Helping people find assistance with health care and prescription costs

Category: Health

Iron Deficiency and Overload: Key Takeaways for Your Health

Iron plays a vital role in our overall health, particularly in the formation of red blood cells and the transportation of oxygen throughout the body. Understanding how iron levels affect the body — and knowing the signs and symptoms of too little or too much is essential for maintaining long-term well-being.   In this article, we’ll explore how common iron deficiency is, why it occurs, what symptoms to watch for, and how both deficiency and overload can be managed.  How Common is Iron Deficiency and What Causes It?  Iron deficiency affects 14% of all adults in the U.S.; among reproductive-age non-pregnant […]

COVID-19 Treatments No Longer Covered by the Government

In a blog posted here on May 16, 2023 I discussed the phasing out of the January 2020 Federal Government COVID-19 public health emergency. At that time The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continued to authorize the COVID-19 antiviral drug nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid) for emergency use. It has since been fully approved for adults with Covid at high risk of hospitalization or death, such as older adults and those with medical conditions like diabetes, asthma, and obesity. The government continued to provide Paxlovid at no cost to patients until November 1, 2023. Insurance companies will now be able to charge for […]

Respiratory Syncytial Virus

As a pediatrician I am very familiar with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). In infants and young children RSV infection results in a sometimes frightening seasonal illness called bronchiolitis. The virus affects the smallest airways, called the bronchioles, and results in wheezing and trouble breathing. There is no effective antiviral medication, only supportive treatment. The illness is especially severe in premature infants. In June 1998 one of the first monoclonal antibody drugs palivizumab was approved as a preventative measure given to premature infants at high risk for severe infection. In July 2023 another monoclonal antibody drug named nirsevimab-alip was approved for […]

New Alzheimer’s Drugs Proven to Work

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurological disease that is the most common cause of dementia. It causes progressive destructive and irreversible changes in the brain. A common feature is the accumulation of a protein called amyloid-β in the form of plaques and tau tangles. Both are thought to cause brain cell death. Although among the most likely candidates, they have not yet been shown to be the cause of Alzheimer’s disease. In a blog from 2 years ago a newly approved drug for Alzheimer’s disease named aducanumab was discussed. At the time I thought the medication had not been proven to […]

International Women’s Day 2023

Today is International Women’s Day. International Women’s Day started in 1908 when 15,000 women marched through New York City to demand shorter hours, better pay, and voting rights after being oppressed and mistreated in the workplace since the Industrial Revolution. The movement spread across the globe in the following years, reaching Europe by 1910 and Russia by 1913. International Women’s Day was officially recognized by the United Nations in 1975.   Women’s health is an important part of International Women’s Day. Women remain an underserved community with unique healthcare costs that are often overlooked by those drafting insurance guidelines. Women […]

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About Us

Welcome to the NeedyMeds Voice! We look forward to presenting you with timely, provocative pieces on healthcare reform, patient advocacy, medication and healthcare access, and other health-related news. Our goals are to educate, enlighten, and elucidate; together, we will try to make sense of the myriad and ongoing healthcare-related changes in the U.S. today.