Drug Side Effects
Learn what others have experienced when taking medications. Which side effects should you be alert for? Share your own experience so others can learn.
Show 1430: Uncovering the Dark Secrets of Johnso…
In this episode, investigative journalist Gardiner Harris delves into the dark secrets of one of the country’s most admired pharmaceutical firms. Johnson & Johnson sold talcum powder–Johnson…
The Price of Remission
by David Armstrong, ProPublica ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. This story was origin…
Wegovy or Ozempic: Semaglutide to Prevent Heart …
Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for weight loss are more familiar brand names for the pharmaceutical compound semaglutide. Seven years ago, when Ozempic was first introduced to treat type 2 diabetes, …
Is There a Natural Herbal Remedy for Colds or Fl…
Colds that hit late in the season can be especially nasty. Might an herbal remedy for colds offer relief? One reader offers a recipe for a flu remedy you can make at home. Natural Herbal Remedy Fights…
Is Death Just Another Ignorable Drug Side Effect…
Would you stay on an airplane if the flight attendant announced that the captain had discovered a few problems with the landing gear and that there was a small chance the plane might not land safely? …
Why Is the Sugar Substitute Erythritol Risky?
Everyone on the planet may already know that sugar is bad for our health. Excessive sugar contributes to cavities in teeth and pimples on skin. It adds pounds and displaces more nutritious foods like …
Are Hair Loss or Colitis Side Effects of Wegovy …
The hottest drugs in weight control these days continue to be semaglutide (Wegovy and Ozempic). Ozempic does not have FDA approval for weight loss, but this injectable diabetes drug contains the exact…
Hidden Hazards of MRIs
Have you ever had an MRI to diagnose osteoarthritis of the hip or check for cancer or an aneurysm? MRI or magnetic resonance imaging is considered much safer than CT scans that require ionizing radiat…
If You Report Drug Side Effects to the FDA Will …
Have you ever looked for a drug’s side effects on the web? That is where most people go these days for medication information. It’s a surprisingly terrible way to get drug data. That’s because m…
Can GLP-1 Agonists Fix What Ails You — and War…
Popular drugs approved for diabetes control and weight loss produce many other effects in the body as well. Drugs like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) have helped some people cut back on alcohol consump…
Online Prescribing: Convenience or Catastrophe?
For over a century, patients received medicines after seeing a doctor. First, you had to call to make an appointment. That usually took several days, but eventually you would end up in an exam room. T…
Is Lp(a) the Best Kept Secret in Heart Disease?
Ask most people about their risk factors for heart disease and they will likely mention total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C (“bad”) cholesterol and HDL-C (“good”) cholesterol. Sometimes people even …
Will Dangers of Antidepressants Shorten Your Lif…
Americans have embraced antidepressant medications. Several years ago the CDC reported that 12.7% of the population took an antidepressant drug in the last month. That was before the COVID pandemic an…
Prostate Drugs Finasteride and Dutasteride May S…
The FDA approved finasteride (Proscar) to treat BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) in 1992. Then it gave dutasteride (Avodart) the green light for enlarged prostates in 2001. The history of these medi…
Is Your High Blood Pressure Reading due to Bad M…
One of the most fundamental measurements that is taken at almost every doctor's visit is blood pressure. After they weigh you, a nurse frequently will check your blood pressure. Is it within the "norm…
Does a Nonagenarian Need to Worry About Choleste…
Doctors interested in preventive medicine often quote Benjamin Franklin approvingly. However, he wasn't thinking of medicine when he noted that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. (Actual…
The Dangerous Downsides of Antidepressants
When a new antidepressant made the cover of Newsweek 35 years ago, the headline announced: "Prozac: A Breakthrough Drug for Depression." It was hoped that this medication (and many others to follow) w…
Can Restless Leg Syndrome Drive People to Suicid…
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) may not sound like a serious health problem unless you have experienced it. Compared to coronary heart disease, diabetes or cancer, RLS just doesn’t sound scary. But ask …
Will FDA Fumbles and Firings, Chaos and Cutbacks…
A month ago, the Food and Drug Administration was hit with large reductions in force (RIFs). Even though about half of the agency’s budget now comes from user fees paid by the pharmaceutical industr…
Is Hormone Therapy Safe for Menopausal Women?
