An experimental treatment happens to be the solution to delay Alzheimer's symptoms in some people. These people are the ones who are genetically destined to get the disease in their 40s or 50s. These new findings form ongoing research has now been caught up in Trump administration funding delas. The early results of the study has been published on Wednesday and the participants too are worried that politics could cut their access to a possible lifeline.

One of the participants had said, "It is still a study but it has given me an extension to my life that I never banked on having." The participant is named Jake Henrichs, form New York City, who is 50 years old. He is one of them to be treated in that study for more than a decade now and has remained symptom-free despite inheriting an Alzheimer's-causing gene that had killed his father and brother around the same age.

Slowing Down The Symptoms

Two drugs which can modestly slow down early-stage Alzheimer's are sold in the United States. These drugs clear the brain of one of its hallmarks, a sticky gunk-like part called the amyloid. However, there have not been any hints that removing amyloid far earlier, way many years before the first symptoms appear, may postpone the disease.

How Was The Research Conducted?

The research is led by Washington University in St Louis, which involved families that passed down rare gene mutation as participants. This meant it was almost guaranteed that they will develop symptoms at the same age their affected relatives did.

The new findings is based on a subset of 22 participants who received amyloid-removing drugs the longest, on average eight years. Long-term amyloid removal cut in half their risk of symptom onset. The study is published in the journal Lancet Neurology.

Washington University's Dr Randall Bateman, who directs the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Network of studies involving families with these rare genes says, "What we want to determine over the next five years is how strong is the protection. Will they ever get the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease if we keep treating them?”

The researchers before though did not know what exactly caused Alzheimer's which affects nearly 7 million Americans, most of them in their later life. However, it is clear that these silent changes occur in the brain at least two decades before the first symptom shows up. The big contributor. At some point amyloid buildup can trigger a protein named tau that then starts to kill neurons, which can lead to cognitive decline.

Researchers are now thus studying the Tau-fighting drugs and are looking into other factors, like inflammation, brain's immune cells and certain virus.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) has expanded its focus as researchers have found more reasons for Alzheimer's. In 2013, the NIH's National Institute on Aging funded 14 trials of possible Alzheimer's drugs over a third targeting amyloid. By last fall, there were 68 drugs and 18% of them target amyloid. However, there are scientists too who think that amyloid is not everything and their is way more in the brain tissue, immune cells, and more which can be studied.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed putting prominent red, hexagonal warning labels on the front of packaged junk foods and beverages that are high in saturated fat, sugar or salt.

The proposal was submitted to the Supreme Court on August 28, marking a major update after years of debate over front-of-pack labelling.

The proposed labels would carry warnings like “HIGH FAT”, “HIGH SUGAR”, “HIGH SALT” or “HIGHLY SWEETENED BEVERAGE”, allowing consumers to identify products high in nutrients of concern without having to turn the packet around and decipher the nutrition panel.

Packaged Junk Foods To Carry Red Warning Labels Soon

At present, packaged foods generally provide nutritional information on the back or side of the package. For many shoppers, comparing the sugar, salt or fat content of several products can require some additional work of flipping and searching.

The proposed design is a red-coloured hexagonal symbol placed prominently on the front of the package. The first phase is expected to apply to products that are high in any two or more of the specified nutrients, according to the proposal reported by Reuters. The proposal also includes exemptions for certain foods that have single ingredients.

Also read: FSSAI Flags Food Firms For Misleading ‘100%’, ‘Energy Drink’, Immunity Claims

How Could The Red Label Help Consumers?

A prominent warning on the front of a packet could make it immediately obvious that a product contains high amounts of certain nutrients. This could be particularly useful when consumers are choosing between similar products.

It could also help parents make quicker decisions when buying packaged foods for children, who are increasingly being exposed to processed and ultra-processed foods.

The idea is not necessarily to tell consumers “never eat this”. Instead, the warning provides information before the purchase, allowing people to decide how frequently one should consume a type of packaged food.

A warning label, however, cannot compensate for an overall unhealthy diet, and consumers may still choose products carrying a warning. Its value lies in making important nutritional information harder to overlook.

