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 popularity of GLP-1 weight-loss medications in the United States has reached its highest level yet. A new survey shows that nearly one in 10 American adults now takes the drugs to lose weight. At the same time, the country's obesity rate shows a steady decline. Experts say the survey does not prove that one trend is directly causing the other.

GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drug Use At An All-Time High In The US

GLP-1 drugs, including medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, were originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes but have become increasingly popular for managing obesity after studies showed they could help people lose significant amounts of weight.

According to Gallup's latest National Health and Well-Being Index, 11% of U.S. adults currently use a GLP-1 medication for weight loss. In 2024, this number was just 3%.

The survey also said that 15% of adults have tried a GLP-1 medication at some point, compared to the 6% from two years ago.

The survey also found that 91% of Americans have heard of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, up from 80% in 2024. The growing visibility of the medication reflects widespread media coverage, celebrity endorsements, and broader acceptance by patients and healthcare providers.

Also read: Serena Williams Lost 34 Pounds With The Help Of A GLP-1 Drug But It’s Not Ozempic

Obesity Rate Has Been Steadily Declining

The Gallup report also found that the adult obesity rate in the US has fallen to 36.4% in 2026, down from a record 39.9% in 2022. The decline follows a similar trend seen last year, when obesity rates also dropped after years of steady increases.

Researchers noted that the decrease in obesity has occurred alongside the rapid rise in GLP-1 use. However, they said that the findings show an association rather than proof that the medications are responsible for the decline in obesity. Other factors, including lifestyle changes, healthcare access, fitness consciousness, and others may also be contributing.

Despite the decline in obesity, the percentage of Americans who have diabetes has remained relatively stable at around 13.5% since 2023, according to Gallup.

Researchers said this is not unexpected because diabetes is a lifelong condition. Even if people lose weight or improve their blood sugar control, they typically continue to be diabetic once diagnosed.

US Medicare To Cover GLP-1 Drugs For Weight Loss

This is another move that will add to the popularity of GLP-1 drugs in the US. From July 1, people in the US will be able to access GLP-1 drugs for weight loss through a new pilot program, offered by the federal health insurance program Medicare. Slated to be operational for 18 months, the program will last till the end of 2027.

Until now, Medicare covered GLP-1 medications like Ozempic only for certain conditions like diabetes, but not for weight loss. The initiative aims to make these high-cost weight-loss medications more accessible to eligible candidates.

Eligible beneficiaries will be able to access the following GLP-1 weight-loss medications:

• Novo Nordisk's Wegovy injections and tablets
• Eli Lilly's Foundayo tablets
• Eli Lilly's Zepbound KwikPen

The medications will be covered only when prescribed for weight management and when beneficiaries meet the program's medical eligibility criteria.

After nearly two months, Uganda has announced that it has successfully contained its latest Ebola outbreak. Authorities say that prompt and aggressive surveillance, rapid treatment, contact tracing, and active cross-border coordination helped stop the spread. The government has now sought the removal of international travel restrictions that were put in place imposed during the outbreak.

Ebola Outbreak In Uganda Contained

The Ugandan Ministry of Health recently said all confirmed Ebola patients have either recovered or completed treatment, while every identified contact has been traced and monitored.

Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, said on Sunday in a post on X that the outbreak had been contained. The Xinhua news agency reported that they treated of all imported confirmed cases and cared for those infected. They have also traced and quarantined the contacts.

Atwine also said a large team of medical personnel, two mobile laboratories and logistical support from Uganda were on their way to Congo to support the country's Ebola response.

The Ministry has also implemented preventive measures to curb the spread of the disease from eastern Congo, the epicentre of the ongoing outbreak, Atwine said. It included strengthening screening and preventive measures along the border with the DRC where a much larger Ebola outbreak continues to remain a global concern.

According to the latest figures, the country recorded 20 confirmed Ebola cases, including two deaths. 16 people have recovered from the disease.

The last confirmed infection was reported on June 21. The Health Ministry said that no new cases have been detected and reported since then. Most infections in Uganda were linked to travel from the DRC, while a only a few resulted from local transmission.

Officials argue that the outbreak has been effectively controlled through rapid isolation of patients, extensive contact tracing, quarantine of exposed individuals and supportive medical care.

She added that Uganda had begun urging countries that imposed Ebola-related travel restrictions to lift the measures.

Also read: Uganda On Alert Over Suspected Marburg Virus Outbreak

Ebola Outbreak In The DRC Continues To Remain A Concern

In Congo, the situation is still grim. The capital of Ituri province remains at the heart of the Ebola outbreak. According to latest data, the country has recorded at least 1,561 confirmed cases, including 506 deaths and 254 people recovered. More than 10,000 contacts are being monitored.

