Stay healthy with this week's installment of News of the Week
Given everyone knows someone these days suffering from a stuffy nose, sore throat or fever, this blog entry is dedicated to the latest news surrounding colds and flu. Happy reading and stay healthy!
Achoo! The FDA Pulls Prescription Drugs for Coughs, Colds and Allergies
The FDA announced that it ordered about 500 prescription drugs used for the treatment of colds, coughs and allergies be removed from the market, citing that they had not gone through a federal review of their safety and effectiveness. Popular over-the-counter medications are not affected and since they are used more frequently than prescription drugs, it is not thought to have a significant impact on all those people struggling with stuffy noses and the sniffles this winter, including this blogger! According to an article in the New York Times, the FDA is on a campaign to remove unapproved drugs from the market, many of which have been on the market since before 1962 when a federal law required drives to undergo an agency review for safety and effectiveness.
Calming Fever Phobia
With fevers being the main reason for one-third of calls and visits to pediatricians and cause extreme worry in parents, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a report that the number displayed on a thermometer is less important than making a feverish child feel more comfortable. An article in the Wall Street Journal reports that parents and caregivers should focus on the general well-being of the child, his/her activity level and observe the child for signs of serious illness and maintain appropriate fluid intake. The report, aimed at physicians, also states that there is no evidence that lowering a fever will help a child get well faster or if left untreated, could cause seizures, brain damage or death, as some parents and caregivers fear.
Tags: healthcare stories, heatlhcare PR, PR agency, public relations
Posted by Lauren Arnold on March 4, 2011 at 4:30 PM
