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Eli Lilly will significantly increase the UK price of its weight-loss and diabetes drug Mounjaro from September. The company says the rise is intended to align UK costs with those in other developed nations and address pricing disparities. The US pharma giant has announced it will raise the price of its popular drug, also prescribed for type 2 diabetes, by as much as 170 per cent.
According to Lilly, the hike will bring UK prices more in line with other wealthy nations in Europe and beyond.
Know that the NHS won't be hit by this increase. The higher prices are aimed squarely at private patients and providers, who can negotiate hush-hush discounts behind closed clinic doors. Reports suggest that the highest monthly dose will leap from £122 to £330, while lower doses will see bumps between 45 and 138 per cent.
If you have been relying on Mounjaro as your secret weapon against stubborn kilos, this could be the financial equivalent of your personal trainer suddenly charging three times more for the same number of push-ups.
Of course, for some, the looming price jump is more than a budget annoyance; it is a motivation crisis. But you do not actually need to stick a needle in your thigh to get “Mounjaro-like” weight loss.
Most of what Mounjaro does can be replicated through daily habits. Step one? Food. High-protein, high-fibre, healthy-fat meals keep you full longer, suppress sugar cravings, and make overeating less tempting. Avoid large meals, sugar, and processed food. And slow, mindful eating gives your brain time to catch up with your stomach.
Even your water bottle can become a weight-loss tool. A lot of what people think is hunger is actually dehydration. Electrolyte-rich water—with sodium, potassium, and magnesium—can curb cravings and keep energy levels stable.
Pick Up Heavy Things
While pounding the treadmill has its place, strength training is the real game-changer for long-term fat loss. Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat. Plus, medications like Mounjaro and Ozempic can cause muscle loss if you are not lifting weights, leading to a slimmer but softer physique. Resistance training preserves muscle and shapes the body more effectively.
Before you dismiss rest as “lazy time”, remember it is a weight-loss essential. Poor sleep and chronic stress raise cortisol and blood sugar, making fat loss harder. Consistency is king. A regular schedule for eating, exercising, and resting does more for your metabolism than any magic shot.
Medication-induced weight loss can come with aesthetic and medical trade-offs. Rapid weight loss often means loose, sagging skin, and there are reports linking GLP-1 drugs to inflammatory issues and even certain cancers.
There are alternatives that avoid the “melted candle” effect of sudden slimming. Swallowable balloons reduce stomach capacity gradually, minimising skin laxity. For sculpting, there is 360 body contouring or liposuction with skin-tightening tech.
If you are needle-shy but still chasing definition, go for cryotherapy or lipolytic injections for stubborn fat. They are great for shape refinement, not full-body weight loss.
For many, the new Mounjaro pricing might be the gentle nudge needed to ditch the drug and rediscover the old-school ways of getting lean: mindful eating, muscle-building, and sleep that actually lets your body recover.
The reality is, drugs like Mounjaro can be revolutionary for people with serious metabolic issues, but for those using it as a shortcut, the financial bite may soon feel sharper than the injection. Whether you keep your jab or kick it, remember that sustainable weight loss has always been less about the price tag on your medicine cabinet and more about the habits that shape your daily life.
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The Trump administration has quietly approved a new generic version of the abortion pill mifepristone, a move announced by the Food and Drug Administration this week that has drawn sharp criticism from anti-abortion leaders.
The decision comes less than two weeks after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Martin Makary confirmed a review of abortion pill safety, a review initially welcomed by anti-abortion activists. Now, those same leaders are questioning the administration’s commitment to their cause, marking one of the first notable pushbacks Trump has faced from his usually loyal socially conservative base.
Federal regulators have approved a new generic version of the abortion pill mifepristone, a routine regulatory step that immediately drew criticism from anti-abortion groups and politicians aligned with the Trump administration.
The approval was announced by Evita Solutions, the drugmaker, on its website. The company’s low-cost version of mifepristone is approved for ending pregnancies up to 10 weeks gestation. Students for Life Action, an anti-abortion organization, responded to the news calling the move “a stain on the Trump presidency” and describing it as further evidence that the “deep state at the FDA must go.”
The decision shows the ongoing tension between expanding access to abortion medication and opposition from socially conservative groups who remain critical of regulatory agencies’ role in approving such drugs.
What Is Mifepristone?
According to the FDA, mifepristone blocks the hormone progesterone, which is essential for a pregnancy to continue. Used in combination with misoprostol, it can safely end an intrauterine pregnancy up to ten weeks gestation (70 days or less since the first day of the last menstrual period).
The approved dosing schedule is:
The generic version will be produced by Evita Solutions LLC, a company that says its mission is to “normalize abortion” and make it “accessible to all.” The FDA confirmed the approval, stating that the submitted application contained sufficient data to meet federal standards.
Mifepristone: Safety and Controversy
Decades of peer-reviewed studies show that serious adverse reactions to mifepristone occur in fewer than 0.5 percent of patients, and the drug has been FDA-approved and widely used for over 20 years.
Despite this, earlier this year, a report by the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a right-wing think tank, questioned the safety of the pill, claiming serious complications were 22 times higher than previous estimates and urging the FDA to reconsider its approval.
This latest approval underscores the ongoing tensions in U.S. abortion politics, as the Trump administration’s decision to quietly greenlight generic mifepristone clashes with the expectations of socially conservative supporters.
