U.S. Pharmacist Weekly News

April 6, 2022

Birth Defects in Babies of Fathers Who Take Metformin

Metformin is the first-line medication for type 2 diabetes and—as a result—is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the United States. A new study linking the use of metformin to birth defects in offspring of fathers taking it for diabetes has raised many concerns. Find out why the authors call for more trials to confirm their findings.

Which Adults Need to Get a Second COVID-19 Booster?

Adults aged 50 years and older in the United States are eligible for a second COVID-19 booster shot, but who most needs to get one? That question has been raised by a number of experts who believe many healthy people on the younger end of the range are protected enough. Learn more background information that might help pharmacists guide them.

Evidence for Pharmacogenetic Testing in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression

Treatment-resistant depression can be a challenge for patients and the clinicians who prescribe and manage the treatment. A new Canadian study suggests that greater use of pharmacogenetic testing could be an answer. It found that using genetic makeup to determine medication led to an 89% increase in remission rates compared with treatment as usual. Read more.

Neurologic Events Rare After COVID-19 Vaccination

Many pharmacists have had some sleepless nights worried about their appropriate responses to adverse reactions after administering COVID-19 vaccines. A new study took a closer look at one specific type—neurologic—and determined that those are very rare, although some conditions occurred more frequently with the modified vector virus vaccine than the mRNA types. Read more.