Drugs News and Research

RSS

Deadly infection in cystic fibrosis could be curbed with combination medication

Researchers from Aston University and Birmingham Children’s Hospital have developed a new medication regimen that could successfully treat a bacterial infection that could prove fatal to patients with cystic fibrosis or bronchiectasis. The results of the new study were published in the latest issue of the journal Scientific Reports.

27 Jan 2020

Improving drug testing with comprehensive 'Organ Chip' platform

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves only 13.8% of all tested drugs, and these numbers are even lower in "orphan" diseases that affect relatively few people.

27 Jan 2020

Study reveals substantial prevalence of drug promotions in U.S. primary care practices

According to a new Dartmouth study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, pharmaceutical companies' promotional access to outpatient practices that deliver primary care in the U.S. is substantial, especially in smaller practices, those outside of healthcare systems, and those without academic affiliation, possibly impacting prescribing quality and cost.

27 Jan 2020

Parkinson's disease may affect brain cells before birth

People who develop Parkinson's disease before age 50 may have been born with disordered brain cells that went undetected for decades, according to new Cedars-Sinai research. The research points to a drug that potentially might help correct these disease processes.

27 Jan 2020

Antihypertensive drug associated with lower risk of gout

Affecting more than 7 million adults in the United States, gout is characterized by a sudden onset of pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints and caused by the formation of urate crystal in small spaces between joints that builds up when high amounts of uric acid circulate in the blood.

27 Jan 2020

Technology used on the ISS could reveal important information about human health

In an article published recently in Microgravity, a Nature Journal, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute demonstrate a unique method for studying the mechanisms behind the formation of amyloid fibrils associated with diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

27 Jan 2020

New insights into globular glial tauopathy could aid in the design of better drugs

Tauopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the accumulation of phospho-tau, in other words tau associated to phosphate groups.

27 Jan 2020

Weak evidence found on added benefit of asfotase alfa treatment for infants with hypophosphatasia

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a rare congenital metabolic disorder. The frequency of severe courses of disease is estimated at 1:100 000: A deficiency of the enzyme phosphatase results in insufficient mineralization of the bones and thus in severe skeletal malformations.

27 Jan 2020

Call for FDA to withdraw preterm birth drug divides doctors and insurers

Doctors fear that the only drug approved to prevent preterm birth, the nation’s leading cause of infant mortality and disability, will no longer be available to expectant mothers.

27 Jan 2020

Robotic heart to replace human transplants on the horizon

Scientists are working to end the need for human heart transplants by 2028. A team of researchers in the UK, Cambridge, and the Netherlands are developing a robot heart that can pump blood through the circulatory network but is soft and pliable. The first working model should be ready for implantation into animals within the next 3 years, and into humans within the next 8 years.

26 Jan 2020

Prescription drug bumetanide could help treat autism

A new drug called bumetanide, which is used to treat edema, shows promise in treating some symptoms of autism in young children, while not showing significant adverse effects. The study was published in January 2020 in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

26 Jan 2020

Snake stem cells create real venom to use as medicine

Poisonous snakes kill more than 90,000 people each year across the globe, with about 1.2 million to 5.5 million snake bites occur annually. Despite the venomous bite, scientists have limited knowledge of the snake’s venom, complicating efforts to develop treatments. A new study has found that snake venom gland cells can be cultured in the lab as adult-stem-cell-based organoids, producing real venom, which can be used to develop treatments.

26 Jan 2020

Puberty blockers reduce suicidal ideations among transgender teens

Transgender teens have a higher risk of having suicidal ideations, reports the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A new study suggests that having access to puberty blockers can significantly reduce the risk of suicide and other mental health issues.

26 Jan 2020

Recognizing the signs of overdose and knowing how to respond can save lives

Every day nearly 200 people die from an overdose of drugs or from alcohol poisoning, with opioids responsible for the majority.

26 Jan 2020

Data from high-quality registries to be considered in benefit assessment of drugs

Particularly in the case of accelerated drug approvals and drugs for rare diseases (orphan drugs), the evidence available at the time of market access is often insufficient for the early benefit assessment of drugs.

24 Jan 2020

UCI-led study reveals link between early life adversity and opioid addiction

Individuals with a history of early life adversity are disproportionately prone to opioid addiction. A new UCI-led study reveals why.

24 Jan 2020

Non-hormonal options are effective in treating menopause symptoms

The classic symptoms of menopause – hot flashes, sleeplessness, and vaginal dryness – have typically been treated with estrogen therapy. Studies published today report that non-hormonal options are effective, too.

24 Jan 2020

Opioid dependence produces permanent changes in the brains of rats

Approximately one-quarter of patients who are prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them, with five to 10 percent developing an opioid use disorder or addiction.

24 Jan 2020

Majority of people knowingly use fentanyl, UBC research shows

Fentanyl use by people who use drugs has doubled since 2015, and two-thirds of people are aware they've taken it, finds new research out of British Columbia, the Canadian province that has experienced the highest number of illicit drug toxicity deaths as a result of the opioid crisis.

24 Jan 2020

New neuromodulation device may help prevent migraine

If your bank account balance looks nail-bitingly low and you won't get paid for days, you might agonize over every dollar you spend. Maybe you'll scrutinize grocery-store ads more closely than usual or brew your own coffee instead of ordering it from a barista.

24 Jan 2020