1: Staying in the Sun vs Seeking Shade: Prevalence and Associated Factors with Intentional Outdoor Tanning

A cross-sectional study of nearly 32K US adults found that 35.6% of women and 26.6% of men take part in frequent sun tanning. The highest prevalence of tanning was seen in women and men aged 18 to 29 years, as well as are physically active and report heavy alcohol use. Additionally, the prevalence of sunburn was significantly higher in those who tanned frequently (49.9%; 95% CI, 48.5-51.4%) compared to those who stayed in the shade (28.3%; 95% CI, 27.4-29.3%; P<.001). These findings can help inform future health-education strategies to inform targeted individuals about the risks associated with outdoor suntanning as it relates to skin cancer. 

2: Prescribing is Easy. Persistence is Hard.  

A cohort study of patients hospitalized for heart failure assessed if individuals are adherent to guideline-directed medical therapy (e.g. beta-blockers, RAS inhibitors, MRAs, and SGLT inhibitors) once they are discharged. After being discharged, prescriptions went unfilled for 51% of new prescriptions of beta-blockers, 48% for RAS inhibitors, 39% for MRAs, and 35% for SGLT2 inhibitors. This means that only half of new discharge prescriptions were initiated within 7 days of discharge. 6 months later, only 42% of patients were adherent to all HF medications used at discharge. Further research is needed to develop interventions to support patients’ medication use beyond their hospital admission. 

3: The Birth Control-to-Ozempic Pipeline

A nationwide case-control study of more than 249K Danish women found that all patterns of hormonal contraceptive use were associated with a higher likelihood of later initiating semaglutide therapy. Women who had used a single contraceptive type were 42-63% more likely to start semaglutide compared to never-users, while those who had cycled through multiple contraceptive types were up to twice as likely. Researchers suggest the link may reflect perceived weight changes during contraceptive use driving health-seeking behaviour, rather than a direct hormonal cause. The association held even after adjusting for BMI. For pharmacists, it's a reminder that a patient's contraceptive history may offer early signals about future interest in pharmacologic weight management.

Drug Shortages ⚠️

Lipitor

Coversyl

Newly Approved Drugs ✨

Shingrix (Recombinant Zoster Vaccine): prefilled syringe presentation for the prevention of shingles in adults 50 years of age or older, and in adults 18 years of age or older who are or will be at increased risk due to immunodeficiency or immunosuppression.

Patients are losing more than just weight on GLP-1s

What happened: A large new BMJ study suggests people taking GLP-1 receptor agonists may be more likely to experience hair loss than those using other diabetes medications.

Why it matters: Researchers analyzed health data from more than 50,000 adults with type 2 diabetes taking GLP-1 receptor agonists and compared them with people using SGLT-2 or DPP-4 inhibitors. They found GLP-1 users had a 37% higher risk of alopecia than those taking SGLT-2 inhibitors and a 68% higher risk than those on DPP-4 inhibitors.

That doesn't necessarily mean the drugs are causing hair loss directly. Instead, experts say the culprit is likely the rapid weight loss many patients experience. When the body is under stress, it shifts more hair follicles into a resting phase, leading to a temporary shedding condition known as telogen effluvium. The good news? The overall risk remained low, and the hair loss is usually temporary.

A Canadian dermatologist told Global News that it takes about 3 months of rapid weight loss for there to be shedding of hair. It lasts for around 6 months, and when the weight stabilizes, the hair grows back. GLP-1s have also been associated with gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea and vomiting, which can also cause nutritional deficiencies like hair loss. The FDA had previously stated that semaglutides and tirzepatides may impact hair loss.

But: Hair loss isn't usually a reason to stop treatment. Experts say slower dose escalation, avoiding overly rapid weight loss when possible, and making sure patients get enough protein and key nutrients may help reduce the risk. If shedding is severe or persistent, it's worth looking for other causes rather than assuming the medication is solely to blame.

