Depending on which headlines you’ve seen recently, you may think that some pain relievers are being recalled because they’re dangerous and you might be wondering if you need to clean out the medicine cabinet and throw out any number of these products. I’m going to try to explain this highly complex situation, but the bottom line is that when taken as directed, all of the pain relievers currently on the market, be they prescription or over the counter (OTC), are still considered to be safe and effective and you don’t need to throw them away (and nothing is being recalled at the moment either).
The bottom line problem, however, is that when it comes to pain relievers many people don’t follow directions and wind up taking far more pills than they should. And when those products contain acetaminophen it can lead to toxic levels of that drug, which can and all […]
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In an unusual move earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) alerted consumers that Zicam Cold Remedy products have been associated with long lasting or even permanent loss of smell. FDA recommends that consumers stop using these products and that they throw away any that might still be in their homes. The affected products include Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel, Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs, and Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, Kids Size (the last one is a previously discontinued product). The products had been sold by Matrixx Initiatives to reduce the duration and severity of cold symptoms; however, they have never been shown to be effective.
These products were formulated and sold for intranasal use and may have contained zinc, which is potentially toxic to the nasal membranes. The FDA emphasized that their advisory does not concern oral zinc tablets and lozenges that are taken by mouth. Ironically, oral […]
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Forty-five years after then U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry declared that smoking causes cancer, we are finally poised to see the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) assume regulatory authority over products containing tobacco. And while any legislation that has taken this long to come to pass will be seen by many as too little, too late, most would agree it’s a step in the right direction. The bill, called the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act was more than ten years in the making and represents the first big federal step against smoking since the 1971 ban on TV and radio advertising and the 1988 ban on smoking on commercial airplanes. As Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, so aptly put it, “[Now] the most deadly product sold in America will no longer be the least regulated product sold in America.”
If you are either a […]
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If you or someone you know uses topical testosterone gels (AndroGel or Testim) there’s important new information from the FDA on their safety. Because these gels are applied by hand to the skin of the shoulders and upper arms, or the abdomen, it is extremely important that those hands be washed thoroughly with soap and warm water after every application. The reason for this is to avoid any possibility of transferring the drug from the hand to the skin of a child.
Testosterone is the male sex hormone and some men need to take it as a medication to supplement their own naturally made testosterone because, for any number of reasons, their natural levels are low. But if it gets on the skin of a child it can be absorbed and cause premature sexual effects in the child. The FDA has received reports of children who experienced serious adverse effects from […]
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It’s an unfortunate reality, but as a widespread, somewhat mysterious illness that has more questions than answers, the swine flu is a ripe target for scam artists. So along with protecting yourself and your family from infection, you’ve also got to be on guard against unscrupulous and shady marketers. There are three main types of swine flu-related scams:
Swine spam
Swine malware
Swine “cures,” “remedies,” and “vaccines”
Swine spam are e-mail messages that have the words “swine flu” in the subject line. The senders are simply using swine flu as a hook to get you to open the e-mail. When you open a spam e-mail, the sender may be notified that yours is a valid address and that you are amenable to opening messages. At a minimum they can collect these “good” addresses and either use them in other marketing campaigns or sell them to other marketers. Once you’ve opened the e-mail, […]
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Last week’s FDA approval of Lexapro to treat depression in adolescents 12-17 years old got me to thinking both about bureaucratic nonsense and corporate shenanigans. That’s because, in a classic case of bureaucratitis, the FDA approval came just weeks after Justice Department prosecutors, following a 5-year investigation, accused Forest Laboratories of illegally marketing Lexapro for use in these very same children. Of course, such actions are not mutually exclusive because, in fact, it would have been illegal for Forest to promote the use of Lexapro in kids prior to such an FDA approval, but, really, when one arm of the government says it’s now fully convinced of Lexapro’s efficacy in children doesn’t it seem a bit odd that another arm would be spending so much time and effort prosecuting the company for promoting such use? Shouldn’t they be going after companies promoting things that don’t actually work? Maybe yes, maybe […]
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If you or someone you know takes Plavix (clopidogrel), which is an anticlotting medication (often referred to as a blood thinner), you should take note of recent findings suggesting a potential problem when it is taken along with other drugs known as proton pump inhibitors. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are drugs that reduce stomach acid and they are often prescribed along with Plavix because it can irritate the stomach in some patients. The PPIs help to reduce the stomach irritation. But recent findings are suggesting that PPIs might reduce the effectiveness of Plavix, which could be a problem since Plavix is most often prescribed for people who are at risk of having a heart attack or stroke and if it didn’t work they could be at risk of serious problems. So if you do take Plavix and if you also take (or are considering taking) a PPI, you should definitely […]
Original post by admin and weightlossopinions.com
If you or someone you know takes Plavix (clopidogrel), which is an anticlotting medication (often referred to as a blood thinner), you should take note of recent findings suggesting a potential problem when it is taken along with other drugs known as proton pump inhibitors. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are drugs that reduce stomach acid and they are often prescribed along with Plavix because it can irritate the stomach in some patients. The PPIs help to reduce the stomach irritation. But recent findings are suggesting that PPIs might reduce the effectiveness of Plavix, which could be a problem since Plavix is most often prescribed for people who are at risk of having a heart attack or stroke and if it didn’t work they could be at risk of serious problems. So if you do take Plavix and if you also take (or are considering taking) a PPI, you should definitely […]
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As Stephen Colbert would say: “Welcome to the Report ladies and gentlemen.” Dr. Z’s Medical Report has a new home here on Everyday Health, and I am happy to welcome both old and new readers to my blog, which began in 2006 on HealthTalk. Although HealthTalk no longer exists as its own website, much of its content has been incorporated into the Everyday Health website, including all the postings of Dr. Z’s Medical Report. You can still search the blog using the little search box on the right side of the page and can still subscribe to it via RSS. Nothing has changed except for the owner of the website; namely, Everyday Health and I’m happy to be part of their team.
For those new to the Report, here’s a brief overview. I usually write twice a week with postings on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s. The easiest way to stay informed is […]
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A nationwide outbreak of Salmonella caused by tainted peanut butter has already resulted in the recall of hundreds of products with more being added to the list every day. Consumers are being advised not to consume any peanut butter containing products until more information becomes available on which brands may be affected and to destroy any that already have been identified. The majority of affected products are packaged prepared foods such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream. To avoid consuming tainted foods you should take the following precautions:
Go to your pantry or any other food storage areas and look carefully for packaged products that might contain peanut butter.
Be sure to check the labels of any product with “nuts” in the name to see if they contain peanut butter.
Gather […]
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