FDA and Industry Officials Disagree Over Ephedra
Questions are being raised as to whether the dietary supplement ephedra is safe and effective or potentially dangerous. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recently outlined 100 reports of serious health problems they link to products containing the supplement. The reports, collected for almost two years, include 46 cases of cardiovascular problems-including seven deaths by cardiac arrest-and 41 cases of central-nervous-system problems such as stimulant effects and seizures.
Industry representatives criticized the FDA's data and attribute the reported health problems to underlying conditions, use of multiple products, and excessive fasting and exercise. A medical examiner that reviewed 22 deaths possibly linked to ephedra products said that all but two cases were likely caused by other medical problems.
Because ephedra is a dietary supplement, the FDA must treat it as a food supplement and not as a drug. For more information visit the Food & Drug Administration website at www.fda.gov.
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.