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.

China has become the world’s first country to approve a monoclonal antibody drug called Libevitug to treat hepatitis D — a severe, chronic liver disease.

The drug, which was rolled out at a Beijing hospital recently, was granted conditional approval by China's National Medical Products Administration in January 2026 following priority review, Science and Technology Daily reported.

Libevitug is a monoclonal antibody developed by a team from Tsinghua University and the Beijing-based biopharmaceutical company Huahui Health.

It works by blocking hepatitis B and D viruses from entering liver cells.

Clinical trials on Libevitug demonstrated significant efficacy in virological response and normalization of liver function, with particularly notable benefits for patients with cirrhosis.

What Is Hepatitis D? What Are The Key Symptoms?

Hepatitis D, or HDV, is different from the others—it can't infect the liver by itself. It only exists in those already infected with hepatitis B, employing the outer shell of the HBV virus to replicate.

When HBV and HDV infect the liver concurrently (a co-infection) or if HDV is contracted later on superimposition of pre-existing HBV (a superinfection), the immune system is twice assaulted. The liver has to cope with more intense inflammation, resulting in more rapid fibrosis progression and a much increased risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

In individuals with co-infection, liver injury is more severe, and complications arise years sooner than in HBV mono-infection. There are no specific therapies for HDV currently, and its management relies mostly on the control of hepatitis B.

It is also possible to prevent HBV infection and thereby hepatitis D by vaccination. Antiviral therapy and close follow-up can likewise decrease the chances of serious HDV complications in those already infected with HBV.

Simultaneous infection with HBV and HDV can lead to mild-to-severe hepatitis, with signs and symptoms typically appearing 3–7 weeks after initial infection and include:

• fever,
• fatigue,
• loss of appetite,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• dark urine,
• pale-colored stools,
• jaundice (yellow eyes)
• fulminant hepatitis.

Also read: Hepatitis On Rise In India: What Is Causing It?

How Does Libevitug Work?

Of the over 254 million chronic hepatitis B carriers worldwide, approximately 5 percent are co-infected with the hepatitis D virus, and patients with co-infection have long lacked effective targeted therapies.

Clinical trials for the drug began in 2018, with an international multi-center study launched in 2023 among patients with chronic co-infection.

The drug previously received "Breakthrough Therapy Designation" from both the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the China NMPA and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Also read: Hepatitis A To E: How Each Virus Affects Your Liver?

"Libevitug demonstrates outstanding clinical efficacy and significantly improves liver stiffness, with particularly remarkable efficacy in patients with HBV/HDV-related cirrhosis," stated Professor Niu Junqi, principal investigator of the Libevitug trial from the First Hospital of Jilin University.

"This drug aligns with the core objectives of China's Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Viral Hepatitis (2025–2030), which aims to improve diagnosis and treatment rates for viral hepatitis and reduce the incidence of liver cancer and mortality," Junqi added.

Junqi noted that Libevitug is expected to effectively lower the risk of disease progression to advanced severe diseases such as liver cancer, drive the diagnosis and treatment of HDV in China, as well as advance the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health problem by 2030.

Amid the growing burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), India’s Union Ayush Ministry has launched yoga protocols that will target vulnerable groups with diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma.

The “Yoga Protocol for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Target Groups” is a significant push towards reshaping the country’s healthcare narrative from treatment to prevention, PTI reported.

NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular ailments, chronic respiratory conditions, and mental health disorders are increasing significantly in the country. These also account for about 60 percent of all deaths in the country, signaling a clear need to focus on preventing the lifestyle-driven illnesses.

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Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush, noted that prevention of these conditions is important for the better health of the nation, and yoga is India’s answer to the rising burden of lifestyle diseases.

“Through these evidence-based protocols, we are empowering every citizen to take charge of their own health and well-being in a simple, accessible, and sustainable manner. By integrating yoga into daily life, we aim to shift the focus from illness to wellness, reducing long-term healthcare pressures,” he said.

“This initiative reflects our commitment to building a healthier nation through holistic, preventive, and people-centric approaches rooted in India’s rich traditional knowledge,” the minister added.

What Are The Protocols?

It is part of the Yoga Mahotsav 2026, launched earlier this month by Union Ayush Minister Prataprao Jadhav, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The protocols are designed as structured, evidence-based modules that integrate Yogic practices into daily life in a simple, accessible, and scalable manner.

