Common Food Additives Singled Out for Cardiovascular Risk
Food additive emulsifiers were individually associated with modest increases in cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a large French epidemiological cohort, researchers found. Various types of emulsifiers — widely used to keep oils and water mixed together and prolong the shelf-life of processed foods — were positively associated with higher risks of CVD and coronary heart disease […]
New Evidence Links Calcium Channel Blockers to Increased Risk of Glaucoma
Use of calcium channel blockers (CCBs), particularly cardioselective agents, had a modest but statistically significant association with glaucoma, a large meta-analysis showed. Overall, patients with a history of CCB treatment had a 23% higher likelihood of developing glaucoma as compared with individuals who never used the antihypertensives. The likelihood almost doubled among patients who received […]
NASH Drug Candidate Comes With ‘Serious Risks,’ Says FDA Staff
While citing obeticholic acid’s (Ocaliva) modest effect on a single surrogate endpoint for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), FDA staff members raised “substantial concerns” over the frequency of drug-induced liver injury, along with a litany of other safety concerns. The assessment dims the prospect of regulatory approval as the oral drug makes an iffy second bid to […]
Meningitis B Vaccine May Protect Against … Gonorrhea?
Vaccination against meningococcal serogroup B may also provide modest protection against gonorrhea, evidence from the U.S. and Australia showed. According to surveillance records from New York City and Philadelphia, complete vaccination with the four-component meningococcal serogroup B vaccine (MenB-4C; Bexsero) provided 40% protection against gonorrhea infection compared with no vaccination (adjusted prevalence ratio [APR] 0.60, […]