An advisory panel for the Food and Drug Administration has voted 18 to 4, with one person not voting, in favor of accepting a new weight loss drug called Lorqess .

The effect of tobacco smoke on pregnant women and their developing babies is well-documented, but what if a baby were born into a community where no public smoking was allowed at all? The first study conducted in the U.S. to compare a city with a smoking ban to a city without one found that fewer pregnant women were smoking and fewer babies were being born early. Avoid cigarette smoke while pregnant. Robert Lee Page, II, a pharmacist in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at the University of Colorado's Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, led the study to inve...

Could a shot finally help put the cigarettes down? A Boston biopharmaceutical company is exploring a new and unique method in the world of anti-smoking - a nicotine vaccine.

Teens are starting to abuse painkillers earlier in life than previously thought. Preventative methods introduced to seniors in high school are probably too late, and recent reports indicate that education should start earlier.

It might be possible to block pleasure receptors for both smoking and drinking with one pharmaceutical swoop. Heavy drinkers report drinking less alcohol after taking the anti-smoking drug— Chantix . Researchers took a drug already out on the market for smoking cessation and tried it on smokers who also drink heavily. The reduction in drinking was quite promising. Talk to your doctor if you think you have a drinking problem Jennifer Mitchell PhD, assistant professor of neurology at the University of California at San Francisco, led a study to understand the smoking cessation d...

Teen drug abuse of prescription opioids is a problem. Parental monitoring, proper disposal after they’re no longer needed for medical purposes and honest education could help reduce the abuse. Researchers gathered data that suggests nonmedical use of prescription drugs among high school seniors needs intervention. The possibility of more serious drug abuse is also prevalent. Properly store and dispose of prescription opioids to prevent abuse. Sean Esteban McCabe PhD., research professor at the University of Michigan Substance Abuse Research Center, led a team to evaluate the p...

Naltrexone can counteract the effects of heroine or alcohol and can be helpful for people trying to kick addiction. New research suggests it is helpful for people addicted to more than one drug.

Underage drinking is a serious problem in America. Kids are getting hurt and starting bad habits at an early age. TV ads aren’t helping matters by putting alcohol in the thoughts of anyone watching.

The use of opiate drugs among pregnant women has more than quadrupled from 2000 to 2009 - which has led to approximately one baby being born every hour with signs of drug withdrawal. The rate of babies born in 2009 with neonatal abstinence syndrome is approximately three times the rate in 2000, and the increase has had even greater impact because of increased costs associated with the condition, according to a recent study. Ask a therapist about drug addition programs. Neonatal abstinence syndrome is a complex condition in newborns that includes a range of problems resulting fro...

Caffeine can be a legal way to enhance athletic performance, though studies have shown mixed results. Genetic variation may be the reason caffeine does not work the same for everyone. Many studies have shown that caffeine can increase a person’s athletic performance, but these studies have also shown that these effects are not universal throughout the participants. A new study examines the link between caffeine’s effects and genetic differences between people. Caffeine may give you an extra edge in sports. Dr. Christopher J. Womack, PhD, a researcher and professor at Jam...