As a woman in my 30s who was constantly typing “ADHD” into my computer, something interesting happened to me in 2021. I started receiving a wave of advertisements beckoning me…
Tag: Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
WHO expert cancer group states that the sweetener aspartame is a possible carcinogen, but evidence is limited – 6 questions answered
The World Health Organization declared on July 14, 2023, that the widely used synthetic sweetener aspartame could be a “possible” carcinogen, or cancer-causing agent, on the basis of “limited evidence…
Blame capitalism? Why hundreds of decades-old yet vital drugs are nearly impossible to find
Past public ire over high drug prices has recently taken a back seat to a more insidious problem – no drugs at any price. Patients and their providers increasingly face…
How does the new over-the-counter birth control pill, Opill, work to prevent pregnancy? 5 questions answered
The Food and Drug Administration’s July 13, 2023, approval of the first over-the-counter birth control pill, called Opill, broadens the options for people seeking to prevent pregnancy. When Opill becomes…
FDA approves first daily over-the-counter birth control pill, Opill – a pharmacist and public health expert explain this new era in contraception
On July 13, 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a drugmaker’s application for the first daily over-the-counter birth control pill for people seeking to prevent pregnancy. The pill,…
Gay men can now donate blood after FDA changes decades-old rule – a health policy researcher explains the benefits
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on May 11, 2023, that it has officially dropped restrictions that prohibit gay and bisexual men from donating blood under many circumstances on…
FDA’s approval of the world’s first vaccine against RSV will offer a new tool in an old fight – 4 questions answered
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the world’s first vaccine to prevent the respiratory infection RSV, short for respiratory syncytial virus, on May 3, 2023. The new shot represents…
Challenging the FDA’s authority isn’t new – the agency’s history shows what’s at stake when drug regulation is in limbo
Political pressure is nothing new for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency has frequently come under fire for its drug approval decisions, but attacks on its decision-making process…
How will the Supreme Court’s decision on mifepristone affect abortion access? 4 questions answered
On April 21, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the abortion pill mifepristone, which is used in more than half of all abortions in the U.S., could remain accessible…
The FDA’s rule change requiring providers to inform women about breast density could lead to a flurry of questions
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration finalized a regulation in early March 2023 that updates mammography reporting requirements. The new regulation goes into effect on Sept. 10, 2024, and will…
