FDA is reminding consumers that some medicine labels warn to not operate heavy machinery while taking them, which includes driving a car. These prescription and OTC products can cause adverse effects such as drowsiness, blurred vision, dizziness, slowed movement, fainting, inability to focus, nausea, and excitability. Some common drugs that can affect one’s ability to […]
Many Americans use antibiotics without a prescription, according to an analysis of 31 prior studies conducted between 2000 and 2019 published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study found patients have a variety of ways to obtain antibiotics without a prescription, including saving leftovers from a prior valid prescription, obtaining them from family or friends […]
Washington Post – Newly released data show that drug companies shipped billions of doses of oxycodone and hydrocodone across the United States as the nation’s drug epidemic skyrocketed. The data, which comes from a DEA database, reveals that companies distributed 8.4 billion doses of the opioids in 2006 and 12.6 billion in 2012, for a […]
Reuters – A new study indicates that few nutritional supplements appear to be effective in protecting people from developing or dying from cardiovascular disease. Researchers examined data from 277 trials with a total of almost 1 million participants to evaluate the effects of 16 different nutritional supplements and 8 dietary interventions related to heart problems […]
The Alliance for Aging Research released The Silver Book®: Parkinson’s Disease factsheet at a Capitol Hill briefing with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. The new resource highlights leading statistics about the disease that affects close to one million Americans, including data on the toll of the disease and the value of innovation and public policy […]
A nationwide benchmark survey conducted by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) Educational Foundation shows that consumer awareness of how to use products containing acetaminophen safely and effectively, while avoiding the risks of accidental overdose and liver damage, remains high. BeMedWise is a member of the Acetaminophen Awareness Coalition which sponsors the Know YourDose educational campaign.
The Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force, a federal advisory committee established by the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 – PDF, released its final report on acute and chronic pain management best practices, calling for a balanced, individualized, patient-centered approach.
More than 3.4 million (3%) Americans aged 40 years and older are either legally blind (having visual acuity [20/200 or worse or a visual field of less than 20 degrees) or are visually impaired (having VA of 20/40 or less).
A study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine says physicians were as likely to accurately estimate patients’ adherence to medication from their descriptions of their medicine routines as by patients’ direct reports of missed medication. A visit to the doctor’s office typically begins with a series of questions, including one about medications. An Iowa State University researcher […]
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning patients and health care professionals of risks associated with the use of unapproved or unauthorized devices for diabetes management, including continuous glucose monitoring systems, insulin pumps and automated insulin dosing systems. In the safety communication issued today, the agency noted that the use of unapproved or unauthorized devices […]