Tag: Public health

Recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines recommend a 7-day course of doxycycline, not just 3 days, as the first-line treatment for uncomplicated chlamydia. This medical consensus directly addresses the question: Will 3 days of doxycycline cure chlamydia? The answer, according to current standards, is no.

The devastating thalidomide tragedy in the 1960s underscored the critical need for patient protection. The primary goal of drug safety monitoring is to detect, assess, understand, and prevent adverse effects to safeguard public health and ensure medicines are used safely and effectively.

Overdose death rates among non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native persons increased by 44% and 39% respectively between 2019 and 2020, signaling a significant shift in who is the target population for the opioid crisis. This evolving public health emergency, initially focused on white rural populations, now disproportionately impacts communities of color and those facing heightened socioeconomic vulnerabilities.

Cotinine, a major metabolite of nicotine, has a half-life of about 20 hours in the body, which is significantly longer than nicotine's few hours. This stability makes it an excellent biomarker for detecting tobacco use or secondhand smoke exposure. However, many health risks and side effects are mistakenly attributed to cotinine itself rather than the underlying nicotine exposure it indicates.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tetanus vaccines are highly effective, but protection decreases over time, necessitating boosters. The question of 'how many times can we put TT injections?' is a common one, with the answer depending on an individual's age and vaccination history. Regular vaccination is crucial for maintaining immunity against tetanus, a serious bacterial infection.

According to the CDC, tetanus vaccines are highly effective, providing over 95% protection for about 10 years for fully vaccinated individuals. While the vast majority of people experience no long-term issues, it is important to be aware of the extremely rare, yet serious, potential **long-term side effects of a tetanus shot**, such as certain neurological and autoimmune conditions.

While aspirin has been a household staple for pain relief for over a century, its regulatory landscape is more complex than it appears. So, is aspirin FDA approved? The answer depends on its intended use, as it navigates both over-the-counter (OTC) monographs and specific new drug application (NDA) approvals.

The UK's Yellow Card scheme, run by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), has been vital in identifying previously unknown safety issues with medicines since its inception. This voluntary reporting system depends on healthcare professionals and the public understanding what is the criteria for a yellow card submission.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), deficiencies in iron and folic acid are among the most common nutritional disorders globally, particularly affecting young women and pregnant individuals. This widespread issue is a key reason why they are often prescribed together, leveraging a powerful synergy to combat anemia and support vital bodily functions.

According to 2024 data, 5.9% of middle and high school students in the U.S. currently use e-cigarettes, many of whom are exposed to the term 'nic' [1.4.1, 1.4.2]. So, **what is a NIC in drug slang?** It's a shortened term for nicotine, the addictive substance in vapes and tobacco products [1.2.1].