Having battery acid poured on your brain, splitting your head in half with an ax, being in so much pain that colors hurt and the sun is too loud. These are all ways migraines have been described by people who endure them frequently, sometimes as often as three times a week. A migraine is not […]
No Baby Plus No HIV
What if there was a device that could stop you from getting pregnant as well as protect you from HIV? Well, one day soon, there might be. Researchers are currently working on a vaginal ring that releases both levonorgestrel (a contraceptive hormone) and dapivirine (an antiviral effective against HIV) that can be left in place […]
Vitamin D: Our most controversial vitamin?
Over the past two decades, we have learned a lot about vitamin D. For a start, it shouldn’t really be called a vitamin, because it isn’t. A vitamin is defined as “A compound that is vital for normal growth and nutrition that is required in small quantities in our diet because it is not made by […]
Beware the online pharmacy in sheep’s clothing
Buying medicines online is very tempting. Shopping from the safety of your couch in your living room seems like a great way to save time and money, particularly when these drugs are just soooooooo much cheaper than what your local drug store can offer.But the old saying “If it seems too good to be true, […]
Am I too old for the HPV vaccine?
Last week, the FDA announced it had approved expanded use of the HPV vaccine (Gardasil 9) to include those aged 27 through 45. Previously, approval only covered males and females aged nine through 26. But how effective is the vaccine when you are older and is it worthwhile? The HPV vaccine protects against nine different […]
Is that generic really the same as your branded drug?
You’re at the pharmacy with a script from your doctor and you’ve been told you can choose between the brand-name drug and its generic equivalent. The difference in cost is significant. But does that equate to a difference in effectiveness or side effects? Bringing a new drug to market costs over 2.6 billion dollars and […]
Nobel Prize for Medicine to Researchers Who Discovered New Way To Treat Cancer
We have entered a new era of Cancer chemotherapy, thanks largely in part to the work of two passionate researchers in the field, James Allison of the University of Texas and Dr. Tasuku Honjo from Kyoto University in Japan. This week, both men were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their discovery of two […]
Are You Prone To Side Effects?
Most medicines have side effects. But whether or not you will experience them and how long they last for depends on one thing….you! Even though we all are human and look similar, there is a multitude of differences between us, many of which impact on the medicines we take. Some of us are old and […]