A recent article in The New York Times sheds light on a little known problem: A class of drugs used to prevent heartburn may reduce the body s ability to absorb essential nutrients. Studies show that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as Nexium, Prilosec and Prevacid can inhibit absorption of nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, and vitamin B12.

Josh Bloom, Medical Progress Today 6/29/12 "Mr. Gorbachev Tear Down This Lab!"
It never stops.
Anyone who keeps up with pharmaceutical industry news knows that it is impossible to go very long without seeing another round of job cuts. Sometimes, just to break up the monotony you even get to read about a plant closing.

Many viewers of the latest weather reports for the New York region as with many around the U.S.A. this pre-holiday weekend uttered, Oh no, not again: But yes, here comes this summer s second heat wave.
While sweltering with record-breaking heat and humidity is unpleasant for everyone, it is not widely recognized that such weather conditions amount to a major health risk, especially for certain vulnerable sub-populations.

Folks in the New York City area as in much of the country beware: It s going to be hot out there, as temperatures soar into the 90s over the next few days. In its latest extreme heat advisory, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is warning New Yorkers of the dangerously hot weather set to begin today and extend through Sunday, July 1.

As the much anticipated Fourth of July festivities approach, we d like to remind readers of some of the dangers associated with the holiday: Namely, the improper use of fireworks. As a recent study by the Consumer Product Safety Commission points out, 65 percent of all firework injuries last year occurred within 30 days of Independence Day and more than half resulted from the unexpected ignition of these devices or from their unintended use. In total, four celebrants were killed and as many as 9,600 were injured by either professional-grade or homemade firework devices.

Thanks to continued advances in HIV treatment, patients who previously had to take 20 or more pills a day can now control their infections with a single daily cocktail drug. The first once-a-day therapy to hit the market was Atripla, which, when approved in 2006, vastly simplified the dosing schedules for many HIV-positive patients and is currently considered the gold standard regimen.

We've discussed before the dangers of routinely screening for prostate cancer, a test that too often leads to unnecessary treatments with damaging consequences. Earlier this year, in fact, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) formally advised against routine prostate cancer screening.

In contrast with the overall declining rate of lung cancer in the U.S., the rate of death from the disease among women has actually remained steady, or even risen, in some areas of the country.

A study just published in the journal Tobacco Control evaluated the effectiveness of the graphic anti-smoking posters that New Yorkers may see when buying a pack of cigarettes. Since 2009, a New York City policy has required that these posters be located at point of sale at all cigarette retail outlets. And the results? "The signs did not help recent quitters to stay quit or stop smokers from purchasing cigarettes at the current convenient store," the authors report.

For the first time in over a decade, the FDA has approved a new weight-loss drug: Arena Pharmaceuticals' Belviq (lorcaserin). The drug, which works by stimulating specific serotonin receptors in the brain to create a sense of satiety, is approved for use in obese people and those with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or higher although those in the latter group must also have at least one weight-related health condition.