CHICAGO–(ENEWSPF)–March 8, 2011. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) is reminding Illinois contact lens purchasers that buying colored contact lenses from anyone other than a licensed eye care professional is dangerous. Colored lenses are popular among high school and college students and are often purchased at malls[Read More…]
Health and Fitness
EPA Awards $32 Million to Understand Health Impacts of Air Pollution
WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–March 7, 2011. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $32 million to fund four new Clean Air Research Centers at universities conducting cutting edge air pollution research. The research will focus on the impacts of air pollution mixtures on people’s health. It is important to understand the health risks[Read More…]
NIH Study Examines Best Time for Healthy HIV-infected People to Begin Antiretrovirals
Bethesda, Maryland–(ENEWSPF)–March 7, 2011. A major new clinical trial seeks to determine whether HIV-infected asymptomatic individuals have less risk of developing AIDS or other serious illness if they begin taking antiretrovirals sooner rather than later, based on their level of CD4+ T-cells. An HIV-infected individual’s level of CD4+ T-cells —[Read More…]
US Discriminates on Right to Safe Water and Sanitation, Says UN Expert
NEW YORK–(ENEWSPF)–4 March 2011 – The United States must do more to eliminate discrimination in access to safe drinking water and sanitation, an independent United Nations expert reported today, citing wide disparities that adversely affect people of colour and Native Americans. “I am concerned that several laws, policies and practices,[Read More…]
FDA Modifies Boxed Warning for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Drug Letairis
Silver Spring, Maryland–(ENWSPF)–March 4, 2011. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that monthly liver enzyme tests are no longer required for those taking Letairis tablets (ambrisentan), used to treat high blood pressure in the vessels that carry blood to the lungs (pulmonary arterial hypertension, or PAH). Citing data[Read More…]
Presidential Proclamation–Save Your Vision Week
Washington, D.C.–(ENEWSPF)–March 4, 2011. Across America, millions of men and women experience vision loss or are affected by low vision or blindness. During Save Your Vision Week, we reinforce the importance of routine eye care and remind all Americans to take action to safeguard their eyesight. Vision is important[Read More…]
Triplets With Extremely Low Birth Weight Face High Risks
Bethesda, Maryland–(ENEWSPF)–March 4, 2011. Among the smallest preterm infants, those born as triplets are at greater risk than single born infants or twins of dying or developing a disability before their second birthday, according a study by a research network of the National Institutes of Health. The analysis of more[Read More…]
FDA Expands Use of Banding System for Weight Loss
Silver Spring, Maryland–(ENEWSPF)–March 4, 2011. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded the use of Allergan’s LAP-BAND Adjustable Gastric Banding System, a device implanted around the upper part of the stomach to limit the amount of food that can be eaten at one time. The Feb. 16, 2011, approval[Read More…]
FDA: Risk of Oral Birth Defects in Children Born to Mothers Taking Topamax
Silver Spring, Maryland–(ENEWSPF)–March 4, 2011. New data suggest that the drug Topamax (topiramate) and its generic versions increase the risk for the birth defects cleft lip and cleft palate in babies born to women who use the medication during pregnancy, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said today. Before prescribing[Read More…]
Six-Month Drug Regimen Cuts HIV Risk for Breastfeeding Infants
Bethesda, Maryland–(ENEWSPF)–March 3, 2011. Giving breastfeeding infants of HIV-infected mothers a daily dose of the antiretroviral drug nevirapine for six months halved the risk of HIV transmission to the infants at age 6 months compared with giving infants the drug daily for six weeks, according to preliminary clinical trial data[Read More…]
