The Drug Company That Prospered Without Creating Any Drugs
The new drug looked so promising — except for that one warning sign. At the American College of Rheumatology’s annual meeting in 2008, Duke University’s John Sundy, MD, proudly announced that pegloticase (Krystexxa), a drug he helped develop, was astoundingly effective at treating severe gout, which affects perhaps 50,000 Americans. In about half of those […]
My Reproductive Organs Took Me On A Wild Ride I Never Saw Coming
The author with her son, Noah in 2009. “Noah was so pretty that he was often mistaken for a girl when he was very young,” she writes. Courtesy of Erica Landis When my gynecologist first suggested a hysterectomy after reading the pathology report showing precancerous cells in my cervix, my hand instantly flew up into […]
Opinion | The Most Agony-Filled Scream I’ve Ever Heard Came in the Wake of a Shooting
I will never forget that scream. The loudest, most ear-splitting, and most agony-filled scream I have ever heard came from the mother of a young man shot with an assault rifle. I had just told her that we could not save his life — that her son was gone forever. My team and I had […]
Broccoli consumption protects gut lining, reduces disease, in mice: Researchers discover that a certain molecule in broccoli interacts with a receptor in mice to promote gut health
Broccoli is known to be beneficial to our health. For example, research has shown that increased consumption of the cruciferous vegetable decreases incidence of cancer and type 2 diabetes. In a recent study, researchers at Penn State found that broccoli contains certain molecules that bind to a receptor within mice and help to protect the […]
Men and women have different obesity drivers, pointing to the need for tailored interventions: Sex-specific brain signatures driving obesity
A new study from UCLA researchers finds sex-specific brain signals that appear to confirm that different drivers lead men and women to develop obesity. The study, appearing in the peer-reviewed journal Brain Communications, combined data from several modes of MRI with patients’ clinical features and personal histories to identify sex-specific mechanisms in the brain underlying […]
The 7 Biggest Early Warning Signs You’re Developing Depression
If you’re reading this article, then you’re likely concerned that you or a loved one may be exhibiting symptoms of depression. It’s not an isolated experience: Mental health issues have been on the rise, especially since the onset of the pandemic. While depression affects each person differently, there are some common hallmark characteristics ― and […]
Mail-Back Envelopes Will Be Dispensed With Outpatient Opioid Scripts
The FDA will require manufacturers of opioid drugs that are dispensed in outpatient settings to provide prepaid mail-back envelopes to outpatient pharmacies and other dispensers, the agency announced Monday. The move is part of the FDA’s comprehensive approach to addressing the overdose crisis, according to FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD. “We believe these efforts will […]
Experts Call for PBM Transparency During Senate Hearing
Most expert witnesses at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday agreed that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) — middlemen between the drug companies and insurers — drive up the prices of prescription drugs, leaving patients with higher out-of-pocket costs, and offered a range of suggestions on how to curb PBM abuses. Historically, PBMs […]
6 Common Phrases You May Not Realize Are Actually Fat-Shaming
Carol Yepes via Getty Images Referring to certain foods as “bad” or saying that you “feel fat” are just two examples of common fat-shaming words in our society. As a general rule, phrases that offend groups of people are off limits in any respectful and caring group of people. Words that bring down folks in […]
Four-Year-Old Gets Hospital Bill; Woolly Mammoth Meatball; How AR-15s Damage Humans
Note that some links may require subscriptions. A Florida woman wanted to talk to the hospital about her 4-year-old son’s bill, but hospital officials said they couldn’t speak with her because the bill was in her son’s name. (NPR) The FDA approved the first over-the-counter naloxone (Narcan) product for reversing opioid overdoses. While over-the-counter naloxone […]