Dr. Anne Ancia, WHO’s representative to the DRC said, “True scale has not yet been fully established. We would like to say it is stabilising, but frankly, we cannot say it yet.”

Amid the challenges, a few encouraging developments include the progress made on testing after daily capacity was increased from 30 tests in Kinshasa to more than 2,000 as 10 decentralised laboratories were established in the affected provinces on priority.

Another piece of good news is the start of a clinical trial on July 2, which can help identify and narrow down treatment options for Ebola, as currently there is no approved, proven path of treatment and cure for the Bundibugyo strain.

The trial will examine two promising therapies - a monoclonal antibody, MBP134, and the antiviral remdesivir.

About Bundibugyo Ebola Virus

The Bundibugyo virus was first identified in Uganda in 2007 and has caused only a few outbreaks since then. As infections have been relatively uncommon compared to the Zaire strain, researchers have had limited opportunities to develop vaccines, treatments and diagnostic tests.

Due to this, healthcare workers have been compelled to rely primarily on rapid isolation of patients, intensive supportive care, contact tracing, and strict infection prevention measures to slow transmission.

Currently, Eastern DRC is the hotspot for the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, where conflict, population displacement, skepticism, and insecurity have made it difficult for health workers to reach affected locations.

A team of US scientists has developed a new HIV vaccine that trains the immune system to overcome the virus's defenses, producing the strongest HIV-fighting antibody response ever reported in non-human primates.

The vaccine, developed by researchers from La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), Scripps Research, and IAVI, is the first to generate a high number of broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV in primates. Human trials have now begun.

“This feels like a huge success,” said LJI Professor and Chief Scientific Officer Shane Crotty.

“We constructed a successful vaccine from the ground up, which required a deep understanding of the immune system.” The findings are published in the journal Nature.

How Does The New Vaccine Work?

The vaccine is designed to guide the body's B cells—the immune cells responsible for making antibodies. Normally, B cells begin in a naïve state and gradually mature after encountering a virus. As they mature, they continuously refine the antibodies they produce, improving their ability to recognize and neutralize the virus.

Instead of waiting for this process to happen naturally, the new vaccine directs B cells through each stage of development.

Also read: US Hospital Performs World's First HIV-to-HIV Lung Transplant, Offering Fresh Hope for HIV Patients

The approach includes:

• A priming vaccine that activates naïve B cells.
• A series of booster shots that guide these cells toward producing broadly neutralizing antibodies capable of recognizing many HIV strains.

“This series of vaccinations will guide, or ‘walk’, a B cell from its naive state to its broadly neutralizing state,” said LJI Instructor Patrick Madden.

The scientists called this strategy germline targeting because it targets B cells before they begin their normal maturation process.

Strong Results in Animal Studies

To evaluate the vaccine, researchers tested it in rhesus macaques. The results showed:

• Around 44% of vaccinated animals produced broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV.
• The antibody levels were unusually high compared with previous vaccine studies.
• The antibodies closely resembled those found in the small number of people who naturally develop broad protection against HIV.

“We succeeded in taking ultra-rare antibody responses and turning them into common responses by the end of the vaccination process,” Crotty said.

The researchers did not test whether the antibodies could completely prevent HIV infection. However, finding these antibodies circulating in the bloodstream suggests they could potentially recognize and block the virus.

Human Trials Underway

Read More: HIV No Longer Barrier To Organ Transplants, Say Delhi Doctors After Successful Kidney Surgery

The researchers are now working to improve the vaccine further, including refining the booster schedule to increase the number of individuals who develop broadly neutralizing antibodies.

“It was incredible to get those results, but of course we'd like to see a response in 100 percent of the animals,” Madden said.

According to the researchers, the antibodies produced in the vaccinated animals closely matched the broadly neutralizing antibodies seen in the rare people who naturally develop them.

“We believe this vaccine approach is even more likely to succeed in humans, because of the immunogenetics,” Crotty said.

Global Burden Of HIV

According to the World Health Organization, globally, 40.8 million [37.0–45.6 million] people were living with HIV at the end of 2024. Out of these, 1.3 million individuals newly acquired the virus, and 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses.

To date, there is no vaccine available that will prevent HIV infection. Developing an HIV vaccine has remained one of the biggest challenges in medicine because the virus is exceptionally good at evading the immune system.

“The worldwide diversity of HIV mutations is extraordinary. Even the diversity within one individual person living with HIV is dramatic,” Madden said.