Recent Postings

In July 2026, Public Citizen petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs. The petition argued that the harms of DTC advertising outweigh any purported benefits and that the harms cannot be adequately addressed through existing or updated federal regulations or enhanced FDA enforcement.

The From the Editor column discusses the resurgence of measles in the United States. The 2026 measles cases represent a 35-year high. The United States is likely to lose its measles elimination status, which it has held since 2000.

In 2026 the FDA approved once-weekly insulin icodec (Awiqli), the first very-long-acting insulin, as an add-on to diet and exercise to manage high blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. We have classified insulin icodec as Do Not Use for Seven Years to allow time for better evidence to emerge about its net benefit-risk profile.

In 2026 the FDA approved ensitrelvir (XOCOVA), an oral medication to prevent COVID-19 in people aged 12 years and older. We have classified ensitrelvir as Do Not Use for Seven Years to allow more time for more data to emerge and about the drug’s safety and effectiveness.

Learn about vitamin B6 and the health risks of long-term use of high-dose vitamin B6 supplements. It is best to consume all vitamins, including vitamin B6, from dietary sources and to avoid taking supplements that contain megadoses of vitamin B6.

Learn about kratom (mitragynine) products, which are derived from the leaves of a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, and include synthetic derivatives of kratom, mainly 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH). All kratom products have serious adverse health effects; Public Citizen’s Health Research Group recommends against their use.

Orlistat (ALLI) is the only over-the-counter weight-loss drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In June 2026 the FDA approved labeling changes to warn of the risk of kidney stones and kidney injury. The “From the Editor” column discusses why we have long recommended that you Do Not Use orlistat and why the FDA should reconsider its continuing approval of a minimally effective drug with serious risks and safety concerns.

In April 2026 the FDA extended the approval of dextromethorphan-buproprion (AUVELITY) to include agitation associated with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. The oral combination drug has serious risks and only marginal benefits for the new indication; we have classified it as a Do Not Use drug for agitation associated with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease.

In December 2025 the FDA approved tradipitant (NEREUS) to prevent vomiting related to motion sickness in adults. Clinical trials have not compared this drug with existing treatments for motion sickness and its long-term safety and effectiveness are not known. We have classified tradipitant as Do Not Use for Seven Years.

Learn about the 2026-2027 influenza (flu) and COVID-19 vaccines. We recommend that all eligible children and adults receive and stay up to date on influenza and COVID-19 vaccination.

In February 2026 the Food and Drug Administration approved milsaperidone (BYSANTI), an atypical antipsychotic, for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults and the acute treatment of manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder. Learn why Public Citizen’s Health Research Group has classified milsaperidone as a Do Not Use drug.

The From the Editor column discusses the serious concerns raised by a pilot program in Utah that allows an artificial intelligence (AI) firm’s proprietary AI health care platform to autonomously refill prescription medications for people with certain chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

Omalizumab (XOLAIR) is the first drug approved by FDA to reduce allergic reactions to multiple food allergens after accidental exposure. Because adequate data are not yet available to assess who would benefit from the drug and when the benefits of treatment outweigh the risks of serious adverse events, including anaphylaxis, we recommend that you do not use omalizumab for seven years.

Learn about clinically important interactions of the widely prescribed once-daily calcium channel blocker amlodipine with other medications and dietary supplements.

A 2026 Cochrane review of 17 randomized controlled clinical trials with 20,342 participants concluded that monoclonal antibody drugs targeting amyloid-beta have “trivial” effects on cognitive function and dementia severity at 18 months and “probably results in a small increase” in the risk of brain swelling.