'Ozempic Use Left Me With Significant Bone Loss', Singer Avery Shares Health Nightmare In A Teary Confession

Updated Jan 29, 2025 | 10:08 AM IST

SummarySinger Avery developed osteoporosis after using Ozempic for a year to lose weight. She warns against its misuse, highlighting the drug’s potential to cause severe bone loss and long-term health risks.
'Ozempic Use Left Me With Significant Bone Loss', Singer Avery Shares Health Nightmare In A Teary Confession

In a tearful confession, singer Avery shared a harrowing revelation that left her and her fans in shock. After using the popular weight-loss drug Ozempic for a year, the 30-year-old artist from Phoenix, Arizona, was diagnosed with osteoporosis—a bone-thinning disease that significantly increases the risk of fractures.

Avery’s story has become a cautionary tale about the potential dangers of misusing weight-loss medications, particularly for those who do not meet medical guidelines for their use. Her emotional testimony has sparked urgent conversations about the off-label use of Ozempic, the risks of extreme weight loss, and the impact these drugs can have on long-term health.

For many artists in the music and film industries, body image expectations are unforgiving. In a heart-wrenching admission, Avery revealed that she turned to Ozempic after being dropped by her record label for being ‘too fat’. The pressure to conform to industry beauty standards led her to believe that drastic weight loss was the only way to remain relevant and successful.

“I thought I needed Ozempic to be beautiful and successful,” she confessed.

But what she didn’t anticipate was the toll it would take on her health. After discontinuing the drug two months ago, a routine medical check-up delivered devastating news—she had lost significant bone density, leaving her bones fragile and weak.

Ozempic, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, was originally developed to help patients with Type 2 diabetes regulate blood sugar. However, its ability to induce rapid weight loss has led to its widespread, and sometimes reckless, use by those seeking to shed pounds quickly.

While the medication has been linked to numerous health benefits—including a reduced risk of heart disease, kidney disease, and even Alzheimer’s—some unintended consequences are emerging. One recent JAMA Network Open study found that patients using GLP-1 drugs had reduced bone mineral density in the hips and spine, a risk factor for osteoporosis.

Avery’s case highlights the dark side of extreme weight loss, especially when done without medical supervision. Rapid weight loss can lead to nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, and weakened bones—a reality Avery is now facing.

Taking to Instagram, where she has 250,000 followers, Avery urged others not to fall into the same trap.

“I just want to be an example of why you need to be careful. Ozempic can cause bone density loss, and I didn’t think that would happen to me. But I have osteoporosis and osteopenia. That’s what happens when you use Ozempic for weight loss and lose too much weight,” she said.

She also admitted that she never obtained Ozempic through a doctor and that its availability has made it dangerously easy for people with eating disorders to access.

“It is very easy to get nowadays, and many people with eating disorders are getting their hands on it. I made a mistake. I take responsibility for my actions.”

Why Bone Health Suffers With Extreme Weight Loss

Medical experts have long warned that sudden and excessive weight loss can have severe consequences for bone health. This occurs due to several factors:

  • Loss of Essential Nutrients – Bones require calcium, vitamin D, and protein to maintain strength. Extreme dieting or rapid weight loss can lead to deficiencies.
  • Hormonal Changes – Drastic weight loss disrupts hormone levels, including estrogen, which plays a crucial role in maintaining bone density.
  • Increased Bone Turnover – When the body is deprived of nutrients, it starts breaking down bone tissue at a faster rate than it can rebuild.

For young women, in particular, this can accelerate osteoporosis—a condition typically associated with older adults.

Who Should—and Shouldn’t—Be Taking Ozempic?

Under NHS guidelines and FDA recommendations, Ozempic should only be prescribed to individuals who:

- Have Type 2 diabetes and require blood sugar control.

- Have a BMI over 30 (classified as obese).

- Have a BMI between 27-29.9 and a weight-related medical condition, such as high blood pressure.

Despite these restrictions, many people without these conditions are obtaining and using Ozempic purely for cosmetic weight loss, often without understanding the risks.

