Of the many things FDA approved and banned, the latest on the list is Journavx, a new type of painkiller that does not carry the risk of addiction or overdose associated with opioid medications. This is the first new class of pain medicine approved by the FDA in more than 20 years.

Jacqueline Corrigan-Curay, the acting director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research in a statement said, "Today’s approval is an important public health milestone in acute pain management. A new non-opioid analgesic therapeutic class for acute pain offers an opportunity to mitigate certain risks associated with using an opioid for pain and provides patients with another treatment option.”

Why Is The Approval Important?

This approval is considered a major breakthrough in treating acute pain without the need for opioid medication as reliance on such medications could lead to addiction. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, more than 81,000 people in 2023 died in overdoses which involved opioids.

What Are Opioids?

Opioids are used to treat pain, cough, and diarrhea. They can be used to treat pain from an injury, illness or surgery. As per National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), opioids are a class of natural, semi-synthetic, and synthetic drugs. Natural opioids include morphine, codeine, opium and thebaine, semi-synthetic opioids include heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and oxymorphone, whereas synthetic opioids include fentanyl. NIDA also mentions that it can be highly addictive, if misused and can cause breathing difficulties, and overdose could also lead to death. These medications can also cause tolerance, physical dependence and opioid use disorders.

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), the term "opioids" includes compounds that are extracted from the poppy plant as well as semisynthetic and synthetic compounds with similar properties that can interact with opioid receptors in the brain. WHO also notes that in 2019, about 600,000 deaths were causes worldwide due to drug abuse, among them, 80% of the deaths were related to opioids, whereas 25% were caused by opioid overdose.

What happens when you overdose on opioids:

• Pinpoint pupils
• Unconsciousness
• Difficulties with breathing

Journavx and how it works

As per FDA, Journvax "reduces pain by targeting a pain-signaling pathway involving sodium channels in the peripheral nervous system, before pain signals reach the brain." It is different from opioids, as they bind to the receptors in the brain that receive nerve signals from the body.

The newly approved medicine also showed a "statistically significant superior reduction in pain" when compared to a placebo in two randomized trials, said FDA. However, it did not outperform a common opioid-acetaminophen combination pill.

However, the advantage of the newly approved drug is not its efficacy but the side effect profile, which also includes the absence of addiction potential. The medicine will cost $15.50 per pill, which is more expensive than comparable opioids.

Does it have any adverse reaction?

As per FDA, the common adverse reactions in the study for Journavx, the participants experienced itching, muscle spasms, increased blood level of creatine phosphokinase and rash.

Covid could have accelerated arterial ageing by up to five years, with women experiencing the greatest impact, according to groundbreaking research. The study revealed that even mild Covid infections can stiffen blood vessels, a change normally linked to aging, which increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular issues.

Encouragingly, vaccinated individuals generally showed less arterial stiffness compared to those who were unvaccinated. Study leader Professor Rosa Maria Bruno explained that many people affected by Covid continue to experience symptoms months or even years later, and researchers are “still uncovering how the virus triggers these lingering effects.”

The findings follow advice from an emergency doctor who recently highlighted a simple five-second test that could indicate heart problems.

Early Vascular Ageing Explained

Professor Bruno said: “We know Covid can directly impact blood vessels. This can lead to what we term early vascular aging, meaning your arteries are older than your actual age, increasing susceptibility to heart disease. Identifying at-risk individuals early is crucial to preventing heart attacks and strokes.”

How the Study Was Conducted

The research included 2,390 participants from 16 countries, including the UK and the US. Conducted from September 2020 to February 2022, participants were divided into four groups: those who never contracted Covid, those with recent mild infections who were not hospitalised, patients admitted to general wards, and the most severe cases treated in intensive care.

Stiffer Arteries Found Across All Covid Groups

The results were striking as all Covid-infected groups, including those with mild infections, showed stiffer arteries than people who had never been infected. Women were more affected than men, and individuals with long Covid symptoms like fatigue and shortness of breath showed the strongest vascular changes.

