Pharmacology

Marijuana Risk: THC During Pregnancy Harms Fetal Brain Development

Children suffer from the consequences of maternal drug exposure during pregnancy and Cannabis is one of the most frequently used substances. A new study was done using mice and human brain tissue to decipher the molecular basis of how the major psychoacti ...

Article - News Staff - Jan 27 2014 - 9:17am

Arsenic, Mercury Levels In Illinois Carp Okay

A new study has found that concentrations of arsenic, selenium, and mercury in bighead and silver carp from the lower Illinois River aren't a health concern. Importantly, inorganic arsenic concentrations were undetectable and concentrations of seleni ...

Article - News Staff - Jan 29 2014 - 9:34am

Marjuana Led To Sharp Rise In Drugged Driving Fatalities

Marijuana use has been involved in a sharp increase in fatal motor vehicle crashes, with rates nearly tripling since 1999.  The prevalence of non-alcohol drugs detected in fatally injured drivers in the U.S. has been steadily rising and tripled from 1999 ...

Article - News Staff - Jan 30 2014 - 12:23pm

More Antipsychotic Medications For Kids: That Should Help

An analysis of routine insurance data from the Barmer GEK statutory health insurance company shows that during the years 2005 to 2012, antipsychotic prescriptions for kids in Germany increased a lot.  ...

Article - News Staff - Jan 30 2014 - 2:49pm

Low T? Welcome To Their World, Brother!

Middle-aged women the world over are now...chuckling. At least I imagine they are, given the news this week that testosterone supplementation may increase the risk of heart disease. If you already have heart disease. Or if you’re over 65. ...

Article - Greg Critser - Feb 3 2014 - 12:58pm

Steroid Use Among Gay, Bisexual Teen Males Over 5X Higher Than Straight

Survey results analyzed by psychologists at The Fenway Institute, an advocacy group for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, found that gay and bisexual boys use anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) at rates much higher than their st ...

Article - News Staff - Feb 3 2014 - 8:42am

Many Medicines Contain Animal Products: Are They Okay For Vegetarians?

Most medications prescribed in primary care contain animal derived products. Are they suitable for vegetarians? Dietary preferences are common in the general population. Influences such as religion, culture, economic status, environmental concern and pers ...

Article - News Staff - Feb 5 2014 - 5:00am

Natural Domoic Acid In Seafood Causes Kidney Damage In Mice

The world's oceans contain algae that produce certain chemicals that can accumulate in seafood and are known to cause brain damage. This natural neurotoxin, domoic acid, is a very stable and heat resistant and is also toxic to the kidneys, but at muc ...

Article - News Staff - Feb 7 2014 - 5:00pm

Drug Discovery — Even When You Win, You Still Can Lose

It would be almost impossible to find a better example of the difficulties that face the pharmaceutical industry than the campaign against hepatitis C. Unfortunately, this example is now at the expense of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a small, but top-notch dru ...

Article - Josh Bloom - Feb 15 2014 - 10:45am

There Is No Pandemic Of Chemicals Causing Brain Disorders In Children

Last week, an article appeared in The Lancet Neurology (doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(13)70278-3) which reviewed studies and asserted that there is a "pandemic" of developmental toxicity. This led to a press release and a variety of stories in the media ...

Article - Laura Plunkett - Feb 18 2014 - 10:18am