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.

American supermodel Bella Hadid has opened up about the mental toll of living with Lyme disease, a chronic illness she has battled for years.

Bella Hadid was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2013 and has endured an ongoing battle with physical pain, extreme fatigue, brain fog, and associated depression.

In a series of Instagram Stories, the 29-year-old model shared about the daily hardships and emotional toll of recurring health flare-ups despite trying various treatment protocols.

The supermodel said it is "intimidating" to explain her symptoms of pain, exhaustion, fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, infections and trauma, and how they lead "to severe isolation and depression, especially over long periods of time," People.com reported.

"Especially when you try anything you can," she said, adding that she has read books and personal stories to better understand her symptoms, yet still experiences setbacks.

Bella Hadid On Lyme Disease Flare Ups

"You demand answers that no one can find. You fight. You finally have a few good days. You think you've found the right protocol, the right routine, the right treatment... and then a flare-up comes back and all of a sudden nothing feels certain again."

Hadid said flare-ups of the chronic illness often force her to cancel plans.

"You wake up with anxiety already living in your body," Hadid wrote.

"Physical pain before your feet even touch the floor....And somehow, still have to find the strength to move through another day in a body and mind that are completely exhausted."

Bella Hadid's Hope In God

The model said she has learned to mask her feelings.

"Sometimes it feels like unless you've lived something like this, or loved someone who has, it's impossible to fully understand."

She also reminded followers facing similar struggles that "there is light, even if you can't see it today... There is hope," before sharing a message she often tells herself during difficult times.

"As so many have said..I have to remind myself that healing isn't linear...I believe God puts before us, somehow, only what we are capable of carrying, even when we don't understand why at the time," she wrote, saying there's a "deeper purpose to all things in life."

Hadid acknowledged that although it is hard, she believes "every hardship leaves us with a lesson, a deeper compassion, or a strength we never knew we had."

What Is Lyme Disease?

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread to people through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks.

Every year, an estimated 31 million people in the United States are bitten by a tick.

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in the United States, with an estimated 476,000 patients treated for Lyme each year.

Typical symptoms include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Fatigue
• A characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans.

How to Prevent

The best defense against Lyme disease is to prevent tick bites. This will reduce your risk of other tickborne diseases as well.

What to do after a tick bite:

• Remove attached ticks as soon as possible.
• Depending on the type of tick and how long it was attached, antibiotic prophylaxis might help to prevent Lyme disease.
• Call your doctor if you develop fever, rash, or other symptoms.

Donald Trump, the oldest president in US history, has come under increased scrutiny after turning 80 this year. The president has frequently been seen with swollen ankles and bruises on his hands, though the White House maintains he is in "excellent health."

Several doctors have also raised concerns about Trump's physical and mental health, citing instances where he appeared to fall asleep during White House meetings and international summits, as well as verbal fumbles and slurred speech.

A new book, Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, claims the president's medical condition is one of the administration's most tightly controlled areas of information. Written by New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman and investigative reporter Jonathan Swan, the book is based on more than 1,000 interviews conducted over three years.

Book Claims Trump Changed Routine Due to Age

Also read: Did Donald Trump Take Eli Lilly's Weight Loss Drug? What Did White House Say

According to the authors, Trump struggles with his hearing and began moving meetings from the East Wing to the Oval Office because of better acoustics. The change also allowed him to remain seated during lengthy meetings.

The book says some aides privately felt Trump was "beginning to seem old to them," pointing to "moments of fatigue" and a "cupped hand" behind his ear.

Questions Over Transparency on Trump's Health

Speaking to Kaitlan Collins on CNN's The Source, Swan said Trump's health is "very well concealed" from the public.

"I'm not even sure that his most senior aides have a clear picture of his health, about all the aspects of his medical reports," Swan said.

Trump reportedly spent three hours at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on May 26, where he was examined by 22 specialists, compared with 14 doctors during his previous medical check-up

"We have no indication of who those specialists are or what their specialties are," Swan said. "They haven't released all the imaging results."

According to CNN medical expert Jonathan Reiner, Trump's medical examination by 22 specialists "is an extraordinary number."

