A lit “candle” that can drip hot wax into your ear, usually as you lie on your side.
Sound dangerous? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) thinks so, and is warning consumers to steer clear of products being sold as ear candles.
These “candles”—hollow cones that are about 10 inches long and made from a fabric tube soaked in beeswax, paraffin, or a mixture of the two—are being marketed as treatments for a variety of conditions. These conditions include ear wax buildup,
The illustration above, from the side of an ear candles package, …

New information in the investigation indicates the outbreak likely began in April, which is earlier than previously reported. An additional 26 ill persons infected with the outbreak strain between April and July have been identified and are now included in the overall number of reported individuals infected.Only four new recent illnesses have been reported since the previous web update on December 10. Investigations are still ongoing to see if the outbreak may have been occurring prior to April.
via Multi-State Salmonella Outbreak From Frogs – Open Access Healthcare.

The Medicines Company (NASDAQ: MDCO) announced today that it is voluntarily recalling eleven (11) lots of Cleviprex ® (clevidipine butyrate) injectable emulsion due to the potential presence of visible particulate matter which has been observed in some vials during a routine annual inspection. The affected Cleviprex lots are 61-978-DW, 61-979-DW, and 61-980-DW, Exp. 01/2010; 68-404-DJ, 68-405-DJ, and 68-406-DJ, Exp. 08/2010; 69-830-DJ, 63-385-DJ, 63-386-DJ, and 63-266-DJ, Exp 03/2011; and 64-453-DJ, Exp. 04/2011. No other lots are affected by this recall.
The Medicines Company has not received any product complaints or reports of …

As part of its quality assurance program, the manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur, performs routine, ongoing stability testing of its influenza A (H1N1) vaccine after the vaccine has been shipped to providers. Stability testing means measuring the strength (also called potency) of a vaccine over time. It is performed because sometimes the strength of a vaccine can go down over time. On December 7, Sanofi Pasteur notified CDC and FDA that the potency in one batch (called a “lot”) of pediatric syringes that had been distributed was later found to have dropped …

Unilever United States, Inc., in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is conducting a nationwide voluntary recall of all Slim-Fast® ready-to-drink (RTD) products in cans, due to the possibility of contamination with Bacillus cereus, a micro-organism, which may cause diarrhea and possibly nausea and/or vomiting. The probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.
The products were sold in stores nationwide.
Product Description:
The products are packaged in paperboard cartons and contain four, six or 12 steel cans that are 11 FL OZ (325 mL) each. Individual cans are also …

Although morphine has been the gold-standard treatment for postoperative and chronic cancer pain for two centuries, a growing body of evidence is showing that opiate-based painkillers can stimulate the growth and spread of cancer cells. Two new studies advance that argument and demonstrate how shielding lung cancer cells from opiates reduces cell proliferation, invasion and migration in both cell-culture and mouse models.
The reports–to be presented November 18, 2009, at “Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics,” a joint meeting in Boston of the American Association for Cancer Research, the National Cancer Institute, …

The Texas attorney general filed charges Monday against Laurie D’Alleva for allegedly selling prescription drugs like Botox from websites she owned, including discountmedspa.com. The lawsuit comes after Wired.com first reported on D’Alleva’s business practices. An Oct. 27 story detailed her website’s claims to offer prescription drugs including Renova and Dysport, the botulinum toxin-variant, as well as lip-filling gels.
Read full story via Wired.com

Smooth unwanted wrinkles and lines. Visit Aesthetica for BOTOX in Reston VA .

Parties, family dinners, and other gatherings where food is served are all part of the holiday cheer. But the merriment can change to misery if food makes you or others ill.
Parties, family dinners, and other gatherings where food is served are all part of the holiday cheer. But the merriment can change to misery if food makes you or others ill.
Typical symptoms of foodborne illness are vomiting, diarrhea, and flu-like symptoms, which can start anywhere from hours to days after contaminated food or drinks are consumed.
The symptoms usually are not …

The Laser Bra is actually an internal brassiere created with the patient’s own excess skin that is usually removed during surgery. The skin is specially prepared for placement within the breast using a laser, and once in place provides a beautiful breast shape along with internal support.
via Laser Bra Breast Reduction -Plastic Surgeons News.

Women are being told that they should get their first screening for cervical cancer — including a Pap test — at age 21. And, rather than have an annual Pap test, most women need to be screened every other year or less, depending on their age, the guidelines say.
via HealthDay.