Ozempic use among teens is skyrocketing — and parents are getting a stern warning

 It’s the hot-shot fix that took Hollywood — and now high school — by storm.

Ozempic and other so-called “miracle” weight-loss meds are being prescribed to teens in record numbers, with prescriptions among 12- to 17-year-olds jumping 50% in 2024, according to Truveta. 

Another study from the Evernorth Research Institute, as reported by Reuters, clocked a whopping 68% rise in use among adolescents overall.

But while slim-down shots like Wegovy may shrink waistlines, some experts say parents should pump the brakes — before turning their kids into pin cushions.

Dr. Robert Siegel, a pediatrician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, didn’t mince words, telling the news agency, “These medications are likely to be needed for a very long time to maintain weight.”

He added that “we only have a relatively short-term experience with them.”

In other words, we’ve barely scratched the surface on what these meds might do to growing bodies — and kids could be stuck on them for life.

The spike in teen prescriptions comes after Wegovy was approved for adolescents in late 2022. 

Since then, families desperate to beat back the obesity epidemic — which affects 1 in 4 American teens — have turned to GLP-1 meds in growing numbers.

“It’s promising that more young people are using these medications, but it’s still a very small percentage of patients with severe obesity that are getting access to them,” Dr. Cate Varney, director of obesity medicine at the University of Virginia Health system, told Reuters.  

Experts warn we’re rolling the dice — these shots could mess with growing bodies, and kids might be stuck jabbing themselves for life.nuzza11 – stock.adobe.com

“When lifestyle changes alone are insufficient, we need these additional tools.”

Still, the new tools come with plenty of fine print.

“The medications may need to be used indefinitely,” Siegel said, noting most pediatricians don’t have the training — or equipment — to track long-term effects like muscle loss or developmental delays.

Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, insists there’s no reason to panic. 

Slim-down shots might melt fat fast — but docs say teens should ditch the syringes and stick to sweat, not semaglutide, for lasting results.Corbis via Getty Images
The company said in a statement that semaglutide “did not appear to affect growth or pubertal development” in teen clinical trials. 

“We are confident in the proven safety and efficacy of our GLP-1 medicines,” Novo added.

Eli Lilly, whose drug Zepbound is in trials for teen use, echoed that stance, as per Reuters. 

“There has been no evidence to date suggesting impairment in growth or metabolism,” the company said.

But that’s not enough to calm critics. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. slammed the trend as a sign of the “overmedicalization of our kids,” citing a lack of long-term safety data and possible threats to metabolism and development.

With weight-loss shots looking more like a long-haul commitment than a quick fix, some doctors say teens should focus on old-school strategies before turning to syringes.

As The Post previously reported, a survey from digital healthcare platform Tebra found that 37% of young Americans in this age group are planning to ditch the gym and head to the pharmacy instead — turning to Ozempic, Wegovy and other GLP-1 drugs to hit their weight-loss goals.

While Gen Z is the most eager to jump on the injection bandwagon, older folks are actually more confident in the drugs’ effectiveness — with 72% of baby boomers saying they work better than traditional methods.

Still, the craze has a dark side: Some users have turned to shady, even dangerous methods, including counterfeit meds and unprescribed use, triggering new fears about addiction and a lack of proper oversight.

https://nypost.com/2025/06/12/lifestyle/ozempic-use-soars-among-teens-but-experts-have-a-warning-for-parents/

Genome-wide DNA methylation profiles in the raphe nuclei of patients with autism

 Keiko Iwata PhD, Kazuhiko Nakabayashi PhD, Keisuke Ishiwata PhD, Kazuhiko Nakamura MD, PhD, Yosuke Kameno MD, PhD, Kenichiro Hata MD, PhD, Hideo Matsuzaki MD, PhD



doi.org/10.1111/pcn.13830

Abstract

Aim

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a strong genetic basis, yet its genetic complexities remain elusive. Current research highlights environmental factors and epigenetic processes, such as DNA methylation, as crucial in ASD development. This exploratory study addresses a gap in understanding epigenetic regulation in the dorsal raphe (DR)—a region regulating multiple neurotransmitters and implicated in ASD—by examining DNA methylation profiles in postmortem ASD and control brains.

