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Spanish police dismantle Lithuanian drug transporting network in 'Operation Beluga'

Police raids in Granada, Marbella and France hit a Lithuanian trafficking gang, intercepting drugs hidden in brick pallets and vehicles headed for Europe.

‘A dangerous thing’: S Africa’s gang-ridden townships fear army deployment

Critics wary of President Cyril Ramaphosa's move to send military to tackle crime, drugs and gangs in three provinces.

Indonesia’s bid to execute 6 cargo ship crew in drug case sparks liability debate

When 22-year-old Fandi Ramadhan phoned home from detention last May, he told his mother he did not know there were drugs on the ship where he had recently started work as an engine-room oiler. Indonesian prosecutors, however, allege he was aware of the illicit cargo and are now seeking the death penalty for him and five other crew members of the Thai-flagged vessel Sea Dragon, after authorities said they found nearly two tonnes of methamphetamines on board in what officials described as the...

STAT+: Cigna, extending reach into prescription drugs, acquires major pharmacy used by hospitals

Scoop: Cigna has acquired CarepathRx, a large pharmacy backed by private equity that dispenses prescription drugs to nearly 10% of U.S. hospitals.

STAT+: FDA Commissioner Marty Makary defends rare disease drug rejections, Vinay Prasad

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary defended the agency’s recent rejections of rare disease drugs and one of his deputies, Vinay Prasad, in an interview with CNBC.

Hidden architecture inside cellular droplets opens new targets for cancer and ALS

Biomolecular condensates were long believed to be simple liquid blobs inside cells. Researchers have now uncovered that some are actually supported by fine protein filaments forming an internal scaffold. When this structure is disrupted, cells fail to grow and divide properly. The discovery suggests scientists may one day design drugs that target condensate architecture to fight cancer and neurodegenerative disease.

Popular acid reflux medication linked to anemia and bone loss

Popular acid reflux drugs such as Prilosec, Nexium, and Protonix may carry hidden risks when taken long term. A new study found that extended use disrupted iron and calcium levels in rats, changes associated with anemia and osteoporosis risk. Researchers also observed shifts in mineral balance across multiple organs. Experts say the medications are effective, but prolonged use without medical guidance could have unintended consequences.

When a miracle pill becomes a trap: France's addiction to anti-anxiety medication

France is Europe's second-largest consumer of benzodiazepines – a class of sedatives that includes drugs like Valium and Xanax. Every year, nearly 10 million patients are prescribed these pills to treat anxiety and insomnia. While they are intended only for short-term use, treatments are often extended indefinitely, without proper supervision. Dependency sets in, affecting everyone from teenagers to elderly patients. FRANCE 24's Olivia Bizot reports.

2 arrested after Malaysian border police chief targeted by gang shooting near Thailand

Two men were arrested on Thursday after shots were fired at a car carrying the Malaysian border police chief, in what authorities believe was retribution for a crackdown on rampant smuggling. The porous border between Malaysia and Thailand is a notorious crossing used by crime gangs trafficking people, drugs, weapons and other contraband, including food and subsidised diesel for sale into the Thai market. Before dawn on Wednesday, two suspects wearing helmets on a motorcycle fired shots at a car...

STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Trump’s drug-price claims, a Novo deal for obesity drugs, and more

In his State of the Union address, President Trump claimed he had brought U.S. prescription drug costs from the highest in the world to the lowest

STAT+: Novo Nordisk strikes deal with U.S. startup to develop oral obesity, diabetes drugs

Novo Nordisk announced it had signed a deal with Vivtex, a biotech co-founded by MIT professor Robert Langer, to develop oral obesity and diabetes drugs.

STAT+: Novo reports ‘triple G’ obesity drug study results

Fresh off a failed trial that sent its shares plummeting, Novo Nordisk said that one of its experimental obesity drugs helped patients lose nearly 20% of their weight after 24 weeks…

STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about an FDA plan for ultra-rare drugs, Novo cutting GLP-1 drug prices, and more

The Trump administration released detailed guidance for approving the first bespoke medicines crafted to treat individual patient mutations

El Mencho’s killing won’t solve Mexico’s cartel problem – or anything else

The killings of other cartel kingpins have done little to stem the production and flow of drugs towards the US.

What's at stake as ICC judges hear charges against ex-Philippine president Duterte?

Duterte is accused of crimes against humanity during a long and bloody war on drugs in which thousands were killed.

ICC opens hearing for Philippines ex-president Duterte

Rodrigo Duterte is accused of crimes against humanity for allegedly authorizing dozens of murders during his so-called war on drugs.

Mexican army kills drug lord 'El Mencho' during operation to capture him

The Mexican army on Sunday announced they had killed drug lord Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes – leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which is responsible for trafficking huge quantities of fentanyl and other drugs to the United States. Cervantes, who was better known as “El Mencho”, was wounded in an operation to capture him and died while being flown to Mexico City.

Frozen for 5,000 years, this ice cave bacterium resists modern antibiotics

Deep inside a Romanian ice cave, locked away in a 5,000-year-old layer of ice, scientists have uncovered a bacterium with a startling secret: it’s resistant to many modern antibiotics. Despite predating the antibiotic era, this cold-loving microbe carries more than 100 resistance-related genes and can survive drugs used today to treat serious infections like tuberculosis and UTIs.

US military kills 3 in latest strike on ‘narcoterrorist’ boat

The US military has carried out another deadly strike on a vessel accused of trafficking drugs in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. US Southern Command said on social media that the boat “was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations”. It said the strike on Friday killed three people. A video linked to the post shows a boat floating in the water before bursting into flames. Friday’s attack raises the death toll from the Trump...

FDA wants to make more drugs available over the counter , but experts have raised safety concerns

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Families of Philippine drug war victims seek ICC justice as Duterte trial looms

Mary Ann Pajo watched quietly as cemetery workers opened her son’s tomb in Manila this week and removed his body for examination by a forensic pathologist. Accused of dealing drugs, 30-year-old Joewarski Pajo was shot dead while playing a game on his phone, one of thousands of extrajudicial killings alleged to have taken place under former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte. A hearing begins at the International Criminal Court on Monday that will determine whether Duterte will stand trial over...

STAT+: Texas attorney general sues Sanofi for allegedly providing kickbacks to doctors to prescribe its drugs

The Texas AG has filed a lawsuit accusing Sanofi of providing kickbacks to doctors, in the form of a free network of nurses and insurance support services.

Are obesity drugs causing a severe complication? What the science says

An FBI ‘Asset’ Helped Run a Dark Web Site That Sold Fentanyl-Laced Drugs for Years

A staffer of the Incognito dark web market was secretly controlled by the FBI—and still allegedly approved the sale of fentanyl-tainted pills, including those from a dealer linked to a confirmed death.