Biogen plans to shut down its controversial Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm

Biogen will stop developing its Alzheimer’s treatment Aduhelm, a drug once seen as a potential blockbuster before stumbling soon after its launch a couple years ago. The drugmaker said Wednesday that it will end a study of the drug needed for full approval from the Food and Drug Administration, and it will stop sales of … Read more

Cameroon starts world’s first malaria vaccine program for children

Cameroon will be the first country to routinely give children a new malaria vaccine as the shots are rolled out in Africa. The campaign due to start Monday was described by officials as a milestone in the decades-long effort to curb the mosquito-spread disease on the continent, which accounts for 95% of the world’s malaria … Read more

Drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy show no link with suicide, FDA says

A preliminary review of side effects from popular drugs used to treat diabetes and obesity shows no link with suicidal thoughts or actions, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday. But the agency also said officials cannot definitively rule out that “a small risk may exist” and that they’ll continue to look into reports … Read more

US women stocking up on abortion pills, especially amid news about restrictions

Thousands of women stocked up on abortion pills just in case they needed them, new research shows, with demand peaking in the past couple years at times when it looked like the medications might become harder to get. Medication abortion accounts for more than half of all abortions in the U.S., and typically involves two … Read more

Mexican president inaugurates centralized ‘super pharmacy’ to supply medicines to all of Mexico

MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s president inaugurated a huge “super pharmacy” Friday in a bid to end the woes of patients throughout the country who are often told they need a specific medicine — but the hospital in question doesn’t have it. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s solution was to outfit a big warehouse on the … Read more

West Virginia starts distributing funds from the settlement of opioid lawsuits

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is issuing the first checks from a fund established by the settlement of opioid lawsuits in the state, which has by far the nation’s highest drug overdose death rate. The Kanawha County Commission said Thursday it received a $2.9 million check and plans to discuss how it will be spent … Read more

New weight loss drugs are out of reach for millions of older Americans because Medicare won’t pay

WASHINGTON — New obesity drugs are showing promising results in helping some people shed pounds but the injections will remain out of reach for millions of older Americans because Medicare is forbidden to cover such medications. Drugmakers and a wide-ranging and growing bipartisan coalition of lawmakers are gearing up to push for that to change … Read more

Stigma against gay men could worsen Congo’s biggest mpox outbreak, scientists warn

KINSHASA, Congo — As Congo copes with its biggest outbreak of mpox, scientists warn discrimination against gay and bisexual men on the continent could make it worse. In November, the World Health Organization reported that mpox, also known as monkeypox, was being spread via sex in Congo for the first time. That is a significant … Read more

Subscription-based care moves beyond birth control and helping with hair loss

Need help losing weight or handling depression? How about a pill that lowers cholesterol and treats erectile dysfunction? Online subscription services for care have grown far beyond their roots dealing mainly with hair loss, acne or birth control. Companies including Hims & Hers, Ro and Lemonaid Health now provide quick access to specialists and regular … Read more

Matthew Perry died from effects of drug ketamine, coroner says

LOS ANGELES — LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matthew Perry died from the acute effects of the anesthetic ketamine, according to the results of an autopsy on the 54-year-old “Friends” actor released Friday. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner said in the autopsy report that Perry also drowned in “the heated end of pool,” … Read more