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.

Fampridine, the first medicine designed to improve walking in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), will now be routinely available on the NHS in England, NHS England has announced.

The twice-daily pill, described as a "signal booster" therapy, is expected to benefit around 5,000 people living with MS in England during its first year of rollout.

“Walking difficulties can have a huge impact on the freedom and independence of people with MS, so this signal-boosting pill could be life-changing for thousands of patients,” said Professor Frankie Swords, NHS National Medical Director.

How Does Fampridine Work?

Until now, treatment for MS-related walking difficulties has largely relied on physiotherapy, exercise, walking aids, foot-support devices, and treatments to manage muscle stiffness.

According to Professor Swords, fampridine helps electrical messages travel along nerves damaged by MS, allowing some people to walk more easily and improve their mobility. For some patients, this could make everyday activities easier, from moving around the house and getting out independently to spending more time with family and friends.

Also read: NHS To Roll Out Two 'Gamechanger' Tests for Faster Endometriosis Diagnosis: Know How They Work

Evidence Behind The Drug

Clinical trials found that fampridine (Fampyra) improved walking speed in 43% of patients and also helped people walk for longer.

Patients will initially take the medicine for two to four weeks, with walking assessed before and after treatment. Those who experience a clear benefit will continue taking it for as long as it remains effective, with regular reviews.

The rollout follows an assessment by NHS England's Clinical Priorities Advisory Group, bringing access in England in line with other UK nations.

Who Is Eligible?

Read More: Why Multiple Sclerosis Increases Emotional Burden Among Women

More than 120,000 people live with MS in England, and fampridine is the only licensed treatment that helps improve walking ability and speed for some patients.

The drug will be available for adults with any type of MS whose walking difficulties are assessed as having an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score between 4 (able to walk without aid or rest for around 500 meters) and 7 (unable to walk further than 5 metres and largely restricted to a wheelchair).

What Is Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis is a lifelong neurological condition caused by damage to nerves in the brain and spinal cord. It is also a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the brain and spinal cord.

Symptoms vary from person to person and may come and go or worsen over time. MS can affect cognitive, emotional, motor, sensory, and visual functions. Symptoms may also worsen during heat exposure or infections such as urinary tract or respiratory infections.

According to the MS International Federation, an estimated 2.8 million people worldwide live with MS, with women accounting for about 75% of cases globally.

Common symptoms of MS include:

• Vision problems
• Difficulty walking or maintaining balance
• Difficulty thinking clearly
• Numbness or weakness, especially in the arms and legs
• Muscle stiffness
• Depression
• Problems with sexual function or urination
• Feeling very tired.

Medical education often gets associated with intense academic pressure, long study hours, and fierce competition. But a new Indian study suggests that a less visible challenge could be affecting future doctors: low self-esteem.

The findings come when thousands of aspiring doctors across India are protesting irregularities in the conduct of NEET-UG 2026 examination controversy,

with protests highlighting mounting academic stress, uncertainty, and mental health challenges among medical aspirants.

While the new research did not examine NEET candidates specifically, experts say it adds to growing evidence that psychological well-being deserves greater attention throughout the medical education journey.

Nearly 4 In 10 Medical Students Had Social Anxiety

According to the researchers, students with lower self-esteem may be more likely to fear criticism, negative evaluation, or embarrassment during social interactions, all of which are traits of social anxiety.

The study, published in Cureus, surveyed 507 undergraduate medical students at a medical college in Kerala using validated psychological questionnaires to assess social anxiety and self-esteem. Researchers found that 39.64% of students screened positive for social anxiety. Nearly one-third (31.16%) had low self-esteem.

Students with low self-esteem were significantly more likely to experience social anxiety than those with normal or high self-esteem.

Female students reported social anxiety slightly more often than males, although the difference was not statistically significant.

Students from nuclear families and those in the early years of medical school also showed relatively higher rates of social anxiety, though these factors were not statistically significant.

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NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Row

The findings arrive at a time when the anxiety surrounding NEET-UG 2026 is at an all-time high. Students across the country are protesting paper leaks and demanding fairness and transparency. The rampant suicides among medical students after news of question paper leak surfaced also reminds of the intense mental pressure they go through.

Mental health experts have warned that uncertainty surrounding high-stakes entrance examinations can increase stress, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and emotional exhaustion among aspirants.

Although this study is based on students who are already in medical school rather than NEET aspirants, it underscores an important point: the psychological challenges of pursuing medicine often extend beyond getting admission in college. It confirms that the journey of becoming a doctor is marked with several psychological obstacles.

Also read: Student Suicides Surpasses Population Growth: Are Parents to Blame? Experts Weigh In

Why This Needs to Be Addressed?

The transition from competitive entrance examinations to the demanding environment of medical college may continue to place students under intense pressure which could worsen existing mental health issues.

Social anxiety can interfere with classroom participation, practical training, teamwork, and communication with patients, potentially affecting both academic performance and professional development.

The new study highlights that social anxiety affects a substantial proportion of medical students and is closely linked with low self-esteem.

