Medication
The Number of Mentally Ill Inmates in California Jails Is Rising
A new policy brief uses psychotropic medications as a proxy for mental illness, and finds that, despite criminal justice reforms in the state, the population of mentally ill inmates in jails is growing.
What Happens When You Stop Taking Psychiatric Medications
According to the people who have tried to do it.
What Hawaii Gets Right About Prescription Medication
Medicare patients in the state appear to be much less likely to overuse problematic prescription drugs, including opioid pain medications and antibiotics, than people in the mainland United States.
New Report Finds Medicare Is Plagued by 'Extreme' Use of Painkillers
Some Medicare beneficiaries are being prescribed opioids by 10 or more doctors, or are filling prescriptions for more than 1,000 pills a month.
Now There's Proof
The more money doctors receive from drug and medical device companies, the more brand-name drugs they tend to prescribe, a new analysis shows. Even a meal can make a difference.
Brand-Name Drugs Increase Cost, but That May Be All They Do
As presidential candidates focus more on drug prices, new data from the website Iodine shows that generics scored highest among users in three popular drug categories.
Would Washington’s FDA Fix Cure the Patients or the Drug Industry?
A bill that would speed up approval for medications and medical devices shows how a major initiative can get traction even in the midst of Washington gridlock—but critics say all the lobbying is drowning out some warnings about patient safety.
How Much Acetaminophen a Day Is Safe?
After an investigation, Canada’s top health agency considers whether to lower the maximum recommended daily dose of the active ingredient in Tylenol and other painkillers.
A Major Loophole in the Health-Care Transparency Law
New data on drug and device company payments to doctors largely excludes nurse practitioners and physician assistants, though they play an ever-larger role in health care. One advanced-practice nurse pleaded guilty last month to taking drug company kickbacks.
The Other Prison Health Crisis
Hepatitis C is common behind bars, but sick prisoners aren’t getting treatment.
Here's What's Wrong With How U.S. Doctors Respond to Painkiller Misuse
Too often, Americans with painful medical conditions who misuse pain pills like Oxycontin are denied further treatment and even prosecuted. There are more effective, enlightened responses—as the U.K. has shown for decades.
An Unexpected Use for an Antidepressant
A new study in mice shows that the antidepressant Paxil may be a step toward a cure for heart failure.
Medicare Finally Tightens the Reins on Its Drug Program
Medicare gives itself the power to ban physicians if they prescribe medications in abusive ways.
Why a Safety Device That Can Stop Overdoses by Kids Isn't Widely Used
Safety valves that cost pennies per bottle could save thousands of kids from being rushed to emergency rooms each year. A doctor has campaigned to have the devices added to all liquid medicines, but so far he’s had limited success.
Medicare's Failure to Track Docs Wastes Billions on Name-Brand Drugs
The failure to track doctors who shun cheaper generics racks up huge costs for taxpayers in Medicare Part D, which fills one of every four U.S. prescriptions.
Why Are So Many Elderly Patients in Miami Being Treated for Dementia?
Researchers find that a higher proportion of seniors are prescribed antidepressants, dementia drugs, and other medications in some parts of the country than others.
Why Good Doctors Prescribe Off-Label Treatments
Medicine does not always have the luxury of waiting until the mountains of needed research on any given problem are completed centuries from now. Physicians are tasked with treating real-world suffering today.
Do You Understand the Risks of Tylenol? Probably Not
Most Americans know that overdosing can be dangerous but many wrongly think it’s safe to mix drugs containing acetaminophen, a nationwide poll found.