The Union Health Ministry implemented a ban on 156 "irrational" FDC medicines, effective immediately. These medicines, including widely used antibiotics, painkillers, and multivitamins, were commonly used to treat fever, cough, and infections. The ban was imposed due to the associated health risks and lack of therapeutic justification for the ingredients in these FDCs.

What are FDC medicines?

FDCs or fixed-dosed combinations, also known as "cocktail drugs," are medications that combine multiple drugs in a single pill. They are designed to treat multiple symptoms or conditions simultaneously. While they offer convenience, they can pose significant risks. These risks include the possibility of overdose, adverse interactions between the drugs, and the development of antibiotic resistance. Additionally, many FDC medicines lack sufficient scientific evidence to support their safety and efficacy.

Expert opinions on FDC medicines

Experts have raised concerns about the use of FDC medicines. They believe that many of these combinations lack sufficient scientific evidence to support their safety and effectiveness. Additionally, the combination of multiple drugs in a single pill can increase the risk of adverse side effects and interactions with other medications.

Experts have also found that FDC medicines may not be as effective as individual drugs in treating certain conditions. It is important to note that safer and more effective alternatives are available for most of the medical conditions that FDC medicines were used to treat. One particular concern is the inclusion of antibiotics in some FDCs. Overuse of antibiotics can contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance, a major public health threat.

The risks of FDC medicines

The use of FDC medicines can lead to adverse effects, including serious ones. Additionally, safer alternatives, tested in clinical trials, are available to treat the same medical conditions. Experts recommend prescribing drugs individually based on a patient's clinical symptoms rather than combining them in FDCs.

The ban on irrational FDC medicines by the Union Health Ministry can be seen as a positive step towards promoting rational drug use and protecting public health. The goal is to eliminate unnecessary and potentially harmful drug combinations. This is a step forward in reducing the risks associated with medication and ensure safer and more effective treatment options for patients.

Serena Williams is sharing a new chapter in her wellness journey.

The tennis icon, 43, revealed that she turned to a GLP-1 medication to support her weight-loss goals, a decision that helped her shed more than 31 pounds and, in her words, “feel light physically and light mentally.” She told to PEOPLE.

“I feel great,” Williams told PEOPLE. “I feel really good and healthy. I feel light physically and light mentally.”

Postpartum Struggles with Weight

Williams explained that her weight struggles began after giving birth to her first daughter, Alexis Olympia, in 2017. Despite maintaining the disciplined lifestyle of a professional athlete, her body responded differently after pregnancy.

“I never was able to get to the weight I needed to be no matter what I did, no matter how much I trained,” she said. “It was crazy because I'd never been in a place like that in my life where I worked so hard, ate so healthy and could never get down to where I needed to be at.”

READ: US Doctor Claims Weight Loss Drug, GLP-1, Leads To Suicidal Thoughts And Behaviors

The 23-time Grand Slam champion admitted the experience was frustrating because she had always relied on her work ethic. “I had never taken shortcuts in my career and always worked really hard. I know what it takes to be the best,” she told PEOPLE. “So it was very frustrating to do all the same things and never be able to change that number on the scale or the way my body looked.”

After welcoming her second daughter, Adira River, in August 2023, Williams faced a similar challenge. She lost some weight in the first two weeks postpartum, but the progress quickly plateaued. “I never lost another pound,” she recalled.

Turning to GLP-1 for Support

Realizing that even her most disciplined training routine was not giving her the results she wanted, Williams decided to explore new options. That’s when she partnered with Ro, a direct-to-patient healthcare company, to begin GLP-1 treatment.

READ: How Weight Loss Drugs Change Ones Relationship With Food?

What Is GLP-1?

GLP-1 is short for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. It is a class of medications that works in the brain to regulate appetite and satiety. Well-known brands include Ozempic and Mounjaro, both of which have generated global discussion about their effectiveness in weight management.

