Rescue | The Behavior Change Agency’s Post

In 2023, the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) reached over 1 billion consumers with vital information needed to make informed decisions about their health. Released today, CDER's Office of Communications 2023 Annual Report reviews this groundbreaking year. Read the report to learn more about how CDER works tirelessly to follow the science, protect public health, and serve the American people at https://bit.ly/CDEROCOMM

Communicating on behalf of the federal government has never been a more complex endeavor. Communications/public affairs professionals face an information environment that moves at incomprehensible speeds – one where an individual can affect global trends with the power of a single social media post. Along with the record-breaking expansion of information, there has been a significant rise in the establishment of information silos – places of digital gathering where splintered audiences can reaffirm biases and ignore information that doesn’t align with personal beliefs and world views. How then do we as government communicators achieve change? How do we inform without alienating or persuade without crossing the line into propaganda or misinformation? In my view the answer is clear – we do so by sticking to the facts, respecting the authentic experiences of our audiences and by being consistent in our messaging. This inaugural annual report highlights the great work of my team of communication and engagement experts within FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research in their pursuit of improving public health. I am immensely proud of their successes and of their tireless effort for the forces of good. I am also grateful for the support of our partners inside and out of government who help us achieve our communication goals. I also thank everyone who take time to read this report – I hope this provides at least one example of how we are all in this great endeavor together. 

Are GLP-1 medications the secret to effortless weight loss, or are they hiding a dark truth? In this eye-opening episode, I dive into the controversial world of these popular drugs and uncover the shocking reality behind their long-term effectiveness. Brace yourself as I reveal the little-known key to maintaining weight loss after stopping GLP-1 treatment, backed by a groundbreaking study. Discover: - The hidden danger of relying solely on GLP-1 medications - The surprising factor that makes you 4.2 times more likely to keep the weight off - The shocking amount of weight regain in GLP-1 users who neglect this crucial element - The unexpected benefits of this weight loss strategy beyond just the scale - The simple, science-backed plan to maximize your results and avoid the yo-yo effect If you or someone you know is considering GLP-1 medications, this episode is a must-listen before making a decision that could impact your health for years to come. Listen now. The link is in the comments.

💊 Want to learn more about finding Drug and Chemical Information? Of course you do! Buckle up as we feature #druginformation this week! First up - A NEW CLASS! Drug and Chemical Information 1. Using, Providing and Prescribing Medications This online, self-paced course introduces librarians to the NLM drug and chemical information for consumers and healthcare professionals. Hands-on exercises show learners how to locate safety information, medication side effects, and drug-drug or drug-food interactions in MedlinePlus.gov and how to find FDA labeling in DailyMed.gov. Free registration: https://lnkd.in/g4gDwpjh #libraries #medlibs #healthinformation #publiclibraries

If you needed more evidence that respiratory health is stuck in the early 1900s, here is a banger: turns out decongestants in cold medicne are no better than placebo. Like, they do not work. At. All. Might as well use essential oils or magic crystals. There are thousands of products on the market containing phenylephrine - the compound that has no decongestant properties, including pretty much every household name cold medicine out there. How is it possible that a molecule that is so wide spread does not work? And how is it possible that we did not know about it? Well, it is hard to measure congestion. And because it is hard to measure, it is hard to generate evidence. I wonder how the thousands of cough products on the market - drops, syrups, potions - would fare if examined with rigurous evidence. Luckily, this is possible today. Hyfe's technology is slowly becoming clinical standard in respiratry health. Additionally, tens of thousands of regular coughers track their cough with Hyfe's tech every day - even while they take cough medicine. We should soon be able to examine vast amounts of real world evidence - watch this space!

The demand for weight loss medications is headline news. GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound have gained significant press for their ability to help people lose weight. Obesity has been difficult to treat, and while GLP-1 medications are effective, they are expensive. Employees are demanding coverage, and employers are evaluating what to do. Please let me know if you would like to join WTW for a series of four webinars where we’ll cover weight loss medication best practices and get you up to speed on the vendor marketplace.

Great read. Be sure to read his article in CAPTODAY.

https://ow.ly/FJeB50QoMWJ - Insights from Drug Checking Programs A stable policy landscape would allow for financial investment in equipment, training, and service integration needed to reduce overdose. Title: Insights from Drug Checking Programs: Practicing Bootstrap Public Health Whilst Tailoring to Local Drug User Needs. (J Ondoscsin, L Moran, S Outram, E Arnold CAPS/PRC)

Spending a very insightful morning discussing #mentalhealth at the 14th EPSA - European Pharmaceutical Students' Association Annual Conference at the European Parliament hosted by MEP Irena Joveva. Looking after your #mentalhealth should be an integral part of the way you treat your health and shouldn't be stigmatised or less normal then seeking any other kind of health support. Prevention, #education, #awareness, normalisation and #accesstocare need to be promoted when it comes to #mentalheath. Policy makers need to have this in mind while working on future policies, including #mentalhealth in all aspects of our lives.

Draft of a bill requiring CME about the Endocannabinoid System in New York I've previously written of the need to require medical professionals in New York to gain knowledge about the endocannabinoid system: https://lnkd.in/eT3qf_mD Now it's time to do something about it - starting with a draft bill. More soon. The document is open for anyone to read and comment: https://lnkd.in/eu_HYjtS