http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/fda/ en-us Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:46:25 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051446/posts WASHINGTON - U.S. health officials urged consumers on Friday to avoid only raw jalapeno peppers from Mexico, narrowing an earlier warning against eating any fresh jalapenos amid an outbreak of salmonella illness. The Food and Drug Administration now believes jalapeno and serrano peppers grown in the United States are not connected to the outbreak that has sickened more than 1,200 people, Dr. David Acheson, FDA associate commissioner for foods, told Reuters in an interview. Investigators seeking the source of the outbreak have been probing clusters of illnesses in various locations. Reuters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051446/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:46:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2049476/posts McALLEN - The strain of salmonella that sickened people across the country was detected in jalapeños distributed by a Rio Grande Valley company, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported Monday. Peppers from Agricola Zaragoza carried the saintpaul strain of salmonella. This is the first time the agency found the strain in food since the outbreak was announced in June. The FDA has not determined how or where the peppers were contaminated, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. It has been testing produce from distributors all over the country. Agricola Zaragoza is recalling jalapeños it has shipped... The Monitor http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2049476/posts#comment Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:52:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2049193/posts The FDA continues its habit of making mountains out of mole hills. The discovery of a single jalapeño with Salmonella Saintpaul at the warehouse of a tiny distributor named Agricola Zaragoza on the McAllen Produce Terminal Market simply doesn’t mean very much. ...Once again, needlessly and with reckless disregard for the rights of innocent people, the FDA has destroyed an industry. ...Dr. Acheson thinks that it is within his authority to destroy the fortunes of innocents. ...Repeating the words “public health” as a mantra, though, does not make it true. The bottom line is that the risk for healthy people... PerishablePundit.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2049193/posts#comment Tue, 22 Jul 2008 04:18:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2049068/posts <p>Search the web, you'll see, Drudge too, what the FDA doesn't want you to know.</p> ABC http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2049068/posts#comment Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:31:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2048581/posts Under Cognitive SurveillanceExperts debate the value of memory screening in the fight against Alzheimer's. Page 1 Sandra, a fit 65-year-old woman, believes in the benefits of proactive health care. She exercises regularly and never misses an annual physical. So when she sees a flier for a free memory screening event at her local Kmart, she thinks it's a great opportunity to check on her brain health too. Sandra's reasoning may seem intuitive. We check the circulatory, lymphatic and respiratory systems. Why shouldn't we check the organ responsible for their executive function? This question lies at the heart of a brewing... healthy-aging.advanceweb.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2048581/posts#comment Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:29:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2047611/posts Henry Kissinger was reported to have said, “Control the food and you control the people.” Controlling people is as simple as controlling food, water and energy through a variety of controls. “No Farmers No Food,” the bumper sticker distributed by The Adopt a Farm Family ministry, is a message of warning. The Adopt ministry was started by Mary Myers, wife of Peter Myers, former Deputy Secretary of Agriculture who served in the Reagan Administration. She confided to me that God had instructed her to “watch over the food.” At that time there appeared to be no reason for concern. Now... RFFM.org http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2047611/posts#comment Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:25:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2046925/posts American consumers have come to expect warning labels on products that might pose a risk. But Congress is considering allowing the mass (re)importation of drugs that originated outside the safety and security of the U.S. chain of custody, without so much as requiring a warning label. This is a very risky business. If Congress is going to adopt such legislation, Americans deserve to be put on notice. That's why all (re)imported drugs should be required to carry a warning label: "WARNING: THIS DRUG LEFT THE U.S. CHAIN OF CUSTODY AND THEREFORE ITS SAFETY CANNOT BE GUARANTEED American Spectator http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2046925/posts#comment Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:09:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2044145/posts Federal prosecutors are investigating Indian generic drugmaker Ranbaxy for allegedly falsifying records that resulted in the production and sale of generic medicines that did not meet federal standards. The government alleges officials at Ranbaxy's northern India plant used raw pharmaceutical chemicals from unapproved sources, fabricated in-house test data to meet FDA standards and attempted to conceal the ruse. The "pattern of systemic fradulent conduct," left an untold portion of the tablets and capsules too weak, too potent or lacking the advertised shelf life, said government papers filed in US District Court, Maryland. NJ.COM http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2044145/posts#comment Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:39:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2042420/posts Source: American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE)     Released: Tue 08-Jul-2008, 08:45 ET  AACE Representative Testifies at FDA Advisory Panel Vote for the Approval of Diabetes Drugs LibrariesMedical News   KeywordsFDA, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGISTS, DIABETES, A1C, Contact InformationAvailable for logged-in reporters only DescriptionAn advisory panel to the Food & Drug Administration voted 14-2 on Wednesday that new diabetes medications should be subjected to tougher standards. This recommendation means longer studies should be conducted to properly evaluate the cardiovascular risks of diabetes medication before they go to market. Newswise — An advisory panel to the Food & Drug Administration voted 14-2 on... American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists via newswise.