READ: This Naturally Occurring Molecule May Have Ozempic-like Benefits Without The Side Effects

Williams acknowledged that she was initially hesitant. “I did a lot of research on it,” she told PEOPLE. “I was like, ‘Is this a shortcut? What are the benefits? What are not the benefits?’ I really wanted to dive into it before I just did it.”

After six months, when she had stopped breastfeeding Adira, she began weekly injections with her doctor’s guidance. “They were super supportive and it was easy to get the medication,” she said. “I lost over 31 pounds using my GLP-1 and I was really excited about that weight loss.”

Now serving as a celebrity patient ambassador for Ro, Williams emphasizes that the treatment didn’t replace her active lifestyle, it enhanced it.

Feeling Stronger and More Energetic

Williams said her transformation has been about much more than the number on the scale. She’s regained energy, movement, and a sense of ease in her daily life.

“I just can do more. I'm more active. My joints don't hurt as much,” she explained. “I just feel like something as simple as just getting down is a lot easier for me. And I do it a lot faster. I feel like I have a lot of energy and it's great. I just feel pretty good about it.”

Her renewed energy has also inspired her to set new goals, including training for a half marathon.

READ: GLP-1 Drugs Could Be Used To Treat Chronic Kidney Disease

Why Serena Shared Her Story

Throughout her career, Williams has been admired for her transparency, whether on the tennis court or in her personal life. She told PEOPLE that she wanted to share her GLP-1 journey because she knows many people struggle with the same issues, regardless of their dedication to healthy living.

“GLP-1 helped me enhance everything that I was already doing, eating healthy and working out, whether it was as a professional athlete at the top level of tennis or just going to the gym every day,” she said. “So I think that it’s important for everyone to hear my story. And I feel like there's a lot of people that can relate.”

READ: Foods That Mimic Ozempic Results: Natural GLP-1 Boosters That Control Appetite

Balancing Weight Loss with Self-Love

While she is proud of her progress, Williams is equally clear that her confidence and self-worth were never tied to her weight.

READ: Trust Your Instincts, Serena Williams Urges Women To Listen To Their Bodies

“Weight loss should never really change your self image,” she said. “Women often experience judgment about their bodies at any size, and I'm no stranger to that. So I feel like you should love yourself at any size and any look.”

She added that while her heavier weight caused her some physical discomfort, including joint pain, there was nothing inherently wrong with it. “The size I was before, there was nothing wrong with it. It's just not what I wanted to have,” she said. “I just knew that I wanted to be where I personally felt comfortable.”

Teaching Her Daughters About Confidence

Williams, who shares her daughters with husband Alexis Ohanian, said she has made it a priority to talk about body image and positivity at home.

“With me going through what I've went through growing up in public and just having millions of people commenting on my body, it's really important to teach them to be confident at any size, just like I try to be,” she said.

She hopes to pass down a lesson she has learned from looking back at old photographs. “Whether I was smaller or thicker, at that moment I felt so confident. And I looked great, too. So I just think it's so important to love who you are. You'll never get that moment back. You don't want to judge yourself when you're just always showing up as your best.”

Her message is simple: health and confidence go hand in hand. “I always felt comfortable at any size,” she reflected. “But now I feel like my body is thanking me for being at a place where I can move easier, feel lighter, and do more.”

Quebec has reported a case of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a potentially deadly tick-borne disease. Reports suggest that the fever was likely acquired in Ontario or Quebec, as this disease was reported in Ontario earlier this year.

Here is what you need to know about the disease, how fatal it is, risk factors and symptoms you should look out for.

What Is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)?

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, RMSF is a serious illness caused by bacteria and spread through the bite of an infected tick. It can be deadly if not treated early.

How To Spot The First Symptom of RMSF?

The first signs of RMSF can be vague and feel like other illnesses, including fever, headache, and muscle pain. The illness can get worse very quickly. A rash is a common symptom, but it often appears 2 to 4 days after the fever starts, which can make it hard to diagnose early. The rash can look like red splotches or tiny dots.