Is Bone Loss From Ozempic Reversible?

Following her diagnosis, Avery has been placed on medication and a strict treatment plan to help rebuild her bone density. However, osteoporosis is not always reversible, and damage done at a young age can have long-term consequences.

Her case underscores the importance of regular medical monitoring when taking weight-loss medications and highlights why these drugs should never be used without professional guidance.

Avery’s story is a powerful reminder that quick fixes can come with lasting damage. While weight loss can have benefits for those who truly need it, taking drastic measures without considering long-term health consequences can be dangerous.

To those considering Ozempic for weight loss, Avery has one simple message:

“Please, be careful. Learn from my mistake.”

Her experience serves as a crucial warning about the real dangers of using powerful medications for the wrong reasons—a risk many might not realize until it’s too late.

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World Blood Donor Day 2025: Theme, Significance, And History

Updated Jun 14, 2025 | 06:45 AM IST

SummaryEach year the World Health Organization observes the World Blood Donor Day on June 14 to pay tribute to those who donate blood and save lives. The aim is also to promote blood donation, but do it safely. Read on more about it here.
Blood Donor Day: Theme, Significance, And History

Credits: Canva

Every year on June 14, World Blood Donor Day is observed. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), the world celebrates World Blood Donor Day, a global tribute to the millions of voluntary, unpaid blood donors who give others a second chance at life.

Each time you donate blood, you’re giving more than a life-saving gift—you’re enabling critical medical tests that guide treatment and improve care. This World Blood Donor Day, remember: your donation isn’t just for emergencies, it plays a vital role in everyday healthcare too.

History of World Blood Donor Day

The World Blood Donor day dates back to 2004, when it was established by the WHO and is partners. The aim for this was to create a global recognition for he contributions of voluntary donors and to encourage safe blood practices in every country.

Since then, it has become an essential health campaign that brings attention to the need for regular donation. The day also celebrates unsung heroes who, through this simple ac, save lives.

World Blood Donor Day 2025 Theme

This year, as notes WHO, the theme is "Give blood, give hope, together we save lives".

This year’s World Blood Donor Day campaign, with the slogan “Give blood, give hope: together we save lives,” emphasizes the life-changing role blood donors play in saving lives. It underscores the power of community and collective action, showcasing how a simple act of donating blood can create a ripple effect of hope for those in need. Through the sharing of personal stories from both recipients and donors, the campaign aims to inspire more individuals, particularly young adults, to take part in blood donation—whether as first-time donors or as regular contributors.

The campaign will feature, as WHO notes, a variety of activities to celebrate and acknowledge the efforts of blood donors. These could include commemorative events, workshops, social media initiatives, donor appreciation ceremonies, and special broadcasts to honor those who give blood. In addition, musical and artistic performances may be held to express gratitude, while impactful stories will be shared to raise awareness about the importance of blood donation. This year’s objectives are to increase public awareness about the critical need for blood donations, encourage both new and returning donors to donate regularly, and promote solidarity and compassion through these life-saving acts. Furthermore, the campaign seeks to rally support from governments and global partners to ensure sustainable national blood programs, aiming for universal access to safe blood transfusion worldwide.

World Blood Donor Day Significance

This day encourages more and more people to donate blood and save a life. Blood transfusions provide life-saving support, notes WHO. This is especially true for women who experience bleeding related to pregnancy and childbirth, or children who suffer from severe anemia due to malaria or malnutrition.

Other scenarios, notes WHO, where blood transfusion helps include, complex medical procedures, patients with sickle-cell disease, thalassemia, hemophilia, or immune deficiency disorder, or for emergency responses, in cases of natural disasters or armed conflicts.