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2042420/posts#comment Tue, 8 Jul 2008 15:38:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2041708/posts Last year Americans spent $22.5 billion on dietary supplements, taking everything from a standard multivitamin to fish oil for the heart to magnesium for healthy bones. But how do we know which vitamin pills we need and which we don't? And at what doses do the risks outweigh the benefits? Dr. Eric Rimm at the Harvard School of Public Health sat down with ABC's Medical Editor Dr. Tim Johnson to discuss some of the more talked about vitamins, how much of them we should be taking and whether too much can be detrimental to our health. In a field filled... abcnews.go.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2041708/posts#comment Mon, 7 Jul 2008 05:56:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2040564/posts ...the pharmaceutical industry has become a lightning rod for critics. For example, Marcia Angell, former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, blasted the drug industry in a much-publicized 2004 book, accusing it of profiteering and having become "a marketing machine to sell drugs of dubious benefit." She maintained the pharmaceutical industry's reputation for innovation is a myth, that it "feeds off the NIH" and that new drugs "nearly always stem from publicly supported research." ...Mr. Zycher and his colleagues concluded that scientific contributions of the private sector were essential for the discovery and/or development of virtually all the... The Washington Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2040564/posts#comment Fri, 4 Jul 2008 01:47:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2037122/posts Q: How does information from state and local levels flow to and between the federal agencies? A: The whole system is flawed. The relationship between FDA and CDC is strained; it’s improved but still lacking. It’s not clear who is really in charge. Authority is split up in a way that decisions get bogged down and you don’t have anyone in command. You need that to effectively launch and oversee an outbreak investigation. I’m not sure who’s in charge. We have people identified as being in charge. We need someone that understands outbreaks, not just manages them. In this case,... Perishable Pundit http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2037122/posts#comment Fri, 27 Jun 2008 04:26:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2035829/posts Fear Factor Accompanies Generic Drugs Made In China By ROBERT COHENWASHINGTON — First, it was inexpensive toys, apparel, footwear and electronics that flooded the U.S. market from China. The next Chinese export to reach American consumers will be lower-cost generic versions of brand-name medicines. Although it will take at least several years before Chinese-made generics are available here in significant numbers, the prospect already is raising safety concerns, given China's history of substandard drugs at home, the recent scandal involving contaminated ingredients in the blood thinner heparin, and other safety problems, from tainted pet food to toothpaste. "We should be... Newhouse News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2035829/posts#comment Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:02:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2035653/posts Duane Kraemer approaches with pride the Angus bull eating hay behind a fence at Texas A&M University. As the veterinary surgeon draws near, the bull snorts and paws the ground. Healthy as he looks, many Americans would not want to see this bull become steak on their plate. His name, “86 squared”, hints at his origins as the clone of a bull called 86. The US Food and Drug Administration set off a debate across the food industry when it ruled in January that clones of cattle, pigs and goats were safe to eat. Since then the US Department of... FT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2035653/posts#comment Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:58:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2034367/posts Today, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Marshals seized various animal food products stored under unsanitary conditions at the PETCO Animal Supplies Distribution Center located in Joliet, Ill., pursuant to a warrant issued by the United States District Court in Chicago. U.S. Marshals seized all FDA-regulated animal food susceptible to rodent and pest contamination. The seized products violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because it was alleged in a case filed by the United States Attorney that they were being held under unsanitary conditions. (The Act uses the term "insanitary" to describe... Food & Drug Administration http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2034367/posts#comment Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:29:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2032611/posts (ANNAPOLIS, Md) - China has granted diplomatic approval for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to open three inspections offices in China that also will help increase China's capacity for safe foods, drugs and medical devices, a top Bush cabinet official said on Tuesday. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt told a briefing during high-level U.S.-China economic talks that he hoped to open the offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou before the end of this year, with a total staff of nine to 12 people. "We are working very closely with the government to create a new... Reuters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2032611/posts#comment Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:50:13 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2032482/posts Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Another study suggests Planned Parenthood is at fault in the deaths of women in the United States from the abortion drug RU 486. The abortion business had been telling women to use the drug in a different way than the FDA guidelines suggested and the study shows it contributed to the deaths. So far, eight women have died from the use of the abortion drug, including a rash of women going to Planned Parenthood abortion centers in California. Planned Parenthood had been telling women to use the abortion drug vaginally, even though the FDA indicated oral... LifeNews.