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Childhood obesity prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs surge in the U.S.

Although the number of US children under age 12 with obesity being prescribed the weight loss drugs Saxenda, Wegovy, and Zepbound remains low, the number is 310 times higher in June 2026 than it was in 2019, when the drugs were initially prescribed, a new study shows.

4 Sep 2026

GLP-1 drugs could reshape fashion and body culture

As GLP-1 medications change American bodies and attitudes about weight, a West Virginia University fashion expert says their influence could reach all the way from consumers' closets to designers' drawing boards and retailers' racks.

4 Sep 2026

Semaglutide extended lifespan in older female mice, but that was not the only finding

Late-life semaglutide treatment slowed age-related physiological decline, attenuated multiple molecular hallmarks of aging, and extended median lifespan from 742 to 834 days in aged female mice. The drug reproduced many effects of calorie restriction while providing additional benefits in exploratory behavior, spatial memory, and glucose control, suggesting that some effects extend beyond reduced calorie intake alone.

3 Sep 2026

Semaglutide extends lifespan and slows physiological aging in healthy mice

A National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study has shown that the GLP-1 drug semaglutide extended lifespan in older, healthy mice by tempering the detrimental effects of aging.

2 Sep 2026

Host-targeting drugs offer new way to fight flu resistance

A drug that targets the host rather than the virus could get around the problem of anti-viral resistance. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people die of seasonal influenza, caused by infection with influenza A and B viruses.

1 Sep 2026

GLP-1 drugs have benefits beyond weight loss. Could microdoses preserve them?

A narrative review suggests GLP-1-based therapies deliver metabolic, cardiovascular, renal, and other systemic benefits, raising interest in whether lower fractional doses could improve tolerability and treatment continuity. However, direct evidence for GLP-1 microdosing remains extremely limited, and researchers say prospective studies are needed to determine whether lower doses preserve long-term benefits.

1 Sep 2026

Semaglutide did more than cut weight in this analysis of 6,239 adults

A systematic review and meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials involving 6,239 adults with overweight or obesity without diabetes found that subcutaneous semaglutide produced substantially greater reductions in body weight, waist circumference, and C-reactive protein than placebo. The higher dose of 7.2 mg semaglutide showed potential for greater weight loss, although the evidence is largely based on a single trial and requires confirmation.

31 Aug 2026

Experts call for safer weight loss as concerns grow over GLP-1 use

An editorial in Diabetology International argues that inappropriate GLP-1 use should be judged not only by regulatory compliance or off-label prescribing, but also by whether weight reduction is medically safe, nutritionally adequate, and properly supervised. Drawing on Japanese reports of ketosis and ketoacidosis following inappropriate tirzepatide use, the authors call for greater attention to the risks of unsafe weight-loss practices alongside medication-related harms.

30 Aug 2026

Is there a best day to take GLP-1 drugs? Researchers looked for an answer

A systematic review of 1,000 screened records identified only three eligible studies examining administration timing for semaglutide, and none directly compared different days of the week or assessed tirzepatide timing. The limited evidence suggests flexible dosing may support adherence and tolerability without compromising glycemic control or weight loss, but these findings rely largely on indirect evidence and expert opinion rather than direct comparative trials.

30 Aug 2026

Starting statins early after diabetes diagnosis linked to lower dementia risk

Early initiation of statins after diagnosis of type 2 diabetes was associated with a lower risk of dementia, according to a study presented today at ESC Congress 2026 and published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe.

30 Aug 2026

FDA approves daraxonrasib for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved daraxonrasib for patients whose pancreatic cancer has spread to other parts of the body and continued to progress despite previous treatment.

29 Aug 2026

FDA approves daraxonrasib for metastatic pancreatic cancer following landmark clinical trial led by Dana-Farber

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved daraxonrasib, an oral multi-selective RAS(ON) inhibitor, for adults with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma who have received at least one prior systemic therapy or are not candidates for multiagent systemic therapy.

From Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. 29 Aug 2026

Rapid rise of GLP-1 medicines brings obesity and eating disorders together

Obesity and eating disorders have traditionally been treated as separate areas of healthcare – but the rapid rise of GLP-1 medicines is increasingly bringing the two together.

28 Aug 2026

African Bundibugyo ebolavirus vaccine candidate to be advanced to clinical trials

Leading African biopharmaceutical company Minapharm Group, headquartered in Egypt with subsidiaries in Berlin, will receive up to US$16.5 million from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to advance the development of a Bundibugyo ebolavirus vaccine candidate, strengthening efforts to develop vaccines to combat the fastest-growing and second-largest Ebola outbreak on record affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

28 Aug 2026

Blood-brain barrier-crossing blood pressure drugs linked to lower dementia risk

In a large Australian cohort of adults with hypertension, use of blood-brain barrier-crossing antihypertensive medications was associated with a lower risk of dementia and mortality than use of non-crossing drugs. The association was strongest for beta-blockers and angiotensin II receptor blockers, although the observational design means the findings cannot establish causality.

27 Aug 2026

The US switch in shingles vaccines revealed an unexpected heart health pattern

In a natural experiment involving 72,920 propensity-matched US adults aged 60 years and older, recombinant shingles vaccination was associated with a 9% lower cardiovascular disease burden over seven years compared with the live attenuated vaccine. Lower burdens of ischemic heart disease and heart failure were seen in both sexes, while ischemic stroke was significantly lower only among men, supporting further clinical trials and mechanistic studies

27 Aug 2026

Study reveals how SGLT2 inhibitors improve failing heart function

Researchers have discovered that SGLT2 inhibitors, a class of drugs originally developed to treat diabetes and now widely used for heart failure, work by activating a key enzyme that helps heart cells produce and use energy more efficiently.

27 Aug 2026

Pomegranate phytobiotics offer natural alternative to synthetic veterinary drugs

Researchers have identified a broad range of biological properties in pomegranate with potential for use in medical applications, including antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, liver-supporting, and wound-healing effects.

27 Aug 2026

Biosimilars reduce financial burden for cancer patients and insurers

Biologic drugs play an important role in treating cancers such as breast cancer and lymphoma, but their high costs can add to the financial burden of cancer care.

27 Aug 2026