If you get sick after being bitten by a tick or spending time in a wooded or brushy area, you should see a doctor right away.

What Are The Long-Term Effects of RMSF?

RMSF is a serious disease that does not become a long-term, chronic infection. However, a severe case can lead to permanent damage, such as hearing loss, mental disability, or even the loss of limbs due to blood vessel damage.

There is no vaccine for RMSF. The best way to protect yourself is to prevent tick bites on yourself, your pets, and in your yard. Ticks are most active from April to September, but you can be exposed to them year-round.

Because RMSF can be so dangerous, CDC explains that doctors often start treatment with an antibiotic called doxycycline as soon as they suspect the illness, even before lab test results are back. This is because test results can take weeks to return. Doxycycline is an approved treatment for people of all ages and is crucial for preventing severe illness and death. However, please make sure you get yourself checked out before you take any medication.

Morton manager Dougie Imrie announced the death of his baby daughter, who was born 14 weeks premature and weighed 1ib and 4 ounces. His daughter, Remi was 20 day old when she left the world. Remi was also put in neonatal intensive care unite at Wishaw Hospital and on Wednesday the announcement of her passing away was made.

He made the announcement on X, formerly Twitter, and wrote: "Our girl got tired in the early hours of Tuesday morning & decided it was time to rest 'If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever'.

He also wrote: "20 days of loving you, Remi, I hope you know how much you were loved, and we will cherish the short time we got to spend with you, a true wee fighter from the minute you were born."

The Greenrock Morton Football Club also paid tribute, calling it a "profound loss". The club wrote: "The Greenrock Morton Football Club family are devastated to learn of the tragic passing of Remi Imrie. The heartfelt condolences of all associated with the club go to Dougie Imrie, his partner Lauren and the full family at this extremely sad time. Greenock Morton at this time requests the privacy of the family as they try to come to terms with this profound loss, and we will continue to provide our full support."

Are Premature Babies Prone To Risks?

When a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, it is called preterm or a premature birth. The earlier the birth, the more serious the health risks to the baby. In most cases, preterm babies require special care in a NICU.

Some of the most common health conditions that can affect a premature baby are:

• Anemia, or not having enough healthy red blood cells
• Apnea of prematurity or temporary pauses in breathing
• Bronchopulmonary dysplasia, respiratory distress syndrome or underdeveloped lungs
• Intraventricular hemorrhage, or bleeding in their brains
• Newborn jaundice or hyperbilirubinemia, which means there are high levels of bilirubin in their blood.
• Necrotizing enterocolitis, or inflammation of their intestines
• Neonatal sepsis, or blood infection
• Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), or abnormal blood flow in their hearts
• Retinopathy of prematurity, or underdeveloped blood vessels in their eyes

ALSO READ: Your Baby’s First 28 Days Are Critical, 5 Neonatal Health Problems Parents Can’t Afford To Miss

Premature babies are also at a higher risk of developmental challenges during childhood, which includes:

• Cerebral palsy
• Hearing and vision problems
• Learning disabilities
• Poor growth
• Problems with communication or social development

Some other risks that lure upon the mother who delivers a preterm baby are:

• Anxiety
• Postpartum depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Problems bonding with their baby

"Premature babies are born with most of their organs, but their organs are not mature enough to function," notes Dr Avneet Kaur, neonatologist and Pediatrician at the Apollo Cradle Hospital. "So we have to give them that much maturity till they reach that level of maturity themselves and maintain all those organ functions," she explains.

While the premature babies are in NICU, they are kept in incubators, explains the doctor. The babies are also given infusion drips so enough nutrition also reaches their bodies. The infusion drip is used to allow essential nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, etc., which a baby who is not born preterm would not need. "Preterm babies are functionally fragile, so we have to support them in every manner," she says.