The Quest for a Hangover-Free Buzz
David Nutt is an accomplished professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, but he hasn't always been great at reading a room. In 2009 he was the UK government's top adviser on drugs, a key voice on a council tasked with recommending changes to the nation's drug policies. That was until he argued that the field's greatest challenge, the substance responsible for the most widespread harm, was alcohol. While this would have been considered heresy in many societies, it proved to be an especially untenable position in Britain. He was asked to resign from his government post two days after he shared his views with the press.
All these years later, Nutt is quick to clarify that he appreciates the upside of drinking. 'Most people meet their partners with the help of alcohol,' he says. 'It promotes sociability, and there's not much else like it.' What he's been after, he says, is a safer, healthier way to approximate the buzz of booze—something that can deliver the fun bits and skip the addiction, the cirrhosis, the sloppy aggro nonsense. By the time he was on the government council, research had made clear that the root of many problems with alcohol was its neurological complexity, that the good parts were intertwined with the bad ones. Once Nutt had more time on his hands, he decided to try making his own molecule, one that could give him the fuzzy feelings of a couple glasses of wine and leave it at that.
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Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
George Medicines signs exclusive licensing agreement with Azurity Pharmaceuticals to commercialize WIDAPLIK™ (telmisartan, amlodipine and indapamide) tablets in the US
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It is a proprietary single pill combination of three medicines: telmisartan, amlodipine and indapamide and is available in three doses (10/1.25/0.625 mg, 20/2.5/1.25 mg, and 40/5/2.5 mg strengths), including two doses that are lower than those currently available in single pill combinations. It is the first and only FDA-approved triple combination medication for use as an initial therapy in patients likely to need multiple drugs to achieve blood pressure goals. WIDAPLIK, with its three different doses, can deliver the efficacy benefits of a triple mechanism approach early in the treatment pathway with an established safety profile. WIDAPLIK carries a Boxed Warning for fetal toxicity and should be discontinued as soon as pregnancy is detected. Please see full Prescribing Information and Important Safety Information, including Boxed Warning for WIDAPLIK is granted a license to exclusively commercialize WIDAPLIK, supplied by George Medicines, in the U.S. in return for milestone and royalty payments. Citibank acted as transaction advisor to George Medicines. Azurity's commercialization of WIDAPLIK is expected to commence in Q4 2025. Mark Mallon, Chief Executive Officer of George Medicines, said: 'This second major licensing and supply agreement, following the agreement established with Bausch Health in January 2025, further signals the substantial momentum for this triple combination therapy and our commitment to bring this medicine to patients in need around the world. Hypertension remains one of the most persistent public health challenges in the United States, with only one in four adults with the condition having their blood pressure under control. Our agreement with Azurity marks a pivotal step in George Medicines' commitment to address the unmet needs in hypertension management and improve outcomes for patients across the United States of America.' Ronald Scarboro, CEO, Azurity Pharmaceuticals, said: 'This collaboration supports Azurity's commitment to bringing highly differentiated products to patients with unmet needs. WIDAPLIK is a novel fixed-dose combination designed to simplify hypertension management for patients likely to require multiple therapies. It is a great fit for our cardiovascular portfolio and unique commercialization capabilities. We are pleased to bring this newly approved treatment option to patients in the US.'About George Medicines George Medicines is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company addressing significant unmet need in the treatment of cardiometabolic diseases with innovative single-pill combinations of existing treatments, designed for a balance of efficacy and safety, with the potential to improve patient adherence. Multi-mechanism, single-pill combinations offer the potential to bring significant improvements in clinical outcomes with cardiometabolic disorders, including hypertension, which remain among the leading causes of premature death and disability worldwide. George Medicines is an independent spin-out company from The George Institute for Global Health, one of the world's leading medical research institutes with a focus on addressing global health inequity. The Company is backed by George Health, the commercial arm of The George Institute, and Brandon Capital, Australia's leading life sciences venture capital firm. For more information, please visit About Azurity PharmaceuticalsAzurity Pharmaceuticals is a privately held company committed to delivering innovative, high-quality medicines for overlooked patients. Azurity's global footprint is over 50 countries, with a diversified portfolio of 50+ medicines spanning 10 dosage forms and 10 key therapeutic areas. Powered by its Next-Gen Commercial Model, Azurity leverages data, analytics, and AI-driven digital tools to enhance market reach and stakeholder engagement. Our medicines have benefited millions of people. For more information, please visit Disclosure notice: Azurity and George Medicines undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events, or evolving circumstances. Media contacts ICR Healthcare David Daley, Lindsey Neville, Tom Daniel georgemedicines@ Tel: +44 (0) 203 709 5700 Azurity Pharmaceuticals Media Relationsmedia@ © 2025 George Medicines Pty LimitedALL RIGHTS in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
ADHD Medication Tied to Homicidal Thoughts – CCHR Demands Urgent Consumer Alerts
