Here are some of the latest health and medical news
developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
Radiation Detected in Massachusetts Rainwater
Small amounts of radiation have been detected in a sample of
rainwater in Massachusetts, say state public health officials.
The very low concentrations of radioactive iodine in the
rainwater likely originated in Japan but should have no impact on
state drinking water supplies, Public Health Commissioner John
Auerbach told the
Boston Globe, according to
United Press International.
"The drinking water supply in Massachusetts is unaffected by this short-term, slight elevation in radiation. However, we will carefully monitor the drinking water as we exercise an abundance of caution," Auerbach said.
No increase in radiation levels in the air has been detected, he
said.
The
Globe reported that Auerbach said similar levels of radiation
in rainwater samples have been found in a number of other states,
according to
UPI.
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Mislabeled Citalopram and Finasteride Recalled
Certain batches of citalopram and finasteride are being recalled
in the United States because they may have been incorrectly labeled
by a third-party manufacturer, says Pfizer Inc.'s Greenstone LLC
unit.
Citalopram is an antidepressant and finasteride is used to treat
benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate). Some bottles of
citalopram may be labeled as finasteride and vice versa, according
to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The voluntary recall includes citalopram 10 mg tablets
(100-count bottle) and finasteride 5 mg tablets (90-count bottle)
with lot number FI0510058-A on the label.
Consumers with these products should return them and patients
who believe they may have taken the wrong medication should contact
a doctor as soon as possible, the FDA said.
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FDA Panel Examines Food Dyes and Hyperactivity in Children
There may some truth to the widely held belief that synthetic
food dyes can cause hyperactivity in children, suggests a U.S. Food
and Drug Administration memo released this week.
The document says children with attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) may have a "unique tolerance" to artificial food
colorings. The memo also said the dyes haven't been proven to cause
hyperactivity in most children, nor have the man-made colorings
been found to contain "any inherent neurotoxic properties,"
ABC News reported.
The research summary was distributed ahead of a two-day hearing
in which an FDA advisory committee will examine any possible links
between artificial food dyes and hyperactivity in children. The
committee will recommend whether the FDA should take steps to
protect consumers.
The FDA memo was prepared after the Center for Science in the
Public Interest petitioned the agency to revoke approvals for eight
certified synthetic food dyes: FD&C Blue 1 and 2; FD&C
Green 3; Orange B; FD&C Red 3; FD&C Red 40; FD&C Yellow
5 and 6,
ABC News reported.
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