But the White House has continued to insist Trump remains sharp and energetic.

Book Describes Shift in Trump's Schedule

Read More: ‘Sea Or See?’ Donald Trump's Remark Sparks Fresh Cognitive Health Speculation

According to the Daily Mail, the book claims Trump now prefers seated events, shorter public appearances and staying close to the White House.

The authors describe Trump in his second term as a "homebody," compared with his extensive travel during the 2024 campaign.

"He had never been a big sleeper, but now it seemed to his staff that he was sleeping even less, keeping stranger hours than he had in his first term," the authors wrote.

They added that Trump would often spend the early hours watching television, talking on the phone and posting on Truth Social.

White House Rejects the Claims

The White House dismissed the book's claims.

"President Trump's sharpness, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast to what we saw during the last administration when Democrats and the legacy media intentionally covered up Joe Biden's serious mental and physical decline from the American people," spokesperson Davis Ingle told the Daily Mail.

"President Trump is the sharpest and most accessible President in American history who is working nonstop to solve problems and deliver on his promises."

Andhra Pradesh is set to launch a Rare Disease Policy, aligned with the National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD), 2021, to improve diagnosis, treatment, and financial support for patients living with rare diseases.

The proposed policy will provide free diagnostic tests, specialized treatment, and financial assistance to affected families, Health Minister Y. Satya Kumar Yadav announced while addressing the Rare Diseases Care and Draft Policy Consultation at Dr NTR University of Health Sciences.

What's Included in Andhra Pradesh's Rare Disease Policy?

As part of the proposed policy, the state government plans to:

• Establish referral cents for rare diseases in Kurnool, Tirupati, and Visakhapatnam.
• Explore designating a government hospital as a Centre of Excellence for rare disease treatment.
• Create a state registry for diseases identified by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to better understand the disease burden.
• Introduce universal newborn (neonatal) screening to enable early detection of rare diseases.
• Mobilize donor support to help patients meet the high cost of treatment.

The minister said the government is committed to ensuring access to quality healthcare for rare disease patients regardless of their financial status. He also stressed the importance of increasing public awareness to facilitate early diagnosis and timely intervention.

Also read: How AI Is Transforming Early Diagnosis of Rare Diseases

Further, to improve access to treatment, the state will hold a meeting with pharmaceutical companies in the first week of July to discuss the production, availability, and distribution of medicines for rare diseases.

The government also plans to encourage the pharmaceutical industry to provide financial and other support to patients.

Health Secretary S. Suresh Kumar said integrating rare disease patients with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission would improve treatment tracking and continuity of care. NGOs, caregivers, patients, and medical experts participating in the consultation welcomed the government's initiative and offered recommendations for the draft policy.

What Is the National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD)?

The National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD), 2021, was introduced to improve access to diagnosis, treatment, and financial assistance for patients with rare diseases.

The policy classifies rare diseases into three categories:

• Diseases that can be treated with a one-time curative intervention.
• Diseases requiring long-term or lifelong treatment.
• Diseases for which effective treatment is still under research.

Under the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) scheme, eligible patients can receive financial assistance of up to Rs 50 lakh for specified rare diseases covered under the policy.

Read More: Ebola Outbreak: The Unique Symptoms Seen In Patients Infected With Bundibugyo

What Is a Rare Disease?

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a rare disease as a chronic, often debilitating or life-threatening condition affecting one or fewer people per 1,000 population.

According to the WHO's International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), more than 5,500 rare diseases have been identified, while globally there are an estimated over 7,000 distinct rare diseases affecting more than 300 million people.

In India, a disease is generally considered rare if it affects fewer than one in 2,500 people. Most rare diseases are genetic and are frequently misdiagnosed because of limited awareness, delayed diagnosis, and inadequate access to specialized care.

According to estimates by the Foundation for Research on Rare Diseases and Disorders, more than 70 million Indians are living with rare diseases. Common examples include Gaucher disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and lysosomal storage disorders.

Despite affecting relatively small numbers individually, rare diseases collectively represent a significant public health challenge due to limited treatment options, delayed diagnosis, and the high financial burden on patients and their families.