Until law, GLP-1 drugs were used to treat diabetes, obesity and even the recent evidences suggest that it could as well be used to treat chronic kidney problems. There is yet another research, published in JAMA Psychiatry on February 25, titled Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial that explores if GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide reduce alcohol consumption and cravings in adults with alcohol use disorder.

What Do Studies Say?

The research was conducted over a period of 9 weeks, where in the randomized clinical trial, the participants who were administered semaglutide, it led to reductions in some but not all measures of weekly consumptions. It also reduced weekly alcohol and craving related to placebo, and also led to a greater relative reduction in cigarettes per day.

The research also found that weekly injections of semaglutide, which is the active ingredient in weight loss drugs like Wegovy also helped reduce cravings in people with alcohol use disorder.

The lead author Christian Hendershot said that these findings will help in developing new approaches to treat alcoholism. "Two drugs currently approved to reduce alcohol consumption aren't widely used. The popularity of Ozempic and other GLP-1 receptor agonists increases the chances of broad adoption of these treatments for alcohol use disorder," said Hendershot in news release by the University of Southern California's Institute for Addiction Research, where he is the director.

The study is government-funded research and was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the National Institutes of Health.

How Was The Study Conducted?

The study was small, and took in account for only 48 adults over two months, thus experts say that it is not yet clear how safe these drugs are for people who do not need to lose weight. Though the results do add up with the evidence form animal studies on drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy on how it helps manage cravings, not just for food, but also for tobacco and alcohol. Scientists are also studying these drugs on smokers, people with opioid addiction and cocaine users.

Co-author Dr Klara Klein of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who treats people with obesity and diabetes said, "This is such promising data. And we need more of it. We frequently will hear that once people start these medications that their desire to drink is very reduced, if not completely abolished."

Why Does It Work So Well Against Alcoholism?

The GLP-1 receptor agonists work by mimicking hormones GLP-1 in the gut and brain that regulates appetite and feelings of fullness. This response is what helps one lose weight, and what helps one curb their craving for alcohol. These drugs that mimic the functioning of your brain, which is responsible to tell your body when to stop consuming, are the same hormones that tell your body about other kinds of consumptions, including alcohol. Therefore by consuming the weight loss drugs one can treat alcohol use disorder.

However, the researchers have pointed out on the limited data on the research and have suggested to continue using the three approved drugs by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, namely, Disulfiram, Naltrexone, and Acamprosate to treat alcohol use disorder until large studies confirm these findings.

The vaccine-preventable measles, a deadly infectious disease, has claimed the lives of 98 children in Bangladesh, in the country’s one of the worst outbreaks, media reports said.

According to the latest data from the country’s Ministry of Health, the number of children aged six months to five years old with suspected measles symptoms has soared to 6,476, AFP News Agency reported

“Compared with past years, the number of affected children is higher, and the death toll is higher too,” Halimur Rashid, director at Communicable Disease Control, was quoted as saying.

The largest number of suspected cases on record was in 2005 at 25,934, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data. That number had significantly declined in succeeding years until this year.

Measles Outbreak: Emergency Vaccination Drive

Official data show that in 2026, more than 2,300 children were admitted to the hospital with suspected measles.

The outbreak has also prompted the government to roll out a vaccination program for younger children in a bid to halt the outbreak. The emergency vaccination drive will be launched in 18 high-risk districts, and will also be expanded from May 3 to cover the entire country.

Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said 10 of the total 94 measles-related deaths occurred in 24 hours ending at 8 am Sunday, even as the number of suspected measles cases detected grew to 5,792 during the 19 days, 974 of them since Saturday.

"The highly infectious disease has seen a sharp rise this year, particularly since March," a DGHS statement said, attributing the phenomenon to the vaccination gap last year, PTI reported.

The officials noted that the disease is spreading rapidly and has affected 56 out of 64 administrative districts.

Health Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul said the emergency vaccination drive would cover the "worst affected areas" before being expanded throughout Bangladesh.

What Is Measles?

Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads through direct contact or through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Symptoms typically appear seven to 14 days after exposure and may include:

• high fever,
• cough,
• runny nose,
• red eyes,
• rashes across the body.

Measles And Vaccination

The reports of deaths from Bangladesh indicate the presence of a significant 'immunity gap,” allowing the virus to take hold.

How Does Measles Spread

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads rapidly through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Crowded living conditions, poor ventilation, and low immunity levels increase the risk of transmission.

In addition to incomplete or missed vaccination, lack of awareness, and malnutrition (especially vitamin A deficiency) contribute to outbreaks.

How To Stay Safe

To safeguard against measles, individuals should:

• Ensure timely vaccination, especially for children.
• Maintaining good hygiene, such as frequent handwashing and covering the mouth while coughing or sneezing
• Avoiding close contact with infected individuals
• Eensure proper nutrition to boost immunity
• Public awareness and community health programs also play a crucial role.

A young Internal Medicine doctor from Chandigarh has highlighted shocking malpractices followed by a well-known private hospital.

In a widely shared video posted on social media platform Instagram, Dr Prabhleen Kaur alleged that all patients arriving at the hospital in the city are being forcibly kept in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) even when it is not required.

The doctor had joined the hospital, as it was paying well and was near her clinic. However, seeing the blatant scam, she resigned in just one day.

