Placebos

Brain stimulation not as effective as drugs for depression

In a placebo-controlled trial, transcranial direct-current stimulation did not show non-inferiority compared with escitalopram and was associated with more adverse events.…

Bisphosphonates and denosumab reduce bone density loss in ADT-treated men

Drug interventions can reduce fracture risk in men who receive ADT, but further research is needed.…

HRT not linked to early death, study concludes

Hormone replacement therapy is not associated with all-cause, cancer or cardiovascular death, according to the results of an 18-year follow-up study.…

Romosozumab reduces fracture risk in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis

Researchers find that the drug can be an effective treatment for women who are susceptible to fracture.…

Study lends support to genuine efficacy of antidepressants

Findings show that the antidepressants citalopram and paroxetine have significant beneficial effects, clearly outperforming placebo.…

Limited evidence for use of gabapentinoids to treat chronic low back pain

Analysis of randomised controlled trials assessing the use of gabapentinoids for chronic low back pain confirms that evidence on their use is limited and the drug should be used with caution. …

Anti-inflammatory drug protects against further attacks in heart attack survivors

Heart attack survivors who receive regular injections of the anti-inflammatory drug canakinumab have a reduced risk of further attacks and a significantly reduced risk of cancer, according to research published in The New England Journal of Medicine…

Antibiotics increase cure rate from small skin abscesses compared with drainage alone

The role of antibiotics in treating small skin abscesses, including those infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is currently unclear, with some clinicians opting to simply drain abscesses without antibiotics.…

NSAIDs associated with significant improvement in chronic low back pain

Data from 13 clinical trials show efficacy of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in treating chronic low back pain.…

Alzheimer’s treatment explored as potential Down’s syndrome therapy

Phase II study finds Alzheimer’s disease-modifying drug is safe for patients with Down’s syndrome, but concludes more research is needed to test effects on cognitive function.…