Medications

Some maternal medications are associated with lower levels of protein and fat in breastmilk, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in JAMA Network Open.

A new study examining the use of high-cost drugs among patients with colorectal cancer and non-small cell lung cancer found those insured through Medicare Advantage received less expensive cancer drugs compared to others on Traditional Medicare.

Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have found that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)—organizations that negotiate access to medicines for most patients in the United States—steer patients to use their own pharmacies. However, these pharmacies appear less used in Medicare than in other market segments. These PBMs are part of integrated health care conglomerates that own insurance companies and pharmacies, which may create conflicts of interest.

Prostate cancer that has become resistant to hormone therapy could be treated using a new drug that is currently in clinical trials for ovarian and bile duct cancer, according to research published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.

University of Liverpool researchers have contributed to the largest study to date on sodium valproate use. This significant report shows decreased use in women of childbearing age and during pregnancy, as well as young men, due to safety concerns.

For patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, talquetamab plus teclistamab shows response in a high percentage of patients and a higher incidence of grade 3 or 4 infections than with either therapy alone, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

With respect to the proportion of infants born large for gestational age, treatment of gestational diabetes with metformin and glyburide, if needed, does not meet the criteria for noninferiority versus insulin, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

A new U.K. study led by the University of Liverpool has examined whether an additional blood test called procalcitonin (PCT) could safely shorten the time children spend on intravenous (IV) antibiotics in hospitals.

A consortium including scientists from the Tropical Institute at LMU University Hospital has demonstrated the effectiveness of a new antibiotic. Tuberculosis is the most common infectious disease worldwide. In the year 2022 alone, there were 10.6 million new infections and 1.3 million deaths.

Extended-course nirmatrelvir/ritonavir yields a meaningful reduction in symptoms for some patients with long COVID, but not all benefits persist, according to a case series published online Jan. 6 in Communications Medicine.