Reassuringly, vaccinated participants had less stiff arteries than unvaccinated ones, and over time, the Covid-related vascular ageing tended to stabilise or slightly improve.

How Arterial Stiffness Was Measured

Researchers determined vascular age by measuring how fast a blood pulse travels from the carotid artery in the neck to the femoral arteries in the legs, using a device to calculate carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV). A higher PWV indicates stiffer blood vessels and a higher vascular age. Measurements were taken six months after infection and repeated at 12 months. The analysis accounted for participants’ sex, age, and other cardiovascular risk factors.

The study found that PWV increased in women by 0.55 metres per second for mild Covid cases, 0.60 for hospitalised women, and 1.09 for those in intensive care. Researchers note that an increase of 0.5 metres per second is “clinically significant,” roughly equivalent to five years of vascular ageing, and raises the cardiovascular risk by 3 percent in a 60-year-old woman.

How Covid Affects Blood Vessels

Professor Bruno from Université Paris-Cité explained: “Covid-19 targets angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors found on blood vessel linings. By entering these cells, the virus can cause vascular dysfunction and speed up arterial ageing. Our immune and inflammatory responses, which normally protect against infection, may also contribute to this damage.”

Covid Could Be Causing Women To Age Faster

Discussing the sex differences, she added: “Women generally mount a faster, stronger immune response, which helps defend against the infection. However, this same response can sometimes increase damage to the blood vessels after the virus has passed.”

The study found that Covid’s impact extends far beyond the respiratory system, silently affecting blood vessels and accelerating vascular aging, especially in women. While vaccination appears to offer some protection, awareness and early monitoring of heart health are important.

Over 140,000 bottles of a prescription statin have been pulled from the market due to “failed dissolution specifications,” according to a report by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Ascend Laboratories, based in New Jersey, recalled Atorvastatin Calcium, a generic version of Lipitor, manufactured by Alkem Laboratories of India and distributed across the country. The recall covers tablets in 90-count, 500-count, and 1,000-count bottles with expiration dates extending to February 2027.

Atorvastatin Recall: Why Is The Popular Cholesterol Medicine Being Recalled?

On October 10, 2025, the FDA classified the recalled drug as a Class II recall. This classification means the medication could cause “temporary or medically reversible adverse health effects,” though the likelihood of serious harm is considered “remote.”

Statins are widely prescribed to manage high cholesterol and to prevent or reduce heart disease, according to a 2023 study from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.

Dr. Tamanna Singh of the Cleveland Clinic noted on a September podcast that roughly “39 million adult Americans” take statins, with the largest group being over 40. She added that Lipitor, Crestor, and their generics, atorvastatin and rosuvastatin, are the most commonly prescribed medications in this class.

Atorvastatin Recall: Why This Cholesterol-Lowering Drug Recall Matters

Most drug recalls are initiated by the manufacturers themselves, and this appears to be the case here. The recalled product is made by New Jersey-based Biocon Pharma, Inc. “Recalls are typically initiated voluntarily by companies before they notify the FDA,” explained Dr. Ileana Elder, Branch Chief in the Incidents, Recalls, and Shortages Branch at the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in a 2024 Q&A.

Atorvastatin Recall: What Should People Do With the Recalled Medication?

Neither the FDA nor the companies have issued detailed instructions on handling the recalled tablets. GoodRx advises anyone affected by a recall to check their medication’s lot number, contact their pharmacy, reach out to their prescriber, and properly dispose of the recalled medication.

Statins like atorvastatin are among the most commonly prescribed drugs for lowering “bad” cholesterol and reducing heart disease risk, meaning many adults could be affected. A failure in dissolution means the medication may not deliver the correct dose, which can compromise treatment effectiveness, particularly for those relying on consistent cholesterol control.