For the few decades, experts have warned women that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) posed a risk for both breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. That's because investigators published the first r…
Another Study Shows Fluoride in the Water Reduce…
Ever since fluoride was first added to drinking water in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on January 26, 1945, it has been controversial. The “fluoride wars” have been raging ever since. There is little do…
The Inside Story of Tamiflu Side Effects & …
The CDC says that the flu is on the way out at long last. Measles is climbing with over 250 cases identified in at least 15 states, but we're told that influenza is dropping, down 19% over the last we…
Why Don’t Doctors Promote CoQ10 for Statin…
Many doctors resist the idea that statin-type cholesterol-lowering medicines cause side effects. I know that seems odd. All medications have the potential to cause some adverse reactions in some peopl…
Is the Diabetes Drug Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) Bett…
Ever since social media started describing weight loss associated with semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy), these drugs have become hot commodities. As I write this, both Ozempic and Wegovy are, according t…
Can Your Medicine Cause Confusion or Memory Loss…
Have you ever experienced trouble finding the right word? What about forgetting someone’s name you should know? How about having a hard time finding your car at the supermarket or airport? Most of t…
COVID Update: The Pros and Cons of Paxlovid and …
COVID cases have been trending down for the last several weeks, but hundreds of people are still dying. Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir + ritonavir) has been promoted as a life-saving treatment, especially for…
Antidepressant Drugs and Dementia: The Link Gets…
Tens of millions of people take SSRI and SNRI-type antidepressants on a daily basis. SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. SNRI stands for serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhib…
Potassium Interaction with Blood Pressure Pills:…
Do you know how your diet relates to your medication? Prescribers don't always mention dietary precautions when they hand out a prescription. But often they should discuss this to avoid a potential pr…
Love It or Hate It, Petroleum Jelly Elicits Emot…
Petroleum jelly, also known as petrolatum, is a gooey mix of hydrocarbons that many people use for dry skin. Dermatologists sometimes recommend applying it after washing hands to seal in the moisture.…
COVID-19 Vaccines and Post-Vaccination Syndrome:…
Back in the summer of 2020, people could hardly wait for COVID-19 vaccines to be developed so that the pandemic would end. Within a few months, though, people were starting to report side effects such…
Forgetfulness or Worse: Are Medications Raising …
Baby boomers are getting old. This is the generation that was born between 1946 and 1964. In five short years they will all be over 65. There are more than 70 million of them and many are starting to …
When You Can’t Handle Statins, What About …
There are powerful cholesterol-lowering medicines making waves. Many health professionals are convinced that there is no such thing as too low a golf score or a cholesterol level. They are right about…
The Never-Ending Breast Implant Scandal: FDA Upd…
Doctors have been performing “breast enlargement surgery” since the 1950s. One of the earliest implants involved a foam sponge covered by polyethylene. It lost favor pretty quickly because it coul…
Fibromyalgia Treatment | Choosing Between Pain R…
When it comes to fibromyalgia think pain. Almost constant pain. Some people describe it as a nagging ache, sort of like a toothache in your muscles. Other people complain of tender places on the body.…
Newer Birth Control Pills Still Pose Risks of VT…
Oral contraceptives are known to increase a woman's risk of blood clots particularly in the large veins in the legs. This is called venous thromboembolism (VTE), and it can be dangerous as well as pai…
How Can You Ease Heartburn Symptoms?
If you suffer from heartburn, you might describe it as a burning sensation under the breastbone. People with recurrent reflux can usually also talk about the types of foods that trigger their discomfo…
Everyday Medications That Raise Blood Pressure: …
Have you ever felt as if you were driving with your foot on the brake and the gas at the same time? If you are caught in stop and go traffic, you know how frustrating it can be. It’s hard to get ver…
Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil: Hope or Hype for Hair L…
Hair loss can be emotionally devastating for both men and women. Witnessing hair thin, or gradually disappear, can affect identity and confidence. For some, hair loss can trigger frustration or anxiet…
Damage Deferred: The Menace of Delayed Drug Side…
Most people, including health professionals, expect that if a drug will cause side effects, they will show up soon after someone starts a new medication. For example, antibiotics = diarrhea; diuretics…
Show 1416: Exposing Fraud and Arrogance in Alzhe…
This week, we explore the evidence that some respected researchers in the field of Alzheimer’s disease took shortcut or even manipulated their data to get the results they wanted. How did our guests…