Methods

We comprehensively analyzed genome-wide DNA methylation profiles in the DR brain region (seven controls and five ASD) using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (Illumina). Additionally, quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to measure messenger RNA levels of differentially methylated genes in ASD (11 controls and six ASD).

Results

We identified differentially methylated regions (DMRs) between ASD and controls. These DMRs were located among various genomic regions, including promoters, gene bodies, and intergenic regions. Notably, we found hypermethylation in genes related to olfaction (e.g. OR2C3), which is regulated by serotonin. Additionally, we observed that the hypomethylation of promoter-associated CpG islands in RABGGTB, a gene related to autophagy and synaptic function, corresponded with its increased expression.

Conclusions

Our findings reveal extensive DNA methylation changes in critical genomic regions, shedding light on potential mechanisms underlying ASD. The identification of RABGGTB as a novel candidate gene, not listed in the SFARI database, underscores its significance and warrants further research to explore its role in ASD diagnosis. This study enhances our understanding of the epigenetic landscape in ASD, emphasizing the interplay between genetic and environmental factors in its pathophysiology.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pcn.13830

Can Creatine Decrease the Risk of Alzheimer’s?

 by Mark Terry

Health influencers, body builders and CrossFitters really like creatine as a safe and reliable supplement — I mean, they really, really like it. Made up of three amino acids, it’s generally found in the muscles, although also found in the brain. People usually get it by eating seafood and red meat, and your liver, pancreas and kidneys can generate about one gram a day.

The idea is that it helps increase strength, helping in exercise recovery, and maybe even in injury prevention. It probably also gives you strong bones and a glossy coat (results may vary).

There is also the suggestion that it might improve cognition, especially in older adults.

A new, very small study out of the University of Kansas suggested it might improve cognition and Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers. The study was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions.

So this study took 20 patients with Alzheimer’s disease between the ages of 60 and 90. All of the patients were already taking a stable dose of Alzheimer’s drug, such as donepezil (Aricept) or memantine (Namenda), for at least 30 days. A bunch of cognitive tests and some biomarker tests were conducted, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), a leg strength test, and although it wasn’t part of eligibility, measured plasma phosphorylated tau-217 (p-tau217).

The study excluded patients with insulin-requiring diabetes, chemotherapy or radiation in the last five years, a cardiac event in the last year, other neurodegenerative disease, inability to receive an MRI, or having participated in a clinical study or investigation drug or therapy in the last 30 days.

The patients were then given 20 grams of creatine monohydrate for eight weeks, split into two 10-gram doses. The participants or their caregivers stirred the creatine powder into whatever beverages they chose. Nineteen of the 20 participants had 80% or better compliance.

The findings: Serum creatine was increased at four and eight weeks and brain total creatine (tCr) increased by 11%. More importantly, in terms of what this study was all about, cognition improved on global and fluid composites, List Sorting, Oral Reading, and Flanker tests, although the authors caution, “Because this was a single-arm trial, we cannot rule out the possibility that improvements may be the results of artifact (test-retest, placebo, and so on). These results merely provide preliminary support for our hypothesis that CRM may be beneficial for cognitive function in AD….”

Conclusions? Well, one, creatine monohydrate supplementation was possible, the patients were generally compliant. Two, it was linked to increased brain total creatine. Three, it was associated with improvements in cognition although there were limitations. And four, they think its efficacy in Alzheimer’s should be studied more.

Part of the rationale for the study was that Alzheimer’s is associated with broken (impaired) brain energy metabolism, which includes the creatine system (although that’s only part of it). Other studies, especially studies in mice, have found that creatine supplements improve cognition and brain energy metabolism while decreasing biomarkers like beta-amyloid and p-tau.

No real clinical trials have been run on using creatine as an adjuvant (additional) therapy for Alzheimer’s patients. This is one of several studies suggesting it helps, and the overall body of studies supporting creatine as being safe is very large.

So it’s safe. It’s found in food, but you’d have to eat about two pounds of red meat or seafood a day to hit 5 grams. Might it help your brain? Seems like it might. Will it help you build muscle and recover from workouts (assuming you’re doing any)? The evidence seems pretty good.

