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Expert Opinion - The Undisclosed Risks of Off-brand Ozempic and Other Weight Loss Products
The popularity -- and price -- of brand-name injectable drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound has skyrocketed. But the soaring demand for these drugs -- used for weight loss as well as to control blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of heart disease -- and the limited supply as well as lack of generic options has also led to a flood of non-brand alternatives in the market. In a recent article for The Conversation, UConn expert C. Michael White, Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy Practice, issued a warning to consumers about the potential undisclosed risks of these off-brand products: High demand is driving GLP-1 wannabes The dietary supplement market has sought to cash in on the GLP-1 demand with pills, teas, extracts and all manner of other products that claim to produce similar effects as the brand names at a much lower price. Products containing the herb berberine offer only a few pounds of weight loss, while many dietary supplement weight loss products contain stimulants such as sibutramine and laxatives such as phenolphthalein, which increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and cancer. The role of compounding pharmacies Unlike the dietary supplements that are masquerading as GLP-1 weight loss products, compounding pharmacies can create custom versions of products that contain the same active ingredients as the real thing for patients who cannot use either brand or generic products for some reason. These pharmacies can also produce alternative versions of brand-name drugs when official drug shortages exist. Since the demand for GLP-1 medications has far outpaced the supply, compounding pharmacies are legally producing a variety of different semaglutide and tirzepatide products. These products may come in versions that differ from the brand-name companies, such as vials of powder that must be dissolved in liquid, or as tablets or nasal sprays. Just like the brand-name drugs, you must have a valid prescription to receive them. The prices range from $250-$400 a month – still a steep price for many consumers. Compounding pharmacies must adhere to the FDA’s sterility and quality production methods, but these rules are not as rigorous for compounding pharmacies as those for commercial manufacturers of generic drugs. In addition, the products compounding pharmacies create do not have to be tested in humans for safety or effectiveness like brand-name products do. Proper dosing can also be challenging with compounded forms of the drugs. Companies that work the system For people who cannot afford a compounding pharmacy product, or cannot get a valid prescription for semaglutide or tirzepatide, opportunistic companies are stepping in to fill the void. These include “peptide companies,” manufacturers that create non-FDA approved knockoff versions of the drugs. From November 2023 to March 2024, my team carried out a study to assess which of these peptide companies are selling semaglutide or tirzepatide products. We scoured the internet looking for these peptide companies and collected information about what they were selling and their sales practices. We found that peptide sellers use a loophole to sell these drugs. On their websites, the companies state that their drugs are for “research purposes only” or “not for human consumption,” but they do nothing to verify that the buyers are researchers or that the product is going to a research facility. By reading the comments sections of the company websites and the targeted ads on social media, it becomes clear that both buyers and sellers understand the charade. Unlike compounding pharmacies, these peptide sellers do not provide the supplies you need to dissolve and inject the drug, provide no instructions, and will usually not answer questions. Peptide sellers, since they allegedly are not selling to consumers, do not require a valid prescription and will sell consumers whatever quantity of drug they wish to purchase. Even if a person has an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa, the companies will happily sell them a semaglutide or tirzepatide product without a prescription. The average prices of these peptide products range from $181-$203 per month. Skirting regulations Peptide sellers do not have to adhere to the rules or regulations that drug manufacturers or compounding pharmacies do. Many companies state that their products are 99% pure, but an independent investigation of three companies’ products from August 2023 to March 2024 found that the purity of the products were far less than promised. One product contained endotoxin – a toxic substance produced by bacteria – suggesting that it was contaminated with microbes. In addition, the products’ promised dosages were off by up 29% to 39%. Poor purity can cause patients to experience fever, chills, nausea, skin irritation, infections and low blood pressure. In this study, some companies never even shipped the drug, telling the buyers they needed to pay an additional fee to have the product clear customs. If a consumer is harmed by a poor-quality product, it would be difficult to sue the seller, since the products specifically say they are “not for human consumption.” Ultimately, consumers are being led to spend money on products that may never arrive, could cause an infection, might not have the correct dose, and contain no instructions on how to safely use or store the product. Dr. C. Michael White is an expert in the areas of comparative effectiveness and preventing adverse events from drugs, devices, dietary supplements, and illicit substances. Dr. White is available to speak with media -- click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
