PI3K Inhibitor Fails to Pass Muster With FDA Advisory Committee
The FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) made a clean sweep of its 2-day meeting, deciding that the PI3K inhibitor duvelisib (Copiktra) does not offer a favorable risk-benefit ratio for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). By an 8-4 vote, the panel came down on the side of the FDA […]
Bacteria in donor organs complicate immune response after transplantation
Organ transplant recipients take life-long immunosuppressive drugs to prevent their bodies from mounting an immune response against the donated organ, yet a substantial number of them still reject the organs. A new study by researchers from the University of Chicago shows that transplant recipients also mount an immune response against commensal bacteria in the organ […]
Better Outcomes Tied to More HCV Treatment for People Who Inject Drugs
A greater uptake in hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment for people who inject drugs (PWID) at a community center led to decreases in liver disease and mortality, a longitudinal cohort study found. Among 1,323 PWID with chronic HCV at a Baltimore community-based center, the number of those with HCV RNA declined from 100% in 2006 […]
Researchers show effectiveness of migraine drug in weight loss: Over the course of a month, mice taking triptan migraine drugs ate less and lost more weight than other animals
Triptans, a commonly prescribed class of migraine drugs, may also be useful in treating obesity, a new study by scientists at UT Southwestern suggests. In studies on obese mice, a daily dose of a triptan led animals to eat less food and lose weight over the course of a month, the team reported in the […]
Researchers show effectiveness of migraine drug in weight loss: Over the course of a month, mice taking triptan migraine drugs ate less and lost more weight than other animals
Triptans, a commonly prescribed class of migraine drugs, may also be useful in treating obesity, a new study by scientists at UT Southwestern suggests. In studies on obese mice, a daily dose of a triptan led animals to eat less food and lose weight over the course of a month, the team reported in the […]
ADHD Drugs May Treat Alzheimer’s Cognitive Symptoms Effectively
Drugs with principally noradrenergic action — including ones prescribed for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or to treat hypertension or depression — may effectively treat cognitive symptoms and apathy in Alzheimer’s disease, a systematic review and meta-analysis suggested. Noradrenergic drugs showed a significant small positive effect on global cognition with a standardized mean difference (SMD) of […]
How Long Can a Person Live after Being Diagnosed with Hep C?
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. There are a variety of toxins, diseases, illicit drugs, medications, bacterial and viral infections, and heavy alcohol use can case inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis C viral infection (HCV) is one type of hepatitis. According to the CDC, in 2014 there were an estimated 30,500 cases of acute hepatitis […]
How Does Drug Use Cause Schizophrenia?
Which drugs can cause schizophrenia? Schizophrenia is one of the most common mental illnesses. Although drug use does not cause schizophrenia, there is unassailable evidence that the two are closely related. Schizophrenia is one of the most common mental illnesses. It causes you to lose touch with reality, affecting your ability to distinguish between what’s […]
The impact of COVID-19 on drug use — and how it contributes to overdose risk
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of people who use drugs in ways that hurt their mental health and changed drug use behaviors, increasing their risk for overdose, according to surveys and interviews with individuals in rural Illinois captured in a new study in Addiction Science and Clinical Practice. Drug overdoses have soared during […]
Are Addiction and Substance Abuse Disorder the Same?
Addiction is a chronic disorder where the affected person seeks out drugs despite harmful consequences. Addiction is also associated with changes to your brain. It is a severe form of substance use disorder. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines addiction as a chronic disorder where the affected person seeks out drugs despite harmful […]