Shedding Light on the Risks
& Benefits of Medications
Semaglutide, a drug marketed under the brand names Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy, is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist primarily used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity.…
Jan 13, 2025
I’m here to put in a plea that more doctors practice integrative medicine and more patients seek it. Like many people, I’ve dabbled in what…
Dec 16, 2025
[Editor's note: On December 15, 2025, the FDA extended its approval of Addyi to postmenopausal women under the age of 65. In making that decision,…
Jun 6, 2025
You likely saw a wave of coverage last week about the FDA removing the agency’s strongest safety alert – the so-called Black Box warning –…
Nov 18, 2025
On October 24, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Lynkuet (elinzanetant), a non-hormonal medication designed to reduce hot flashes and improve sleep in women…
Dec 2, 2025
One night in July 2022, a month after his first bout of COVID-19, Dan Elton woke up around 2:00 a.m. and couldn’t get back to…
Oct 29, 2025
On clear winter mornings, Steve Kaplan hikes up a nearby ski hill in California at Lake Tahoe, before the resort opens to ski back down…
May 23, 2025
Editor’s Note: On November 10, 2025, the BMJ published a new meta-analysis reviewing existing studies on the links between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and ADHD or autism…
Sep 25, 2025
A few years ago, hardly anyone had heard of “Ozempic.” Today, it’s practically part of everyday conversation (who hasn’t gotten the jingle “Oh, Oh, Oh,…
May 15, 2025
Last year, at my daughter Sawyer’s 8-week appointment, the nurse administered her first round of vaccinations. As the needle pricked her skin, she let out a…
Oct 22, 2024
Jen McDornan-Fish, a 51-year-old writer from Sacramento, first noticed mild hot flashes and occasional irritability eight years ago. She recognized these as early signs of…
Apr 10, 2025
P. began taking Zoloft — an antidepressant known generically as sertraline — for school-related anxiety right at the cusp of puberty. “I’d started masturbating around…
Jul 9, 2025
Navigating the healthcare system to get the care you or a loved one needs can be challenging. Just when you think you’ve cleared the hardest…
Jul 21, 2025
A 54-year-old man returned from a two-week trip to Southeast Asia to his home in Canada with a mysterious ailment. His serum calcium and creatinine levels,…
Aug 5, 2025
With two young kids at home and a yearning to live healthier, 38-year-old Ian P. decided in January 2025 to kick his long-time smoking and…
Oct 16, 2025
The Link Between Dementia, Alzheimer’s and Common Meds If you are 60+, stop taking these drugs now The evidence is piling up that many common…
Jul 17, 2019
Abilify was Originally Developed to Treat Schizophrenia Abilify (aripiprazole) was developed to treat schizophrenia — but only 1% of Americans have schizophrenia. A few years later…
Oct 7, 2019
Headaches, nausea, feeling on edge, being exhausted and a low sex drive. The irony of antidepressants is that in some cases, side effects can cause…
Oct 28, 2019
Why take GERD drugs when you can change your diet? Many people would ask the opposite question, why not eat what you like if you…
Mar 16, 2020
Researchers have discovered that oral corticosteroids, in both the long and short term, may cause serious adverse effects. And for those who suffer from anxiety and…
Jul 9, 2020
