PROFNET WIRE: HEALTH & MEDICINE – Regulation of OTC Medicine

May 6, 2005

ROUND-UPS

Regulation of Non-Prescription Cold Medicine (3 experts)

LEADS

1. Fitness: Pregnancy Advice Fit for a Pop Star

2. Health: Immediate and Short-Term Benefits of Quitting Smoking

3. Health: Lessons in SPF

4. Health: National Health Observances in May

5. Health: New Sensors Alert Dangerous UVB Exposure

6. Medicine: Cardiac Technology Ready for Surge in ICD Patients

7. Medicine: Long-Term Strategy for Healing

8. Medicine: RSD Affects Millions of Children and Adults

9. Nutrition: Learn to Understand Food Labels

ROUND-UP: Regulation of Non-Prescription Cold Medicine

Following are experts who can discuss regulation on the sale of non- prescription cold and allergy medications:

1. JEAN SASSATELLI, RN, MS, senior director for behavioral health at CATHOLIC CHARITIES, a faith-based community organization offering a range of professional services to families in northeast Nebraska, is part of a group of addiction specialists lobbying the state to pass legislation to restrict the sale of pseudoephedrine: “Nebraska ranks second in meth labs per capita and third in the total number of labs — a testimony to the ease of obtaining the necessary ingredients for manufacturing methaphetamine in Nebraska. We have increased urgency since Iowa has restricted pseudoephedrine. States that border restricting states traditionally experience an increase in home labs if they do not enact restrictive legislation.” News Contact: Kristin Petrick, kristinp@ervinandsmith.com Phone: +1-402-829-8023 (05/05/05)

2. J.P. BORNEMAN, president and CEO of HYLAND’S INC., a provider of homeopathic products: “With more people not able to easily obtain products with pseudoephedrine, plus concern over side effects of interactions with these products and prescription medication, more consumers are turning to natural medicines for the cold season. Couple that with a Center for Disease Control and Prevention study last year showing 55 percent of Americans combine alternative with traditional medicines.” Borneman is well-versed on marketing homeopathic medicines alongside general medications and the ramifications if certain over-the-counter products are not as readily available. News Contact: Greg Swan, greg@kohnstamm.com Phone: +1-651-228-9141 (05/05/05)

3. MARK MANDEL, R.Ph., co-owner of MARK DRUGS ROSELLE, an online pharmacy: “Stores that do a small volume in over-the-counter cough and cold products are more concerned with theft of product than in crystal meth fabrication. My personal opinion is that as a pharmacist, I counsel virtually every person who walks in. This forced relocation allows my staff to have an additional interaction with customers. We can not only make a recommendation to relieve symptoms, but also question about other meds and conditions to be able to prevent potential drug interactions.” News Contact: Joanne Levine, joannepr@aol.com Phone: +1-847-327-9530 (05/05/05)

LEADS

1. FITNESS: PREGNANCY ADVICE FIT FOR A POP STAR. BONNIE BERK, RN, founder of MOTHERWELL MATERNITY FITNESS: “Body image is a concern for all pregnant women, especially for someone like Britney Spears who has the paparazzi tracking her every move (and every pound). In the spotlight or not, most soon- to-be-mothers have one thing in common — the desire to avoid excessive weight gain. During pregnancy, exercise goals need to change to assure a healthy pregnancy. Most importantly, expectant moms who are exercising need to listen to their bodies and modify exercise when appropriate.” News Contact: Patty Lehn, pattyl@hkusa.com Phone: +1-217-351-5076, ext. 2248 (05/05/05)

2. HEALTH: IMMEDIATE AND SHORT-TERM BENEFITS OF QUITTING SMOKING. SCOTT STRAYER, M.D., MPH, assistant professor of clinical family medicine at the UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: “There are over 500,000 deaths annually from smoking, most due to heart attacks, strokes and respiratory diseases, with only one- third of deaths from cancers. Significant immediate and short-term benefits occur with quitting smoking. Within 20 minutes of quitting, heart rate and blood pressure return to normal. After 8 hours, carbon monoxide levels drop and oxygen rises to normal levels. Heart attack risk starts dropping within 24 hours of quitting, and, within a year, risk is cut in half.” News Contact: Mary Jane Gore, mjgore@virginia.edu Phone: +1-434-924-9241 (05/05/05)

3. HEALTH: LESSONS IN SPF. ARTHUR VALLEJO, technical director at D’ARCY LABORATORIES, a developer and manufacturer of skin and hair care products, says you can safely enjoy the outdoors by educating yourself about SPF: “This number tells you the length of time that your sunscreen will provide protection from the sun. If your skin normally burns in 10 minutes, a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 allows you to stay out 15 times longer (or 150 minutes) before burning. Typically, SPF 15 filters about 93 percent of ultraviolet B rays. Anything above SPF 30 offers only slightly more protection.” News Contact: Amy Nathan, anathan@darcyskincare.com Phone: +1- 954-334-1145 (05/05/05)

