Latest news with #Langen
3 days ago
- Health
What to know about UK warning on weight loss drugs' effect on birth control
Regulators in the United Kingdom issued guidance on Thursday, warning that weight loss and diabetes medications may weaken the effectiveness of birth control and may be harmful for pregnant women. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said women taking tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Mounjaro, may need to use another form of contraception. This is because Mounjaro, a medication licensed to treat diabetes and for weight loss management in the U.K. in conjunction with diet and exercise, may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives in those who are overweight. The MHRA advised women taking Mounjaro who are overweight and are using an oral form of contraception to also use a non-oral form of contraception, such as a birth control implant, an intrauterine device or condoms. The agency said using a backup form of birth control is especially important for the four weeks after starting Mounjaro and after any increase in dosage. It also advised taking a second form of birth control for up to two months after taking this class of medications before trying to become pregnant, and recommended against use while pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to become pregnant. Similarly, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended women on Mounjaro and using oral contraceptives switch to a non-oral form of birth control and use "a barrier method" four weeks after starting use or after a dose increase. Obstetrics experts told ABC News there have been anecdotal reports of women becoming pregnant while taking tirzepatide -- which falls under a class of medications known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1s -- even though they were on a birth control pill. There are two reasons this may be happening, experts said. Dr. Elizabeth Langen, an associate professor and maternal-fetal medicine specialist at University of Michigan Health, told ABC News that pregnancy may become more likely in some women after they lose weight. Additionally, GLP-1s may affect digestion and an oral form of contraception may not be absorbed as effectively, she said. "Some of these medications change how we digest food and/or medications," Langen said. "It slows that process down, and so we might not have the same blood levels of the hormones that we're expecting to if we're taking an old contraceptive drug, because the weight loss or diabetes medication is impacting our digestion." Dr. Christina Boots, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, said she's not sure if the recommendation for a backup form of contraception came from data seen during phase I or phase II clinical trials or if researchers saw more incidental pregnancies in those early studies. She said sexually active patients who are on weight loss medications should speak to their doctor if they're concerned about getting pregnant. The MHRA also warned that medicines like Mounjaro included Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda and Victoza should not be taken during pregnancy, while trying to get pregnant or during breastfeeding. The agency said this is because there is a lack of safety data on whether taking the medicine could cause harm to a fetus. Boots said there are no formal guidelines on the use of GLP-1s in pregnancy. Studies done on rodents suggest there could be birth defects and problems with metabolic function, but no large studies have been conducted on humans. "With these newer weight loss medications, the challenge is basically that we, unfortunately, don't have a lot of data on how they're going to impact fetal development and how they might impact a mom's health during her pregnancy," Langen said She went on, "There are other means of controlling diabetes [and] weight loss. We tend to favor those because we know that they're safe for both the mom and the fetus during a pregnancy."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
What to know about UK warning on weight loss drugs' effect on birth control
Regulators in the United Kingdom issued guidance on Thursday, warning that weight loss and diabetes medications may weaken the effectiveness of birth control and may be harmful for pregnant women. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said women taking tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Mounjaro, may need to use another form of contraception. This is because Mounjaro, a medication licensed to treat diabetes and for weight loss management in the U.K. in conjunction with diet and exercise, may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives in those who are overweight. MORE: Compound versions of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss halted by FDA The MHRA advised women taking Mounjaro who are overweight and are using an oral form of contraception to also use a non-oral form of contraception, such as a birth control implant, an intrauterine device or condoms. The agency said using a backup form of birth control is especially important for the four weeks after starting Mounjaro and after any increase in dosage. It also advised taking a second form of birth control for up to two months after taking this class of medications before trying to become pregnant, and recommended against use while pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to become pregnant. Similarly, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended women on Mounjaro and using oral contraceptives