Rx for safety with medicines that you take
If your Lipitor, Zocor, Procrit or any other prescription medication doesn't look quite right, ask your pharmacist about it -- it could be counterfeit.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, investigations into counterfeit drugs have quadrupled since 2000. The World Health Organization estimates that 7 percent to 10 percent of the world drug market is made up of fakes.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists offers these basic tips to keep your medications safe:
• Pay attention to your medicine, particularly the instructions on how to take it, the correct dosage, and warnings about interactions with other drugs.
• Talk to your pharmacist if your medication is - different in shape, color, taste, smell or feel; packaged differently; or does not produce the expected results.
• Be careful when ordering medicine via the Internet. Buy only from Web sites with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy's VIPPS (Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites) symbol.
Zocor, Lipitor, Procrit, Sustiva, Lamisil and Diflucan are a few of the medicines that have been counterfeited in the past. A complete list is available from the ASHP at www.safemedication.com.
Tooth tips
Summertime for kids means fun on the playgrounds, on ball fields or on bikes. It can also mean injury. If that injury leads to a chipped, broken or knocked-out tooth, Delta Dental has these suggestions:
• Find all parts of the chipped tooth and remember to handle the tooth by the top, not the root.
• Do not clean the tooth or handle it unnecessarily.
• If possible, reinsert the tooth into the socket. If not, place it in a cup of milk or water.
• See the dentist immediately.
• For children with broken braces or wires, cover sharp or protruding portions with cotton balls, gauze or chewing gum. Do not remove broken wires.
Free dental care
Children of low-income Barberton families may be eligible for free dental care, through a program of the Beacon Journal Charity Fund, with a $16,000 grant from the Barberton Community Foundation.
The focus of the orthodontic program is to treat functional dental needs -- not cosmetic -- of children of the poor and working poor.
The money will be spent over the next nine months, with participation restricted to Barberton residents. For more information, contact Judy Burkett, executive director of the charity fund, at 330-253-7700.
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