A generic version of the cholesterol-lowering medication Vytorin has been launched by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, bringing another cheaper statin medication to US pharmacies. Vytorin is an HMG-COA reductase inhibitor/statin with a lipid modifying agent developed by Merck.  IMS data from...

Look through the drawers and cupboards of most households in the United States it’s likely you’ll find a blister pack or pill bottle with out-of-date or expired medication tucked away somewhere. So what should you do with these medicines? Are they safe to use, and if not, how should you...

Novo Nordisk has announced a recall of six batches of the insulin cartridge holders used in its NovoPen Echos due to the possibility they will crack or break when exposed to certain chemicals. The company revealed some cleaning agents may contain agents that could leave the device susceptible to...

Pharmaceutical giant Merck has been granted tentative approval for Lusduna Nexvue (insulin glargine injection) 100 units/mL by the US Food and Drug Administration.  The follow-on biologic basal insulin comes in a pre-filled dosing device and will be used to treat patients with type 2...

More than one-third of adults in the US live with either diabetes or prediabetes, a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed. It found that in 2015 there were 30 million people with diabetes, while a further 84 million people had prediabetes. Left...

Many medications are available for treating type 2 diabetes, but intensive lifestyle management could hold the key to controlling blood sugar levels, according to a recent clinical trial. The results of the study conducted in Denmark suggest adding "intensive" lifestyle management to traditional...

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first continuous glucose monitoring system for adult patients with diabetes. The FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System enables patients to make decisions about their treatment without needing to calibrate using fingerstick...

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advisory Committee has voted 16-0 to approve semaglutide as a once-weekly treatment to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Novo Nordisk submitted the application in December 2016 under the FDA’s Prescription drug user Fee Act...

Adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes have a new treatment option available to them following the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to approve Novo Nordisk's rapid-acting mealtime insulin Fiasp (insulin aspart).  The drug is indicated to improve glycemic control in adults...

Sanofi’s Admelog (insulin lispro injection) is the first short-acting “follow-on” insulin product for diabetes treatment to gain approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The rapid-acting insulin is similar to Humalog and is indicated to improve blood sugar control...

Pharmacies in the United States will soon stock two more medications for treating type 2 diabetes after pharmaceutical giants Merck and Pfizer had a pair of products approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Steglujan (ertugliflozin and sitagliptin) and Steglatro (ertugliflozin) were...

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent conditions in the United States, with figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggesting almost one in ten people live with the condition, the equivalent to 30 million people across the country.  The majority of cases - nine out of ten...

Patients with health plans with value-based contracts for diabetes, high cholesterol, and HIV medication benefited from significantly cheaper co-pays than patients on other plans, according to new data from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). On average, these...

Obesity and diabetes are significantly more common in the United States than 20 years ago, according to recent data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). In 1997, under 20 percent of American adults over 20 years of age were classified as obese, a figure that rose to 31.4 percent...

In an exciting breakthrough for patients with diabetes, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the marketing of the Dexcom G6 integrated continuous glucose monitoring system (iCGM). The latest version of the continuous glucose monitoring system is indicated for use by patients...

Adult diabetes may fall into five different categories rather than type 1 and type 2 diabetes, according to new research. A study conducted by researchers at Lund University in Sweden found new classifications for diabetes, each with their own distinct genetics and characteristics. It is hoped the...

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has permitted marketing of a medical device that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to detect certain eye problems related to diabetes. It is the first device of its kind to harness AI to detect diabetic retinopathy considered greater than a mild level...

Senior patients with diabetes could be more than $350 better off each year if a share of negotiated manufacturer rebates is passed on the patients at the point of sale, according to recent IHS Markit analysis commissioned by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). Passing...

Patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes now have a new option for monitoring their glucose levels following the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to approve the first continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system with a fully implantable sensor.  The Eversense CGM can be...

A diabetes diagnosis may seem overwhelming at first, but learning to manage diabetes mellitus enables you to start taking control of your condition, reducing the risk of further diabetes complications and improving your quality of life. Many healthcare professionals can help...

For parents of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus the diagnosis often comes as a bolt from the blue. There is always a huge amount of information to digest and process and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sudden influx of information on medications, blood glucose testing, dietary...

Are you one of the many people in the United States planning to enjoy a smoke-free 2019? A new year comes with the promise of a clean slate and the opportunity to make resolutions to improve your quality of life, leaving you a healthier, stronger and happier person. A YouGov NY poll conducted last...

Last year saw some significant steps forward in diabetes technology, with a number of new monitoring technologies and insulin delivery devices gaining US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval over the course of 2018. Among the new products available to American diabetes patients last year...

A new authorized generic of Eli Lilly’s insulin drug Humalog (insulin lispro) will soon be available in US pharmacies at half the price of the branded equivalent. The pharmaceutical giant made the announcement on March 4th 2019, asserting that the introduction of an alternative insulin option...

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new disease, and as scientists round the world gather information and data, we continue to learn more about the virus. Among the things we do know is that certain groups are at greater risk of developing serious complications if they contract SARS-CoV-2 (the...

What is insulin? Insulin is a hormone, produced in the pancreas, that regulates many of the body’s metabolic processes that provide cells with energy. The body uses insulin to process glucose, a sugar found in many carbohydrates, for energy. It enables cells in the muscles, fat and liver to...

At the start of this new year, many of us will be setting goals for 2021 and looking to put a difficult 2020 behind us. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans are looking at ways to improve their personal health and fitness, something reflected in an end of year YouGov poll, which...

Quick Stats: 45% of American adults (108 million) have hypertension Only 1 in 4 with hypertension have it under control Nearly half (45%) of those with uncontrolled hypertension have a blood pressure of 140/90 mm Hg or higher What is High Blood Pressure? Blood pressure is the force of...

Quick Stats: People of all ages can suffer from high cholesterol, and it is estimated that 38% of all Americans have unhealthy levels. In 2015–2016, more than 12% of adults age 20 and older had total cholesterol higher than 240 mg/dL, and more than 18% had high-density lipoprotein (HDL,...

Walmart launches cheaper rapid-acting insulin In June, Walmart announced its plans to sell its own private brand analog insulin, ReliOn Novolog (insulin aspart) at significantly lower prices than the currently available brands. As any diabetic will tell you, insulin prices have skyrocketed in...