battling Advanced Colon Cancers

  A new report reveals immunotherapy helped extend the lives of some patients with the most common type of advanced colon cancer.

• New Drug Might Be Non-Surgical Option for Common Skin Cancers

  An experimental gel could be a potential alternative to surgery when treating basal cell carcinoma.

• CAR T-Cell Immunotherapy Rids Woman of Tough-to-Treat Lupus

  Researchers have used genetically tweaked immune system cells to send a woman's severe lupus into remission.

• 'Shocking' Early Complications From Teen-Onset Type 2 Diabetes

  Newly published data show alarmingly high rates and severity of early diabetes-specific complications in individuals who develop type 2 diabetes at a young age.

• FDA OKs Automatic Use of Cheaper Generic Insulin

  Semglee is interchangeable with Lantus, so it can be substituted at the pharmacy.

• High Blood Pressure: Which Drug Works Best for You?

  New research suggests ARBs might be a better choice for people just starting on blood pressure medication.

• First Patient Gets Biogen’s New Alzheimer’s Drug

  A man has received the first infusion of a new Alzheimer’s drug that drew criticism from some doctors after its FDA approval last week.

• Top JAMA Editor Out Amid Podcast Investigation

  The American Medical Association’s Joint Oversight Committee announced that Howard Bauchner, MD,  is on leave beginning at the end of the day. Bauchner is the top editor at JAMA, the journal of the AMA.

• New Results for Experimental Alzheimer's Drug

  Studies on aducanumab were halted earlier this year because the drug didn't appear to be effective. But the new results suggest it's effective at a high dose, the Associated Press reported.

• African Americans Face Unique Mental Health Risks

  While African Americans are just as likely to report serious psychological distress, they are less likely to get behavioral treatment.

• Some Blue Bell Ice Cream May Contain Plastic Pieces

  The recalled ice cream was sold in nine states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. No injuries have been reported from ice cream in this recall.