Thursday March 1, 2012
The FDA has approved a new type of FluMist for use in the United States. Produced by MedImmune, FluMist Quadrivalent is the first flu vaccine that will contain four strains of the influenza virus, rather than three.
All other flu vaccines (both the nasal spray and the shot) contain three strains of influenza vaccine which are thought to be most likely to cause illness during the following flu season. Two strains of influenza A and one strain of influenza B are included each year. In the FluMist Quadrivalent vaccine, four strains - two of influenza A and two of influenza B - will be included in the vaccine.
The new vaccine is approved for use in adults and children ages 2 to 49. Studies on the new vaccine's safety and efficacy have shown similar response as seen with the traditional FluMist vaccine.
Common side effects include sore throat and headache in adults and runny nose or congestion in both children and adults.
Public health officials hope the inclusion of the extra strain of influenza will provide greater protection, especially to children, who are more likely to be affected by influenza B.
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Tuesday February 28, 2012
We have heard a lot about flu pandemics over the past couple of years since H1N1 ("swine flu") caused a pandemic in 2009. Undoubtedly if you paid attention to the news during that pandemic you heard about the Spanish flu of 1918.
The pandemic of 1918 was the worst flu disaster in modern history. It claimed the lives of between 20 and 50 million people worldwide and is the benchmark by which we compare all other flu pandemics.
Interestingly, all of the flu pandemics since then have been related to the strain of influenza that caused the pandemic of 1918.
Also new on About Cold and Flu this month:
Wednesday February 22, 2012
We've all seen the commercials and remember the call, but have you ever tried Ricola cough drops? They come in a variety of flavors including Green Tea and Cherry Honey.
Ricola's newest product is called Ricola Dual Action. It is cherry flavored and contains menthol which is used as a natural anesthetic (numbing agent) to help soothe a sore throat and mouth.
To help promote it's new product and the spirit of giving, Ricola has a promotion going on their Facebook and Twitter pages where you can share samples of their Ricola Dual Action drops. On Facebook, you can send "Get Well" greetings to three friends and they will receive a coupon for Ricola Dual Action drops. On Twitter, if you send @RicolaUSA a tweet, they may reward you with a free sample!
Ricola cough drops are all natural and are produced using organic farming methods in the Swiss Alps. The company has been family owned and operated for 80 years.
Friday February 17, 2012
McNeil Consumer Healthcare announced today that they are recalling 574,000 bottles of Infants' Tylenol Oral Suspension, Grape Flavor due to difficulties with the dosing system.
The company has received some complaints that the measuring device (flow restrictor) that is attached to the bottle has fallen inside the bottle when parents have tried to use it. There have been no other reports of problems with the product and the company has stated that it is safe to use if your device is working properly.
If the "flow restrictor" on your bottle is not working properly, do not use the product and contact McNeil Consumer Healthcare for a refund. You can find out more about how to get your refund at www.tylenol.com or by calling the company at 1-888-222-6036 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time; Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time).
The recalled products include Infants Tylenol Oral Suspension, Grape Flavor, 1 oz. Lot numbers: BIL0U00, BIL0V00, BIL3500, BJL2D00, BJL2E00, BJL2T00, BJL2U00 and UPC code 300450122308.
Unlike most recalls of medications that involve incorrect concentrations of ingredients or foreign bodies in the solution, this recall probably won't affect many people. Tylenol has provided instructions and even a video on how to use the dosing system properly and if you follow the instructions, you can continue to use the product without concern. There may be some cases where the dosing device comes apart anyway and if that occurs, you will want to stop using it and contact the company for a refund.