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2032482/posts#comment Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:14:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2032340/posts Searching high and low for someone to blame for contaminated tomatoes, CNN’s Lou Dobbs tried: imported produce; a “moronic” Food and Drug Administration; and finally, President George W. Bush. In the June 16 edition of “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” Dobbs slammed the FDA and the president for not controlling the salmonella outbreak. After claiming that the FDA is “led by complete moronic, unengaged incompetents” and calling them “idiots,” Dobbs proceeded to link the spread of salmonella to Bush. “As for this administration, were a responsible president at the helm of this country, I would wonder why he is not taking action,... businessandmedia.org http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2032340/posts#comment Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:06:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2031192/posts WASHINGTON (AP) - Food and Drug Administration detectives had a hot lead, narrowing down on a grower who just might have supplied salmonella-tainted tomatoes. Then the patient changed her story: She'd eaten a round tomato, not a Roma one after all. "We basically had to throw it all out and start over," says Dr. David Acheson, the agency's food safety chief. Associated Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2031192/posts#comment Sat, 14 Jun 2008 22:54:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2031139/posts WASHINGTON (AP) — Parts of Florida and Mexico were supplying "the vast majority" of tomatoes sold when the salmonella outbreak began in April and thus remain leading suspects, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday. But the FDA hasn't narrowed its hunt to just those two places, said Dr. David Acheson, the agency's food safety chief. "The logical assumption would be that Florida or Mexico are the most likely source" because of the outbreak's timing, he told The Associated Press. "But we have not simply shifted the focus to those two places. ... It's wide open for anybody not on... AP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2031139/posts#comment Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:15:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2031027/posts Parts of Florida and Mexico were supplying "the vast majority" of tomatoes sold when the salmonella outbreak began in April and thus remain leading suspects, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday. But the FDA hasn't narrowed its hunt to just those two places, said Dr. David Acheson, the agency's food safety chief. "The logical assumption would be that Florida or Mexico are the most likely source" because of the outbreak's timing, he told The Associated Press. "But we have not simply shifted the focus to those two places. ... It's wide open for anybody not on that exclusion list."... FoxNews http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2031027/posts#comment Sat, 14 Jun 2008 12:47:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2031018/posts MEXICO CITY - Export-quality tomatoes labeled "Ready to Eat" in English flooded Mexico City markets on Thursday after a salmonella scare in the U.S. trapped them south of the border. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned consumers against three types of raw tomatoes that have sickened 167 people in 17 states since mid-April. It has not pinpointed the outbreak's source, but cleared imports from six countries _ though not from Mexico, which supplies 80 percent of tomatoes imported into the U.S. Tomatoes from several counties in Florida are also under suspicion, the FDA said. Mexican growers and government... yahoo.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2031018/posts#comment Sat, 14 Jun 2008 12:21:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2028661/posts <p> FDA Home Page | Search FDA Site | FDA A-Z Index | Contact FDA Salmonellosis Outbreak in Certain Types of Tomatoes Updated: June 9, 2008 Topics on this Page IntroductionUpdate on the OutbreakNews UpdatesAdvice for Retailers, Restaurateurs and Food Service Operators Consumer Health Information What Is FDA Doing?Information About Salmonella How Do I Report a Tomato Complaint? Introduction The Food and Drug Administration is alerting consumers nationwide that a salmonellosis outbreak appears to be linked to consumption of certain types of raw red tomatoes and products containing raw red tomatoes. The bacteria causing the illnesses are Salmonella serotype Saintpaul,... US Food and Drug Administration http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2028661/posts#comment Tue, 10 Jun 2008 02:46:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2027238/posts A rare form of tuberculosis caused by illegal, unpasteurized dairy products, including the popular queso fresco cheese, is rising among Hispanic immigrants in Southern California and raising fears about a resurgence of a strain all but eradicated in the U.S. Cases of the Mycobacterium bovis strain of TB have increased in San Diego county, particularly among children who drink or eat dairy foods made from the milk of infected cattle, a study in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases shows. But the germ can infect anyone who eats contaminated fresh cheeses sold by street vendors, smuggled across the Mexican border or... MSNBC http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2027238/posts#comment Fri, 6 Jun 2008 19:04:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2026898/posts The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that it was investigating whether four drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other immune system diseases might increase the risk of cancer in children. The F.D.A. said that it had received reports of 30 cases of cancer over 10 years among children and young adults treated with those drugs, which are sold by Amgen, Abbott Laboratories and other companies. But the agency did not make clear how many children had taken the drugs or whether the cancer incidence among them was higher than would be expected. And it said that for now,... NY Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2026898/posts#comment Fri, 6 Jun 2008 04:43:12 GMT