Surprising Jobs Report: What It Means for the U.S. Economy
In news that far surpassed expectations, the U.S. added 254,000 jobs in September. The unemployement rate is also heading in the right direction with a slight dip this past month, resulting in a rate of 4.1%. This update comes after an agressive rate cut by the Federal Reserve. Economic expert, Jared Pincin, has pointed out the motivation behind the rate cut and the possible outcomes. Here are some key points and connections to the September job report from an article he was recently featured in: The rate cut was a signal that the Federal Reserve is now prioritizing the job market rather than inflation and it could be a sign that the ecomony is slowing. However, after the latest job report that blew expectations out of the water, could the ecomony be headed in a better direction? After this job report that added almost double the jobs projected, will the Federal Reserve continue to focus on employment rather than inflation? The Federal Reserve will meet again in November to discuss rate cuts. Will this strong jobs report give them flexibility as they gather to make decisons right after the U.S. election? If you are covering the recent jobs report or the U.S. economy and need to know more, let us help with your questions and stories. Dr. Jared Pincin is an expert on this subject and is available to speak to media regarding the job market and what this means for families in the United States – simply click on his icon or email mweinstein@cedarville.edu to arrange an interview.
Ghoulish discovery: Exploring YouTube's role in the rise of belief in the paranormal
In recent years, YouTube has become an influential platform for various communities, notably for enthusiasts of the paranormal and ghosts. Paul Brewer, University of Delaware communication professor, set out to see how this happens and what we can learn from this in terms of how individuals perceive other messaging that may sit at the fringes of mainstream belief. During the 1990s, a big wave of research erupted on how media messages might influence people's belief in paranormal topics with popular television shows like “Alien Autopsy” and “Crossing Over with John Edwards.” A second wave of research occurred in the mid-2000s in response to cable television series such as “Ghost Hunters” and “Finding Big Foot.” Since then, the media landscape has evolved beyond traditional outlets like print, television and radio to include multimedia, such as YouTube, TikTok and other platforms. In his latest work, published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, Brewer looked beyond consuming paranormal television to include the use of social media, especially YouTube. “If you think about the paranormal, YouTube is a platform that seems like an especially plausible candidate to shape people's beliefs because seeing is believing—and it is a very visual storytelling medium,” said Brewer. "It’s not just a fun, kooky idea to study. About half the public believes in UFOs and almost half the public believes in ghosts and haunted houses, even though these phenomena aren't recognized by mainstream science." By way of example, Brewer pointed to a fictional documentary-style show that claimed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) knew about mermaids and was hiding evidence for them, including real video footage. The show included disclaimers, but viewers ignored them, revealing an important detail about the power of belief. Brewer is available to speak more broadly on the topic and his findings. He can be contacted by emailing mediarelations@udel.edu.
Repairing Boeing's relationship with the FAA
The Boeing Corporation is the recognized pioneer in aviation and aircraft manufacturing, but significant quality control concerns have mounted in light of near disasters associated with Boeing's planes, including notably the Alaska Airlines door flying off in January. David Primo, professor of political science and business administration at the University of Rochester, is available to tackle some of the regulatory, crisis management and reputational questions related to Boeing's safety and production problems, including regaining the trust of the Federal Aviation Administration: “The challenge Boeing faces is how do they rebuild safety, rebuild the relationship with the FAA, but keep the business going? And that’s a very tough balancing act. The FAA is going to give Boeing much less in the way of the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the design of planes, which could very much constrain its production system. So it’s going to mean that planes might take a little longer to get off the production line and into the hands of airlines."
