Antibiotics are powerful medications that save countless lives every day. But they’re not the answer for every illness. Antibiotics treat only some infections caused by bacteria – and none caused by viruses. Most often, antibiotics work by killing the …
Image Español The flu (influenza) vaccine you get at your doctor’s office or pharmacy is the result of year-round work of highly skilled microbiologists, epidemiologists, physicians and other public health experts. Sound complicated? It is. As new strains …
Image If you use a continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP machine to help you breathe during sleep, you know it can be difficult to keep up a regular cleaning schedule. A dirty CPAP machine, air filter, hoses or mask contaminated with germs, like …
Image Español When you buy soaps and body washes, do you reach for products labeled “antibacterial” hoping they’ll keep your family safer? Do you think those products will lower your risk of getting sick, spreading germs or being infected? According to the …
Update: September 26, 2017; A federal judge ordered a New Jersey company that sold injectable skin whitening and other beauty products to stop selling and recall some of its products because they are unapproved new drugs that may be unsafe, putting …
Update: September 26, 2017; A federal judge ordered a New Jersey company that sold injectable skin whitening and other beauty products to stop selling and recall some of its products because they are unapproved new drugs that may be unsafe, putting …
Español Teething is a normal experience for infants and children, but it can be painful. Many well-meaning parents and caregivers who want to ease a child’s pain might turn to products that could be harmful. Soothing children’s gums with prescription or …
Image Español One of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s jobs is to carefully evaluate the scientific data on a drug to be sure that it is both safe and effective for a particular use. There continues to be interest in a drug called ivermectin for the …
Image Español The pollen count is sky-high. You’re sneezing, your eyes are itching, and you feel miserable. Seasonal allergies are real diseases that can interfere with your life. Seasonal allergic rhinitis, the medical term for seasonal allergies and hay …
Image Español Milk is one of the safest foods we can consume in the U.S. today. That wasn’t always the case. If you look back 100 years, milk was second only to water as a vehicle for transmitting disease, as noted in a 1924 U.S. Public Health Service …
Image Español Whether you’re settling into your 60s or heading into your 90s, be careful when taking medicines, herbal preparations and supplements. Why the special concern? The older we get, the more likely we are to use more prescription and …
Is It Really "FDA Approved"? Part 2. Here are 10 more facts about how the FDA works to protect public health. Fact #11: The FDA regulates dermal fillers as medical devices. Dermal fillers are gel-like substances injected under the skin to create …
Image You may have seen news or online content about chemicals in our foods. Perhaps you’re wondering, is a food safe to eat if it contains chemicals? All our food — like everything in the world — is made up of chemicals. The presence of a chemical alone …
Image Español You have flu symptoms, so you’ve been getting some relief by taking a cough and flu medicine every few hours. Late in the day, you have a headache and think about grabbing a couple of acetaminophen tablets (Tylenol, paracetamol and panadol) …
Español Is It Really "FDA Approved"? Maybe you’ve seen these words on a company’s website or in a commercial promoting a product or treatment. Here are some facts about products that are, and aren’t, FDA approved. Fact #1: Generic medicines work …
Image Español As the number of people diagnosed with diabetes continues to grow, an increasing number of products marketed under the guise of “dietary supplements” or “over-the-counter drugs” promising to prevent, treat, and even cure diabetes are being …
Español Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are special for parents. But they can also be stressful times for new moms and dads caring for a newborn or infant. Your health care provider can be a great resource. A good time to check in is during preventive “well- …
La FDA actúa para proteger a los niños de los riesgos graves de los ingredientes opiáceos que contienen algunos productos recetados para la tos y el resfriado al revisar las etiquetas para limitar el uso pediátrico. Más información (en ingles). English La …
1. Find out the name of your medication. Rather than simply letting your doctor write a prescription and send you on your way, be sure to ask the name of the medication. "This way you'll notice if the pharmacy gives you something different," …
Image Español Thought there was no hope for treating your migraine headaches? Don’t give up. Migraines are headaches with intense pulsing or throbbing pain in one area of the head, along with nausea or vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound. A …
