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More Answers About H1N1 Flu Vaccines

Information on the H1N1 swine flu vaccine continues to mount, and questions linger.

In a recent post, H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine Fears Addressed – Single vs. Multi-Dose, Adjuvants, Thimerosal and More, Bruce B. Dan, MD, a specialist in infectious diseases, answered a series of questions related to the H1N1 flu vaccine.

Our readers have a couple additional questions and our expert, Dr. Bruce B. Dan answers them to help alleviate your fears.

Our Reader, Arly Helm writes:
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*This blog post was originally published at Health in 30*

Questions And Answers About H1N1 Flu Vaccine Safety

The questions and concerns continue to swirl regarding the H1N1 swine flu vaccine, and health consumers continue to fear the safety of the H1N1 swine flu vaccine.

Many health consumers are asking if there are adjuvants in the vaccine, should they receive the vaccine if there’s thimerosal, and what’s the difference between a multiple dose (multi-dose) and a single dose.

Others are asking if they have certain health conditions (diabetes, heart disease, lyme disease, bipolar, etc.) should they receive the H1N1 vaccine.

I constructed a series of questions based on information you are looking for and medical expert, Bruce B. Dan, MD, a specialist in infectious diseases addresses your concerns and helps relieve your fears. Read more »

*This blog post was originally published at Health in 30*

How To Relate To E-Patients Like A Rock Star

Part 1 in a series on the e-patient and participatory medicine

There’s no question that today’s patients are savvy.  Today’s patients are e-patients. Surrounded by technology, researching health information on the Internet has never been easier.  Patients are engaging in communities and social networking sites and the exchange of information between patients has proven invaluable to some.

When patients visit their doctor and other health care professionals, many are armed with questions and they are not satisfied until they get answers.   Patients are empowered and they want to be engaged in a relationship with their doctors and other health care professionals.  They want respect, collaboration and connection. Read more »

*This blog post was originally published at Health in 30*

FDA Gets Tough With Misleading Food Labels

Food Aisle 2The next time you head down the food aisle, check out the front food labels.

The front of food labels or front-of-packages (FOP) are misleading and often confusing, leading the consumer to believe that the food they are about to buy is healthy, when in fact it is not.

In a recent post, Healthy Eating? Find Out What Could Be Hiding In Your Foods, I asked the question if we need to be detectives to find out what’s hiding in our foods.

Unless you turn the package over to read the list of ingredients, it’s impossible to tell. The front of the food label is constructed in such a creative way. Words and symbols highlight the product as healthy. It captures your attention and it gives you the impression that the food you are about to buy is good for you, but it is not. Read more »

*This blog post was originally published at Health in 30*

H1N1 Flu Vaccine: No Adjuvants, Excellent Safety

In a recent post, Swine Flu:  H1N1 Flu Vaccine – Who Should Get It, Who Shouldn’t Get It and Is It Safe, a Healthin30 reader, Doriorio posted a comment and questioned the safety of the H1N1 Flu Vaccine.

Doriorio writes:

“Hi. Thanks for a great post. My pediatrician expressed concern to me about potential adjuvants in the H1N1 vaccines, saying that there are six manufacturers and potentially a wide variety in the vaccines among them. I know adjuvants are used more widely in Europe, but it’s not clear if the ones that may be used in the H1N1 vaccines have been tested for side effects. I think given the groups being prioritized for this vaccine, for instance infants, we should not be taking any chances in administering anything untested via vaccine. It conjures up the smallpox vaccine fiasco in the 1970s where the government had to set aside a vaccine injury compensation program for injured parties, some of whom were permanently affected. What do you know about adjuvants being added and the safety claims being made by the CDC when testing time has obviously been nonexistent.” Read more »

*This blog post was originally published at Health in 30*

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The Spirit Of The Place: Samuel Shem’s New Book May Depress You

When I was in medical school I read Samuel Shem s House Of God as a right of passage. At the time I found it to be a cynical yet eerily accurate portrayal of the underbelly of academic medicine. I gained comfort from its gallows humor and it made me…

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Eat To Save Your Life: Another Half-True Diet Book

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