As medical professionals, there are a lot of updates you have to keep up with and sometimes it can get overwhelming. But we know how positive developments in different streams of medicine can be of value to you and given the current scenario, any good news can be good enough to keep up your spirits. Here’s a quick recap of news that we have covered earlier, just in case you missed out.

FDA approves PARP inhibitors for treating prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancer types among men  So any additions in the existing set of advanced treatments are worth it. The good news is that in May 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two drugs for treating prostate cancers. While PARP inhibitors are already in use for cancer treatment in women, their inclusion in treating refractory prostate cancer and DNA repair pathway mutations adds to one’s hope.

Read the full article here.

Rimegepant tablet can mean less of a headache for migraine patients (pun intended)

We had published a news piece about Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, which stated that its supplemental NDA for Rimegepant has received a nod of approval from the FDA. Placebo-controlled trials had shown that orally disintegrating Rimegepant tablets could settle migraine symptoms within an hour and also bring down its frequency (episodes in a month). With its approval, Rimegepant has become the first agent to target CGRP. So a single medicine can help tackle acute migraine and even help prevent migraine attacks. The target action date set for the medicine was mid-June, which is less than a month away. Let’s just say it would mean less of a headache for your migraine patients.

Read the full article here.

A pink drink for a more effective and enjoyable workout

The Centre for Nutraceuticals at the University of Westminster proved through a study that merely rinsing the mouth with a drink that is pink in colour can let you perform better during a workout. The colour pink is perceived to be sweet and consuming the drink tricks the brain into expecting sugary sweetness or carbohydrates. The expectation triggers a ‘feel-good’ effect while exercising and makes the workout seem easier. The researchers used a non-sweetened pink drink for participants and asked them to rinse their mouths with it. The results were exciting - it enhanced their exercising performance by 4.4% and also made the task of running more enjoyable for them. If a pink drink is developed further for commercial use, perhaps your patients will enjoy any workout, leading them to exercise more regularly.

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Promote social support for longevity in patients

A research article published in the PLOS Medicine journal highlighted the positive impact of interpersonal and familial support among medical patients. The research by the Birmingham Young University (USA) stated that more patients with some kind of social support willingly follow a prescribed healthy lifestyle and undergo rehabilitation. It was said that any kind of emotional backing can enable patients to cope with their disease better, despite undergoing illness-related anxiety and/or depression. The research hence, proved that relationships or special support groups for patients are essential and the lack of these can seriously impair all efforts toward restoring patients’ health. In other words, psychosocial support from any source in a medical setting can help increase chances of recovery and even help with longevity among patients.

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Details of researches and studies referred in the article can be found in the original articles. We hope you like this section and turn to it for a quick read every week.