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Melatonin Use Skyrockets Among U.S. Kids, Study Finds

Record numbers of children and tweens now take melatonin for sleep, potentially doing harm to their development, a new study warns.

Nearly one in five school-aged kids are popping melatonin to help them rest, often with the help of their parents, researchers reported in the Nov. 13 issue of the journal JAMA ...

CVS Pulling Popular Cold Meds From Shelves After Report Deems Them to Be Useless

CVS Health plans to pull cold medications that contain phenylephrine from its store shelves after federal regulators determined recently that the decongestant doesn't work.

Oral phenylephrine is an active ingredient in such well-known products as Sudafed and Dayquil. An FDA advisory committee ruled las...

An OTC Contraceptive Pill Is Coming Soon, but Who Will Pay For It?

The first over-the-counter birth control pill is slated to hit drug stores in early 2024, but questions about cost and insurance coverage loom.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Opill (norgestrel) for preventing pregnancy without a pre...

A Year After Launch, OTC Hearing Aids Aren't Catching On With U.S. Consumers

It's now been possible to buy a hearing aid over-the-counter for nearly a year, but few Americans are doing so.

More education is needed about just who these over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids can help, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). It polled more than 2,200 Americans about the issue in late June and early July.

Just 2% of respondents aged 40...

Opioid OD Rescue Drug Narcan Will Reach Drug Store Shelves Next Week

Narcan, a lifesaving medication that reverses opioid overdose, will be available on U.S. drugstore shelves and online starting next week.

People who want to carry Narcan, the nasal spray version of naloxone, will be able to find it at Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart and CVS for a suggested retail price of $44.99 for a box of two doses, the drug maker reported Wednesday.

T...

FDA Approves First Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the nation's first over-the-counter birth control pill, a move that will likely pave the way for far greater access to contraception for Americans.

Women will be able to buy the progestin-only oral contraceptive at drug stores, convenience stores and grocery stores, the FDA said. There is no age limit.

Opill, which is made b...

Traveling? Here's Your Family Medical Checklist

When going on vacation, there's a lot to remember, but it's a good idea if you add one more item to the to-do list.

Baylor College of Medicine in Houston suggests creating a family travel medical checklist, to be sure that you and your loved ones stay healthy and safe while you're away.

"Traveling can expose families to different environments, climates and potential health risks. A ...

The Most Common Allergy Medicines

If you suffer from allergies, you know how bothersome and uncomfortable the sneezing and itchy eyes can be. These symptoms are more than irritating -- they impact day-to-day activities like work, school, sports, sleeping and even eating.

Not only that, but allergies can also cause more serious health problems such as asthma and even anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction.

FDA Advisors OK Approval of First Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill

In a unanimous vote, a panel of expert advisors to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday endorsed the over-the-counter sale of a birth control pill, a recommendation that will likely pave the way for far greater access to contraception for Americans.

Opill, as the pill is called, was first approved by the FDA in 1973. There is no precise information available on how much Opil...

FDA Experts to Consider First Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill

As a U.S. Food Drug Administration advisory panel prepares to weigh whether to recommend that a birth control pill be sold over the counter in this country, a coalition of advocates on Monday called attention to the safety and effectiveness of the medication.

If approved, Opill, a daily progestin-only birth control pill, would become the first such drug sold over the counter in the United...

Get Pain Relief With the Most Common Arthritis Medications

Arthritis is a common disease that causes pain and inflammation in different body joints, making it difficult to enjoy everyday tasks and physical activity.

Fortunately, there are many different medications for arthritis. Depending on what type of arthritis you have and its severity, an arthritis medication may help you manage pain and other symptoms. Here is a breakdown of the most comm...

FDA Panel to Again Weigh Merit of Decongestant That Many Call Useless

Consumers have been using a common over-the-counter oral decongestant known as phenylephrine for years, but that may not continue much longer.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asked a panel of its advisors to reassess the drug's effectiveness. The medication's safety isn't in question, just whether it actually does what it claims to do.

The FDA's Nonprescription Drugs Advis...

In Face of Tripledemic, CVS and Walgreens Limit Purchases of Kids' Pain Meds

As a tripledemic of the flu, COVID and RSV continues to spread across the United States, customers at two major pharmacy chains will now be limited as to how much children's pain relievers and fever-reducing medications they can buy for their sick child.

Both CVS and Walgreens confirmed the limits Monday, CNN reported, though they've approached it in different ways.

Walgre...

FDA Moves Toward Making Overdose Antidote an Over-the-Counter Drug

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration appears poised to approve certain naloxone products for over-the-counter use, a move that would help fight the nation's opioid epidemic.

Naloxone (Narcan, Evzio) can save lives when administered soon after the first signs of an overdose from opioids such as heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone or morphine.

