Studies

• Researchers conducted a retrospective review of all novel FDA drug approvals from 2016 through 2024 to analyze the evidence used for authorization. • The study used FDA public records and the ClinicalTrials.gov database to track the number of completed trials and their funding sources. • The findings show that novel drug approvals in the US have been supported by a decreasing number of studies since 2016.

• A retrospective review of FDA novel drug approvals from 2016 through 2024 reveals a trend of approvals being supported by a decreasing number of completed clinical studies. • Researchers analyzed FDA public records and the ClinicalTrials.gov database to evaluate trial counts, funding sources, and the timing of public result reporting. • The findings highlight a concerning shift toward relying on fewer studies and an increase in industry-funded research to secure drug authorizations.

• Researchers analyzed the impact of the 21st Century Cures Act, which allows the FDA to approve novel drugs based on a single pivotal trial rather than multiple studies. • Findings indicate that since 2016, the number of studies supporting new drug approvals in the US has steadily decreased. • This shift reflects a trend toward increased FDA flexibility and a higher reliance on industry-funded data to accelerate the drug approval process.

• The International Association for Tibetan Studies seminar, scheduled for August 23-26 in Nepal, has been canceled following a request from government officials. • Hosted by the Himalaya Centre for Asian Studies at Kathmandu University, the event was intended to bring together delegates from numerous countries. • While Prof. Sagar Raj Sharma confirmed the cancellation, the government provided no specific reason for the decision, though Nepal typically restricts pro-Tibetan activities to maintain relations with China.

• Two new scientific studies have identified a direct link between global warming and the extreme fire weather that triggered devastating infernos in Spain and France. • The research highlights how climate change creates the specific atmospheric conditions necessary for these high-intensity wildfires to occur. • These findings are significant as they provide evidence of "fingerprints" showing that human-induced warming is intensifying the frequency and severity of European wildfires.

• NASA is conducting crew swap activities aboard the International Space Station (ISS), welcoming three new crew members while a trio from Expedition 74 prepares for their return to Earth. • The incoming crew is currently undergoing orientation to adapt to living and working in a microgravity environment. • Scientific operations have resumed in full swing, with researchers focusing on studies regarding how weightlessness impacts the human body.

• NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is studying planets orbiting the remnants of dead Sun-like stars to understand the long-term evolution of solar systems. • By analyzing these distant systems, researchers like MacDonald are treating the observations as a "time machine" to predict the eventual fate of our own outer planets. • This research is significant because it provides the first direct look at how planetary bodies survive the death of their host stars.

• NASA is utilizing the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission to study smoke and aerosols during a record-breaking North American fire season. • The mission employs three specialized instruments, including the Hyper-Angle Rainbow Polarimeter 2 and the Spectro-polarimeter for Planetary Exploration, to analyze atmospheric composition. • According to project science lead Andrew Sayer, these tools provide critical data on aerosols from diverse regions to better understand their environmental impact.

Scientists praise moves to investigate, retract or remove controversial studies. The authors stand by their workThree scientific papers that raised questions about vaccine safety and were used by the Trump administration to justify controversial changes to US vaccine policies have over the last two months been removed, retracted or placed under investigation by the journals that published them.In some cases, the actions occurred years after scientists first raised alarms about the studies’ scientific merits. Continue reading...

Civil rights scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw warns Birmingham City University’s decision part of extremist campaign that has ‘travelled across Atlantic’A leading US civil rights scholar has urged Birmingham City University (BCU) to reverse its decision to close its black studies course, comparing it with the attack on diversity, equity and inclusion in the US.Kimberlé Crenshaw, a professor of law at the University of California, Los Angeles and Columbia University, expressed “profound concern” about plans to withdraw the MA in black studies and global justice, just months after the course was launched. Continue reading...

More than 100 figures sign open letter criticising closure, just months after MA was launchedMore than 100 academics, writers and activists from around the world have signed an open letter condemning plans to close an MA in Black studies and global justice at Birmingham City University (BCU), just months after it was first launched.The move follows the controversial closure of BCU’s undergraduate course in Black studies in 2024, and has prompted warnings that Black studies are being erased from UK higher education. Continue reading...

Serious side effects from vaccines were rare, scientists found in studies funded by US taxpayer moneyThe US Food and Drug Administration has blocked the publication of several studies that found Covid-19 and shingles vaccines to be safe, according to a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Human Services.Agency scientists conducted the studies by analyzing millions of patient records and found that serious side effects from the vaccines were rare, the spokesperson confirmed. The studies – funded by taxpayer money and costing several million dollars – included research examining the safety of Covid-19 vaccines in 2023 and 2024. Continue reading...

• Recent research links extreme heat exposure, gaps in obesity coaching, cancer treatment delays, ACA premium cost spikes, and income inequality to widening health disparities across the US. • These factors exacerbate vulnerabilities in underserved populations, with global implications but focused US data. • Findings underscore needs for targeted interventions in public health equity amid rising climate and economic pressures.

Recent research examined by Mad in America reveals significant connections between psychiatric diagnoses, psychotropic drug use, and increased risk factors for obesity and diabetes, highlighting gaps in current screening practices. The studies indicate that individuals receiving psychiatric treatment face elevated metabolic health risks, yet comprehensive screening protocols often fail to adequately address these connections. The findings underscore the need for integrated healthcare approaches that monitor and manage both mental health conditions and associated metabolic complications in psychiatric patients.