Does this study indicate it will help Alzheimer’s patients? Well, it doesn’t seem to hurt them anyway. You almost always have to question any real improved cognition in a study that only looked at 20 people for two months. The placebo effect could be very real.

So it seems to fall into the category of “won’t hurt, might help.”

But, as Angel Planells, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and a Seattle-based dietitian, told Axios, “A supplement isn’t a cure-all, fix-all.”

https://biopharmbiz.substack.com/p/can-creatine-decrease-the-risk-of

2013: Grounded! All U.S. Dreamliners banned indefinitely from air after TWO Boeing 787 emergency landings

 

• Federal Aviation Administration grounds all U.S. Boeing 787s temporarily after two emergency landings this month
• Flight made emergency landing in Japan Wednesday after January 7 emergency landing at Boston's Logan International Airport
• Government administration to look at aircraft's lithium ion battery

[MORE]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2263757/All-US-Boeing-787-Dreamliners-temporarily-banned-air-TWO-battery-malfunctions-month.html

Taking lessons from Ukraine, Taiwan eyes sea drones to counter China

 Just off the small Taiwan fishing port of Wushi on its Pacific coast, a Taiwanese company is testing what could eventually be a powerful but unglamorous new weapon in the island's military arsenal - sea drones.

Used to great effect by Ukraine in the Black Sea against Russia, Taiwan is learning lessons on how it could use sea drones as an effective and low-cost way to fend off any possible Chinese invasion. These drones are uncrewed, remotely controlled small vessels that are packed with explosives and can be guided toward ships or potentially even attack targets in the air.

Pushed by the United States, Taiwan has been working to transform its armed forces to be able to wage "asymmetric warfare", using mobile, smaller and often cheaper weapons which still pack a targeted punch, like sea drones.

"Uncrewed boats or vehicles have played a very significant role in the Ukraine war," Chen Kuan-ting, a lawmaker for Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) who sits on parliament's foreign affairs and defence committee, told Reuters.

"Uncrewed vehicles, whether they are boats or underwater vehicles, can effectively deter China because Taiwan is not the attacking side, we are the defending side," he said.

Taiwan's defence ministry's research and development arm, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, has termed the sea drone plan the "Swift and Sudden" project, which so far has a modest budget of around T$800 million ($26.77 million).

Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Wednesday sea drones would be included in an additional spending package to be unveiled later this year. Details of that special budget have yet to be announced. 

William Chen, chairman of the Thunder Tiger company, told Reuters last week on a boat off Wushi while viewing a test of their SeaShark 800 sea drone, which can carry 1,200 kg (2,600 lbs) of explosives and travel up to 500 km (310 miles), that these new weapons present an element of surprise for China.

"We can create uncertainty. We can fill the Taiwan Strait with danger and risks. No one knows where these dangers could surface," Chen added.

SEA DRONE SHOW

Next week, Thunder Tiger will be among 12 Taiwanese and foreign companies joining an exhibition just down the coast from Wushi arranged by the defence ministry to showcase unmanned surface vehicles that may end up being added to Taiwan's arsenal.

Other companies taking part, according to the ministry, include Taiwan navy contractor Lungteh Shipbuilding and U.S. military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries.

"Drones is a top priority for both the United States and Taiwan. Obviously the conflict in Ukraine is focusing minds on what the next generation of warfare will look like," said Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council, who is leading a U.S. defence industry delegation to Taiwan this week, including drone makers.

China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has ramped up its military pressure over the past five years, including staging half a dozen rounds of war games. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. 

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Taiwan has been studying how Ukraine has deployed drones to successfully offset Russia's advantage on the battlefield and has enlisted commercial drone companies, including Thunder Tiger, to help.

Ukraine has deployed sea drones not only to attack ships in Russia's Black Sea fleet, but also to shoot down aircraft.

Taiwan's navy is dwarfed by that of China with its aircraft carriers and ballistic missile submarines, though the country lacks recent combat experience.

China's last successful large-scale amphibious assault was in 1950 when it seized Hainan island at the tail end of the Chinese civil war, with troops ferried across on junks.