While it does not establish a cause-and-effect relationship, the findings call for stronger mental health support within medical education.

As conversations around student well-being gain momentum amid ongoing NEET paper row, the research serves as a reminder that supporting future doctors requires more than academic excellence.

Researchers from India, China, Netherlands, and Canada recently published an editorial, criticising the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Traditional Medicine Strategy, saying it promotes treatments that haven't been proven to work or lacks adequate scientific evidence.

In the editorial, the authors argue that traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine (CAM) should be held to the same scientific standards as any other medical intervention.

They warn that lowering the evidentiary bar could undermine and reduce people's confidence in evidence-based healthcare. They also say that it could expose patients to ineffective or potentially harmful treatments and divert resources from therapies with proven clinical benefits.

Researchers Criticise WHO's Push For Traditional Medicine

The criticism focuses on WHO's Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025 to 2034, which aims to help countries strengthen regulation, grow research, improve safety, and integrate evidence-based traditional medicine into global health systems.

According to the authors, while these goals appear reasonable, the strategy risks lending credibility to therapies before sufficient evidence of their safety and effectiveness has been established.

The authors say, "In a WHO survey, 95% of responding member states cited lack of research data as the key barrier to integrating CAM. Robust evidence supporting complementary and alternative medicineis lacking despite increased research funding and thousands of studies. After millennia of using traditional Chinese medicine, for example, major evidence gaps on efficacy and safety remain, and patients experience unpredictable effects."

They argue that the same rigorous standards used to evaluate pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and other healthcare interventions should also apply to traditional medicine.

The researchers say, "The ethical response is not uncritical endorsement of CAM but to expand access only to interventions that withstand standard scientific scrutiny as effective and safe."

The editorial also raises concerns about the potential for patients to delay or replace proven medical treatments with unverified alternatives, as well as risks linked to herb-drug interactions, contamination, and inadequate regulation.

They added, " WHO contradicts its promise of universal scientific rigour by lowering evidentiary standards: the strategy endorses observational and “real world data” designs “appropriate to the unique characteristics” of CAM instead of the standard randomised controlled trials."

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Rebuttal By Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences

The editorial has already received counter responses from researchers who say the criticism overlooks the strategy's emphasis on scientific evaluation.

In rapid responses published by The BMJ, experts acknowledged that unproven therapies should not be incorporated into routine care without solid evidence but argued that traditional medicine deserves rigorous investigation rather than straightforward dismissal.

Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences said, "We appreciate Philips and colleagues for raising concerns about patient safety, scientific rigour and evidence integrity, all of which matter for responsible integration of any healthcare intervention. However, the editorial predominantly examines one end of a complex scientific and public health continuum."

"A balanced view also recognize substantial advances in research methodology, regulation, pharmacovigilance, and evidence generation now shape the evaluation of TCIM, within the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034."

He said that the editorial incorrectly grouped all forms of alternative medicines.

He added, "The editorial groups Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, homoeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine and anthroposophic medicine as though they belong to one category. They do not. Each has its own philosophical basis, regulatory standing, biological plausibility, and depth of evidence and deserves judgment on its own record."

They note that many modern medicines originated from natural products and traditional knowledge before being validated through laboratory research and clinical trials.

Also read: Govt To Include Ayurveda Treatments in Ayushman Bharat Scheme: Read Everything About It

Delhi Declaration Outlines Global Roadmap For Traditional Medicine

The debate comes after the adoption of the Delhi Declaration on Traditional Medicine, issued at the conclusion of the Second WHO Global Summit held in New Delhi last year.

The declaration stresses the fact that policy decisions should be guided by scientific evidence while respecting countries' diverse medical traditions. The declaration calls on countries to:

1. Increase investment and support to strengthen the evidence base for traditional medicine, enriching WHO Global Traditional Medicine Digital Library.
2. Develop regulatory practices for safe and effective drugs.
3. Take necessary steps to responsibly integrate traditional medicine into standard health systems.
4. The declaration emphasizes that key policy decisions should be guided by scientific evidence while respecting countries' diverse medical traditions.

Also read: Why More Patients Are Turning To Alternative Medicine For Chronic Illness Management?

India's Dominance In Traditional Medicine

India has positioned established itself as a global leader in traditional medicine through the establishment of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar, Gujarat, a collaboration between WHO and the government of India.

During the summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said traditional medicine has the potential to contribute to universal health coverage and called for greater international collaboration, research, and innovation to discover its benefits while ensuring quality and safety.

India's Ministry of AYUSH also reaffirmed its commitment to building scientific evidence, promoting research, strengthening regulation, and expanding international partnerships in traditional medicine through initiatives led by the Jamnagar-based WHO centre.

Last year, India also launched My Ayush Integrated Services Portal, a national digital platform that connects medicine services, institutions and stakeholders in the sector.

AYUSH Mark was also launched. Ensuring public trust, AYUSH Mark is a global standard for the quality and safety of AYUSH products and services.