Many diabetics are tasked with checking their blood sugar multiple times a day, a burden that can be costly and painful. Recently, with the evolution of Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM), diabetes management has gotten easier as patients can instantly check their blood sugar throughout the day. And now, care may get even easier with the…

After a blood test, it’s easy to worry about the results. Will they be normal? What problems will they reveal? One of the most common reasons your primary care doctor might call you for an abnormal lab result is high creatinine levels. This usually reflects an impaired kidney function — but not always. If serum…

Trained as a cardiologist, Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute, hasn’t shied away from pushing his peers to do better — from being among the first physicians to champion the recall of Vioxx a decade ago, to his embrace of genetics and mobile technologies in his 2012 book, The Creative Destruction of…

Blockbuster erectile dysfunction drug Viagra (sildenafil) went generic in 2017, and since then, fills for generic sildenafil have surged — up 18% in June alone. The GoodRx Index also showed the following drug trends in June: Fills for allergy medications are dropping off. Actimmune continues to be the most expensive drug in the US. This…

We’re pretty familiar with specific uses of popular over-the-counter (OTC) medications — Benadryl treats allergies, Sudafed clears your sinuses. But did you know, active ingredients in many OTC drugs are used to treat other diseases outside of your everyday ailments? Here are six active ingredients in popular OTC drugs and their surprisingly powerful alternative uses….

Dear Pharmacy Patient: We need to talk. See, I’ve been noticing that you sometimes don’t pick up your refills, or you’re shocked at the high price of your prescriptions. I can see your frustrated face when you’re waiting in line, and I know it’s aggravating when your prescription isn’t ready. Believe it or not, I want…

Summer’s in full swing — complete with barbeques and beach parties, airplane rides and hotels. And that means lots of potential allergens. Whether you’re stay-cationing or vacationing, we’ve put together this packing checklist to help you plan for allergies so they don’t ruin your fun. 1) Pack allergy medications Refill prescriptions and/or over-the-counter medications for…

With so many depression medications to choose from, finding one that works for you can be difficult. The decision process usually boils down to minimizing unwanted side effects and maximizing the potential to feel less depressed. We looked at 4,000 reviews of five popular antidepressants to see what people said about them based on their pros and…

For one reason or another, you may be considering a longer-term option for birth control. As far as preventing pregnancy goes, that’s not a bad idea at all. As a long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC), the intrauterine device (IUD) has a failure rate of only 0.8% and once inserted, it can last up to 12 years. With…

Drugs are expensive — this we already know. But as it turns out, people in certain US cities have to shell out more for their medications than others. According to a nationally representative sample of prescription claims, drugs cost as much as 20% more than the national average in New York and Los Angeles, and…