Health

Preventing Medication Errors
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Since 1992, the Food and Drug Administration has received about 20,000 reports of medication errors. These are voluntary reports, so the number of medication errors that actually occur is thought to be much higher.

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

FDA: Protecting America's Health
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Science and sound regulation are inseparable at the Food and Drug Administration. Science is the foundation for daily decisions on a wide range of products that affect human health - from the most common food ingredients, to complex medical and surgical

Public Affairs Specialists : Making a Difference
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Reaching out to the public sometimes means staying in the office to field phone calls and answer letters and e-mail. PASs often deal with the anger, frustration, and even despair of individual consumers. But they know they make a difference.

Public Affairs Specialists : Public Health Messages, Cultural Considerations
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Public affairs specialists must continually adapt to the ever-changing world of food and health and must stay current on the many kinds of products regulated by the FDA. Today, these include foods, drugs, cosmetics, radiation-emitting products, medical

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.

Plastics and the Microwave
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Stories about the dangers of chemicals leaching from plastic into microwaved food have circulated on the Internet for years. As a result, the Food and Drug Administration continues to receive inquiries from concerned consumers.

Oxygen Bars : Oxygen Hazards, Oxygen and Sports
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Although oxygen doesn't burn, it does fuel the combustion process. 'Smoking anywhere near oxygen, even in the same room, can be extremely dangerous,' says Duane Sylvia, a consumer safety officer in CDER. While some oxygen bars are located in health spas

Oxygen Bars : Healthy or Just Hype?
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Dispensing oxygen without a prescription is against federal law, and oxygen bars may subject customers to unnecessary risk. People with certain medical conditions are another matter.

Animal Health Concern : Sheep Industry, Big Birds
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The U.S. sheep population has been steadily decreasing since the 1940s - from its peak at 56 million in 1942 to less than 7 million in 2002, says the USDA. The lack of approved drugs for sheep is one factor contributing to the decline, says Oeller.

Animal Drug Shortages, Focus on Fish, Alternative Meat Animals
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The continued shortage of minor use drugs not only poses a serious threat to the health of animals - it also may set in motion a chain of events that could adversely affect nearly every American.

A Major Animal Health Concern : The MUMS Bill
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The shortage of approved drugs to treat some animal species may be eased through research partnerships and proposed legislation.

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.

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

Biologics Regulation : Polio Vaccine, Measles Vaccine
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Around the turn of the last century, diphtheria patients were routinely treated with antitoxin derived from the blood of horses. There were no central or uniform controls in place and the antitoxin was often manufactured in local plants.

Robots Helping Surgeons : Future, Robotics and Telesurgery
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The da Vinci and ZEUS make it possible for surgeons to perform robotic surgery across long distances. Surgeons from the European Institute of Technology used ZEUS and high-speed telecommunications to perform the first complete long-distance robotic

Robots Helping Surgeons : What Can Go Wrong? The Learning Curve
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
From a regulatory standpoint, the FDA pays close attention to the potential for error and whether robotic equipment meets performance standards, says Ogden. 'We evaluate the possibility of technical failure of the computer and whether it translates into

Robots Helping Surgeons : Why Use Robots? Robotic Heart Surgery
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Along with helping surgeons perform minimally invasive surgical tasks, robots have superhuman capabilities that make surgery easier, says Paul Massimiano, M.D., a cardiac surgeon at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Virginia.

Robots Helping Surgeons: The da Vinci and ZEUS Surgical System
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Robot-assisted surgery is the latest development in the larger movement of endoscopy, a type of minimally invasive surgery--the idea being that less invasive procedures translate into less trauma and pain for patients.

Home Diagnostic Tests : Popular Products, Buying Test Kits Online
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Complications of home testing may interfere with obtaining accurate results. Consumers may not be able to follow the instructions. Proper collection, storage and shipment of specimens are all critical for accuracy.