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World’s First ‘Trojan Horse’ Blood Cancer Drug Rolled Out By NHS In England

Updated Jun 13, 2025 | 07:00 PM IST

SummaryEngland becomes the first country to offer the world’s pioneering 'Trojan horse' blood cancer drug, through NHS, promising triple the remission time for multiple myeloma patients.
World’s First ‘Trojan Horse’ Blood Cancer Drug Rolled Out By NHS In England

Credits: Canva

The England National Health Service (NHS) is the world's first healthcare system to offer a revolutionary blood cancer treatment called a "Trojan horse" drug. The trailblazing treatment, officially known as belantamab mafodotin, has the potential to add years to the lives of thousands of patients fighting multiple myeloma, a vicious and currently untreatable form of bone marrow cancer.

This innovation, now being rolled out to eligible patients throughout England, highlights the revolutionary promise of precision medicine and targeted treatments to change cancer care.

How Does This Therapy Work?

At the center of this medical innovation is belantamab mafodotin, also known as Blenrep and produced by GlaxoSmithKline. In contrast to traditional chemotherapy that gets into both healthy and cancer cells, this new medication uses a targeted approach: it binds to myeloma cells, enters them quietly, and delivers a fatal dose of chemotherapy directly within, effectively killing the malignancy from the inside out.

This "Trojan horse" metaphor comes from Greek mythology, as Greek warriors entered the city of Troy disguised within a wooden horse. In the same way, this drug corrupts cancer cells by smuggling a toxic payload into them disguised as an antibody—spared most healthy tissues in the process.

NHS England National Clinical Director for Cancer Professor Peter Johnson called the treatment "life-changing" and said, "Myeloma is an aggressive blood cancer, but the advent of belantamab mafodotin brings with it a new hope of highly extended disease control.

Multiple myeloma is a plasma cancer that arises in plasma cells present in the bone marrow. Although there are continued advances in medicine, the disease is still incurable and relapsing in nature. The majority of patients have a pattern of recurrence after remission, requiring multiple treatment lines.

Trials of belantamab mafodotin, particularly in combination with other drugs such as bortezomib and dexamethasone, have shown that the treatment can stop disease from progressing for a period of three years—three years longer than the 13-month postponement achieved with the drug of choice at present, daratumumab.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), having checked the effectiveness and value for money, accelerated approval for the rollout of the treatment. NICE director Helen Knight stated, "This recommendation shows our determination to get patients the best treatment quickly while protecting value for the taxpayer."

Who Will Benefit?

The NHS rollout will first address about 1,500 patients per year in England that have relapsed or are resistant to their existing treatments. These are often those with advanced myeloma who have run out of other standard treatments.

Significantly, this represents a move toward personalized, next-generation treatments being accessible through public healthcare facilities—an accomplishment welcomed by health activists and oncologists alike.

Shelagh McKinlay, Myeloma UK's Director of Research and Advocacy, hailed the announcement: "We have campaigned aggressively for the last year to get this drug approved. It will change the lives of thousands of myeloma patients."

Paul Silvester, who is 60 and from Sheffield, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2023. When ordinary treatment and even a bone marrow transplant did not halt the disease, he was put on an early-access trial for belantamab mafodotin at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital.

The change was almost instant," he explained. "In the first two or three weeks following the first dose, I was in remission. I like to think this treatment has brought the party balloons into the house."

Paul is now in remission and mapping out history-themed travel excursions—something he never thought he'd ever be able to do a few months ago.

How Does Belantamab Mafodotin Work?

Belantamab mafodotin is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), a new class of cancer drugs. The drug's antibody component targets a protein (BCMA) on the outside of myeloma cells. After binding to the cancer cell, the complex is taken into the cell where it drops off a potent chemotherapy drug, essentially killing it from within.

This internal targeting results in much less collateral damage to normal cells—a major problem with standard chemotherapy—and decreases the overall treatment burden.

Side Effects and Safety Issues

Although thought to be less toxic than many standard therapies, belantamab mafodotin is not without adverse effects. Patients can have dry eyes, blurred vision, and occasionally more severe ocular toxicity due to the mechanism of action of the drug leaking into surrounding tissues after cell kill.

Clinical teams are trained to monitor and manage these effects, often adjusting dosage or incorporating supportive therapies to preserve patient safety.