Hurricane Milton: Second major storm in two weeks could multiply danger on Florida's Gulf Coast
Now a Category 5 hurricane, Milton is making a beeline toward Tampa Bay and other parts of Florida's western coast. But it will also hit some of the same areas that Hurricane Helene decimated less than two weeks ago, amplifying the danger and need for an on-point disaster response. Experts in the University of Delaware's Disaster Research Center can talk about several facets of this developing situation: Jennifer Horney: The mental and physical impacts of multiple disasters; environmental impacts of disasters and potential public health impacts for chronic and infectious diseases. She can talk about both Milton and Helene – Horney is a native of North Carolina and has done fieldwork in the state. Victor Perez: Can talk about known environmental justice issues in the Gulf Coast region that interact with climate change impacts, like hurricanes. Sarah DeYoung: Conspiracy theories and misinformation during disasters; pets in emergencies, infant feeding in disasters, decision-making in evacuation and community cohesion. DeYoung is from western North Carolina and can draw parallels from Milton to Helene. Jennifer Trivedi: Can talk about long-term recovery after large scale events – including compounding events – as well as challenges during disasters for people with disabilities, vulnerable communities and decision making. Tricia Wachtendorf: Evacuation decision-making, disaster response and coordination, disaster relief (donations) and logistics, volunteer and emergent efforts, social vulnerability. James Kendra: Disaster response activities, volunteers, and emergency coordination. A.R. Siders: Expert on sea level rise and managed retreat – the concept of planned community movement away from coastlines and flood-prone areas and the "expanding bullseye" that is contributing to the rising disaster costs in the U.S. Shanjia Dong: Research looks at smart and resilient urban systems; infrastructure systems, critical infrastructure protection, effective disaster preparedness and response, and equitable resilience planning and climate change adaptation. Joe Trainor: Post-storm housing decisions and insurance.
DIY’ing Grief: How Modern Memorials Help Us Navigate the Death of Loved Ones
Americans really don't want to talk about it: Everyone dies, and everyone will experience the death of a loved one. Grief is a universal human experience – and a very challenging one – with its range of difficult emotions and processes. Baylor University researcher Candi Cann, Ph.D., has made it her life’s work to study death and dying. In fact, the associate professor of religion in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core, is known as a “death scholar,” with media outlets ranging from NPR’s Science Friday to the Washington Post seeking her expertise about the impact of remembering (and forgetting) in shaping how lives are recalled, remembered and celebrated. Cann is the author of “Virtual Afterlives: Grieving the Dead in the Twenty-first Century,” and her research on modern grief has found that some Americans – in a move away from organized religion – have lost the grieving framework that prayer and Christian practices traditionally offered. She calls that framework the “syntax of grief” – the common language once rooted in religious practices – that has evolved over the generations, prompting people to seek more personal ways of expressing grief and memorialization customs. “This new language of mourning is being defined by the culture, rather than religious ritual,” Cann said. “And these new practices are emerging at the grassroots level in response to a popular need to express grief through more personal expressions in almost a do-it-yourself or DIY approach.” These DIY or modern remembrances – such as virtual memorials, tattoos and using cremains in creative ways – can help individuals navigate the grieving process. Virtual memorialization With contemporary grieving practices shifting from the physical to the online world, Cann said these virtual memorialization spaces, such as social media and memorial websites, are just as real and meaningful as physical spaces and can offer a shared space for more people to share in their grief. For example, Cann said funeral services have evolved to incorporate digital services such as a virtual memory page or guest book or live-streaming wakes. Social media profiles and websites are created as virtual locations for people to remember and mourn those who have died. “The internet can democratize grief. It allows people a way to have these conversations about the dead that they may not be able to do on an everyday basis,” Cann said. “You know, you’re at work and you’re grieving, but it’s not really an appropriate conversation. In this way, you can go online and leave a message and find a community of people who are also grieving with you.” Tattoos Tattoos have become a popular way for individuals, especially younger people, to carry their grief with them, Cann said. The inked images can function as a badge or emblem for the person, they tell stories, honor meaningful moments and allow people to carry their grief with them in both literal and virtual ways. "Tattoos allow people to occupy the space as a mourner, while also continuing to carry on with their everyday activities. Many people get tattoos to symbolize their first loss, like their grandparent or pet,” Cann said. “Though the body has disappeared, is remapped onto living flesh to become a symbol of mourning in a world where mourning is denied.” Use of cremains A growing trend is incorporating cremains (cremated remains) into various objects like tattoos, jewelry, records or even fireworks. This practice offers a portable and customizable way to keep a connection with the deceased, which is not an option with burials, Cann said. “Cremation has become much more widely accepted and much more widely practiced because it's cheaper, more economical, but also because of the options of what can be done with cremains in memorial,” Cann said. “Cremains are portable and divisible, so you can share them with other people. Plus, you can carry them in ways that disguise the fact that they are ashes, such as putting cremains in a locket.” The conversation These more personal expressions and do-it-yourself solutions to memorialize a death allow people to find places where they can feel and experience their grief more readily and move from the loss into a place of restoration, Cann said. While death is complete and universal, finding ways to grieve – from the traditional to the contemporary – helps process the loss, but it’s just as vital to have that difficult conversation about preparing for the death of loved ones. “I encourage everyone to have difficult conversations about death and discuss your wishes with your loved ones about what you want when you die,” Cann said. “Allowing death to be part of regular discussions can help your family and your friends deal with their sorrow when you die because the everyday practical matters of sorting through your estate or figuring out what you would have wanted are not compounding the grief. Talking about death is ultimately and way to show how much you love someone.” Looking to know more? We can help. If you're a journalist interested in speaking with Candi Cann, simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.