Also Read: Scientists Link Vaping to 2 Types of Cancer; DNA-Damaging Chemicals to Blame

“I joined a very reputed hospital. I thought I would work there in the mornings and run OPD at my own clinic in the evenings. They were paying really well, no doubt about that,” the doctor said in the video.

The doctor alleged that the hospital “just needed a physician for the show”, while the entire handling of patients was being done by the owner, a gynecologist.

“But on my very first day, I realised that they only needed a physician in name. The hospital owner, who was a gynaecologist and not a physician, was managing all the patients herself. That means she would decide every patient should be admitted, and she would also decide that every admitted patient should be kept in the ICU – and kept there for as many days as possible,” Kaur said.

She further claimed that the goal at the said hospital was to make the patients remain admitted in the ICU for as long as possible. Kaur added she was deeply disturbed seeing this and refused to be part of a system that “harms patients for money.”

“It would have been my name, but their wrongdoing. So I resigned, because I cannot allow someone to use me as a front for unethical practices,” she said.

The doctor did not mention the name of the hospital. And HealthandMe could not independently verify the details and the authenticity of the post.

However, the incident reignites concerns over accountability, patient safety, and standards of care in the country.

The video went viral and the netizens found it concerning, and some also pointed out that such issues are common with many hospitals across the country.

"Unfortunately, most doctors are doing this unethical practice these days,” a user said.

“No surprise— the moment you enter a hospital, the first question is about insurance coverage. Feels like treatment comes second and billing comes first,” added another.

Some also lauded the doctor for resigning and sounding the alarm.

“Salute to your integrity. Rest of the Indians are just after making money,” said a user, while another noted: “Respect to this doctor for choosing her conscience over money".

Also read: NASA’s Artemis II Mission To Test Human Health in Deep Space

Other Such Incidents

This is not the first such incident of hospital malpractice in the country.

Days earlier, a doctor from Assam called out private hospitals for overcharging patients with inflated medicine prices and unnecessary lab tests.

Dr Priyam Bordoloi said that corporate hospital chains rely on “predatory” practices and become a “financial sinkhole” for patients.

Earlier in January this year, a viral video with allegations of gross medical negligence and institutional apathy at Dhubri Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) sparked public outrage.

The video showed a family accusing hospital staff of failing to provide basic care, delaying critical dialysis treatment, and obstructing an emergency transfer.

The incident involved a 74-year-old Fulchand Chowdhury, whose condition reportedly worsened due to lapses in ICU monitoring, sanitation, and patient safety.

The family claimed they were forced to care for him themselves and faced resistance when seeking transfer to a private facility.

Also read: Bob Harris: BBC Radio 2 Host Hospitalized For Prostate Cancer Treatment

Who Should Be Kept In The ICU?

In January 2024, India launched guidelines for hospitals on ICU admissions and directed that hospitals cannot admit critically ill patients to the ICU without the consent of the patient and family.

According to the latest guidelines, patients who are critically ill should not be admitted to an ICU if they do not give their consent.

"Critically ill patients should not be admitted to the ICU; if the patient or next-of-kin informed refusal to be admitted in ICU."

Nearly 60 years after humanity first set foot on the Moon, NASA has launched its historic Artemis II mission, marking the first crewed journey around the lunar surface.

The nearly 10-day flight was launched successfully on April 1 from the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida at 6:24 p.m. EDT.

Four astronauts were launched to the surface of the Moon aboard Orion, which lifted off atop NASA's Space Launch System.

The Orion spacecraft flight carries NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

The crew aims to loop around the moon and return to Earth on a free-return trajectory, reaching roughly 4,700 miles (7,560 kilometers) beyond the moon's far side — farther than Apollo 8's historic lunar flyby and the most distant journey ever attempted by humans.

During the 10-day journey, the four astronauts will also perform several science experiments, along with scientists on Earth, to facilitate science investigations to inform future human spaceflight missions.

NASA stated that the Artemis II science operations will lay the foundation for safe and efficient human exploration of the Moon and Mars.

Health Research in Space

• Artemis Research for Crew Health and Readiness (ARCHeR)

The study will evaluate how crew members perform individually and as a team throughout the mission, including how easily they can move around within the confined space of their Orion spacecraft.

• A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response (AVATAR)

• The Immune Biomarkers

Scientists will analyze blood and saliva samples from Artemis II crew members to see how deep space changes the immune system.

• Artemis II Standard Measures

Crews are supplying a consistent set of health information to a data bank so that future researchers can learn more about astronaut health.

• Radiation Studies

Equipment will monitor radiation levels inside and outside the Orion capsule to help characterize the deep space environment.

“The findings are expected to provide vital insights for future missions to destinations beyond low Earth orbit, including Mars,” said Laurie Abadie, an aerospace engineer for the program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

“The lessons we learn from this crew will help us to more safely accomplish deep space missions and research,” she said.

Steven Platts, chief scientist for human research at NASA Johnson, explained the mission will need to protect against challenges, including exposure to higher radiation levels than on the International Space Station, since the crew will be farther from Earth.

“Together, these studies will allow scientists to better understand how the immune system performs in deep space, teach us more about astronauts’ overall well-being ahead of a Mars mission, and help scientists develop ways to ensure the health and success of crew members,” he said.