The initiative has specific yoga interventions curated for major health conditions such as:

• diabetes — improving metabolic balance and glycemic control;
• hypertension — calming the nervous system and regulating blood pressure;
• bronchial asthma — strengthening respiratory capacity and improving lung function
• emotional well-being — breathing and meditation aimed at reducing stress, anxiety, and depression.

Further, it includes

• playful yoga modules for young children
• mental health-focused routines for adolescents,
• mobility-enhancing practices for the elderly
• specialized guidelines for women and pregnant mothers.

Yoga 365

The Ministry of Ayush has also launched Yoga 365 — a nationwide campaign to make yoga an integral part of citizens' daily lives — that goes beyond the International Day of Yoga (IDY), marked annually on June 21 worldwide.

According to the National Sample Survey (NSS), awareness of traditional systems like yoga stands at 95 percent in rural India and 96 percent in urban India.

The NSS also found that in around 1.1 crore households in rural India and around 1.4 crore households in urban India, at least one household member regularly practices yoga.

The Yoga 365 campaign aims to

• mobilize communities through mission-mode outreach,
• promote behavior change,
• integrate yoga into diverse spaces—from schools and offices to neighborhood groups and digital platforms.

The Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, under the Ministry of Ayush, has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the wellness platform Habuild to offer free daily online yoga sessions.

The COVID-19 BA.3.2 strain, nicknamed Cicada Variant, is spreading rapidly in the US, raising the possibility of becoming the dominant strain in the country, according to experts.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in its latest report, has raised concerns about BA.3.2 — a highly mutated variant of COVID.

BA.3.2 has already been reported in at least 23 countries, including 25 states in America, as per the report. It has also been detected in 132 wastewater samples from Massachusetts.

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The 25 states include California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Wyoming.

"Cicada can become the dominant strain in the US,” Dr. Robert H. Hopkins Jr., medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, told USA TODAY.

While it is not certain, it can also "drive a US summer surge.”

The CDC warned that a new variant "with substantial capacity to evade immunity from previous infections or vaccines could be associated with seasonal increases in COVID-19 activity.”

In the US, COVID-19 is still linked to roughly 300 to 500 deaths per week, according to recent data based on provisional estimates from the CDC.

Brandon Dionne, an associate clinical professor of pharmacy and health systems sciences at Northeastern University, stated that the virus may evolve and increase the possibility of more severe disease.

“It’s something we definitely want to monitor,” Dionne said. “It could, over time, become the dominant strain in the US, but it’s not yet there," he said.

Also read: COVID Variant BA.3.2 Spreads To 23 Countries: Is The Variant Under Monitoring A Cause Of Worry?

What Is The Cicada COVID Variant?

Cicada was first identified in a respiratory sample in South Africa in November 2024.

It is a descendant of the Omicron BA.3 lineage, and is genetically distinct from the previously circulating JN.1 lineages (including LP.8.1 and XFG).

BA.3.2 comprises two major branches, BA.3.2.1 and BA.3.2.2. BA.3.2.2 also has substitutions like: K356T, A575S, R681H, and R1162P.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated BA.3.2 as a Variant Under Monitoring (VUM). It means the variant may not be that dangerous yet, but it may have concerning mutations.

The CDC’s latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report explains that Cicada has “70 to 75 substitutions and deletions in the gene sequence of its spike protein”.

Also read: Maternal Vaccination During Pregnancy Can Prevent COVID-related Hospitalization In Babies: Study

Will Current COVID Vaccines Work?

The variant is particularly concerning as it provides no immune protection to people with previous infection or even vaccination.

“The number of mutations from JN.1 viruses makes it less likely that the current vaccines will be highly effective against Cicada, but we need more data to better answer this question,” Dr. Hopkins Jr. said.

However, according to the WHO, current COVID vaccines are expected to continue protecting against severe disease. Moreover, the WHO said BA.3.2 doesn’t seem to be making people sicker so far and hasn’t resulted in increased hospitalizations and deaths.

Common symptoms of Cicada variant include:

• Cough
• Fever or chills
• Sore throat
• Congestion
• Shortness of breath
• Loss of smell or taste
• Fatigue
• Headache.