Health

Toxic Waste : Final Tally
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
He explained that pesticide residues were not detectable in 41 of the 43 samples of fin fish tested, while the remaining two samples had only trace amounts (levels too low to be accurately characterized).

What Is Anthrax?
by CDC
Anthrax is a serious disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a bacterium that forms spores. A bacterium is a very small organism made up of one cell. Many bacteria can cause disease. A spore is a cell that is dormant (asleep) but may come to life

Genes or Environment?: Epigenetics Sheds Light on Debate
by National Institute of Health
Which is more important in shaping who we are and what we will become - our genes or the environment around us? For centuries, people have debated whether nature or nurture decides how we look and act.

Clinical Trials: How Are People Protected? What Is Informed Consent?
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Most clinical trials are federally regulated with built-in safeguards to protect participants. Today, the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) leads the department's programs for the protection

Medical Errors Can Be Deadly Serious
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Even the seemingly simple process of giving a patient medicine - the right drug, in the right dose, to the right patient, at the right time - is, in reality, teeming with opportunities for error.

Hormone-Like Proteins: Putting Body Mechanics To Work
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Hormone-like proteins act as communicators between the cells in our bodies. Scientists are now producing large amounts of these proteins through genetic engineering, testing them for medical applications, and sometimes even altering them.

Day-Care Centers: Cleanliness Is a Must
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Day-care centers have become a way of life in America. More than half of all mothers of children too young to care for themselves hold jobs outside the home. For them-indeed for millions of American families - day-care centers provide a service

Blood and Plasma Products, AIDS and the Blood Supply
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
From the 1950s through the 1970s, evidence indicated that the blood obtained from commercial blood banks carried a greater risk of hepatitis transmission. This led to more careful testing, and to increased regulation of blood to further protect the blood

Medical Test Kits for Home Use
by Health Canada
Advances in technology have made it possible for consumers to conduct self-testing for a variety of medical conditions. Medical test kits for home can perform one of the following tasks: Diagnose a health condition

Which Type of Health Insurance Is Right for You?
by US Department of Health and Human Services
The differences among fee-for-service plans, HMOs, and PPOs are not as clear-cut as they once were. Fee-for-service plans have adopted some activities used by HMOs and PPOs to control the use of medical services.

Ephedra Use
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Health officials recently cautioned American consumers against using ephedra-containing products, especially if strenuous exercise is involved, or in combination with other stimulants such as caffeine. Because ephedra is an adrenaline-like stimulant

Robots Help Surgeons in Surgery
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Doctors use computer-controlled instruments to operate with minimum intrusion into the body. From the console, the surgeon controls three robotic arms holding surgical tools above the operating table.

How to Choose a Doctor
by National Institute on Aging
Choosing a doctor is one of the most important decisions anyone can make. The best time to make that decision is while you are still healthy and have time to really think about all your choices.

Genomics and Medical Devices
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
New scientific tools will help to broaden the impact of genomics on public health. Imagine that a swipe of the inside cheek or a stick of the little finger could be used to predict whether or not certain types of cancer may be in your future.

Public Health: New Advances and Laws
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
FDA is a government body with a presence far beyond its size. That is because it is not just an organization, but an idea. It was conceived a century ago to address a problem of modern society, and the creation has proved vital.

Computer-Assisted Surgery
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Use of the da Vinci Surgical System has expanded into several surgical disciplines. Experts say the key benefit of computer-assisted surgery is being able to perform surgery through smaller incisions.

Public Affairs Specialists
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Based on the FDA philosophy that informed consumers need less protection by the government, a two-way communication soon evolved. In addition to reporting consumer views, the consultants educated the public on FDA-regulated products.

Dietary Supplements in Pet Foods
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Dietary supplements for pets and other animals have been marketed for many years; some are sold legally and others are not. Dietary supplements for animals, such as most vitamin and mineral products, are considered animal feeds.

1988 Product Approvals
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Among our most important product approvals last year were several for use in diagnosing or treating AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). Applications to approve AIDS therapies automatically are assigned 1-AA priority when they arrive at FDA.

What Happens in a Clinical Trial? What Are the Risks?
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Every clinical trial is carefully designed to answer certain research questions. A trial plan called a protocol maps out what study procedures will be done, by whom, and why. Products are often tested to see how they compare to standard treatments