4. HEALTH: NATIONAL HEALTH OBSERVANCES IN MAY. JOSEPH ADDIEGO, M.D., chief medical officer of PRESCRIPTION SOLUTIONS, a medical and pharmacy benefit management company that manages drugs for millions of Americans, says national health observances in May spotlight asthma and allergy awareness, prevention of osteoporosis and managing arthritis — illnesses that impact more than 150 million Americans: “Prescription drugs can play a key role in managing these illnesses when used appropriately and safely.” News Contact: Joy Scott, joy@scottpublicrelations.com Phone: +1-818-610-0270 (05/05/05)

5. HEALTH: NEW SENSORS ALERT DANGEROUS UVB EXPOSURE. DR. CRAIG EICHLER, dermatologist at CLEVELAND CLINIC NAPLES in Naples, Fla.: “While almost two- thirds of Americans say they use sunscreen at the beach or pool, most admit that they only apply it once during the day, and far fewer people apply it in other outdoor situations, such as at BBQs, when doing yard work or attending sporting events. Without applying or reapplying sunscreen, a person is easily overexposed to ultraviolet B, the most damaging rays that cause sunburn, and this can lead to skin cancer. Detecting UVB exposure is one key step in preventing sun damage to your skin.” Eichler is also a skin cancer and sun damage expert for SunSignals, a new adhesive sensor that detects overexposure to ultraviolet B rays from the sun. News Contact: Alyson O’Mahoney, aomahoney@robinleedyassociates.com Phone: +1-914-241-0086 (05/05/05)

6. MEDICINE: CARDIAC TECHNOLOGY READY FOR SURGE IN ICD PATIENTS. LAWRENCE J. GESSMAN, M.D., advisory board member of RAYTEL CARDIAC SERVICES, a provider of telemedicine solutions, and director of electrophysiology at the Cooper Heart Institute at COOPER UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: “The number of Americans with heart arrhythmias who are candidates for implantable cardioverter defibrillators is expected to soar due to new Medicare recommendations. However, the number of doctors who will participate in their follow-up is likely going to remain the same. This surge in case load will necessitate a more convenient way to perform patient follow-up. At-home monitoring can reassure the patient that the ICD is functioning properly, as well as indicate the cause if the patient is actually shocked, helping to avoid unnecessary trips to the ER in some instances.” News Contact: Alyson O’Mahoney, aomahoney@robinleedyassociates.com Phone: +1-914-241-0086 (05/05/05)

7. MEDICINE: LONG-TERM STRATEGY FOR HEALING. DAREN BROOKS, president and founder of THE BRIDGE HEALTH RECOVERY CENTER, which offers personalized, integrative ways to address chronic illnesses and conditions that have not responded to conventional medical modalities, says millions of people are suffering from chronic pain and other chronic, debilitating conditions. Brooks says doctors’ offices are flooded, pain management centers are packed and pharmaceutical prescriptions continue to rise. He also notes rising health care costs, prescription costs and recent safety concerns of popular medications may have prompted more out-of-pocket dollars spent than ever in alternative care this past year: “What is the actual long-term strategy of healing? With this multi-billion-dollar effort expanding every day, we should be making progress; the truth is, we are slipping further behind. Rapidly. Health recovery centers may be a new working model offering the best of both worlds in health care.” News Contact: Jay Snyder, jay@thebridgerecoverycenter.com Phone: +1-435-313-3829 (05/05/05)

8. MEDICINE: RSD AFFECTS MILLIONS OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS. STEVEN J. WEISMAN, M.D., medical director of the pain management program at the CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF WISCONSIN, notes singer Paula Abdul recently released information that she is affected by reflex sympathetic dystrophy, which is a chronic pain syndrome: “There are many myths about RSD, and it is often difficult to diagnose — but it can be truly debilitating.” Weisman says he has seen nearly 100 percent success in his treatment of children with RSD. News Contact: Sara Silver-Traband, ssilver-traband@chw.org Phone: +1-414-266- 5425 (05/05/05)

9. NUTRITION: LEARN TO UNDERSTAND FOOD LABELS. LEIGH ANN HUBBARD, managing editor of “Family Doctor: The Magazine That Makes Housecalls,” a national medical magazine for the general public: “When trying to lose weight this summer, remember that ‘low-carb’ and ‘low-fat’ don’t necessarily mean ‘low- calorie.’ Sometimes, the original recipe is healthier than the special formula. The trick to figuring it out is learning how to read labels. It’s actually pretty easy. You just have to know what to look for.” Hubbard is available to help teach you how to buy wisely. Hubbard: managingeditor@familydoctormag.com Phone: +1-719-964-7464 (05/05/05)

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