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The World’s Most Popular Pain Relief Drug May Induce Risky Behavior
The most commonly taken analgesic worldwide — and one of the most consumed drugs in the U.S. — could be doing a lot more than just pain relief. Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol and sold widely under the brand names Tylenol and Panadol, may also increase risk-taking, according to research from 2020 that measured changes in people’s behavior when under the influence of the medication.
“Acetaminophen seems to make people feel less negative emotion when they consider risky activities — they just don’t feel as scared,” explained neuroscientist Baldwin Way from The Ohio State University when the findings were published. “With nearly 25 percent of the population in the U.S. taking acetaminophen each week, reduced risk perceptions and increased risk-taking could have important effects on society.”
The findings add to a growing body of research suggesting that acetaminophen’s effects on pain reduction also extend to various psychological processes, lowering people’s receptivity to hurt feelings, experiencing reduced empathy, and even blunting cognitive functions. In a similar way, the research suggests people’s affective ability to perceive and evaluate risks may potentially be altered or impaired when they take acetaminophen.
Sanofi Drops RSV Vaccine for Toddlers After Phase 3 Trial Heads for Failure
Sanofi has dropped its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for toddlers after the candidate underperformed in a phase 3 study. The French Big Pharma was evaluating the intranasal live attenuated vaccine, dubbed SP0125, in a late-stage study of about 6,300 children aged between six months and 22 months. The study launched last year, according to the federal trials database, and was scheduled to complete at the end of 2027.
But Sanofi — which markets the AstraZeneca-partnered RSV blockbuster Beyfortus — revealed this morning that it has recently terminated the SP0125 program after the study’s independent data monitoring committee (IDMC) decided it was unlikely to demonstrate suitable efficacy. “The safety profile was acceptable, and no signals of vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory disease were observed by the IDMC,” Sanofi explained in its third-quarter earnings results (PDF).
At a vaccines R&D day back in 2023, Sanofi had touted SPO125 as the “first RSV vaccine designed to protect toddlers” and referenced “positive phase 1/2 data for the asset.” While the vaccine’s subsequent phase 3 failure may be a blow to Sanofi’s RSV plans, the company has been expanding its presence in the space.
Creditors Approve Stamford-Based OxyContin Maker Purdue Pharma’s Settlement Plan
The $7.4 billion settlement plan proposed by OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family members who own the bankrupt firm has gained nearly unanimous creditor approval. More than 54,000 individuals with personal-injury claims voted to accept the plan, compared with 218 who voted against it — an acceptance rate of more than 99%, according to preliminary results submitted in bankruptcy court on Tuesday.
The personal-injury claims comprise the vast majority of the claims in Stamford-based Purdue’s bankruptcy, which began in September 2019. The creditors’ endorsement was essential for Purdue to advance its latest proposal for resolving the thousands of lawsuits that accuse it of fueling the opioid crisis with deceptive marketing of OxyContin, a prescription opioid for treating pain. In the next step, Purdue needs to secure approval in bankruptcy court, with a hearing scheduled for next month.
“The high level of support for this plan is gratifying after years of intense work with our creditors to craft a settlement that maximizes value for victims and communities, and puts billions of dollars to work for the public good,” Purdue’s board chairman, Steve Miller, said in a statement included in a news release on Tuesday.
Moderna-Backed ALA Campaign Takes a Shot at Boosting Respiratory Vaccine Uptake
Moderna is backing the American Lung Association’s (ALA’s) call for people with lung diseases to get vaccinated for the upcoming respiratory virus season. The biotech, which sells vaccines against COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), is supporting a new campaign from the ALA to communicate the importance of staying up to date on recommended vaccinations.
The ALA said in a Wednesday announcement that it is particularly keen to reach the more than 35 million people living with chronic lung disease in the U.S. and the 235,000 people diagnosed with lung cancer each year. People with those conditions are at a higher risk of severe illness. Vaccine use recommendations reflect the risks: RSV vaccines, for example, are recommended for use in people aged 50 to 74 who are at higher risk of severe illness, including those who have chronic lung disease. Otherwise, the recommended age is 75 and older.
The ALA campaign also covers vaccines against flu and COVID-19. Annual flu shots are recommended for everyone aged 6 months and older, while the COVID-19 vaccine advice changed recently, with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommending individual-based decision-making. ACIP noted that the risk-benefit profile of vaccines is most favorable in people with COVID-19 risk factors.
Antidepressant Side Effects Differ Greatly Depending on the Drug, Study Finds
Doctors have long known that antidepressants come with side effects for cardiovascular and metabolic health. But a major analysis from a team of researchers in the U.K. has, for the first time, pulled together data from more than 150 clinical trials to compare the physical side effects of dozens of antidepressants. The study, published in the Lancet this week, details how each medication can affect weight, blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol and other areas of health.
The end result is something akin to a “sports league table” for 30 different antidepressants based on their side effect profile, says lead author Dr. Toby Pillinger, a psychiatrist at King’s College London. “It’s never been done at this scale before and no one’s ever put specific numbers to the amount of weight you’ll put on, or to the amount that your cholesterol goes up,” he says.
The findings are based on existing data, mostly from 8-week drug studies, that altogether represent more than 58,000 patients. The most frequently prescribed antidepressants in the U.S. — selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, like Zoloft and Prozac — tended to have fewer physical side effects, according to the analysis.
