U.S.A.'s interesting latest..

 Μάρ 16 τις 3:35 μ.μ.

FDA Consumer Health Information

---

Colorectal Cancer: What You Should Know

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. This disease is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, striking some groups more often than others.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reminds you to ask your doctor about colorectal cancer screening. Learn who should get screened and when.

Dolcetta Artisan Sweets Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Soy and Milk in Chocolate Confections

03/14/2017 09:59 PM EDT

Dolcetta Artisan Sweets of Seattle, WA is recalling Dolcetta branded chocolate confections because they may contain undeclared soy and milk.

For detailed information pertaining to this Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts message, please click the link at the beginning of this bulletin.

MedWatch - The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program

Viberzi (eluxadoline): Drug Safety Communication - Increased Risk of Serious Pancreatitis In Patients Without A Gallbladder

AUDIENCE: Gatroenterology, Patient

ISSUE: FDA is warning that Viberzi (eluxadoline), a medicine used to treat irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D), should not be used in patients who do not have a gallbladder. An FDA review found these patients have an increased risk of developing serious pancreatitis that could result in hospitalization or death. Pancreatitis may be caused by spasm of a certain digestive system muscle in the small intestine. As a result, FDA is working with the Viberzi manufacturer, Allergan, to address these safety concerns.

See the FDA Drug Safety Communication for a Data Summary.

BACKGROUND: Viberzi is a prescription medicine used to treat irritable bowel syndrome in adults when the main symptom is diarrhea (IBS-D). IBS-D affects the large intestine and causes cramping, stomach-area or abdomen pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea. The cause of IBS-D is not known. Viberzi works by decreasing bowel contractions, which leads to less diarrhea. In patients with IBS-D, Viberzi can help ease stomach-area or abdomen pain and improve stool consistency.

RECOMMENDATION: Health care professionals should not prescribe Viberzi in patients who do not have a gallbladder and should consider alternative treatment options in these patients. Hospitalizations and deaths due to pancreatitis have been reported with Viberzi use in patients who do not have a gallbladder. Symptoms of pancreatitis have occurred with just one or two doses of Viberzi at the recommended dosage for patients who do not have a gallbladder (75 mg), and who do not consume alcohol.

Patients should talk to your health care professional about how to control your symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D), particularly if you do not have a gallbladder. Stop taking Viberzi right away and get emergency medical care if you develop new or worsening stomach-area or abdomen pain, or pain in the upper right side of your stomach-area or abdomen that may move to your back or shoulder. This pain may occur with nausea and vomiting. These may be symptoms of pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas an organ important in digestion; or spasm of the sphincter of Oddi, a muscular valve in the small intestine that controls the flow of digestive juices to the gut.

Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:

• Complete and submit the report Online:www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report
• Download form or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178

Read the MedWatch safety alert, including a link to the FDA Drug Safety Communication, at:

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm546771.htm

March Is National Kidney Month—Urge Family Members to Get a Check-Up Kidney disease is the ninth leading cause of death in the U.S. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or you are overweight, talk to your doctor about the ways that these conditions may impact your kidney health. Making some lifestyle changes such as increasing physical activity and losing weight may help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and diabetic kidney disease among people at risk. March is designated as National Kidney Month to help raise awareness about kidney disease.   The FDA Seeks Input From the Public on Sarcopenia The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to hear from people impacted by sarcopenia, a muscle-loss condition, as part of the aging process. On April 6, 2017 from 1PM to 5 PM ET, the FDA is conducting a public meeting as a way to gather information from patients on how this condition impacts their daily life and on what treatment approaches they've tried. To attend the meeting either by webcast or in person at the FDA’s Silver Spring, MD, location, you must register by April 6, 2017. The forum is part of FDA’s Patient-Focused Drug Development program. Stakeholders are also invited to give their input through the public docket. The deadline is June 6, 2017.   Is Your Dog or Cat Overweight? Learn the Signs Just like humans, animals can become overweight which can lead to diabetes and other chronic health issues. Do you know the signs to look for to determine if your dog or cat is at a healthy weight? Help your pet live longer. There Are Steps and Measures You Can Take If you’ve ever faced debt collection—being mistaken for someone who owes money or threatened with arrest or criminal prosecution—it can be hard to figure out a solution. That’s what happened to Debbie, a small business owner from California. She received excessive calls from debt collectors about a credit card she had never heard of and reached out to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) for help. Check out Debbie’s story Learn ways you can reply to a debt collector Find out how to submit a complaint to the CFPB Photo: Ambassador Thomas Kiernan of Ireland presents a bowl of Irish shamrock to President John F Kennedy in 1961 (Photo Credit: U.S. Department of State) March is Irish-American Heritage Month. Did you know that 33.1 million, or 10.8% of all Americans, have some Irish ancestry? Here are three great ways to learn more about Irish-American Heritage Month and St. Patrick’s Day at the White House. Read about great Irish-Americans and their contributions from the Architect of the Capitol. Get the facts about Irish-Americans in America from the Census Bureau. The Prime Minister of Ireland, Enda Kenny, will meet with President Trump tomorrow, March 17. Learn more about the tradition of Irish officials visiting the White House on St. Patrick’s Day. Not rendering correctly? View this email as a web page here. Celebrate Irish-American Heritage Month Alive With Your Students March is Irish-American Heritage Month. Did you know that 33.1 million, or 10.8% of all Americans have some Irish ancestry? Here are 4 great ways to bring Irish-American Heritage Month into your classroom. Learn about great Irish-Americans and their contributions from the Architect of the Capitol. Get the facts about Irish-Americans in America from the Census Bureau. Find lesson plans and printables for every age group. Watch videos on Irish immigrants to the U.S. Find more Irish-American Heritage Month lessons and don’t miss a teachable moment when you check our Kids.gov Teacher’s Calendar every month! April 6, 2017, at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM ET Meet Dr. Torsten Dikow, an entomologist at the National Museum of Natural History. Marvel at how predatory assassin flies are able to catch other insects, even larger ones, during flight. In this webinar, your students will: Learn about the incredible biodiversity of these flies, with more than 7,500 species distributed around the globe. Join Torsten on a journey through southern Africa, Australia, and the U.S., where he captures flies to figure out their evolutionary relationships. See how Torsten has been able to describe almost 70 new species of assassin and related flies by examining their body features and DNA.  Μάρ 14 τις 10:06 μ.μ. FTC & NASCO Announce Final Agenda for March 21 Conference Exploring Consumer Protection Issues and Charitable Solicitations The Federal Trade Commission and the National Association of State Charities Officials have announced a final agenda for the Give & Take: Consumers, Contributions, and Charity conference. The conference will examine issues related to ensuring that consumers have confidence when making donations and are protected from fraud. The conference is free and open to the public. It will be held at the Constitution Center, 400 7th St., SW, Washington, DC 20024. Information about reasonable accommodations is available on the conference website. The conference will be webcast live. Registration is not required. Email questions to consumergiving@ftc.gov. The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, and protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about consumer topics and file a consumer complaint online or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357).  Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, read our blogs and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.