Products with Health Risks
Do Hair Dyes Cause Cancer?
The bottom line for now, pending additional research, is that people who have been using permanent hair dyes since the 1980s appear to be at little to no increased risk of lymphoma or other cancers. Read More
Are e-cigarettes safer than regular cigarettes?
Don’t be fooled. E-cigarettes are addictive and contain cancer-causing chemicals. Read More
Are Bisphenol A (BPA) Plastic Products Safe for Infants and Children?
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used to make plastics, and is frequently used in baby bottles, sports equipment, water bottles, medical devices, and as a coating in food and beverage cans. Read More
Purchasing Prescriptions: Is Saving Money Risky?
Who doesn’t want to save money on prescriptions? Health problems that require prescription medication can be expensive. In order to alleviate this, consumers are going online to find savings they may not find in stores. BUT, proceed with caution! Look for these key things before purchasing medications online. Read More
Bug Sprays Linked to Autoimmune Diseases
Bug sprays are a convenient way to kill insects in the house, but new research suggests that women who used household insecticides are more likely to get the autoimmune diseases rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. As such, limit exposure to insecticides by avoiding use in the home, reading labels carefully, and following all safety precautions. Read More
Vytorin and Zetia Lower Cholesterol But Do Not Improve Health
There are many cholesterol-lowering medications on the market today, but just because a drug lowers cholesterol doesn’t necessarily mean that it will improve health or save lives. So, DO cholesterol medications improve health and save lives? Several recent studies seek to answer this question by looking at Vytorin and Zetia–two of the most popular (and expensive) cholesterol medications. Read More
Heart CT Scans: New Heart Disease Test May Cause Cancer
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among adults in the U.S., so some doctors have recently started using a “CAT scan” (or CT scan) to detect blockages in the heart’s arteries. Unfortunately, a CT scan uses relatively large doses of radiation, which could ultimately lead to many new cases of cancer from increased exposure to radiation. Although heart CT scanning may be a useful tool in detecting blockages in heart arteries, there is not enough evidence to show that this test is worth the risks and is therefore not recommended for screening for heart disease at this time. Read More
How to Report Problems with Medical Products to the FDA
Every year, tens of thousands of consumers suspect that their medicines or medical devices might be causing unexpected side effects. It is sometimes difficult to tell if a health problem is caused by the medical product, or is merely a coincidence. As such, it is important to report suspected problems related to medical products to a physician and to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which may be done through a program called MedWatch. Read More