Multi-sector partnership leads to first practical pilot of vehicle-to-grid power
A multi-pronged effort led by corporations, industry associations and an academic research institution has launched the first practical pilot project of “vehicle-to-grid” power (V2G) set up so that industrial participants can scale it at low cost. Invented by the University of Delaware, V2G uses batteries in parked EVs to support the electric grid or to provide backup during power failures. This pilot is the first targeted toward large scale expansion, because it follows standards (by SAE and UL), uses production EVs (with UD modifications), complies with utility requirements, and qualifies for wholesale power markets. The pilot has been implemented by Delmarva Power (an Exelon Company), working with UD. The project has set up an electric utility fleet of EVs to begin providing power to balance the electric grid, using Ford Mach-E EVs in the Delmarva Power fleet, and following new rules of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for distributed energy resources. These Delmarva Power fleet vehicles are driving for utility operations during normal work schedule and provide wholesale grid services for PJM Interconnection when parked. The cooperative effort was organized by Prof. Willett Kempton, originator of the V2G concept. Kempton said the resulting demonstration is significant because it shows a cost-effective pathway for standards based, regulatory-compliant, mass-manufactured V2G. “Our close collaboration with Ford Motor, based on our joint Memorandum of Understanding, was very productive. Ford engineers’ advice helped us fully integrate the car’s CAN communications with LIN-CP,” Kempton said. “Ford already markets a production EV with home backup power, and they have a sophisticated understanding of potential EV synergies with the electric power grid. We hope that collaborations like this will also help OEMs like Ford to see a path to incorporation of these new standards and technologies into production EVs.” The new standard for V2G signal definitions were finalized and approved just this year thanks to UD Research Professor Rodney McGee, Task Force Chair of the SAE standards development for J3400 (NACS) and J3068. (SAE was formerly called Society of Automotive Engineers.) “These standards define the signaling to standardize low-cost AC charging, with all the functionality needed for safe operation of V2G and backup power from an EV. Both these standards implement a signaling method that is new to EV charging, called LIN-CP, yet is built from easy-to-implement automotive technologies,” McGee said. UD’s MOU with Ford Motor Company allowed the two parties to cooperate on implementing sophisticated signaling for low-cost, high-functionality V2G. UD designed a retrofit package for proof of concept. The design was led by UD Postdoc Garrett Ejzak and used a bidirectional on-board charger and the new LIN-CP commands to make the Mach-E capable of sophisticated V2G. After testing at UD, the design was installed in four Delmarva Power fleet Mach-Es, to test these systems in a real-world fleet operating environment. In addition to proving these new SAE standards, this project also shows that EVs can be high-value grid services providers to the electric system under the new FERC Order 2222 regulations. This new Federal rule enables small resources to collectively participate in electric markets to make the electric grid more reliable and more capable of incorporating fluctuating renewable power sources. PJM Interconnection, which manages the electric grid over 13 states, is participating under a Pilot Project agreement with the Delmarva Power demonstration, as an early proof of PJM’s new rules to meet FERC Order 2222 compliance. “The use of virtual power plants, such as aggregations of electric vehicles, is an emerging resource type that can contribute to managing the energy transition by providing flexibility and other services needed to reliably operate the power grid,” said Scott Baker, Sr. Business Solution