Archive: 2025/12
Bupropion for Smoking Cessation: What You Need to Know About Drug Interactions
Bupropion (Zyban) is a proven smoking cessation aid, but it interacts with many common medications. Learn how to use it safely, avoid dangerous combinations, and maximize your chances of quitting for good.
Generic Pill Appearance Changes: What You Need to Know About Safety, Legality, and Patient Risk
Generic pills often change color, shape, or size-even though they work the same. This confusion causes many patients to stop taking their meds. Learn why it happens, what the risks are, and how to stay safe.
Cost Comparison: Authorized Generics vs First-to-File Generics - Which Saves More Money?
Authorized generics and first-to-file generics both lower drug costs, but authorized generics drive prices down faster and deeper. Learn how competition between them saves patients and the healthcare system money.
Lithium and Thyroid Disease: How Lithium Affects Thyroid Function and What to Do About It
Lithium is highly effective for bipolar disorder but can cause thyroid problems like hypothyroidism and goiter in up to 32% of users. Learn how it affects thyroid function, who's at risk, and how to manage it safely with monitoring, levothyroxine, and selenium.
Patient Assistance Programs from Drug Companies: Eligibility Requirements and How to Qualify
Learn the real eligibility rules for patient assistance programs from drug companies - income limits, insurance requirements, and how to avoid common application mistakes that lead to denial.
How to Request Written Medication Instructions You Understand
You have the right to understand your medication instructions. Learn how to ask for clear, plain-language directions from your pharmacist-and why it matters for your safety and health.
Oral Food Challenges: Safety and Diagnostic Value in Allergy Diagnosis
Oral food challenges are the most accurate way to diagnose food allergies, cutting through false positives from blood and skin tests. Learn how they work, who needs them, and why they're the gold standard in allergy care.
Environmental Impact of Flushing Medications and Safe Disposal Alternatives
Flushing medications pollutes waterways and harms wildlife. Learn why it's dangerous, what drugs are exceptions, and how to safely dispose of pills through take-back programs and other proven methods.
How to Manage Overdose Risk During Heatwaves and Illness
Heatwaves increase overdose risk by dehydrating the body, concentrating drugs in the bloodstream, and overwhelming cardiovascular systems. Learn practical steps to reduce risk during extreme heat and illness, backed by public health data and real-world harm reduction programs.
Vitamin D and Statin Tolerance: What the Evidence Really Shows
Vitamin D deficiency may link to statin muscle pain, but a major 2022 trial found no benefit from supplements. Learn what the evidence really says-and what to do if you're struggling with statin side effects.