The proposal comes after growing pressure from health activists and the Supreme Court, which has pushed the government to act on front-of-pack warnings amid concerns over rising obesity and chronic lifestyle diseases in India.

Also read: Centre Bans Cough & Cold Medicines For Children Under 4: What Parents Need To Know

The push for front-of-pack warnings is not coming only from health advocates. A recent LocalCircles survey of more than 83,000 consumers across 314 districts found strong support for prominent warnings on packaged foods and beverages high in sugar, salt or saturated fat.

80% of consumers said FSSAI should mandate such warnings, while another 11% wanted them specifically on ultra-processed foods. That means 91% supported front-of-pack warnings in some form, while only 4% felt existing format of nutrition information was more than enough.

Consumers also appeared to favour a warning that could be understood at a glance. 44% preferred a red warning symbol stating that a product was high in sugar, salt or saturated fat, while 27% chose traffic-light colour coding. Only 2% preferred a conventional black-and-white numerical nutrition panel.

But perhaps the most striking finding was what consumers said they would do with that information. 94% said a prominent warning would influence their buying decision.

Of these, 44% said they would avoid the product altogether, 26% would compare it with healthier alternatives and 24% would buy it less frequently. Only 6% said the warning would not affect their purchase.

Also read: ₹5 Crore Fake Medicine Racket Busted Near Bengaluru: Why Counterfeit Drugs In ICUs Are A Major Health Risk

Food Companies Have Opposed These Labels

The move has faced resistance from parts of the food and beverage industry. Companies and industry groups have argued that warning labels could be confusing or ineffective and that consumers should instead be encouraged to practise portion control.

Reuters reported that Coca-Cola India executive Mili Bhattacharya described it as “very simplistic” to believe that a symbol alone would significantly change people's diets.

Health advocates, however, have argued that consumers deserve clearer information about products that are high in nutrients linked to chronic disease.

Just a day before FSSAI proposed the red warning labels, Nestlé CEO Philipp Navratil said food manufacturers should be consulted as India develops its front-of-pack labelling rules.

According to Reuters, Navratil said the rules should be developed through a scientific approach and with input from food manufacturers.

The industry has previously pushed back against some proposals for warning labels, arguing that nutrition information needs to be presented in a way that gives consumers sufficient context rather than simply flagging individual nutrients.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro (tirzepatide), typically used to control Type 2 diabetes, to also reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke, the American drug maker said.

Mounjaro is already approved as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve blood sugar in adults and children aged 10 and older with Type 2 diabetes. It targets the GLP-1 protein and is also used for weight loss. In the US, the obesity version is sold under the brand name Zepbound.

Mounjaro: What Cardiovascular Risks Can It Reduce?

The FDA approved Mounjaro to lower the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including:

• Cardiovascular death
• Non-fatal heart attack
• Non-fatal stroke

Also read: UK Woman Dies After Sudden Abdominal Pain Following Increase In Her Mounjaro Dose

The approval applies to adults with Type 2 diabetes who are at high risk for these events.

“For people with Type 2 diabetes, heart disease is the leading cause of death, and Mounjaro – the number 1 most prescribed branded Type 2 diabetes medicine for adults in the US – now gives them a proven way to lower that risk, adding to the strong foundation it has already built in A1C and weight,” said Kenneth Custer, executive vice president and president, Lilly Cardiometabolic Health.

How Was Mounjaro Approved?

The FDA approval was based on results from a trial that showed Mounjaro outperformed Trulicity, Lilly’s older diabetes drug, in reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke in a large, head-to-head study.

The trial showed that Mounjaro reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events by 8% more than Trulicity.

It was the largest and longest tirzepatide study to date, enrolling more than 13,000 participants across 30 countries over more than four and a half years.

The most commonly reported adverse events in SURPASS-CVOT for Mounjaro were gastrointestinal-related, generally mild to moderate in severity, and occurred primarily during the dose-escalation period.

What About Novo Nordisk’s Drugs?

Read More: GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro Tied To Over 60 Reported Deaths In Australia

“Mounjaro is the first and only GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist proven to lower heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death risk in adults with Type 2 diabetes at high risk for these events – in addition to its established A1C and weight loss benefits,” according to Lilly.