The recall being classified as Class II (risk of temporary or reversible harm) highlights that the risk is serious but not immediately life-threatening. Because generic medications are widely used and often more affordable, many patients may not realise their specific bottle is impacted and may continue taking it, assuming it is safe.

Atorvastatin Recall: How to Check if Your Bottle Is Affected

Check your prescription bottles for the manufacturer, lot number, and bottle size listed in the FDA notice.

If your medication is part of the recall, do not stop taking it suddenly—contact your healthcare provider for guidance and request a replacement or alternate formulation. Keep any affected bottles separate, and avoid sharing your medication, as only specific batches have been flagged. Always store your medications correctly, and check with your pharmacy at each refill to ensure the lot and manufacturer are free of recalls.

Iceland, one of the last regions in the world without mosquitoes, has recorded its first sightings of the insects following an unusually warm spring. The discovery was confirmed by the country’s National Science Institute on Monday, October 20, 2025. The sightings come after a record-breaking summer that accelerated glacial melting across Iceland.

Insect enthusiast Bjorn Hjaltason noticed the mosquitoes over several nights last week while observing moths using wine-soaked ropes, local media reported.

When Were Mosquitoes Detected in Iceland?

On October 16, Hjaltason shared on a Facebook group that he had spotted mosquitoes at dusk in Kidafell, Kjos. He captured some using a red wine ribbon, a trap that attracts insects with sweetened wine.

Kjos is a glacial valley about 52 km (32 miles) northeast of Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital. Hjaltason sent his specimens to the Natural Science Institute of Iceland, where entomologist Matthias Alfredsson confirmed they were indeed mosquitoes.

Climate Change Leading To Mosquito Discovery In Iceland

“The recent mosquito sightings in Iceland are likely linked to climate change,” said Carla Vieira, a scientist studying mosquito-borne viruses at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Australia, according to The Washington Post. “Rising global temperatures and milder winters create conditions where mosquitoes can survive and reproduce in areas that were previously too cold.”

The Natural Science Institute said it’s unclear how these mosquitoes arrived in Iceland. “It’s possible they were transported via freight,” the institute stated. “Whether they’ve permanently settled here is uncertain, but conditions suggest they could survive.”

A report by Al Jazeera notes that Iceland is warming faster than almost anywhere else. In May 2025, Iceland and neighboring Greenland experienced extreme heat caused by a persistent weather pattern bringing unusually warm air from the south. Temperatures were about 13°C (23.4°F) above the 1990–2020 average, ten times higher than the global average increase of 1.3°C (2.3°F).

Glaciers have been melting rapidly and are projected to lose nearly half their volume by 2100, according to Iceland’s Vatnajokull National Park website.

However, some experts caution against quickly attributing the mosquito discovery to climate change. Alfredsson and epidemiologist Colin J. Carlson from Yale University points out that while climate change may have made the sightings more likely, the full picture of mosquito range shifts remains unclear.

Which Type Of Mosquitoes Have Been Found In Iceland?

Alfredsson identified the species as “Culiseta annulata,” a cold-resistant mosquito native to the Palearctic region, which includes Europe, North Africa, and much of Asia north of the Himalayas. These mosquitoes are not known to carry disease, though they can be bothersome.

“They survive cold climates by hibernating as adults in sheltered spaces like basements or outbuildings,” the Natural Science Institute said. “They bite but are not considered dangerous to humans in these regions, as they carry no known infections. Mosquito species adapted to cooler climates generally don’t transmit diseases.”

Can Mosquitoes Survive In Iceland?

It is not known yet whether these mosquitoes will establish permanent populations in Iceland. Philip Weinstein, an infectious diseases researcher at the University of Adelaide, believes Iceland’s harsh winters may be too challenging, even for a cold-adapted species. On the other hand, Gisli Gislason, professor emeritus of limnology at the University of Iceland, thinks the mosquitoes may settle in.

Further monitoring will be needed to determine the outcome. If these mosquitoes do establish themselves, only Antarctica would remain free of the pesky insects.