Peter Chen, a drone expert and executive director of Taiwan security think tank TTRDA, said Taiwan can undoubtedly make world-class sea drones.

"But when it comes to the application, how to turn them into top-notch weapons, it is not the responsibility of private companies. The views of government and the military on how to properly integrate the weapons into the battle strategy, that needs more thinking," he said.

https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/currency/US-DOLLAR-RUSSIAN-ROUBLE--2370597/news/Taking-lessons-from-Ukraine-Taiwan-eyes-sea-drones-to-counter-China-50230542/

Boeing CEO cancels trip to Paris Airshow, GE postpones investor day after fatal crash

 

A tragic crash involving an Air India Boeing 787 has led Boeing and GE Aerospace to scale back their activities. This includes canceling appearances at the Paris Airshow. Over 240 passengers lost their lives, making it the worst aviation disaster in a decade. The crash has cast a somber mood over the industry.

Following the tragic crash of an Air India Boeing 787 jetliner, both Boeing and GE Aerospace have scaled back their public engagements. Boeing's CEO has canceled his visit to the Paris Airshow, and GE has postponed an investor day, focusing instead on supporting the ongoing investigation.

The crash, which claimed over 240 lives, is the most severe aviation disaster in a decade. Air India's jetliner bound for London went down shortly after departure from Ahmedabad. These events have overshadowed the Paris Airshow, a hub known for major aircraft order announcements.

Industry insiders expect fewer high-profile press activities at the airshow as a mark of respect for the victims. Some order announcements may also be postponed. GE Aerospace is sending a team to India to analyze data from the wreckage and will provide a financial update later in the month.

https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/business/3457406-aviation-industry-in-mourning-paris-airshow-adjusts-tone-after-tragedy

US FDA approves expanded use of Moderna's RSV vaccine for at-risk adults

 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday expanded the use of Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA)’s respiratory syncytial virus vaccine to a lower group of adults aged 18 to 59 years at increased risk for disease.

Moderna’s RSV shot, mRESVIA, was the first non-COVID-19 messenger RNA-based (mRNA) vaccine to be approved in the United States. The shot, the company’s second product, is already approved for the prevention of RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease in adults aged 60 or older.

While the FDA approval is a necessary step, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still has to recommend the shots before they are available for the age group.

The CDC currently recommends the vaccine for adults aged 75 and older, as well as for adults aged 60 to 74 who are at increased risk of infection.

In April, the CDC’s panel of outside experts recommended the use of approved RSV vaccines in at-risk adults aged 50 to 59.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday named eight new members to serve on the key panel of vaccine advisers, known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, after previously firing all 17 of its members, saying it would "re-establish public confidence in vaccine science."

However, public health experts warn that this could undermine public confidence in available vaccines.

Some of the new appointees have openly expressed anti-vaccine views, including against the mRNA vaccine technology.

The panel, which provides guidance to the CDC on which groups of people would most benefit from an already-approved vaccine, is scheduled to meet later this month.

RSV typically causes cold-like symptoms, but is also a leading cause of pneumonia in toddlers and older adults. The CDC estimates 15,000–20,000 annual RSV-associated hospitalizations in the U.S. in adults aged 50 to 59.

The FDA’s approval for mRESVIA was based on results from a late-stage trial where the shot helped initiate significant immune responses in adults aged 18 to 59 years with underlying health conditions.

The vaccine was well-tolerated with no safety concerns, the company said.

The FDA approved mRESVIA in adults aged 60 or older last year, but with a lower efficacy label indicating the shot was 79% effective at preventing at least two symptoms of RSV, such as cough and fever. Moderna had said the shot was shown to be 83.7% effective in a late-stage trial.

All currently approved shots against RSV, including Pfizer (NYSE:PFE)’s Abrysvo and GSK’s Arexvy, are for adults aged 60 years and above.

Arexvy and Abrysvo are also approved to prevent RSV-associated disease in at-risk adults aged 50 to 59 and 18 to 59, respectively.

https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/us-fda-approves-expanded-use-of-modernas-rsv-vaccine-for-atrisk-adults-4094235