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November 16, 2012 After months of debate, the Global Fund announced plans to wind down a controversial pilot project that subsidizes malaria drugs in Africa. Some health workers in the U.S. fault the decision, saying it doesn't address the major challenges of treating malaria in poor countries.

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November 7, 2012 Xeljanz, a new rheumatoid arthritis drug, is the first one that works by blocking enzymes called janus kinases. They play a communication role inside the body and are involved in inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

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November 1, 2012 This month the Global Fund board will decides whether to continue or scrap a $225 million program that subsidizes malaria drugs in Africa. A new analysis bolsters a major criticism of the project. In some places, most of the subsidized drugs have been going to people without malaria.

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October 31, 2012 A test of subsidies in Africa for the most effective malaria drug treatment is drawing fire. Supporters say the subsidies helped improve access and drive out less effective drugs. But critics say the approach is risky and a distraction from other efforts to fight the disease.

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October 18, 2012 Adding a 12-year-old antibiotic to the regimen of patients with highly drug-resistant tuberculosis cured nearly 90 percent of patients in a study involving about 40 people in South Korea. The study, though small, suggests that the battle against the ancient scourge is far from lost.

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October 17, 2012 New research suggests that by the time an Alzheimer's patient is diagnosed, many key neurons are already dead. Neuroscientists say it's possible that several recent trials of drugs for Alzheimer's have failed because the drugs were given after symptoms had already started to appear.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

October 10, 2012 Scientists have long toyed with the idea of putting medicine inside microscopic capsules that could travel to hard-to-reach places inside your body. Now, researchers have come up with a method to assemble tiny nanospheres.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

September 24, 2012 Both the drugs — Belviq and Qsymia — were approved in July. They make you feel satisfied with less food — and not as hungry between meals. But there are side effects, including dry mouth, constipation and a slight tingling in fingers and toes; Qsymia can also cause birth defects.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

September 20, 2012 The drug, called arbaclofen, made people with Fragile X syndrome less likely to avoid social interactions, according to a newly published study. Researchers suspect it might do the same for people with autism.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

September 12, 2012 Some grocery chains are now offering free atorvastatin, the generic version of Lipitor, at their pharmacies. The cholesterol drug requires a prescription, but now you don't need insurance or cash to get the pills.

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August 31, 2012 More than a half-century after a German drugmaker took thalidomide off the market because of birth defects, the company said it was sorry. The occasion was the dedication of a memorial to the victims near the company's headquarters. The sculpture features a girl with malformed feet and no arms.

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August 24, 2012 It's the latest setback in a field marked by failure. Earlier this month, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson said they were dropping development of a similar experimental drug after big clinical studies showed it wasn't working.

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August 17, 2012 Drugmakers are partnering with mothers who blog to promote products, including children's medicine. How does the Federal Trade Commission deal with the new world of online marketing? We asked.

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August 15, 2012 The Food and Drug Administration is looking into the risks of codeine, after three children died while taking the medicine to relieve pain following tonsillectomies. Those kids and another one who almost died appear to have had a gene that made the codeine particularly potent inside their bodies.

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August 2, 2012 There's ample evidence cholesterol-lowering pills called statins can reduce the risk of a repeat heart attack. But there's fresh debate about the widespread use of statins to prevent heart attacks in people who've never had one. Are the benefits worth the risks?

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