After a sharp drop in out-of-pocket costs between 2010 and 2011, Medicare patients who use specialty biologic medications for rheumatoid arthritis have seen higher out-of-pocket spending for those same drugs because of gradual price increases, a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association Open finds. Led by Vanderbilt University School of Medicine...
Tag: <span>Drugs</span>
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Hydroxychloroquine linked to increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias
Boston, Mass. — Since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a Public Health Concern of Global Interest on January 30, more than one million have tested positive for the illness in the United States, and more than 62,000 have died. With no FDA-approved treatments available to date, the anti-malarial drug, hydroxychloroquine, has emerged as a...
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Gilead Sciences exporting remdesivir, CEO says
The head of the maker of remdesivir, an anti-viral shown to reduce recovery times in COVID-19 patients, said Sunday the company has been exporting the drug and is making it available to patients in the United States through the US government. Gilead Sciences CEO Daniel O’Day said the company is donating its entire existing supply...
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For people with diabetes and COVID-19, blood sugar control is key
by Cell Press A study reported in the journal Cell Metabolism on April 30 adds to the evidence that people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are at greater risk of a poor outcome should they become infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. But there is some encouraging news: people with T2D whose blood sugar...
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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FINDS BEST DRUG COMBO FAST
To more quickly identify drug combinations, such as those that might treat COVID-19, researchers have come up with an artificial intelligence platform called IDentif.AI. Traditionally, when dangerous new bacterial and viral infections emerge, the response is to develop a treatment that combines several different drugs. However, this process is laborious and time-consuming, with drug combinations...
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Long-term use of synthetic corticosteroid drugs increases adrenal gland inflammation
New research by academics at the University of Bristol has found evidence that prolonged treatment of synthetic corticosteroid drugs increases adrenal gland inflammation in response to bacterial infection, an effect that in the long-term can damage adrenal function. Synthetic corticosteroid drugs are widely prescribed to treat many inflammatory and autoimmune diseases but taking a high...
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1 in 7 Americans would avoid care for suspected COVID-19 fearing cost of treatment
WASHINGTON, D.C. and SAN DIEGO, CA – About 1 in 7 Americans say they would avoid seeking medical care if they experienced key symptoms associated with COVID-19 out of fear of the potential cost. Another six percent – representing about 15 million people – report that they or a family member have been denied medical...
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Peptide weakens superbugs to make old antibiotics effective again
By Michael Irving Viruses may be hogging all the headlines at the moment, but it’s important to remember that bacteria are also a looming threat to public health, as they continue to develop resistance to antibiotics. Now a new study has identified a peptide that can make existing antibiotics more effective at a much lower...
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Light helps arthritis treatments target joints
CREDIT: VICTORIA WICKENHEISSER Bethesda, MD – Although today’s rheumatoid arthritis treatments can reduce symptoms, they often come with serious side effects. Results from a new mouse study suggest that a new light-activated drug delivery method helps confine treatments to the joints, which could reduce whole-body side effects. In the U.S., 1.3 million people are currently...
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LSD “off-switch” developed by psychedelic pharmaceutical company
By Rich Haridy Psychedelic pharmaceutical company MindMed has announced the development of a novel compound designed to stop the effects of an LSD experience. The compound is claimed to function as an “off-switch” for LSD, allowing clinicians a way to make psychedelic therapy sessions safer if patients become uncomfortable. The new announcement comes several weeks...