Analyst – Applied Innovation for PJM. “We look forward to working with Delmarva Power and the project team to test the technical capabilities of V2G electric vehicles and understand how this use case integrates with PJM’s new market construct for virtual power plants and DER Aggregators.” Delmarva Power’s parent company, Exelon Corporation, is also a partner providing support for the project. Project partner Nuvve Holding Corporation (Nuvve) updated their charging stations for full LIN-CP and V2G capabilities. Then project partner Delmarva Power installed four Nuvve charging stations at their facility in Newark, Delaware. The four individual Mach-Es are virtually combined into one V2G “power plant” by aggregation software from Nuvve Holdings. Nuvve CEO Gregory Poilasne described this: “Our Nuvve charging stations now talk LIN-CP and implement the new SAE standards. This enables our GIVe aggregator software to tap high functionality V2G EVs,” Poilasne said. “By combining EVs as a single power resource, our technology is already serving as a “Distributed Energy Resource Aggregator” as specified by FERC Order 2222.” The EVs’ performance and provision of grid services will be monitored over the next year by UD and Nuvve to provide documentation on their use both as fleet vehicles and as grid resources.
Criminal Charges and Springfield Ohio
More criminal charges have been filed against former President Donald Trump. A Haitian nonprofit group filed criminal charges against Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, and his running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, regarding statements they recently made about immigration in Springfield, Ohio. They are being accused of villifying the Haitian community with their claims that immigrants are eating cats and dogs in the Springfield area. Dr. Glen Duerr, political expert at Cedarville University, stated in a recent interview that rumors like these provide a way for politicians to keep a hot issue like immigration alive. Here are some key points from his interview: Trump and Vance have made various claims about the recent events in Springfield. However, are there grounds to proscecute them in a trial? The rumors circulating Springfield have made it a microcosm of the large-scale immigration conversation. Will anything change in Springfield moving forward? Trump has mentioned that he will visit Springfield in the near future. However, Springfield hads recently responded to multiple bomb threats that have resulted in universities going fully remote and evacuations of city buildings and public schools. Would his presence only fan the flames of the immigration uproar? If you are a journalist looking to cover immigration and news coming out of Springfield, look to our experts for help. Dr. Glen Duerr's research interests include comparative politics and international relations theory. Glen is an expert on this subject and is available to speak to media regarding this topic– simply click on his icon to arrange an interview or email mweinstein@cedarville.edu.
It's October ... and that means one thing in America: Major League Baseball playoffs are set to begin. It means wall to wall broadcasts of games, massive advertising buys and gate receipts that means a serious stream of revenue for all of the teams, players and owners who made it through a long season and survived to be one of the dozen teams left to play for the Commissioner's Trophy. It's going to be a wild few weeks for baseball fans and the reporters covering the games. And if you're a journalist looking to know how important the marketing and business sides are to the the playoffs - then let us help with your stories. Kirk Wakefield, Ph.D., is The Edwin W. Streetman Professor of Retail Marketing at Baylor University, where he is the Executive Director of the Curb Center for Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment (S3E) program in the Hankamer School of Business. Kirk is available to speak with media - simply click on his icon ow to arrange an interview today.