Bottom line: Hair loss may not be the side effect patients expect when starting a GLP-1, but it's one worth mentioning. Setting expectations early can reassure patients that, in most cases, the shedding is temporary, and may help keep them from abandoning an otherwise effective treatment.

1: 🦟 West Nile season has officially arrived in Ontario. Positive mosquito pools have turned up in Toronto, Windsor-Essex, Belleville, York Region, and Halton Region over the past couple of weeks, alongside 14 infected dead birds across Ontario and Manitoba. No human cases have been confirmed yet this year, but health units are urging the usual precautions: DEET or icaridin, clearing standing water, and keeping an eye out for a fever, headache, and body aches in patients aged 50-plus or immunocompromised, who face the highest risk of severe illness.

2: 🦠 South of the border, measles just hit a milestone nobody wanted. The US has logged 2,318 confirmed cases so far in 2026, already surpassing all of 2025's record-breaking total, making this the worst year for measles since 1991. 93% of cases are in people who are unvaccinated or have unknown MMR status, and 1 in 10 kids under 5 have been hospitalized. With outbreaks still active in South Carolina, Utah, and Arizona, it's a good week for a routine vaccination status check with your American-adjacent patients, or really, anyone due for their MMR booster.

3: 🤖 Stanford researchers may have found a natural Ozempic, and AI did most of the heavy lifting. Scientists used an algorithm to sift through 20,000 human protein-coding genes and landed on a tiny 12-amino-acid molecule called BRP, which reduced food intake by up to 50% in mice and minipigs, with nearly all weight loss coming from body fat. Unlike semaglutide, BRP appears to act specifically in the hypothalamus rather than throughout the body, meaning no significant nausea, constipation, or muscle loss in animal testing. Human trials haven't started yet, so don't clear shelf space for it, but it's the most interesting thing to come out of obesity research in a while.

4: ✈️ Planning a flight on WestJet this long weekend? You'll want a backup plan. The airline is now letting passengers booked between July 30 and Aug. 4 change or cancel their flights for free, as 4,400 flight attendants represented by CUPE Local 8125 could legally walk off the job as early as Aug. 2, after voting 99.4% in favour of a strike. A walkout would ground Canada's second-largest airline right in the middle of the August long weekend, one of the busiest travel stretches of the summer. WestJet says it's "actively engaged" in negotiations and optimistic a deal can still be reached.

🍅 Make: this burst tomato burrata pasta. Sweet cherry tomatoes are slowly cooked until jammy, then tossed with garlic, fresh basil, Parmesan, and silky burrata for a tasty dinner that comes together with just a handful of summer ingredients.

🐔 Try: raising backyard chickens. With egg prices still keeping shoppers on their toes, this beginner-friendly guide walks through everything from choosing a coop and protecting your flock from predators to the daily care chickens need before you bring home your first hens.

💰 Save: on the Apple AirPods Pro 3, currently 21% off at $259.99 (regularly $329). The latest model adds heart rate sensing and live translation while keeping features like active noise cancellation, spatial audio, and USB-C charging.

🏛️ Visit: the ancient city of Troy. If Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has you dreaming of Greek myths and epic journeys, this guide explains how to explore the legendary archaeological site in modern-day Türkiye, from its famous ruins to a replica of the iconic Trojan Horse.

📺 Watch: Can You Solve the Virus Riddle? from TED-Ed. This 5-minute animated puzzle challenges you to stop a prehistoric virus from escaping the lab, using nothing but logic and quick thinking.

First clue: Confabulate

Need a rematch? We’ve got you covered. Check out our Crossword Archive to find every puzzle we’ve ever made, all in one place.

Think you crushed it? Challenge your pharmacist friends to beat your time.

Last week we asked our readers: What's the one thing every first-time pharmacy volunteer should know? Here's what you had to say.

Want to reach thousands of Canadian pharmacists every week? Email [email protected] to learn more.