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Dr. Terry Dubrow and his wife, Heather Dubrow, recently spoke about a lesser-known side effect of the popular weight-loss drug Ozempic. The reality TV couple revealed on their iHeart podcast ‘Between Us’ that even their four kids were shocked by the conversation.
Ozempic has been gaining attention as a weight-loss medicine, but many users are not aware of certain effects it may have. However, Heather and Terry highlighted one unique change that has started making waves online, the “Ozempic vulva.”
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Heather Dubrow Warns of ‘Ozempic Vulva’: What You Need to Know
During the podcast, the couple didn’t hold back. Terry admitted, “We talked about stuff that’s shockingly personal, maybe even a little TMI.” Heather chimed in, noting, “Our kids definitely were not thrilled when we started discussing Ozempic vulva.” Terry, with his medical expertise, explained the reasoning behind it, saying, “Rapid fat loss can reduce estrogen levels, which may lead to less lubrication, irritation, and changes in volume in that area.”
“Ozempic vulva” is not a medical term but a trendy phrase describing how some women notice changes in their vulva after taking Ozempic or similar weight-loss medications. These changes are usually linked to rapid weight loss rather than the drug itself. Most commonly, women report that the outer lips of the vulva look less full or appear saggy, and they may experience dryness, irritation, or discomfort.
How Ozempic Works?
Ozempic contains semaglutide, a prescription drug mainly used to manage type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar. It mimics a natural hormone called GLP-1, which helps the body release insulin when blood sugar is high, slows digestion, and reduces appetite. Beyond diabetes management, Ozempic has become popular for weight loss, especially among people with obesity or those at risk of heart disease.
Also Read: Why Is This Doctor Asking President Trump To Take Alzheimer's Test?
According to Prabha Sivaraman, a consultant obstetrician-gynecologist in the UK, as per Healthline, the phenomenon is not directly caused by Ozempic. “Women are seeing the effects of rapid weight loss on soft tissues. The drug doesn’t act on the vulva, vagina, or pelvic floor directly. These changes are simply by products of body composition shifting quickly,” she explains. Rapid fat loss can particularly affect areas like the mons pubis and labia majora, which normally provide volume and shape.
While Ozempic vulva is not an official medical side effect, the drug can cause more common issues such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, reduced appetite, or fatigue. Rarely, serious complications like pancreatitis, kidney or gallbladder problems, or severe allergic reactions can occur. Anyone taking Ozempic should do so under medical supervision and report unusual or severe symptoms to their doctor.
Several factors linked to rapid weight loss may contribute:
DISCLAIMER: Ozempic vulva is not a direct effect of the drug itself but reflects how rapid weight loss can change the appearance and comfort of the vulva. Staying hydrated and using lubricants can help, and for those concerned, medical advice or cosmetic options are available.
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Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive condition of the nervous system that mainly affects movement. It often begins with mild symptoms such as tremors, stiffness, or slower movement, which worsen over time. Balance issues and coordination problems also appear as the disease progresses. While the exact cause remains unclear, both genetics and environmental factors are believed to play a role. As per Mayo Clinic, there is no cure yet, but treatments including medication, therapy, and surgery can help control symptoms.
Interestingly, now a new study has drawn attention to a possible environmental trigger which is exposure to a widely banned industrial chemical.
Researchers have reported that long-term exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical once common in metal degreasing and dry cleaning, may increase the risk of Parkinson’s. The study, published in Neurology, found that seniors living in areas with the highest airborne levels of TCE had a 10% higher risk of developing Parkinson’s compared to those in areas with lower levels.
The findings became more striking in Oregon, where people living one to five miles downwind of a factory that used TCE showed a fourfold increase in Parkinson’s risk. “Long-term exposure to trichloroethylene in outdoor air was associated with a small but measurable increase in Parkinson’s risk,” said lead researcher Brittany Krzyzanowski of the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. She added that the research adds to growing evidence linking environmental exposures to the disease.
Trichloroethylene which is also known as TCE is a synthetic, colorless liquid that was widely used in industries as a degreaser and chemical ingredient. It could also be found in some consumer products such as paint removers and stain cleaners. The chemical is classified as a known human carcinogen, linked to cancers of the kidney and liver, along with immune and reproductive damage. People may be exposed to it through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact.
In the United States, despite restrictions on its use, TCE still spreads through soil, water, and air. Past studies have suggested a link between TCE and Parkinson’s, particularly among workers exposed in industrial settings. What makes this new study interesting is that it examined exposure on a population level across the entire country, not just workplaces.
What Is Parkinson’s?
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological disorder that develops slowly. It often starts with subtle signs, like tremors in the hands, jaw, or feet, before moving on to stiffness, slowed movement (bradykinesia), and difficulties with balance or posture. Over time, facial expressions may fade, speech can become soft or slurred, and daily tasks such as dressing or walking grow harder.
Other symptoms include muscle rigidity, changes in handwriting, reduced automatic movements like blinking, and problems with memory, sleep, or mood. While the disease can’t be cured, medication and, in some cases, brain surgery can help manage symptoms.
The research does have limitations. It focused mainly on older adults, so it doesn’t fully address risks for younger individuals or those with early-onset Parkinson’s. Air pollution data used in the study also came from a single time point, which may not capture lifetime exposure levels.
Still, the findings bring weight to the theory that Parkinson’s is shaped not only by genetics but also by the environment. Previous studies have already brought light to the pesticides such as paraquat and general air pollution as possible risk factors. This new evidence places banned industrial chemicals like TCE on that list, pointing to the urgent need to understand how environmental toxins may influence neurological health.
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