switch to a non-oral form of birth control and use "a barrier method" four weeks after starting use or after a dose increase. Obstetrics experts told ABC News there have been anecdotal reports of women becoming pregnant while taking tirzepatide -- which falls under a class of medications known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1s -- even though they were on a birth control pill. There are two reasons this may be happening, experts said. Dr. Elizabeth Langen, an associate professor and maternal-fetal medicine specialist at University of Michigan Health, told ABC News that pregnancy may become more likely in some women after they lose weight. Additionally, GLP-1s may affect digestion and an oral form of contraception may not be absorbed as effectively, she said. "Some of these medications change how we digest food and/or medications," Langen said. "It slows that process down, and so we might not have the same blood levels of the hormones that we're expecting to if we're taking an old contraceptive drug, because the weight loss or diabetes medication is impacting our digestion." MORE: Weight-loss meds may give people more control over drinking, study shows Dr. Christina Boots, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, said she's not sure if the recommendation for a backup form of contraception came from data seen during phase I or phase II clinical trials or if researchers saw more incidental pregnancies in those early studies. She said sexually active patients who are on weight loss medications should speak to their doctor if they're concerned about getting pregnant. The MHRA also warned that medicines like Mounjaro included Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda and Victoza should not be taken during pregnancy, while trying to get pregnant or during breastfeeding. The agency said this is because there is a lack of safety data on whether taking the medicine could cause harm to a fetus. Boots said there are no formal guidelines on the use of GLP-1s in pregnancy. Studies done on rodents suggest there could be birth defects and problems with metabolic function, but no large studies have been conducted on humans. "With these newer weight loss medications, the challenge is basically that we, unfortunately, don't have a lot of data on how they're going to impact fetal development and how they might impact a mom's health during her pregnancy," Langen said She went on, "There are other means of controlling diabetes [and] weight loss. We tend to favor those because we know that they're safe for both the mom and the fetus during a pregnancy."
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
After his son was killed in a Marine helicopter crash, a father says outdated technology robbed loved ones of answers
A Marine helicopter that slammed into a snowy mountain peak in Southern California last year, killing all five service members on board, was not equipped with a device that preserves flight data in a crash — a hindrance investigators say limited their probe and relatives fear has robbed them of ever finding out what caused the disaster. The fatal nighttime flight on Feb. 6, 2024, occurred during a routine training mission and as a winter storm brought days of heavy rain and snow to the San Diego area. An investigation report released this week shows that pilot error was the root cause of the crash, with icing conditions and low cloud cover being contributing factors. But investigators said they could only make assumptions since they had not found the aircraft's memory cards that contain flight and maintenance data and because the helicopter did not have what's known as a crash survivable flight data recorder. The device, also known as a 'black box,' would have provided key information, such as altitude and speed, and would have helped investigators reconstruct the events leading up to the incident, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Federal law requires large commercial aircraft and some smaller ones to have one. The CH-53E Super Stallion that was carrying five young Marines, including one new father and another newlywed, did not have one, though some Marine helicopters do. Without sufficient evidence, including voice recordings and even the exact weather conditions the crew faced, investigators offered 'multiple realistic theories' of what might have happened, including the possibility that night-vision goggles prevented the pilots from seeing the peak. 'We may never know the exact reason for this root cause,' the report said. Steve Langen, whose son Alec was on the doomed aircraft, criticized the uncertainty, saying grieving families and the military need more than just strong guesses to find closure and learn critical lessons after mishaps and disasters. 'They have no flight data. They have no recordings, none of anything,' said Langen, 56, of Chandler, Arizona. 'This is 2025, and we're flying with equipment that's from the mid-'80s.' Langen, who was also a Marine aviator, said he urged the Marines to add the technology to all Super Stallions, which he said would help aviators glean useful information about weather, terrain and decision-making. But he said the Marines told him that doing so would be too expensive. 'You're putting a price tag on a service member's life,' Langen said. 