The article exposes how private clinics like XCancer profit significantly from cancer drug trials, often at the expense of patient transparency and scientific integrity, raising concerns about ethical practices and the true benefit to patients.
Light therapy, using red and infrared light, is gaining popularity for skin, muscle, and health benefits, but scientific evidence supporting many consumer products remains limited and cautious use is advised.
A comprehensive analysis of 30 antidepressants reveals significant differences in their physical side-effects, emphasizing the importance of personalized prescribing based on individual health profiles and preferences, supported by a new decision-making tool for doctors and patients.
The DIGIT-HF trial demonstrated that adding digitoxin to standard heart failure treatment reduces the risk of death or hospitalization, with a good safety profile, suggesting that cardiac glycosides may be beneficial in modern heart failure management, especially in cost-constrained settings.
A man with a family history of ALS undergoes testing at a Columbia University clinic, raising hope that a new drug might prevent or treat the disease, which has historically had limited treatment options.
Stem cell therapy holds promise for treating various diseases, but while some treatments like bone marrow transplants are well-supported by research, many marketed by clinics are unproven, expensive, and potentially risky.
A clinical trial for a controversial Alzheimer's drug has been halted due to disappointing results, raising concerns about its efficacy and future in the pharmaceutical market.
New research indicates that sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), a class of diabetes drugs, may reduce the need for urate-lowering therapy and gout flare treatments in patients with both type 2 diabetes and gout. The study, presented at the American College of Rheumatology 2024 Annual Meeting, found a 31% lower rate of initiation of urate-lowering therapy among SGLT2i users. While not yet altering standard gout management, these findings suggest potential benefits of SGLT2i as an adjunct therapy, possibly reducing the burden of polypharmacy and disease complications.
A study conducted by researchers from the University of Hong Kong suggests that metformin, a medication commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes, may promote healthy aging based on genetic evidence. The study, which analyzed data from over 300,000 participants, found that certain genetic variants related to metformin were associated with younger phenotypic age and longer leukocyte telomere length, both markers of healthy aging. These findings support further clinical research into the potential of metformin for promoting healthy longevity.
The Human Pangenome Reference Consortium has created a more inclusive human reference genome by assembling genomic sequences of 47 individuals from around the world, revealing almost 120 million DNA base pairs previously unseen. By providing a more accurate representation of human genetic diversity, researchers can refine their understanding of the link between genes and diseases, accelerate clinical research, and ultimately help address health disparities. The pangenome is public and can be used by scientists around the world as a new standard human genome reference. The HPRC’s ultimate goal is to produce high-quality, nearly error-free genomes from at least 350 individuals from diverse populations by mid-2024.