addiction
Why methadone clinics are fighting addiction doctors
A groundbreaking new bill, slated for a Senate markup today, would allow select doctors to prescribe methadone directly to their patients. The bill's supporters, including doctors and patient advocates, say that freeing patients from the burden of daily visits to the methadone clinic would ease access to a treatment that drastically reduces the risk of overdose death.
But methadone clinics and their trade organization, the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, oppose the bill, reports Lev Facher. Clinics argue that changing the rules would destabilize the treatment system and potentially increase risks to patients. The clinics' trade group may be in for defeat since the bill has bipartisan support. However, its path after the Senate Committee is still unclear. Read more.
health
What are the risks of taking GLP-1 drugs during pregnancy?
Taking GLP-1 receptor agonists for type 2 diabetes during pregnancy does not pose more risks for the fetus compared to insulin treatment, according to a large new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. The observational study looked at data from about 52,000 pregnant women with pregestational type 2 diabetes between 2009 and 2021. Of that group, roughly a third had a prescription for a non-insulin diabetes medication, including GLP-1 drugs, which are becoming more popular as type 2 diabetes cases increase.
Overall, infants born to mothers with prenatal type 2 diabetes have a higher incidence of significant birth defects — more than 5.5%, compared to a baseline of 3.7%. Exposure to insulin in utero further increases the risk to 7.8%, and the study found that other anti-diabetic drugs do as well, but not to a significantly larger degree. The study's authors note that the data, "[a]lthough reassuring," requires further confirmation.
mental health
The link between acid reflux and anxiety
Previous studies have shown that levels of depression and anxiety tend to be higher in people with gastrointestinal reflux, or GERD. A new review and meta-analysis published in this month's issue of the Journal of American Gastroenterology, aims to quantify the impact of GERD on these kinds of common psychiatric conditions.
The review of 36 studies found that one in three people with GERD also showed symptoms of anxiety and depression. The causal link may go both ways: Gastrointestinal issues may lead to increased risk of anxiety and depression, and mental health conditions may increase the risk of GERD.
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