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In May, Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issued an urgent update to the product information for atomoxetine hydrochloride, warning of the risk of 'aggressive behavior including homicidal ideation' in children and adults.[1] A separate alert in June emphasized 'severe cases' of 'physical assault, or threatening behavior and thoughts of harming others.'[2] The updated product information also says that 'aggressive behavior or hostility was more frequently observed in clinical trials among children, adolescents, and adults treated with atomoxetine compared to placebo.'[3] In February, Germany's Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices released its own warning, referencing the European Medicines Agency's Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC), which determined a 'possible connection' between atomoxetine and cases of serotonin syndrome—a potentially fatal condition causing toxicity—as well as physical assaults, threatening behavior, and homicidal thoughts.[4] 'The stakes are enormous,' said Jan Eastgate, president of CCHR International. 'The Atomoxetine Hydrochloride Market was valued at $1.2 billion last year, and the U.S. ADHD drug market overall has ballooned to $20 billion annually. Yet consumers remain uninformed of the magnitude of these risks.' New studies confirm that atomoxetine's risks are a small part of much larger concerns with ADHD drugs: Despite these known risks, prescriptions continue to soar. Using data from IQVIA, CCHR reports that in 2020 alone, over 6.4 million U.S. adults aged 18–65+ were prescribed ADHD stimulants, including more than 340,000 seniors. In the same year, over 3.1 million children and teens aged 17 and under were prescribed ADHD stimulants—including more than 58,000 children under the age of five, even though these drugs are not FDA-approved for such young children. CCHR emphasizes that parents are rarely told that ADHD is diagnosed subjectively—there is no objective lab test or scan to substantiate it. A recent study from the University of Copenhagen analyzed 292 randomized controlled trials for adult ADHD and found widespread methodological flaws. Many trials relied on self-diagnosis, online checklists, or untrained staff, and more than half included participants with other psychiatric labels, making the data unreliable.[9] This echoes a major exposé in 2022 that debunked the 'chemical imbalance' myth used for decades to justify antidepressant use—a marketing ploy that convinced millions they had a brain defect requiring pills. SciTech Daily reported on the Copenhagen findings: 'With adult ADHD diagnoses soaring, often driven by online content, the findings raise serious concerns about research reliability and treatment accuracy. If flawed science is shaping how millions are treated, are we getting ADHD all wrong?' Dr. Allen Frances, former chair of the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) IV task force, has warned that the DSM contributed to 'three false epidemics'—ADHD, autism, and childhood bipolar disorder—by pathologizing normal behaviors. He remains a vocal critic of psychiatry's expansion into ordinary aspects of childhood and adult life.[10] The Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine recently concluded, 'The real epidemic out there is the epidemic of ADHD diagnosing and prescribing… Lacking proven biological anchoring, syndromal categories are susceptible to cultural trends regarding over-medicalization and societal contagion.'[11] CCHR says the mounting international warnings about atomoxetine and other ADHD drugs highlight a failure of informed consent on a massive scale. 'The idea that a drug prescribed to millions of children and adults could induce homicidal behavior is nothing short of astonishing—yet parents and consumers remain largely in the dark,' said Eastgate. 'This is a complete breakdown of the psychiatric-pharmaceutical industry violating informed consent. Regulators, prescribers, and manufacturers must be held accountable for ensuring clear, timely warnings reach every patient and parent before a pill is ever swallowed. Anything less is a betrayal of public trust—and leaves lives needlessly at risk.' Founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and professor of psychiatry, Dr. Thomas Szasz, CCHR is a nonprofit mental health industry watchdog dedicated to investigating and exposing psychiatric violations of human rights. To learn more, visit: Sources: [1] Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration 'Product Information safety updates – April 2025,' 22 May 2025, [2] Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration 'Product Information safety updates – May 2025, Product Information safety updates,' 26 June 2025, [3] AUSTRALIAN PRODUCT INFORMATION ATOMOXETINE HYDROCHLORIDE CAPSULES [4] 'Atomoxetine: New warnings about serotonin syndrome and homicidal thoughts,' Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, 7 Feb. 2025, [5] [6] [7] 'FDA updating warnings to improve safe use of prescription stimulants used to treat ADHD and other conditions,' FDA, 11 May 2023, [8] [9] [10] Derek Summerfield, ''Adult ADHD' and 'neurodevelopmental disorder' – a critique of the latest socio-psychiatric 'epidemic,'' Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 22 Jan. 2025, [11] Derek Summerfield, ''Adult ADHD' and 'neurodevelopmental disorder'…,' Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, MULTIMEDIA; Image link for media: Image caption: The mounting international warnings about ADHD drugs highlight a failure of informed consent on a massive scale. This is a complete breakdown of a system that should uphold the highest standard of informed consent. NEWS SOURCE: Citizens Commission on Human Rights Keywords: General Editorial, Citizens Commission on Human Rights, CCHR International, Jan Eastgate, ADHD drugs, LOS ANGELES, Calif. This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Citizens Commission on Human Rights) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P127866 APNF0325A To view the original version, visit: © 2025 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA. RIGHTS GRANTED FOR REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY ANY LEGITIMATE MEDIA OUTLET - SUCH AS NEWSPAPER, BROADCAST OR TRADE PERIODICAL. MAY NOT BE USED ON ANY NON-MEDIA WEBSITE PROMOTING PR OR MARKETING SERVICES OR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT. Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). 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Medscape
an hour ago
- Medscape
Safe to Skip Postop Radioiodine in Low-Risk Thyroid Cancers?
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