#Pharmaceuticals

AI is prompting a debate about faster drug approvals, with claims that technology could shorten timelines. For Thai readers, the promise of quicker access to therapies must be weighed against safety, ethics, and robust regulatory safeguards.

The U.S. FDA currently manages a lengthy evaluation process for new medicines, a challenge amplified by rising public demand for speed. Some researchers argue that AI could streamline reviews, but experts urge caution and strong protections before any major changes.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) drug approval process would allow new medications to be approved “very, very quickly,” according to a recent statement made by a prominent U.S. presidential candidate. The assertion, made at a high-profile live event, has ignited renewed debate about the potential of AI to revolutionize pharmaceutical regulation—raising questions of safety, ethics, and global implications, including for Thailand’s own drug approval landscape.

A prominent cardiologist warns that common plasticizers in soft gel capsule shells may contribute to heart problems, including sudden cardiac events. The expert, affiliated with a major U.S. hospital, told a popular newspaper that phthalates can leach into the bloodstream, irritate arteries, and trigger inflammation. This pathway could hinder blood flow and raise the risk of cardiovascular disease. A growing body of research supports concerns about phthalates in medications and their potential heart-related threats.

A leading heart doctor has raised new alarms over a common chemical found in the capsule shells of many daily medications, including pain relievers and vitamins, warning it could contribute to sudden heart attacks. The physician, a cardiologist affiliated with a major New York hospital, told the Daily Mail that phthalates—plasticizers often used to make soft gel capsules flexible—can enter the body, irritate arteries, and trigger inflammation, making it harder for blood to flow and heightening the risk of heart disease and cardiac events. This revelation is backed by a growing body of research suggesting a connection between the widespread use of phthalates in medications and increased cardiovascular threats.

A prominent New York cardiologist has sounded the alarm on a silent risk lurking in the medication cabinets of millions: phthalates—chemicals used to make soft gel capsules—may significantly increase the risk of heart attacks, according to new research and expert warning. This revelation, which directly affects commonly used medications such as pain relievers, multivitamins, stool softeners, and cold remedies, is poised to raise concern among medicine users globally and in Thailand, where health awareness continues to rise and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals remain readily accessible.

A leading New York cardiologist warns that phthalates—chemicals used to soften gel capsules—may raise the risk of heart attacks. This finding affects everyday medicines such as pain relievers, multivitamins, stool softeners, and cold remedies. The message is timely for Thai readers as over-the-counter medicines are widely available and health awareness grows across the country.

Phthalates, also known as plasticizers, are added to many products to provide flexibility. They are present in a range of items from children’s toys to food packaging, and crucially, in the shells of many oral medications. A senior cardiologist at Mount Sinai notes that phthalates in medical capsules can trigger arterial inflammation and oxidative stress, accelerating artery hardening and narrowing—processes linked to heart disease. A cautious interpretation comes from recent reporting and ongoing research, underscoring the need for careful handling of medicines.

A long-standing scientific debate has finally been resolved. Researchers have confirmed a “crazy” theory from 1958 about vitamin B1, or thiamine. By stabilizing an extremely reactive carbene intermediate in water, they observed a stable form long thought impossible. The breakthrough, published in Science Advances, signals new possibilities for sustainable chemical manufacturing worldwide, including in Thailand.

The idea dates back to Ronald Breslow at Columbia University, who proposed that vitamin B1 forms a fleeting carbene-like species during essential cellular reactions. Carbenes are notoriously unstable in water, the solvent of life, which kept the theory unproven for decades. Breslow’s concept seemed almost magical to many scientists.

In a scientific breakthrough decades in the making, researchers have finally confirmed a “crazy” theory dating back to 1958 involving vitamin B1, or thiamine. By successfully stabilizing an extremely reactive molecule known as a carbene in water—something scientists long believed to be impossible—this team has not only resolved a long-standing biochemical debate but also unlocked new possibilities for sustainable chemical manufacturing around the world, including Thailand. Their results, published in Science Advances on April 11, 2025, have sparked fresh excitement in both academic and industrial laboratories worldwide (SciTechDaily).

A widely-prescribed antidepressant may significantly shorten lifespan—by up to six years—according to recent findings circulated by the international medical community. The claim, based on a new research review highlighted by several medical news outlets and summarized in a viral Yahoo Lifestyle article, is igniting debate among doctors, mental health professionals, and patients in Thailand and around the world over the safety and prescription practices of this common medication.

The backdrop of this news is the widespread and growing use of antidepressant drugs, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which include widely-recognized names such as sertraline, fluoxetine, and paroxetine. With depression and anxiety rates rising globally—including in Thailand, where mental health awareness has increased sharply in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic—these medications are standard tools for primary care doctors and psychiatrists alike [World Health Organization].

The latest in-depth investigations by international psychiatrists and psychologists are prompting a global rethink over the widespread use and perceived efficacy of antidepressants, especially in the United States, where such medications have become almost ubiquitous for treating depression, anxiety, and insomnia. New findings sharply question the central assumptions about how these drugs work, their long-term benefits, and the risks they carry—a discussion that resonates far beyond America’s borders, including in Thailand, as local mental health practices continue to evolve.