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Declining benzodiazepine use reflects more cautious medical prescribing practices

The number of benzodiazepine prescriptions like Xanax and Valium dispensed in the United States decreased over the past 10 years, potentially suggesting that doctors have become more cautious when prescribing these sedatives, according to Rutgers Health researchers.

30 Sep 2026

An approved Ebola antibody may miss its mark against Bundibugyo virus

Researchers analyzed 44 Bundibugyo virus genomes and modeled how approved and experimental Ebola antibodies might bind the virus’s glycoprotein. The models predicted disrupted binding for Ebanga, conserved targets for MBP134, and different binding behavior for the complete Inmazeb cocktail than for two of its antibodies alone; laboratory tests are needed to determine whether these findings translate into treatment benefit.

28 Sep 2026

Semaglutide cuts major heart events, but researchers still cannot fully explain why

In adults with overweight or obesity and established cardiovascular disease but no diabetes, semaglutide reduced major adverse cardiovascular events by 20%, while changes in measured cardiovascular risk factors could not fully explain the benefit with certainty. The findings suggest that additional, as-yet unidentified biological pathways may contribute to semaglutide’s cardiovascular protection.

27 Sep 2026

Common anti-epileptic medication shows promise in reducing migraine aura

A new study by researchers at Lund University in Sweden found that 85 percent of patients with aura-dominant migraine experienced a reduction in monthly aura days by at least half following treatment with the anti-epileptic drug lamotrigine.

25 Sep 2026

The heart effects of antidepressants may depend as much on the patient as the drug

Antidepressants differed in their effects on QTc, with amitriptyline and escitalopram producing small average increases, and the magnitude of changes varying according to individual patient characteristics. The trials did not detect an increase in early major cardiovascular events or non-suicidal sudden death, but they were not large or long enough to rule out rare or later cardiovascular events.

24 Sep 2026

Rising prescription and supplement use poses health risks for seniors

Older Americans are increasingly taking multiple prescription medications and dietary supplements. Although the prevalence of potentially major drug-drug interactions has declined slightly, more than 1 in 5 older adults are potentially at risk, according to a USC-led study published September 24 in JAMA.

24 Sep 2026

As GLP-1 drugs become more complex, their effects on the heart are getting harder to predict

A brief report reviews emerging GLP-1 receptor co-agonists that also target GIPR, GCGR, and other receptors, examining their metabolic benefits alongside known and predicted cardiac effects. The authors highlight substantial species differences, warning that mouse heart studies may fail to predict responses in human cardiac tissue and that many proposed cardiac effects still require direct testing.

24 Sep 2026

GLP-1 drugs may influence chronic pain through gut-brain and immune pathways

Researchers reviewed evidence linking GLP-1 and GLP-1 receptor agonists to chronic pain modulation through gut microbial, neuroimmune, vagal, and metabolic pathways, with the strongest clinical evidence currently involving knee osteoarthritis and idiopathic intracranial hypertension headache. Much of the proposed biology remains supported by preclinical research, and human studies have yet to establish that GLP-1RA-induced changes in the gut microbiome directly cause pain relief.

24 Sep 2026

Advances in chemistry and delivery are taking oligonucleotide medicines beyond rare diseases

A review in Cell Reports Medicine examines how advances in oligonucleotide chemistry and delivery have established ASOs and RNA interference therapies as a class of genetic medicines, with 21 oligonucleotides approved at the time of writing. It also identifies extrahepatic delivery, safety, target validation, individualized treatment, and data quality as priorities as the field expands into common diseases and explores AI-assisted development.

24 Sep 2026

Semaglutide’s heart benefits may extend beyond weight loss

Semaglutide is known to reduce the risk of serious heart disease. However, a new study published in the European Heart Journal today (Thursday) suggests that this effect cannot not be entirely explained by patients losing weight on the drug.

23 Sep 2026

Screening approved medicines reveals potential treatments for preterm labor

Shajila Siricilla, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, and Jennifer Herington, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, led a team that systematically screened 1,191 FDA-approved drugs and found that several candidates met criteria supporting further evaluation as potential treatments for preterm labor.

