Drugs & Pharmaceuticals

ACSH has made it, big time! We've been accused of supplying fake news! All because we (and other "fake newsers") have spoken out about the many faults of the dietary supplements industry. But the critic, Bill Sardi, thinks cancer can be cured and that vaccinations make kids sicker. This dude has a Home Depot full of loose screws. 
Though we're often told that with every new digital health product, medication or device, biotech firm or health-system launch how "groundbreaking," "revolutionary" or "disruptive" it is, here's an ongoing medical reality that actually is just those things.
Women who have been lucky enough to survive breast cancer may face increased risk of lung cancers, according to a new study in Radiotherapy and Oncology. The study shows how this can be prevented — limiting the radiation dose to a lung, using a treatment which targets only a small part of the breast. Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women, with more than 266,000 new cases diagnosed in 2018 in the United States.
A vitamin allergy? Sounds strange, but some people are really allergic to Vitamin B12, which is necessary for all cells in the human body. What's going on? There is a hint in an alternate name for B12 - cyanocobalamin. The allergy to B12 is really an allergy to cobalt. 
With so many 50-and-older adults having already received the first of a two-part vaccination, there's simply not enough of the medicine, called Shingrix, to go around. Instead of getting their second shot to complete the series, what many have received instead is a spot on a waiting list. But the manufacturer of the promising anti-shingles vaccine says it's ramping up production to meet "unprecedented” demand.
The U.S. Court of Appeals just delivered another blow to a rather-clever-but-cunning play by Allergan, the pharmaceutical giant, to game the patent system.
A new study says that the overdose-reversing drug increases opioid use, and doesn't reduce opioid-related mortality, overall, because it provides users with a “safety net” and thus encourages riskier drug use. But a public health researcher argues that it's a vital tool in fighting the overdose epidemic and too often it's hard to get when it's needed the most.
While aspirin has been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events, there have previously been no dosage recommendations tailored to a person's weight. But a new study indicates that a weight needs to be considered to improve helpful outcomes and prevent any harmful effects from occurring.
In the 60-and-older category, 50 percent of men and 38 percent of women are on cholesterol-lowering drugs. Is that really necessary?
When business models drive medical systems, low-value care ensues. The concern is compounded by the tremendous growth in urgent-care and retail clinics. These facilities are now contributing to 40 percent of outpatient antibiotic prescriptions.
There is finally a workable plan to address the frightening (and growing) problem of antibiotic resistance. It's called REVAMP, or re-valuing antimicrobial products. ACSH advisor Dr. David Shlaes explains. 
South African track star Caster Semenya is in the middle of a controversy that she had no part in making. Her testosterone levels are naturally very high, and the International Association of Athletics Federations won't let her run certain races unless she takes medication to lower her testosterone. Should she have to take performance detracting drugs?