What is ketamine, the drug involved in Matthew Perry’s death?

by Carla K. Johnson Actor Matthew Perry participates in the BUILD Speaker Series to discuss the mini-series “The Kennedys After Camelot” in New York on March 30, 2017. Credit: Photo…

New medications for early Alzheimer’s draw praise, controversy

by Kris B. Mamula, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Comparison of the efficacy slopes and absolute changes for donepezil and lecanemab versus placebo. Credit: eneuro (2024). DOI: 10.1523/ENEURO.0319-23.2024 Independence Health System has introduced…

Prescription painkiller misuse and addiction are widespread in chronic pain patients

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A new scientific review of 148 studies enrolling over 4.3 million adult chronic pain patients treated with prescription opioid painkillers has found that nearly one in…

Legit Ozempic sales soar while counterfeits put patients in danger

Two new studies show how eager Americans are to obtain either safe, legitimate versions of Ozempic or counterfeit and potentially dangerous forms of the diabetes/weight-loss drug. One study found U.S.…

Little evidence to back widespread prescribing of mood-altering drugs to children for mental health issues

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain There’s limited evidence to back up the widespread and increasing rates of prescribing mood-altering drugs (psychotropics) as the mainstay of mental health treatment for children and…

One type of non-statin cholesterol-lowering drug linked to lower liver cancer risk

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Past studies have suggested that taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may lower individuals’ risk of developing liver cancer. In a new study of non-statin cholesterol-lowering medications, one…

Botox could make walking easier in children with cerebral palsy

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A randomized clinical trial published in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology has assessed whether injections of botulinumtoxin-A in calf muscles benefit children with cerebral palsy. “We…

Weight-loss jabs linked to lower cancer risk compared with insulin—new study

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Obesity increases the risk of developing a number of cancers, so it stands to reason that drugs that reduce body weight should also reduce the risk…

Safety of generic Viagra, other drugs called into doubt after false data found by FDA

Credit: CC0 Public Domain Generic versions of erectile dysfunction drugs Viagra and Cialis, among other medications, were allowed on the U.S. market using potentially problematic data that call into question…

Novel treatment improves embryo implantation and live birth rates in infertile women undergoing IVF and ICSI

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain New research has demonstrated the effectiveness of a first-in-class oral, non-hormonal drug in increasing embryo implantation, pregnancy and live birth rates among infertile women who are…