FDA authorized the sale of menthol-flavored e-cigarettes – a health policy expert explains how the benefits may outweigh the risks

On June 21, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the marketing of the first electronic cigarette products in flavors other than tobacco in the U.S. Of the four…

3 marketing myths the supplement industry wants you to swallow

Americans seem to have quite a positive view of dietary supplements. According to a 2023 survey, 74% of U.S. adults take vitamins, prebiotics and the like. The business of supplements…

Opill, the first over-the-counter birth control pill, will be on shelves soon − here are some key things to know

The Food and Drug Administration’s 2023 approval of the first over-the-counter birth control pill, called Opill, broadened the options for people seeking to prevent pregnancy. On March 4, 2024, the…

Asthma meds have become shockingly unaffordable − but relief may be on the way

The price of asthma medication has soared in the U.S. over the past decade and a half. The jump – in some cases from around a little over US$10 to…

Don’t let ‘FDA-approved’ or ‘patented’ in ads give you a false sense of security

Is that really a stamp of approval? iStock/Getty Images Plus If you’ve ever reached for a bottle of moisturizer labeled “patented” or “FDA approved,” you might want to think twice.…

Dietary supplements and protein powders fall under a ‘wild west’ of unregulated products that necessitate caveats and caution

Dietary supplements are a big business. The industry made almost US$39 billion in revenue in 2022, and with very little regulation and oversight, it stands to keep growing. The marketing…

Dietary supplements and protein powders fall under a ‘wild west’ of products that necessitate caveats and caution

Dietary supplements are a big business. The industry made almost US$39 billion in revenue in 2022, and with very little regulation and oversight, it stands to keep growing. The marketing…

Popularly known as ‘gas station heroin,’ tianeptine is being sold as a dietary supplement – with deadly outcomes

The Food and Drug Administration is upping the urgency of its warnings for consumers to avoid purchasing or consuming tianeptine – commonly called “gas station heroin” – a synthetic drug…

FDA’s latest warnings about eye drop contamination put consumers on edge − a team of infectious disease experts explain the risks

The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning in late October 2023 urging consumers to avoid purchasing and to immediately stop using 26 over-the-counter eye drop products because of risk…

CDC greenlights two updated COVID-19 vaccines, but how will they fare against the latest variants? 5 questions answered

On Sept. 12, 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the newly formulated COVID-19 vaccines for all Americans ages 6 months and up, hours after its expert advisory…