Pharmaceutical commercials that pop up all over TV are about to change. The federal government will require as early as July that drugs costing more than $35 for a month’s supply must include prices in their TV ads. The goal is to help patients make better informed medical decisions. But drug makers are likely to challenge the policy in court, claiming a violation of their first amendment rights.
MDMA or ecstasy may be making its way out of the party scene and into your psychiatrist’s office. A study in the journal Psychopharmacology finds that MDMA is a safe and effective therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is notoriously hard to treat, but researchers say that 54 percent of patients were effectively cured after two MDMA-assisted psychotherapy sessions and non-drug counseling. Researchers expect FDA approval of MDMA assisted psychotherapy by 2021.
And finally, what makes us reach for our smartphones? A new survey finds that the smartphone compulsive itch is the same whether you’re a high school student, middle-aged, or someone in between. Researchers say awkward situations, repetitive tasks, boredom, and the thrill of a potential notification are the four triggers that make us grab our smartphones. Avoid those triggers, and the phone will stay in your pocket.
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