'For me, as a dad and a Marine who did this job, it really hurts. That hurts on a level that it's hard to put into words.' In a statement to NBC News on Friday, a Marine spokesperson confirmed that upgrading the Super Stallions with the technology is 'cost-prohibitive' due to the remaining service life of the aircraft. The Marines have been using the powerful Super Stallions to transport heavy equipment, supplies and troops for more than 30 years, according to the Navy, which the Marine Corps is part of. It will cost nearly $72 million to replace the Super Stallion destroyed in the crash, according to the investigation report. 'The investigation team for this mishap worked exhaustively, thoroughly evaluating possible scenarios and simulations to draw conclusions from the available data and analysis,' the spokesperson for the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing said. However, the newest variant of Marine Corps helicopters, called the CH-53K King Stallion, is equipped with a crash survivable flight data recorder with voice recording capability, and is expected to replace the old Super Stallion fleet by fiscal year 2032, a spokesperson said. And the Marines announced in July 2023 that they would begin integrating a crash survivable, high-temperature, fire-resistant flight data recorder into all of its MV-22B Ospreys after another fatal incident. The father's push to update antiquated federal technology comes after a string of aviation disasters this year, including the deadliest U.S. air crash in almost a quarter century. On Jan. 29, an Army Black Hawk collided into a commercial airplane midair near Washington, D.C., killing all 67 people aboard both the plane and helicopter. The Army helicopter had a black box, which officials said they had recovered in good condition. During that investigation, Langen said, 'there were lots of questions that were answered.' Investigators were able to thoroughly brief reporters with what they had and what they were still looking into less than a month after the disaster. 'We're never gonna have that,' Langen said. Nationwide, amid close calls and equipment malfunctions, worried pilots and air traffic controllers are also imploring the Federal Aviation Administration to fix its aging infrastructure. The call for change follows scrutiny of the Super Stallion over repeated mechanical failures. In 2014, a Super Stallion carrying 25 service members crashed due to the catastrophic failure of one of its engines, although all the passengers survived. Four years later, four Marines were killed when their Super Stallion crashed during a training mission in Southern California. A Marine investigation found the 2018 crash was caused by a defective part, according to a lawsuit filed by the families of the Marines against the supplier and manufacturer of the part. The case was settled, and the settlement was confidential, according to Dave Casey, the San Diego attorney representing the pilots. The February 2024 crash that killed Langen's son was not a result of a material or mechanical failure of any component on the aircraft, investigators said, although they said the helicopter's engine caution light erroneously turned on earlier in the day due to a frayed wire. Investigators made some recommendations to Marine leadership, including clarifying vague language in protocols and determining how best to discipline the squadron's commanding officer for authorizing the flight, but they did not address the lack of data that hindered its investigation. 'As a parent, you want to know what happened,' Langen said. The five members of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 took off from Imperial County Airport, where they refueled from an earlier flight to Nevada, and headed home to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego shortly after 10 p.m. on Feb. 6, 2024, according to the investigation report. There were three pilots on board: Capt. Miguel Nava, 28; Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27; and Capt. Jack Casey, 26. Also on board was Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, who was recently promoted. Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, was the crew chief, responsible for the safety of passengers and other cargo, as well as in-flight maintenance. He had just gotten married about a month before, his father said. And Nava, of Traverse City, Michigan, had just become a father, welcoming a baby boy with his wife about four months prior, his family told NBC News. About 30 minutes into their flight, they all crashed into a mountain ridge near Pine Valley, California. It took search-and-rescue teams about 10 hours to find their bodies in a remote area covered in snow. At least two of them were killed instantly, and one was completely unrecognizable, found in a burning pool of jet fuel, the report said. 'The hardest part to read was that the five of them laid there until 8 in the morning,' Langen said. Deteriorating weather conditions should have signaled to the crew that it was not feasible to fly safely, investigators said, but they could not 'pinpoint one explanation' for why they took off. In the immediate aftermath of the crash, Davis' father said the family was 'struggling to understand the operational necessity for flying into one of the worst storms in Southern California history.' Gregory Davis had asked the Defense Department to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances behind the decisions that led to the crash 'so that we may have some understanding and closure for the seemingly senseless loss of our son and brother.' In November 2024, the team's commanding officer was fired after officials determined he 'exhibited poor judgment' and 'exceeded his authority' in approving the flight, according to the report. Investigators said he should have