Treatment

Chemicals known to affect brains of common garden birds, and to kill unborn chicks, found in most feather samplesConservationists have called for restrictions on pet flea treatments after research found songbird feathers widely contaminated with substances that can damage the birds’ brains and kill unborn chicks.Almost every feather sample tested from five common species of UK garden birds contained either permethrin, imidacloprid or fipronil – all insecticides that are banned for agricultural use but still common in pet tick and flea treatments. Continue reading...

• President Trump signed an executive order directing federal regulators to fast-track FDA review of psychedelic drugs including psilocybin and ibogaine for treating depression, anxiety, and PTSD. • The order allocates $50 million in federal funds to states implementing or developing psychedelic treatment programs as part of a federal-state partnership initiative. • Trump highlighted that over 14 million American adults have serious mental illness, with approximately 8 million on prescription medication, framing psychedelics as addressing a national mental health crisis including suicide prevention.

• President issues executive order on April 18, 2026, to speed medical treatments for serious mental illness using psychedelic drugs including ibogaine compounds. • Order highlights clinical studies showing potential for patients with persistent conditions unresponsive to standard therapies. • Directs federal agencies to prioritize research, approvals, and access to innovative mental health interventions nationwide.

President signed executive order directing FDA to expedite review of psychedelic drugs including ibogaineDonald Trump on Saturday announced reforms intended to speed up access to medical research and treatment based on psychedelic drugs.The president signed an executive order directing the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expedite review of drugs such as ibogaine, a drug that US military veteran groups have said can help treat post-traumatic stress disorder. Continue reading...

Exclusive: ministers consider restricting pesticide-based treatments, which can get into waterways and harm wildlifePet owners across the UK could be banned from buying flea treatment for cats and dogs under new government rules.Ministers have begun an eight-week consultation on letting only veterinary practitioners or pharmacists give out the potent, pesticide-based flea treatments, to ensure “correct usage”. At the moment, the flea and tick treatments can be bought from any pet shop. Continue reading...

• Britney Spears has voluntarily entered a substance abuse treatment facility in Los Angeles more than a month after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. • The pop icon's decision to seek treatment comes as she continues to navigate personal challenges following her conservatorship termination. • The move marks a significant moment in Spears' ongoing recovery journey, with sources close to the singer indicating her commitment to addressing substance abuse concerns.

• FDA has approved an investigational new drug application for synthetic CAR-T (sCAR-T) therapy targeting autoimmune conditions. • The clearance enables clinical trials to test this engineered cell therapy in US patients with refractory autoimmune diseases. • sCAR-T represents a novel approach adapting cancer immunotherapy for immune disorders, potentially offering durable remissions.

• The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) unveiled three potential treatments for osteoarthritis, a condition affecting 32 million Americans, following a $100 million-plus investment over three years announced in 2023. • Research teams are contractually required to begin patient testing within 18 months, marking a shift from traditional federal research timelines. • This initiative addresses the painful joint degeneration disease, with solutions now progressing toward clinical trials amid high prevalence in the US population.

Rapper ‘very thankful’ to be given chance to enter mental health diversion program after arrest in LA last yearA judge has allowed Lil Nas X to enter a mental health diversion program intended to lead to the dismissal of charges of attacking Los Angeles police officers.Judge Alan Schneider told the rapper and singer on Monday that if he sticks to his treatment program and obeys all laws for two years, his four felony counts will be dismissed. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Seven of England’s 24 stroke centres still not providing mechanical thrombectomy 24/7 despite ministers’ pledgesThe NHS has not made a “life-changing” treatment for stroke available around the clock across England despite ministers repeatedly promising that it would.The health service was expected to improve stroke care by making a clot removal technique called mechanical thrombectomy available everywhere in the country 24/7 from 1 April. Continue reading...

• The MajesTEC-3 clinical trial led by UAB researchers demonstrates that a new two-drug immunotherapy regimen can lead to long-lasting remission for multiple myeloma patients. • Over 83 percent of patients enrolled in the trial remain alive and progression-free three years after therapy, supporting approval of this potentially curative treatment. • The findings represent a significant advance for multiple myeloma, a blood cancer with limited treatment options historically.

• Soligenix's HyBryte for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) has a second Phase 3 trial underway with enrollment of approximately 80 subjects, interim analysis in Q2 2026, and top-line results in H2 2026. • Previous Phase 3 trials showed statistical significance in primary endpoints across multiple cycles, following FDA NDA submission and RTF letter. • The program targets unmet needs in rare dermatological cancers with ongoing FDA discussions for development path.

• Major U.S. health insurers are limiting coverage of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy to their original FDA-approved use for diabetes management, excluding weight loss treatments. • According to industry analyst Andy, this shift reverses prior expansions amid rising costs and supply shortages, affecting millions of patients seeking obesity care. • The policy change aims to control spending on these high-demand medications, which have seen off-label use surge, potentially pushing patients toward alternatives or out-of-pocket payments.

• New York City logged 743 tuberculosis cases in 2025, down 11% from 2024, though numbers stay high compared to prior years, per Health Department data released March 24, 2026. • The department offers a new 1-month short-course regimen for latent TB, reducing visits from 3-9 months; 337 patients started it in 2025, with 75% completing by mid-February 2026. • On World TB Day March 27, NYC co-hosts a conference with updates; Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin notes TB killed more globally last year than COVID-19 or HIV.

• The FDA granted accelerated approval to a novel immunotherapy combination for metastatic pancreatic cancer on March 21, 2026, based on Phase 2 trial data showing a 35% response rate. • The drug combination demonstrated a median overall survival of 14.2 months compared to 11.8 months with standard chemotherapy in the clinical trial of 280 patients. • Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers with a five-year survival rate below 12%, making this approval potentially significant for the estimated 64,000 Americans diagnosed annually.

Judge rules that Trump’s health secretary did not go through proper procedures when issuing declarationRobert F Kennedy Jr, the health secretary, overstepped his power when he declared that gender-affirming treatments are unsafe, a federal judge has ruled.In a blow to the Trump administration’s attempts to limit access to gender transition procedures, Judge Mustafa Kasubhai ruled Thursday that Kennedy did not go through the proper procedures when issuing his 12-page declaration last December. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Drug users face felonies and prison under Prop 36, with analysis showing racial disparities and little helpCalifornia prosecutors have filed nearly 20,000 drug possession felony cases under a tough-on-crime measure passed in 2024. But despite promises to get people into services, the vast majority of those arrested have not received drug treatment, state data reveals.Proposition 36, a state ballot measure, enacted harsher penalties for minor theft and drug offenses, with proponents pledging the crackdown would lead to “mass treatment to keep people alive, out of jail, and off our streets”. Continue reading...

International researchers find ‘very little evidence’ medical form of the drug can treat anxiety, anorexia and other disordersCannabis is not an effective treatment for common mental health conditions despite the global surge in patients using it for that purpose, a review has found.Researchers concluded there was “very little evidence for its efficacy” in treating anxiety, anorexia nervosa, psychotic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder or opioid use disorder. Continue reading...

California's 2024 Proposition 1 mental health bond has failed to open ten promised treatment centers as of March 2026, despite initial assurances of rapid deployment. The California Department of Health Care Services attributed delays to permitting issues, site conditions, and supply-chain strain from President Trump's tariffs, though officials stated most construction remains on schedule. The $6.4 billion measure was designed to expand mental health treatment capacity, but the implementation setbacks raise questions about the state's ability to address its growing mental health crisis.