On Tuesday, the FDA

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • November 16, 2022
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  • More U.S. Kids Are Heading to ERs After Drinking Cough Suppressant

    Increasing numbers of young children are showing up in emergency rooms after accidentally ingesting the cough suppressant benzonatate, U.S. health officials reported Tuesday.

    Benzonatate is a non-narcotic cough suppressant first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1958 for children ages 10 and up. It works by reducing the cough reflex in the lungs and airways.

    "Benz...

    Child Danger: Almost Half of Parents Have Leftover Meds at Home

    Getting into prescription or over-the-counter medicines at home is a major source of accidental poisoning for young children.

    Yet, nearly half of parents say they have leftover prescriptions at home, a new poll shows.

    "We found that it's common for parents to keep m...

    You Can Now Buy Hearing Aids Over-the-Counter.  Experts Offer Tips for Consumers

    It's official: Older Americans with hearing loss can now stroll into a big box store or pharmacy -- or just visit a website -- and buy hearing aids without a prescription.

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved this

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • October 17, 2022
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  • Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Are Coming in October. Experts Offer Tips for Consumers

    Adults with hearing loss soon will be able to amble into a big box store or pharmacy -- or just visit a website -- and buy hearing aids without a prescription.

    Over-the-counter hearing aids will be on the market by mid-October, available for purchase ...

    Chicken Cooked in NyQuil? Help Kids Steer Clear of Social Media 'Medicine Challenges'

    Misusing over-the-counter medications can have dangerous consequences, but recent social media trends encouraging this could be downright deadly for gullible teens, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Thursday.

    One concerning trend has been a challenge that encouraged people to cook chicken in NyQu...

    FDA Mulling Over-the-Counter Sale of Contraceptive Pill

    For decades, birth control pills in the United States have only been available with a prescription, but an application filed Monday with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for an over-the-counter pill might change all that.

    The lates...

    Need a Pill to Help You Sleep? You're Far From Alone, Survey Finds

    If you struggle to fall asleep at night, you are not alone.

    About 28% of Americans say insomnia is taking a toll on their daily lives, and about 64% say they take sleep aids to help them fall asleep or stay asleep.

    "

  • By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • June 23, 2022
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  • FDA Warns 12 Companies About Skin Lightening Products

    Twelve companies have been issued warning letters about selling over-the-counter skin lightening products containing hydroquinone, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday.

    The products are unapproved drugs that are not recognized as safe and effective, according to

  • By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
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  • April 20, 2022
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  • Weed May Mess With Your Medicines, Causing Harm

    Many people turn to marijuana or cannabidiol to ease their achy joints and help them sleep, but a new study suggests that could wreak havoc with any other medications they're taking.

    Why? Because the body uses the same set of enzymes to process them all, scientists report.

    The chemicals in mari...

    Addictive Opioid Painkillers Might Not Be Needed After Knee Surgery

    Addictive opioid painkillers aren't the only option for patients seeking relief following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee reconstruction, researchers say.

    As the United States wrestles with skyrocketing rates of opioid abuse and drug overdose deaths, the findings may come as good news.

    After ACL surgery, Advil and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminop...

    Most Americans Would Skip Opioids After Surgery If They Could: Survey

    More than two-thirds of Americans would be willing to try alternatives to prescription opioids to control pain after surgery, a new survey shows.

    The United States is grappling with an opioid addiction crisis, and it's common for addiction to begin when patients get painkillers after surgery or an injury.

    The survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults aged 18 and older found that four ou...

    Do Your Kids Really Need Cough & Cold Meds?

    When children have colds, parents may want to hold off on using cough and cold medicines, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests.

    Most children get better on their own, and cough or cold medicines won't change the natural course of a cold or make it go away faster.

    Also, some cough and cold medicines can have serious side effects, such as slowed breathing, which can be life-...

    FDA Eases Access to Cheaper Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids

    Affordable over-the-counter hearing aids could soon bring relief to millions of Americans suffering from hearing loss, under a landmark proposal announced Tuesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

    The proposal would create a category of hearing aids that could be sold directly to consumers, without either a medical exam or a fitting by an audiologist.

    Until now, folks suffer...

    Low-Dose Aspirin Guards Against Preeclampsia: Task Force

    Pregnant women at risk for a serious high blood pressure disorder called preeclampsia should take low-dose aspirin after their first trimester, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

    The recommendation, announced Sept. 28, updates and is consistent with the task force's 2014 sta...

    Could Cheaper, Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Finally Be Here?

    Until now, folks suffering from hearing loss typically have had to fork out thousands of dollars for a device that could be adjusted only by a professional audiologist.

    No wonder that only one-quarter of the nearly 29 million U.S. adults who could benefit from a hearing aid have actually tried one, according to the U.S.

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • September 9, 2021
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