In this week’s Homerun Slides, Incretins, Part 5 of 6, we review the tissue-specific differences in the mechanisms of action of GLP-1 analogs, DPP-4 inhibitors, and GLP-1R agonists and also discuss the weight effects of sitagliptin and pioglitazone….

In yet another warning to lawmakers, a new survey of group practices shows that 51% will reduce the number of available appointment slots for new Medicare patients if Congress does not avert a 29.5% Medicare pay cut set for January 1.

This week the Medical Group Management Association released a survey showing that it will be harder and harder for you to make time for Medicare patients. Over the past nine years Congress has block fee reductions totaling over 20% and now it appears that they will make some permanent changes …

New First in Class SGLT2 Drugs Hit a Stumbling Block FDA delays verdict on Astra/Bristol SGLT2 diabetes pill until Jan 28th, the same day they are deciding on the possible approval of Bydureon. See this week’s Item #4.

Cellnovo’s Patch Pump Gains European Approval At EASD, Cellnovo announced that it had received approval in Europe for its new insulin patch pump. It will be launched soon in the UK, and its submission to the FDA is expected by the end of the year — meaning that approval in …

A committee for the European Medicines Agency has reaffirmed an earlier decision to allow the type 2 diabetes drug pioglitazone (Actos) to remain on the market despite a risk of bladder cancer. In July, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommended that new labeling warning of the …

Sleeping less than eight hours on weekdays is associated with obesity in male, not female teens. Dr. Anita Rao, from Baylor College of Medicine Sleep Center in Houston, collected data from 255 teens in high school for height, weight, and weekday and weekend quantity of sleep. The investigators found that …

One more reason to eat your greens. Veggies in the cabbage family, from broccoli to bok choy, play a key role in keeping the gut healthy. These cruciferous vegetables are an important source of a compound that activates an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) needed by the specialized intraepithelial lymphocyte immune …

Losing weight is hard, but keeping the pounds off can be even harder. By some estimates, as many as 80% of overweight people who manage to slim down noticeably after a diet gain some or all of the weight back within one year….

The CDC held a hearing on a recommendation that patients with diabetes receive immunization with the hepatitis B vaccine.…