An innovative Baylor University study has shed light on the often-overlooked experiences of women doing “daughtering” in families, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which created immense challenges in their relationships with parents and other family members. “Daughtering” refers to the ways adult daughters contribute to flourishing family relationships, according to Allison M. Alford, Ph.D., clinical associate professor in the Department of Information Systems and Business Analytics in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business. Alford’s latest research, Daughterwork in Times of Social Upheaval, published in Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, explores how societal changes caused by the pandemic required women to reconfigure their relationships with their parents and emphasizes the critical role adult daughters play in maintaining family connections, particularly in times of crisis. "This study highlights how social upheavals like the COVID-19 pandemic can both challenge and reinforce the essential work that daughters do in their families," Alford said. “Past research has shown that women often bear the brunt of responsibility when crises occur at home, work or in the extended family. Particularly for professional women – those who are balancing changing workplace demands alongside immediate and extended family concerns as well as societal shifts – increased care needs or the perception of such for parents can increase stress and negatively impact well-being, yet women still persist in providing upstream support for a variety of reasons.” Using in-depth, semi-structured interviews of women who identified change to their daughtering, professional and family lives, Alford discovered four themes about how a crisis can provide opportunities for flexible daughtering, meaningful connection and reflection on one’s most important relationships. Daughtering is adaptive action The pandemic forced many daughters to rapidly adjust their caregiving practices with their parents. When normal forms of communication were not an option, many daughters turned to technology to bridge the gap. This included increased use of video calls, social media, and other digital communication tools to maintain contact and promote family connection. Alford’s research found that daughters also took on new, often physically demanding tasks to ensure their parents’ well-being – delivering groceries, managing household repairs and organizing virtual family gatherings. “These actions were not only about adapting to the context of social upheaval but also about intensifying their caring efforts to meet the evolving needs of their parents,” Alford said. Daughtering is adaptive timing The study revealed that daughters had to maintain a heightened state of vigilance, constantly prepared to address unexpected crises, Alford said. Unlike the more predictable daughtering routines of the past, the pandemic introduced a level of uncertainty that required daughters to be in a near-constant state of readiness. One study participant described her experience as being in "constant problem-solving mode," which added significant stress to her daily life. “This ‘adaptive timing’ meant that daughters often found themselves juggling sudden care demands with their own professional and personal obligations,” Alford said. “This theme underscores the mental and emotional toll on daughters who had to manage the unpredictable nature of daughtering during the pandemic.” Daughtering is a priority Despite the challenges, Alford said, many daughters reported that they continued to prioritize their daughtering responsibilities, driven by a deep sense of familial duty and personal values. “For these women, daughtering was not just another task but a core part of their identity, often taking precedence over their professional responsibilities,” Alford said. “This commitment was evident in the time and resources they dedicated to maintaining their relationships with their parents, even when it meant sacrificing their own well-being or career advancement.” One participant noted, “I value family, so I still made it a priority,” reflecting a sentiment shared by many women in the study. This theme, Alford noted, highlights the internal conflict that many daughters faced, balancing their dedication to family with the competing demands of their own lives. Daughtering involves reflecting Challenges prompt many daughters to reflect deeply on their roles and relationships, and the COVID-19 pandemic was no different, Alford said. “This period of social upheaval generated a moment of introspection, leading daughters to reassess their priorities, boundaries and the nature of their relationships with their parents,” she said. “For some, this reflection led to a greater appreciation for the importance of family, while for others, it was a time to set new boundaries and redefine their roles within the family structure.” One participant observed, “COVID was a catalyst for emotional support,” while another reflected on the need to “carve out time mentally” to fulfill her roles as both a daughter and a professional. This theme illustrates how the pandemic not only challenged daughters but also provided an opportunity for personal growth and redefinition of their familial roles, Alford said. Key strategies to recognizing daughters’ “invisible” labor The research underscores the critical need for greater recognition and support for the invisible labor performed by adult daughters, suggesting that both families and society at large have a role to play in alleviating the burden on these women. “It’s crucial that we not only acknowledge the burden placed on these women, “Alford said, “but also seek ways to support them, whether through family empathy, shared responsibilities or societal recognition.” Alford emphasizes the importance of three key strategies: Awareness and acknowledgment Families should recognize the labor involved in daughtering and ensure it is acknowledged and appreciated. This can help prevent the exploitation of this labor and ensure that daughters feel valued for their contributions. Outsourcing and support Where possible, families should consider outsourcing some care tasks or providing additional support to relieve the burden on daughters. This might include hiring help for household chores or seeking external emotional support through counseling. Expressing gratitude Expressing gratitude and acknowledging the efforts of daughters can significantly enhance their sense of well-being and fulfillment. This recognition is vital in helping them feel that their contributions are meaningful and valued. National Daughter’s Day National Daughter’s Day is Sept. 25, and while this holiday has been around since 1932 to honor the daughters in our lives, it can often quietly pass us by. Alford recommends parents using this day to officially acknowledge all the ways in which daughters support their families.
