The FDA issued a safety alert on Wednesday requiring all orlistat products — including over-the-counter Alli and prescription Xenical — to carry new warnings about kidney stones and acute kidney injury. The label change follows a review of 12 cases of kidney complications linked to the drug, with patients averaging 61 years old and a median exposure of 2.5 months before injury. Eight patients required hospitalization and five needed dialysis. Separately, studies linked GLP-1 drugs to lower cancer risk and found glucosamine tied to faster Alzheimer's progression.
A new study from UC San Diego provides the first randomized, placebo-controlled clinical evidence that semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, slows down the accumulation of biological aging markers in human DNA. The research, focused on adults with HIV who experience accelerated aging, found that the drug calms inflammation and reduces excess fat to postpone molecular signs of aging. Separately, Ebola spread in central Africa is raising concerns it could match the 2014 record outbreak.
The largest real-world study of the maternal RSV vaccine found it reduces the risk of infant hospitalization by over 80% when given at least two weeks before birth. The UK Health Security Agency study, presented at ESCMID Global 2026, provides robust evidence that vaccination offers substantial protection against severe illness in young infants.
The FDA has proposed removing semaglutide, tirzepatide, and liraglutide from the 503B Bulks List, effectively banning outsourcing facilities from compounding these GLP-1 drugs in bulk. The move targets compounded versions of Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound that are sold at a fraction of the brand-name price.
Researchers at McMaster University have discovered manikomycin, a new antibiotic that kills drug-resistant bacteria including salmonella, E. coli, and klebsiella by targeting a previously unknown part of the bacterial ribosome. The compound was hidden in a decades-old soil bacterium and was uncovered using advanced laboratory techniques. It is not toxic to human cells and has no observed resistance in tested superbugs.
A new diabetes pill that activates metabolism in skeletal muscle showed promising early clinical results, lowering blood sugar and increasing fat burning while preserving muscle mass. In other health news, GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide were linked to lower addiction risks in a study of 600,000 veterans, and electrical neck implants immediately restored arm mobility in stroke survivors.
A new immunotherapy drug called IMA401 shrank tumors in patients with advanced solid cancers that had stopped responding to standard treatments, according to a Phase I trial presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting. The bispecific T-cell engager targets an antigen found inside tumor cells, expanding the range of cancers that immunotherapy may be able to treat.
A five-year follow-up study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that a combination immunotherapy treatment sustained a 49% reduction in melanoma recurrence among patients with advanced skin cancer. The treatment, which combines two checkpoint inhibitors, was more effective than either drug alone. Researchers say the results provide the strongest evidence yet for long-term use of combination immunotherapy in high-risk melanoma patients.
A new treatment approach for pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancers, could double survival rates according to early clinical trial results. The therapy, which combines a targeted drug called daraxonrasib with standard chemotherapy, has shown promise in shrinking tumors and extending patient survival. Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center are leading the trials. The treatment could potentially work against colon, ovarian, and lung cancers as well. Pancreatic cancer has a five-year survival rate of only 12 percent.
A decision made 70 years ago to reforest vast areas of Japan with just two kinds of tree has created a national health crisis. The monoculture forests have triggered massive pollen releases, causing record levels of hay fever across the country. An estimated 40% of Japanese people now suffer from pollen allergies.