Wegovy and Ozempic are weight loss drugs that promise to transform the treatment of obesity, heart disease and other chronic conditions that afflict millions of Americans. But while everyone agrees…
Tag: Drugs
Drug prices improved under Biden-Harris and Trump − but not for everyone, and not enough
When it comes to drug pricing, the Trump and Biden-Harris administrations both have some very modest wins to tout. As director of the Health Outcomes, Policy, and Evidence Synthesis group…
Philly residents with opioid addiction get medication from the ‘bupe bus’ − creating a path for treatment
A mobile team offering medication treatment to people with opioid use disorder showed promise in getting patients in Philadelphia to return for follow-up visits, according to a peer-reviewed study I…
Nitazenes found in 5 overdose deaths in Philly – here’s what they are and why they’re so deadly
The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office found that nitazenes, a synthetic opioid up to 40 times more powerful than fentanyl, were connected to at least five overdose deaths in Philadelphia in…
3 marketing myths the supplement industry wants you to swallow
Americans seem to have quite a positive view of dietary supplements. According to a 2023 survey, 74% of U.S. adults take vitamins, prebiotics and the like. The business of supplements…
Asthma meds have become shockingly unaffordable − but relief may be on the way
The price of asthma medication has soared in the U.S. over the past decade and a half. The jump – in some cases from around a little over US$10 to…
CRISPR and other new technologies open doors for drug development, but which diseases get prioritized? It comes down to money and science
Prescription drugs and vaccines revolutionized health care, dramatically decreasing death from disease and improving quality of life across the globe. But how do researchers, universities and hospitals, and the pharmaceutical…
Horseshoe crab blood is vital for testing intravenous drugs, but new synthetic alternatives could mean pharma won’t bleed this unique species dry
If you have ever gotten a vaccine or received an intravenous drug and did not come down with a potentially life-threatening fever, you can thank a horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus).…
Can at-home DNA tests predict how you’ll respond to your medications? Pharmacists explain the risks and benefits of pharmacogenetic testing
Have you ever wondered why certain medications don’t seem to work as well for you as they do for others? This variability in drug response is what pharmacogenomic testing hopes…
Blame capitalism? Why hundreds of decades-old yet vital drugs are nearly impossible to find
Past public ire over high drug prices has recently taken a back seat to a more insidious problem – no drugs at any price. Patients and their providers increasingly face…