23 Sep 2026

WSU study reveals acute effects of cannabis on physiological stress-related outcomes

Cannabis is often used as a stress reliever, but a new study suggests that some of the body's stress response systems don't get the message.

23 Sep 2026

Pharmacist-led reviews improve medication strategies for older cancer patients

There is a pressing need to optimize medication strategies in older adults with cancer, many of whom take ≥5 medications.

23 Sep 2026

WashU expert analyzes FTC settlements with major pharmacy benefit managers

The Federal Trade Commission's settlements with two of the nation's largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) could change how the companies do business, but they may not do enough to lower prescription drug costs for patients and employers, according to a health law expert at Washington University in St. Louis.

22 Sep 2026

Study finds gaps in language support for medication instructions

Pharmacies that receive federal funds must provide language support to make sure patients can understand their medication instructions.

21 Sep 2026

Experimental RNA therapy enhances weight loss while preserving lean muscle

GLP-1 drugs have revolutionized obesity treatment, but they can lead people to lose muscle mass along with fat. And when patients stop treatment, they often regain their weight - primarily as fat.

21 Sep 2026

Looking for GLP-1 advice online? Likes may tell you less than you think

Researchers assessed 128 videos about GLP-1 medications on Douyin and Bilibili and found that Bilibili videos scored higher on two measures of reliability and transparency. Longer videos received higher quality scores, while popularity did not consistently reflect information quality.

21 Sep 2026

A 194-country analysis reveals gaps in how late childhood vaccinations are tracked

A global analysis of WHO/UNICEF data from 194 countries found wide variation in countries’ ability to record delayed childhood vaccinations, with 64% of reporting countries saying they could capture late doses in 2022. Following birth cohorts over time and adding delayed MCV1 doses raised median coverage estimates by 3.6 to 5.1 percentage points across available cohort years, though incomplete and inconsistent reporting limited confidence in some estimates.

21 Sep 2026

Mifepristone offers effective emergency contraception with fewer side effects

Emergency contraception containing mifepristone prevents more pregnancies with fewer side effects than some other common emergency contraceptive pills such as levonorgestrel, according to a new Cochrane review involving 87 trials.

20 Sep 2026

Researchers mine cobra toxins to uncover a membrane-disrupting antimicrobial peptide

Researchers combined toxin sequence mining with machine learning and deep-learning prediction tools to identify and experimentally test 14 antimicrobial peptide candidates derived from cobra cardiotoxins. Most candidates showed limited antibacterial potency, while CTX-p5 displayed moderate membrane-disrupting activity, revealing both the potential and current limitations of computationally guided venom peptide discovery.

17 Sep 2026

Pharmaceutical News

Declining benzodiazepine use reflects more cautious medical prescribing practices

An approved Ebola antibody may miss its mark against Bundibugyo virus

Semaglutide cuts major heart events, but researchers still cannot fully explain why

Common anti-epileptic medication shows promise in reducing migraine aura

The heart effects of antidepressants may depend as much on the patient as the drug

Rising prescription and supplement use poses health risks for seniors

As GLP-1 drugs become more complex, their effects on the heart are getting harder to predict

GLP-1 drugs may influence chronic pain through gut-brain and immune pathways

Advances in chemistry and delivery are taking oligonucleotide medicines beyond rare diseases

Semaglutide’s heart benefits may extend beyond weight loss

Screening approved medicines reveals potential treatments for preterm labor

WSU study reveals acute effects of cannabis on physiological stress-related outcomes

Pharmacist-led reviews improve medication strategies for older cancer patients

WashU expert analyzes FTC settlements with major pharmacy benefit managers

Study finds gaps in language support for medication instructions

Experimental RNA therapy enhances weight loss while preserving lean muscle

Looking for GLP-1 advice online? Likes may tell you less than you think

A 194-country analysis reveals gaps in how late childhood vaccinations are tracked

Mifepristone offers effective emergency contraception with fewer side effects

Researchers mine cobra toxins to uncover a membrane-disrupting antimicrobial peptide

Improving healthcare sustainability through carbon data

Managing vibration in IVF laboratories

A New Approach to Preventing Bladder Cancer Recurrence

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