The FDA has approved only one stem cell product, but desperate patients are often vulnerable to unscrupulous providers of unproven, potentially harmful stem-cell treatments.
“I lost 90 pounds with the Lap-Band!,” read the billboards. Sounds tempting, doesn’t it? But there are serious risks with the weight-loss surgery promoted by these ads.
FDA warns consumers to steer clear of “homeopathic” human chorionic gonadotropin weight-loss products, which are typically marketed with dangerously low-calorie diets.
The FDA has created a new online resource to help consumers recognize and protect themselves from health scams, fraud and bogus health products:
The best thing you can do to lower the chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is to place your baby on his or her back to sleep, with nothing else in the crib or bassinet.
Laura Butler paid $30 for her decorative lenses and $2,000 in medical bills. And she nearly lost an eye.
Unlike most bacteria, Listeria germs can grow and spread in the refrigerator. So if you unknowingly refrigerate Listeria-contaminated food, the germs can contaminate your refrigerator and spread to other foods.
Consumers with celiac disease must avoid gluten—proteins found in baked goods made with wheat and some other grains. For those not sensitive to gluten, there’s no health benefit to a gluten-free diet.
Medical apps could present a risk to patients if the apps don’t work as intended.
How to prevent food poisoning from ruining your summer cookout — Tips from the FDA
The longer a woman has a breast implant, the more likely she is to have complications and need to have the implants removed or replaced, the FDA says.
First look for the ‘Contains’ statement and if your allergen is listed, put the product back on the shelf. If there is no ‘Contains’ statement, it’s very important to read the entire ingredient list to see if your allergen is present. If you see its name even once, it’s back to the shelf for that food too.
LocalHealthGuide is a health news and information web service for Seattle and the Puget Sound Region. We are independent and unaffiliated with any hospital, medical association or insurer. If you have questions or if your group has an upcoming event that you would like us to cover, please let us know by going to our "Contact Us" page and dropping us a note. -- Michael McCarthy, Editor
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Seattle Times Health News
Experts divided over recommendation to screen children for cholesterol
Some clinicians say universal screening is an important tool to help identify children who are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol and to pinpoint others who could benefit from treatment. Others express concerns that screening may do more harm than good.
People in state high-risk insurance plans often feel left behind
The federal health law set up new plans that are cheaper and more comprehensive than the older ones run by states but consumers need to go without insurance for six months to qualify.
Peeking in on your doctor’s notes
Although federal law guarantees patients the right to examine and get copies of their medical records, providers haven’t always made it easy to do so. But the movement to give patients direct access to their health information has picked up steam, and policymakers have encouraged it as a way to empower patients to help manage their health and their medical care.
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