However, Danish rival Novo Nordisk secured FDA approval for its weight-loss drug Wegovy to lower heart risks in 2024 in overweight or obese adults without diabetes.

In 2025, the FDA also approved its older diabetes drug, Rybelsus, to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in diabetic patients.

What Is Mounjaro?

Mounjaro is a brand name for tirzepatide, an injectable weekly treatment first approved by the US FDA for the control of Type 2 diabetes.

Unlike older weight-loss drugs that act on metabolism or suppress appetite as their primary mechanism, Mounjaro acts on two key hormones: GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide). These control the release of insulin and sensations of fullness.

By mimicking their action, Mounjaro decreases hunger and enhances blood sugar control — two key obstacles in successful weight maintenance.

How Does Mounjaro Work?

The key to Mounjaro’s success is tirzepatide, a dual-acting peptide that acts on receptors in the brain and stomach. When taken, it sets in motion a chain reaction of signals that tell the brain that you are full, helping reduce cravings and overeating.

Mounjaro also makes the body more responsive to insulin. In people with obesity, insulin resistance is frequent and can make weight loss more difficult. By enhancing insulin action, Mounjaro helps the body better control blood sugar and store less fat. In a sense, Mounjaro doesn’t simply allow you to eat less — it allows your body to use what you eat more efficiently.

A team of Australian scientists has developed cyborg cockroaches for medical missions. Researchers from the University of Queensland fitted Giant Burrowing Cockroaches with a removable navigation system that enables them to be remotely piloted through complex terrain and rubble.

The cockroaches are equipped with cameras and miniature medical injectors to deliver supervised emergency care to people trapped in collapsed buildings or caves.

What's The Purpose?

Called ‘Paraborgs’, the cyborg insects go beyond searching for survivors to actively assisting them. In the paper, published in Advanced Science, the researchers said the long-term vision is to deploy swarms of specialized cyborg insects at disaster sites, with each performing a complementary role.

“The vision is not to replace first responders, but to give them another way to see, reach and potentially help people when direct access is impossible,” said Dr Vo-Doan from the UQ Biorobotics Lab.

Director of the UNSW Medical Robotics Lab Associate Professor Thanh Nho Do said the Paraborg technology could extend the reach of emergency medicine.

“From a biomedical perspective, the opportunity is to bring treatment to a patient when the patient cannot yet be brought to treatment,” Associate Professor Do said.

“The long-term goal is targeted, human-supervised intervention in places conventional medical technologies cannot access.”

Why Cockroaches?

Dr Vo-Doan said the research demonstrates how cyborg technology can be adapted across different insect platforms.

“Rather than building one robot to do everything, we can harness the natural strengths of different insects and equip them for different missions,” Dr Vo-Doan said.

The larger cockroaches provide greater capacity to carry specialized rescue and medical equipment.

The cockroaches, like the team’s previous cyborg insect models, are anaesthetized during electrode and microchip fitting. They live for as long as other cockroaches once the harnesses are removed.

What About Cyborg Beetles?

The team has previously demonstrated cyborg beetles capable of controlled climbing. They have shown they can remotely guide the movement of common darkling beetles using a video game controller.

The beetles are fitted with removable microchip backpacks that use electrodes to stimulate the insect's antenna or hardened forewings.

The programmable controls allow for precise directional guidance without affecting the lifespan of the beetle.

How Can The Cyborg Cockroaches Aid In Rescue?

Superintendent Tim Hassiotis, Manager Natural Disaster and Humanitarian at Fire and Rescue NSW, said the technology could extend the reach of rescue teams.

“If cyborg insects can safely enter spaces we can’t, locate casualties and ultimately help deliver emergency care, they could become another valuable tool in the future of urban search and rescue,” Superintendent Hassiotis said.

What Could The Future Hold?

Dr Vo-Doan said the longer-term vision was to deploy swarms of specialized cyborg insects, with individuals performing complementary roles.

“Some could carry cameras and environmental sensors, while others could carry specialized emergency or medical equipment,” he said.

“Hopefully, within the next 5 to 10 years, we could see cyborg insect rescue teams deployed to help people in real emergencies, provided we have the resources to accelerate the research and field testing.”