Published July 31, 2009

What to do when drugs cause unexpected health problems

In a rare court ruling that pleases me, the U.S. Supreme court upheld damages for a woman injured by one of Big Pharma’s drugs. And this decision is extremely important to you.

A Vermont woman received an intravenous injection of the drug Phenergan, which the FDA approved years ago. The drug found its way into her artery and caused gangrene. She lost her right arm. She brought suit claiming that the drug maker, Wyeth, should have had more stern warnings about injection of the drug on the label. The FDA approves of such warnings.

Here was the problem. The FDA might not go far enough in stressing a warning. An injury could occur that might not have otherwise happened if the label carried full disclosure of the known risks. Wyeth argued that since the FDA approved the label, the company should be immune from attack. The court held that such defense would apply only if the issue was presented to the FDA and the agency rejected the proposed warning.

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Published July 30, 2009

Why heartburn sufferers are at serious risk for pneumonia and other infections

You can’t watch TV very long these days without seeing ads for heartburn medications. Apparently, heartburn (or GERD — gastro-esophageal reflux disease) has turned into a national crisis. Due to bad eating habits, stress, medications, and too much coffee, GERD is rampant.

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Published July 29, 2009

Can a simple amino acid solve your blood-sugar problems?

I’m always on the lookout for ways to help those with blood-sugar problems. Diabetes is epidemic. I always start with diet, as it can solve the problem in most cases. But there are some cases where supplements can be of assistance. And researchers recently found that one of my favorite amino acids offers significant improvements in insulin metabolism.

Researchers gave mice taurine for 30 days and then assessed blood sugar balance with a glucose tolerance test. They also studied the effect taurine had on the insulin-producing islet cells.

But here’s the great news. Taurine supplementation greatly increased insulin content in their islet cells. The glucose tolerance test improved significantly; with better insulin control. Even the genes controlling blood sugar became more active.

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