Four out of five pregnant women will become deficient in an essential nutrient, iron, by their third trimester, a new study finds. The researchers and other experts are now advocating that iron levels be routinely checked during a pregnancy for the safety of a mother and her baby. Right now, guidelines from the United States…  read on >  read on >

In a finding that suggests Ozempic and Wegovy have powers that extend beyond weight loss, a new study finds the medications might also lower people’s risk of opioid overdose. People with type 2 diabetes prescribed semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) had a significantly lower risk of an opioid OD than patients taking any of eight other diabetic…  read on >  read on >

During a tense hearing before a Senate committee on Tuesday, Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen faced tough questions over the company’s high prices for its blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy. While testifying before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Jørgensen shifted the blame for those prices to pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs),…  read on >  read on >

Psilocybin could help people suffering from a mental health problem that can lead to eating disorders, a new study suggests. Psilocybin, the active chemical in “magic” mushrooms, significantly reduced symptoms in people with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), researchers reported Sept. 24 in the journal Psychedelics. BDD causes an obsessive preoccupation with perceived flaws in one’s…  read on >  read on >

Kidney stone fragments sometimes just need a little push to be flushed out of a person’s system, a new trial finds. About seven in 10 patients who got ultrasound treatment to encourage fragments to clear from their kidneys wound up free from any further problems, researchers reported recently in the Journal of Urology. “I think…  read on >  read on >

Diabetes can worsen the state of your gums, but a new study suggests that diabetes medications may undo some of that damage. Researchers in Japan found a positive turnaround in markers of gum well-being after people with diabetes received medication. “Promoting collaboration between medical and dental care from the early stages of diabetes can significantly…  read on >  read on >