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Safety
Americans today are treating a number of medical conditions with fairly recently
developed medications. All of these have bee rigorously tested before being
allowed on the market. Still, unforeseen problems do arise and recalls and
worse, injuries and deaths, do occur. Additionally, a drug that has worked well
for some time may become problematic as the underlying disease changes, or
another disease is diagnosed. Over the counter medications may not be
compatible to the medications that are prescribed. There are several tools
available for individuals to evaluate the safety of both prescribed and over the
counter drugs.
First of all, always alert your physician to all drugs that you are currently
taking or plan to take. He or she will be able to tell you of potential drug
interactions and loss of effectiveness. Additionally, the federal government has
many safety websites that can help you find out and evaluate potential risks.
The Office of Drug Safety issues an annual report regarding drugs licensed in
the United States, which can be accessed at
www.fda.gov/cder/Offices/ODS/AnnRep2002/default.htm
The
FDA
verifies the safety of foods and medicines, is reached at
www.fda.gov
At
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety.htm you can get information about
both human and pet product health safety, and also view lists of recalled
products, as well as, safety alerts. By following the links given at these
government websites you will be provided with a nearly overwhelming information
influx regarding product and drug safety. However, there are things other than
foods, drugs and supplements that contribute to unsafe practices.
Today, safety is another of the lifestyle elements, such as nutrition and
exercise, that together with heredity and existing diseases and conditions can
be plugged into a paradigm that evaluates longevity. It comes as a surprise to
many that, in spite of good genetics and no predisposing factors such as high
blood pressure or diabetes, they remain at high risk of mortality because of the
number of hours a week they spend in a car driving, even though wearing a
seatbelt. And travel by motorcycle constitutes the same risk as engaging in
sky diving as a hobby. Indeed, one of the largest risk factors in American
morbidity and mortality is travel, which most definitely includes, the daily
commute. 40% of all accidental deaths in the U.S. result from motor vehicle
accidents, and the more time spent in a car, either as the driver or a
passenger, the higher your risk of dying becomes. If a person commutes 150
miles a day to and from work, the risk is so high that he or she may as well
bungee jump on the weekend to enjoy a day of comparable safety. He answer to
this is to telecommute or work at home, if this option is offered, walk, ride a
bike or take public transportation, if offered, whenever you can. Carpools do
really reduce you individual risk, since you are still riding in a car, but to
the extent that they decrease the number of automobiles on the road, they reduce
every motorist's risk. |
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