taken more than just two minutes to speak with the pilot about weather conditions and their planned route, and that he should have sought flight approval from a higher-up, but they did not blame him for the crash. Langen said he and his wife 'never wanted any fingers to be pointed.' They just wanted answers for why they no longer had their 'larger than life' son, who towered over most people at 6-foot-5, always had a smile, and followed in his veteran dad's footsteps. To find more clarity, Langen said he studied autopsy reports and the 1,140-page investigation report, which was heavily redacted at times. He also examined the gut-wrenching photos of the accident and visited the crash site. That only yielded more heartbreak. Instead, Langen laid his son to rest without knowing what happened in his final moments. The family held his funeral at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, where officials briefly shut down the airspace to honor a man who had served for seven years and planned to make a career as a Marine, Langen said. When he died, Alec Langen was just three weeks shy of being transferred to a safer job, his father said. This article was originally published on
NBC News
11-05-2025
- General
- NBC News
After his son was killed in a Marine helicopter crash, a father says outdated technology robbed loved ones of answers
In a statement to NBC News on Friday, a Marine spokesperson confirmed that upgrading the Super Stallions with the technology is 'cost-prohibitive' due to the remaining service life of the aircraft. The Marines have been using the powerful Super Stallions to transport heavy equipment, supplies and troops for more than 30 years, according to the Navy, which the Marine Corps is part of. It will cost nearly $72 million to replace the Super Stallion destroyed in the crash, according to the investigation report. 'The investigation team for this mishap worked exhaustively, thoroughly evaluating possible scenarios and simulations to draw conclusions from the available data and analysis,' the spokesperson for the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing said. However, the newest variant of Marine Corps helicopters, called the CH-53K King Stallion, is equipped with a crash survivable flight data recorder with voice recording capability, and is expected to replace the old Super Stallion fleet by fiscal year 2032, a spokesperson said. And the Marines announced in July 2023 that they would begin integrating a crash survivable, high-temperature, fire-resistant flight data recorder into all of its MV-22B Ospreys after another fatal incident. The father's push to update antiquated federal technology comes after a string of aviation disasters this year, including the deadliest U.S. air crash in almost a quarter century. On Jan. 29, an Army Black Hawk collided into a commercial airplane midair near Washington, D.C., killing all 67 people aboard both the plane and helicopter. The Army helicopter had a black box, which officials said they had recovered in good condition. During that investigation, Langen said, 'there were lots of questions that were answered.' Investigators were able to thoroughly brief reporters with what they had and what they were still looking into less than a month after the disaster. 'We're never gonna have that,' Langen said. Nationwide, amid close calls and equipment malfunctions, worried pilots and air traffic controllers are also imploring the Federal Aviation Administration to fix its aging infrastructure. The call for change follows scrutiny of the Super Stallion over repeated mechanical failures. In 2014, a Super Stallion carrying 25 service members crashed due to the catastrophic failure of one of its engines, although all the passengers survived. Four years later, four Marines were killed when their Super Stallion crashed during a training mission in Southern California. A Marine investigation found the 2018 crash was caused by a defective part, according to a lawsuit filed by the families of the Marines against the supplier and manufacturer of the part. The case was settled, and the settlement was confidential, according to Dave Casey, the San Diego attorney representing the pilots. The February 2024 crash that killed Langen's son was not a result of a material or mechanical failure of any component on the aircraft, investigators said, although they said the helicopter's engine caution light erroneously turned on earlier in the day due to a frayed wire. Investigators made some recommendations to Marine leadership, including clarifying vague language in protocols and determining how best to discipline the squadron's commanding officer for authorizing the flight, but they did not address the lack of data that hindered its investigation. 'As a parent, you want to know what happened,' Langen said. The five members of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 took off from Imperial County Airport, where they refueled from an earlier flight to Nevada, and headed home to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego shortly after 10 p.m. on Feb. 6, 2024, according to the investigation report. There were three pilots on board: Capt. Miguel Nava, 28; Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27; and Capt. Jack Casey, 26. Also on board was Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, who was recently promoted. Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, was the crew chief, responsible for the safety of passengers and other cargo, as well as in-flight maintenance. He had just gotten married about a month before, his father said. And Nava, of Traverse City, Michigan, had just become a father, welcoming a baby boy with his wife about four months prior, his family told NBC News. About 30 minutes into their flight, they all crashed into a mountain ridge near Pine Valley, California. It took search-and-rescue teams about 10 hours to find their bodies in a remote area covered in snow. At least two of them were killed instantly, and one was completely unrecognizable, found in a burning pool of jet fuel, the report said. 'The hardest part to read was that the five of them laid there until 8 in the morning,' Langen said. Deteriorating weather conditions should have signaled to the crew that it was not feasible to fly safely, investigators said, but they could not 'pinpoint one explanation' for why they took off. In the immediate aftermath of the crash, Davis' father said the family was 'struggling to understand the operational necessity for flying into one of the worst storms in Southern California history.' Gregory Davis had asked the Defense Department to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances behind the decisions that led to the crash 'so that we may have some understanding and closure for the seemingly senseless loss of our son and brother.' In November 2024, the team's commanding officer was fired after officials determined he 'exhibited poor judgment' and 'exceeded his authority' in approving the flight, according to the report. Investigators said he should have taken more than just two minutes to speak with the pilot about weather conditions and their planned route, and that he should have sought flight approval from a higher-up, but they did not blame him for the crash. Langen said he and his wife 'never wanted any fingers to be pointed.' They just wanted answers for why they no longer had their 'larger than life' son, who towered over most people at 6-foot-5, always had a smile, and followed in his veteran dad's footsteps. To find more clarity, Langen said he studied autopsy reports and the 1,140-page investigation report, which was heavily redacted at times. He also examined the gut-wrenching photos of the accident and visited the crash site. That only yielded more heartbreak. Instead, Langen laid his son to rest without knowing what happened in his final moments. The family held his funeral at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, where officials briefly shut down the airspace to honor a man who had served for seven years and planned to make a career as a Marine, Langen said. When he died, Alec Langen was just three weeks shy of being transferred to a safer job, his father said.
CBC
01-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Bobcat sisters released into wild near Powell River, B.C., 10 months after being found
Two orphaned bobcat sisters were released into the wild near Powell River, B.C., on Friday, 10 months after they were found malnourished near a logging road. Last July, Merrilee Prior from the Powell River Orphaned Wildlife Society (PROWLS) says she got a call about two kittens being found by someone driving up a logging road near the Sunshine Coast city. Prior says the kittens were perhaps two weeks old, and their mother had been killed a day or two prior. Their eyes had just opened, and the two bobcats were "very, very hungry." "You should have heard them roar as we tried to put food in their cage," she told Jason D'Souza, host of CBC's All Points West. "They snarled and sounded like something from a sci-fi movie." After the kittens were put into a crate, the rescue society president then called up Angelika Langen — who runs the large Northern Lights Wildlife Society in Smithers, B.C. Over the next 10 months, Northern Lights put them in an enclosure where they couldn't see other humans for the most part, in order to prepare them for going back into the wild. "Food would be dropped down a chute," Prior said. "So, they never associated food with humans, and they were just left to their own devices. "And they snuggled and snarled and bickered and, you know, fought each other for food and grew up as young bobcats would." Langen says that her society always aims to return any beasts that they take care of to their natural homes, in order not to mess with genetics or population numbers. "It was a lot of fun and quite an honour to be caring for them for that time," she told CBC News. Last week, Langen and the bobcats made a lengthy trip over three days — from Smithers to Prince Rupert, a ferry to Port Hardy, and then another ferry to Powell River. Watch 2 bobcat sisters being released into the wild 11 hours ago Duration 0:46 Ten months ago, two orphaned bobcat kittens were found dehydrated and malnourished near Powell River, B.C. After being taken care of and raised to fend for themselves, they were released into the wild once again on Friday. "They came down in separate crates," Prior said. "Because they squabbled a lot, and Angelika didn't want them going out with bloody noses." When the time came for the release, Prior and her volunteers opened up the crates — and the two bobcats hesitated for a second before scurrying off. "All I did was pick them up and ship them to someone who could raise them," Prior said. "But it just, it felt wonderful." The exact number of bobcats in B.C. is unknown, but the small feline predators generally keep to themselves. The Squamish-Lilooet Regional District advises residents of the province to cut back on wildlife attractants to avoid having them come inside people's homes, and also be aware of claw marks on trails.
