The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Narcan, 4 milligram (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray, for non-prescription use. But it may take some time before it is generally available. According to a news release from the FDA, Narcan (generic name Naloxone) is a medication that rapidly reverses the effects of opioid overdose and… Continue reading Narcan To Be Available Over the Counter
Tag: FDA
Updating the Definition of “Healthy”
With so many food options out there, it is helpful to have information on food packages that can empower you to identify healthier choices. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to update its definition of “healthy.” That includes the nutritional standards a product must meet to put the claim “healthy” on the… Continue reading Updating the Definition of “Healthy”
Is Popcorn Bad for Your Health?
Lately, there have been a number of stories on whether PFAS and have an adverse effect on our health. I read that some food wrappers, like bags for microwave popcorn, use PFAS to keep food from sticking to bags. How dangerous are PFAs? The following information from UCLA Health should answer common questions. The term… Continue reading Is Popcorn Bad for Your Health?
What to Know About Your Pet’s Medicine
If you’ve ever had to give your cat a dose of medicine, you know that it can go sideways quickly. While no cat enjoys the process, some might be more cooperative depending on how the drug is given. For example, some cats tolerate taking pills easier than liquid, while others make the pill-giving process into… Continue reading What to Know About Your Pet’s Medicine
Generic Drugs Undergo Rigorous FDA Review
Maybe you’ve had this experience: You go to fill a prescription, and the pharmacist mentions there is a generic available. You’ve noticed generic drugs often cost less and wonder: How can I be sure they are as safe and effective as brand name drugs? Applying the rigorous standards set out by law, the U.S. Food… Continue reading Generic Drugs Undergo Rigorous FDA Review
How Pharmacists Can Help You
How often has this happened to you: You pick up a prescription at the pharmacy and later realize you have questions about something in the directions or warnings. Or you buy an over-the-counter (OTC) drug but aren’t sure about the correct dosage after reading the label. That’s where pharmacists come in. Whether at your local… Continue reading How Pharmacists Can Help You
FDA Withdraws Emergency Approval of Anti-Malaria Drugs to Treat COVID-19
The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has withdrawn its emergency use authorization (EUA) of two anti-malaria drugs to treat COVID-19 patients, the agency said. The drugs affected, chloroquine phosphate and hydroxychloroquine sulfate, are normally used to combat malaria. But under the EUA, the FDA allowed them to be used to treat some patients with… Continue reading FDA Withdraws Emergency Approval of Anti-Malaria Drugs to Treat COVID-19
FDA Issues Approval for New Kind of COVID-19 Test
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued the first emergency use authorization (EUA) for a COVID-19 antigen test, a new category of tests for use in the ongoing pandemic. These diagnostic tests quickly detect fragments of proteins found on or within the virus by testing samples collected from the nasal cavity using swabs. The… Continue reading FDA Issues Approval for New Kind of COVID-19 Test
Read This if You Take Ranitidine Medicines
The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has learned that some ranitidine medicines, including some products commonly known as the brand-name drug Zantac, contain a nitrosamine impurity called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) at low levels. According to the Medwatch issued by the FDA, NDMA is classified as a probable human carcinogen (a substance that could cause cancer)… Continue reading Read This if You Take Ranitidine Medicines
What You Need to Know About Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-derived Compounds, Including CBD
You may have noticed that cannabidiol (CBD) seems to be available almost everywhere, and marketed as a variety of products including drugs, food, dietary supplements, cosmetics, pet food, and other animal health products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognizes the significant public interest in cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds, particularly CBD. However, there are… Continue reading What You Need to Know About Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-derived Compounds, Including CBD
What You Need to Know about Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a heartbreaking genetic disorder that usually occurs in infancy. Sometimes, though, the condition, characterized by weakness and wasting muscle, isn’t detected until adulthood. According to the U.S. Library of Medicine, SMA is usually most severe in muscles near the center of the body; it is less severe in muscles away… Continue reading What You Need to Know about Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Allergic to Peanuts? Relief May Be at Hand
An oral immunotherapy drug, tested in a 10-nation trial, could be the first FDA-approved medication for people living with peanut allergies. The medicine, AR101, is derived from peanut protein and could help patients build tolerance for peanuts. “The results of this landmark trial are likely to lead to the first FDA-approved treatment for food allergy… Continue reading Allergic to Peanuts? Relief May Be at Hand
Responding to a Consumer Drug Recall
The summer of 2018, American consumers saw a number of larger drug recalls, including the contaminated valsartan medication found in July and the hydrochlorothiazide tablets that were mislabeled in August. These two medications in particular impacted thousands of consumers with high blood pressure, and it’s worth noting that they also raised many general questions about… Continue reading Responding to a Consumer Drug Recall
FDA Cracks Down on e-Cigarette Manufacturers
The federal Food and Drug Administration, saying that the use of e-cigarettes has become an “epidemic” among young people, has taken action against 1,300 retailers and five major manufacturers for “their roles in perpetuating youth access.” It is the largest enforcement action in the agency’s history, the FDA said in a news release. The agency… Continue reading FDA Cracks Down on e-Cigarette Manufacturers
Bayer to Halt Sales of Essure
Bayer announced on Friday that it would halt the sales of the controversial birth control device Essure by the end of the year. The decision today to halt Essure sales also follows a series of earlier actions that the federal Food and Drug Administration took to address the reports of serious adverse events associated with… Continue reading Bayer to Halt Sales of Essure
FDA Approves Implantable Continuous Glucose Monitoring System
The first-ever implantable continuous glucose monitoring system has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Eversense Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) system for use in people 18 years of age and older with diabetes will include a fully implantable sensor to detect glucose. It can be worn for up to 90 days.… Continue reading FDA Approves Implantable Continuous Glucose Monitoring System
FDA Approves Novel Preventive Treatment for Migraine
On May 17th 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Aimovig (erenumab-aooe) for the preventive treatment of migraine in adults. The treatment is given by once-monthly self-injections. Aimovig is the first FDA-approved preventive migraine treatment in a new class of drugs that work by blocking the activity of calcitonin gene-related peptide, a molecule that… Continue reading FDA Approves Novel Preventive Treatment for Migraine
Products Claming to “Cure” Cancer Are a Cruel Deception
Beware of products claiming to cure cancer on websites or social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. According to Nicole Kornspan, M.P.H., a consumer safety officer at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they’re rampant these days. “Anyone who suffers from cancer, or knows someone who does, understands the fear and desperation that… Continue reading Products Claming to “Cure” Cancer Are a Cruel Deception