These States Now Allow OTC Ivermectin, and More May Follow + More
Source: Children’s Health Defense
These States Now Allow OTC Ivermectin, and More May Follow
A handful of states have passed legislation allowing ivermectin to be sold and purchased over-the-counter (OTC) — and other state legislatures have their sights set on doing the same.
During the pandemic, rampant misinformation drew attention to the antiparasitic as a treatment for COVID-19, though research continues to show it is not effective against the disease.
Ivermectin tablets are U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved at specific doses for treating some parasitic worms, as are topical formulations for some skin conditions and head lice, but neither are FDA approved for preventing or treating COVID-19. Despite this, an increasing number of states are making it easier to get ivermectin and protecting pharmacists from lawsuits and discipline by licensing boards. None of the laws have information about dosing.
Antidepressant Withdrawal Is a Major Public Health Issue, Experts Warn
A new review of antidepressant withdrawal effects — written by academics, many of whom have close ties to drug manufacturers — risks underestimating the potential harms to long-term antidepressant users by focusing on short-term, industry-funded studies.
There is growing recognition that stopping antidepressants — especially after long-term use — can cause severe and sometimes debilitating withdrawal symptoms, and it is now acknowledged by the U.K. government as a public health issue.
One of the main reasons this issue took decades to recognize after the release of modern antidepressants onto the market is because medical guidelines, such as those produced by Nice (England’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence), had for many years declared withdrawal effects to be “brief and mild”.
This description was based on studies run by drug companies, where people had only taken the medication for eight to 12 weeks. As a result, when patients later showed up with severe, long-lasting symptoms, many doctors didn’t take them seriously because these experiences contradicted what the guidelines led them to expect.
Big Pharma Pays Up: Utah to Get Millions in Opioid Settlement
Utah and eight other states secured a national settlement against some of the nation’s largest opioid manufacturers, announced Thursday. Approximately $720 million will be distributed across the states, with Utah expected to receive up to $8.8 million according to a press release shared with the Deseret News by the Utah Attorney General’s Office.
“The opioid epidemic has stolen the lives of too many Utahns and done immense damage to our communities. Today’s settlement brings in millions of dollars to help Utah heal from this epidemic and ensures families see the justice they deserve,” Attorney General Derek Brown, said. “We will continue to work to hold accountable those who harm Utahns.”
The states involved in the negotiations were Utah, North Carolina, California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Oregon, Tennessee and Virginia. Seven companies are prohibited from advertising their opioid products that contain more than 40 milligrams of oxycodone per pill. They must also establish a system to monitor unusual orders. Indivior has agreed to refrain from producing or selling opioid products for the next 10 years but is still permitted to market and sell medications for opioid use disorder, per the press release.
First-Trimester Antibiotic Use for Urinary Tract Infections Tied to More Congenital Malformations
A study of more than 70,000 US pregnancies suggests a commonly used antibiotic for urinary tract infections (UTIs) may be tied to increased risk of congenital malformations when taken during the first trimester of pregnancy.
The study, published today in JAMA Network Open, found that exposure to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) during the first trimester was associated with increased risk of any malformation, severe cardiac and other cardiac malformations, and cleft lip and palate compared with beta-lactam antibiotics. No increased risk of congenital malformations was observed with nitrofurantoin, which is also commonly used to treat UTIs.
The study partly substantiates the concerns of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), which has suggested that TMP-SMX and nitrofurantoin be avoided during the first trimester when possible because of uncertainty about the risk of congenital malformations, though studies to date have produced mixed results. Despite the ACOG recommendation, the two antibiotics still account for more than half of first-trimester UTI prescriptions, according to the study authors.
Chemotherapy May Help Cancer Spread, New Study Shows
Chemotherapy is the treatment of choice before most cancer surgeries, but new research shows that it could promote more aggressive tumors, The Telegraph reports.
The blood vessels of patients receiving chemotherapy drugs have more “entry points” through which cancer cells can get into the blood flow and disperse throughout the body, scientists report today in Science Translational Medicine.
In mice with breast cancer, chemotherapy shrinks the primary tumor but boosts the number of cancer cells in the lungs and circulating the body.