Health Minister Karin Smyth emphasized the significance of this development: “This groundbreaking therapy puts the NHS at the forefront of cancer innovation. By harnessing cutting-edge ‘Trojan horse’ technology, we’re offering new hope to blood cancer patients across the country.”

In fact, the move by the NHS to be the first healthcare system in the world to introduce this treatment establishes a precedent for the incorporation of high-cost, high-impact biologic therapies into national care.

With its effective implementation in England, belantamab mafodotin could soon be used as a worldwide standard of care for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. As other nations observe outcomes and cost-effectiveness trends, it is possible that health systems globally will look into implementing this Trojan horse technique.

Researchers in oncology are also looking at similar antibody-drug conjugates for other types of cancer, including breast, lung, and ovarian cancers—implying that we are just beginning to see what this technology has to give.

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RFK Hires Autism Skeptic To Look Into CDC Autism Data

Updated Jun 13, 2025 | 07:47 AM IST

SummaryRFK Jr is long known for his anti-vaccine stance and the belief that it causes autism. After he fired the vaccine advising committee, he has now hired a known vaccine skeptic and autism critic to look into he long-debunk claims that link vaccines to autism. Read on to know what's happening.
RFK Hires Autism Skeptic

Credits: MedPageToday

Dr. David Geier, a controversial orthopedic surgeon and known vaccine skeptic, is attempting to revisit long-debunked claims linking vaccines to autism. Recently hired by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Geier is now reviewing historical safety data to investigate whether government agencies concealed crucial information.

Accessing CDC's Vaccine Safety Database

Geier is reportedly seeking access to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD), a repository of vaccine safety records from millions of patients. The VSD is maintained by a dozen major healthcare systems, each controlling its own data. Full access has always been tightly controlled due to privacy and misuse concerns.

Geier previously accessed the database in 2004 and 2006. However, according to The Wall Street Journal, CDC officials revoked his access both times, alleging he had misrepresented his research intentions.

Despite this, Geier is once again pushing to analyze the data. It remains unclear if access has been granted. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) stated that the department intends to take a “fresh look at all data including old data,” and emphasized that they would “follow the science—wherever it leads.”

Scientific Community Raises Concerns

The scientific and public health communities have expressed concern over Geier's involvement. “He has no record in the scientific community of doing valid work,” said Dr. Walter Orenstein, former director of the CDC’s immunization program.

Geier and his late father, geneticist Mark Geier, have long promoted the theory that vaccines cause autism—an idea widely discredited by the medical community. The pair also introduced a controversial treatment using hormone-blocking drugs, which resulted in the revocation of Mark Geier’s medical license and disciplinary actions against David Geier for practicing medicine without a license.

At a 2015 conference, Geier defended his position, claiming the scientific community dismisses their findings without proper consideration. “They think that [the vaccine's link to autism has] been completely debunked,” he said at the time.

Kennedy's Role and the Larger Context

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal critic of vaccine mandates, has clarified that Geier will not lead autism research. Instead, his focus will be on identifying any possibly overlooked or hidden data within the CDC’s database.

“There has been a lot of monkey business with the VSD,” Kennedy stated in a previous congressional appearance.

Kennedy, who once authored a now-retracted Rolling Stone article alleging a vaccine-autism cover-up, cited a 2000 CDC conference that explored preliminary data on thimerosal—a mercury-based preservative once used in vaccines. Though early findings prompted questions, later analysis confirmed no link between thimerosal and autism. Thimerosal was removed from most vaccines in 2001, and final results were published in 2003.

Exploring Autism Causes and Rising Rates

While Geier conducts his review, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is separately examining rising autism rates. The CDC now estimates that 1 in 31 eight-year-olds in the U.S. were diagnosed with autism in 2022. Experts attribute the increase to a combination of better diagnostic methods, genetic factors, and increased awareness.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) also plans to fund research into other possible causes, such as environmental toxins and diet. Meanwhile, Children's Health Defense, a nonprofit formerly led by Kennedy, is hosting an online event this week centered on what it calls the “autism cover-up.”

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