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November 15th, 2012 | Op-Ed | The Mercury
Channel One may not be in best interests of students
As schools around our nation face mounting financial difficulties due to ever-rising costs, it is important that school boards, parents, and the taxpaying public remember the chief mission of our schools: education.
Due to limited resources, it is often tempting for public officials and school administrators to “cut corners” when it comes to providing quality education to students. Even worse, these slights are often spun as a “net-positive” for education.
1 CommentContinue Reading...November 15th, 2012 | Associated Press | The Washington Post
Md. health officials issue set of recommendations for breastfeeding newborns
Maryland health officials are encouraging mothers to breast-feed their newborn babies.
The state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issued recommendations Tuesday intended to get more mothers breast-feeding in the hours after they give birth.
Continue Reading...November 15th, 2012 | Emily Kaiser | Minnesota Public Radio
Are pharmaceutical companies marketing ADHD drugs to adults?
More than 4 million children have prescriptions for medicines like Ritalin and Adderall to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But as the number of medicated kids is hitting a saturation point, are drug companies beginning to market their drugs more heavily to adults?
One pharmaceutical company estimates that there may be nearly 10 million adults who have ADHD. But what do these numbers mean for doctors and potential patients struggling with attention problems?
Continue Reading...November 15th, 2012 | Barry Meier | New York Times
Caffeinated Drink Cited in Reports of 13 Deaths
Federal officials have received reports of 13 deaths over the last four years that cited the possible involvement of 5-Hour Energy, a highly caffeinated energy shot, according to Food and Drug Administration records and an interview with an agency official.
The disclosure of the reports is the second time in recent weeks that F.D.A. filings citing energy drinks and deaths have emerged. Last month, the agency acknowledged it had received five fatality filings mentioning another popular energy drink, Monster Energy.
Continue Reading...November 14th, 2012 | Alan Blinder | Washington Examiner
D.C. councilman warns of drug companies' ties with doctors
A D.C. lawmaker said Tuesday that the city’s children could be at risk because of close ties between psychiatrists and drug companies, and he said he is likely to seek a strengthening of the District law that requires the manufacturers to disclose their contacts with doctors.
“We can’t be casual about the prescribing of these drugs to young people. We have to be very careful,” at-large Councilman David Catania said. “We can do this better.”
A D.C. Department of Health and George Washington University report found that of the 172 physicians in the District who received at least $1,000 in gifts from leading antipsychotic manufacturers last year, 26 were psychiatrists.
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