Health Jan 02 As weight loss drug demand soars, physician outlines effectiveness and potential downsides By William Brangham, Jackson Hudgins, Hamada Hanoura
Nation Jan 05 Watch 6:11 Can Florida’s plan to import drugs from Canada lower medication costs? After years of pressure from states, lawmakers and consumer advocates, the Food and Drug Administration gave the go-ahead to allow a state to import drugs from Canada for the first time. Florida will be allowed to import certain medications in… By Lisa Desjardins, Karina Cuevas
Health Nov 07 Lack of drug testing in people with obesity raises concerns about safety and efficacy Even a drug as common as ibuprofen, sold as Advil, may not relieve pain in people at higher weights when taken as directed, research shows. By JoNel Aleccia, Associated Press
Health Dec 18 COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid has been free so far. Next year, sticker shock awaits Nearly 6 million Americans have taken Paxlovid for free, courtesy of the federal government. But the government plans to stop footing the bill within months, and millions of people who are at the highest risk of severe illness and are… By Hannah Recht, Kaiser Health News
Health Nov 25 Watch 8:32 Adderall shortage raises questions about widespread dependency on the drug There is a national shortage of Adderall, a drug used to treat several attention-deficit disorders. Intermittent manufacturing delays and a lack of supply to meet market demand in the U.S. left those who rely on the drug unsure about how… By Courtney Norris, William Brangham
May 26 Self-induced medication abortions may become more common. Here’s what it can feel like to have one By Shefali Luthra, The 19th Self-induced medication abortions are likely to become more common in states that ban the procedure. The practice is safe, but not always easy. Continue reading
Oct 01 Watch 6:24 Merck’s antiviral pill may help beat COVID-19, but vaccines and testing still needed Although COVID-19 vaccines help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and resulting deaths, there have not been many good or easy treatment options for the actual virus. But a new antiviral drug from Merck offers hope for keeping patients infected with… Continue watching
Aug 19 FDA approves first drug to improve a woman’s sex drive By News Desk The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved the world’s first drug aimed at increasing women’s sex drives after rejecting it twice previously. Continue reading
Nov 17 Watch 6:05 DEA investigates use of painkillers to keep NFL players in the game By PBS News Hour National Football League teams were hit with surprise federal inspections on Sunday as part of an ongoing investigation of prescription drug abuse, tied to a lawsuit brought by former players. Jeffrey Brown talks to Sally Jenkins of The Washington Post,… Continue watching
Oct 20 Small group of specialty drugs could make up half of total pharmacy spending by 2018 By Ruth Tam Specialty medications are expected to account for half of total annual pharmacy spending, or $235 billion, by 2018. Continue reading