Record numbers of children and tweens now take melatonin for sleep, potentially doing harm to their development, a new study warns.
Nearly one in five school-aged kids are popping melatonin to help them rest, often with the help of their parents, researchers reported in ...
CVS Health plans to pull cold medications that contain phenylephrine from its store shelves after federal regulators determined recently that the decongestant doesn't work.
Oral phenylephrine is an active ingredient in such well-known products as Sudafed and Dayquil. An ...
The first over-the-counter birth control pill is slated to hit drug stores in early 2024, but questions about cost and insurance coverage loom.
It's now been possible to buy a hearing aid over-the-counter for nearly a year, but few Americans are doing so.
More education is needed about just who these over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids can help, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA...
Narcan, a lifesaving medication that reverses opioid overdose, will be available on U.S. drugstore shelves and online starting next week.
People who want to carry Narcan, the nasal spray version of naloxone, will be able to find it at Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart an...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the nation's first over-the-counter birth control pill, a move that will likely pave the way for far greater access to contraception for Americans.
Women will be able to buy the progestin-only oral contraceptive ...
When going on vacation, there's a lot to remember, but it's a good idea if you add one more item to the to-do list.
Baylor College of Medicine in Houston suggests creating a family travel medical checklist, to be sure that you and your loved ones stay healthy and safe wh...
If you suffer from allergies, you know how bothersome and uncomfortable the sneezing and itchy eyes can be. These symptoms are more than irritating — they impact day-to-day activities like work, school, sports, sleeping and even eating.
Not only that, but allergies can...
In a unanimous vote, a panel of expert advisors to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday endorsed the over-the-counter sale of a birth control pill, a recommendation that will likely pave the way for far greater access to contraception for Americans.
Opill, ...
As a U.S. Food Drug Administration advisory panel prepares to weigh whether to recommend that a birth control pill be sold over the counter in this country, a coalition of advocates on Monday called attention to the safety and effectiveness of the medication.
If approved...
Arthritis is a common disease that causes pain and inflammation in different body joints, making it difficult to enjoy everyday tasks and physical activity.
Fortunately, there are many different medications for arthritis. Depending on what type of arthritis you have and...
Consumers have been using a common over-the-counter oral decongestant known as phenylephrine for years, but that may not continue much longer.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asked a panel of its advisors to reassess the drug's effectiveness. The medication's s...
As a tripledemic of the flu, COVID and RSV continues to spread across the United States, customers at two major pharmacy chains will now be limited as to how much children's pain relievers and fever-reducing medications they can buy for their sick child.
Both CVS and Wa...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration appears poised to approve certain naloxone products for over-the-counter use, a move that would help fight the nation's opioid epidemic.
Naloxone (Narcan, Evzio) can save lives when administered soon after the first signs of an overd...
Increasing numbers of young children are showing up in emergency rooms after accidentally ingesting the cough suppressant benzonatate, U.S. health officials reported Tuesday.
Benzonatate is a non-narcotic cough suppressant first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Adminis...
Getting into prescription or over-the-counter medicines at home is a major source of accidental poisoning for young children.
Yet, nearly half of parent...
It's official: Older Americans with hearing loss can now stroll into a big box store or pharmacy — or just visit a website — and buy hearing aids without a prescription.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved this
Adults with hearing loss soon will be able to amble into a big box store or pharmacy — or just visit a website — and buy hearing aids without a prescription.
Misusing over-the-counter medications can have dangerous consequences, but recent social media trends encouraging this could be downright deadly for gullible teens, the U.S. Food and Drug Admini...
For decades, birth control pills in the United States have only been available with a prescription, but an application file...
If you struggle to fall asleep at night, you are not alone.
About 28% of Americans say insomnia is taking a toll on their daily lives, and about 64% say they take sleep aids to help them
Twelve companies have been issued warning letters about selling over-the-counter skin lightening products containing hydroquinone, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday.
The products are unapproved drugs that are not recognized as safe and effective, ac...
Many people turn to marijuana or cannabidiol to ease their achy joints and help them sleep, but a new study suggests that could wreak havoc with any other medications they're taking.
Why? Because the body uses the same set of enzymes to process them all, scientists repor...
Addictive opioid painkillers aren't the only option for patients seeking relief following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee reconstruction, researchers say.
As the United States wrestles with skyrocketing rates of opioid abuse and drug overdose deaths, the findings m...
More than two-thirds of Americans would be willing to try alternatives to prescription opioids to control pain after surgery, a new survey shows.
The United States is grappling with an opioid addiction crisis, and it's common for addiction to begin when patients get pain...
When children have colds, parents may want to hold off on using cough and cold medicines, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests.
Most children get better on their own, and cough or cold medicines won't change the natural course of a cold or make it go away faste...
Affordable over-the-counter hearing aids could soon bring relief to millions of Americans suffering from hearing loss, under a landmark proposal announced Tuesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The proposal would create a category of hearing aids that could be...
Pregnant women at risk for a serious high blood pressure disorder called preeclampsia should take low-dose aspirin after their first trimester, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).
Until now, folks suffering from hearing loss typically have had to fork out thousands of dollars for a device that could be adjusted only by a professional audiologist.
No wonder that only one-quarter of the nearly 29 million U.S. adults who could benefit from a hearing ...
Could the answer to easing the tough-to-treat chronic pain and fatigue of fibromyalgia be found in edibles and other products containing CBD?
A new study from Michigan Medicine examined whether people using potentially addictive painkillers like opioids could get relief ...
Many older adults are still taking a daily baby aspirin to ward off first-time heart problems -- despite guidelines that now discourage it, a new study finds.
Researchers found that one-half to 62% of U.S. adults aged 70 and up were using low-dose aspirin to cut their ri...
When it comes to taking a daily aspirin to cut heart patients' risk of heart attack and stroke, a new study finds dosing doesn't matter.
Researchers looked at more than 15,000 heart disease patients at 40 health centers across the United States who took either 81 milligr...
You're getting no real benefit from taking weight-loss supplements like garcinia cambogia, green tea extract, glucomannan, conjugated linoleic acid or chitosan, two new reviews show.
Most of the clinical trials studied didn't show these supplements producing any weight l...
Nearly one in five Americans with high blood pressure use medications that can cause blood pressure to spike, a preliminary study shows.
The researchers said the findings are concerning, given how many people have difficulty controlling their high blood pressure.
"...
One-third of neighborhoods in the 30 largest U.S. cities are "pharmacy deserts," and this is much more common in Black and Hispanic communities, a new study finds.
What's a 'pharmacy desert'? In general, in a neighborhood where most residents have cars, the study labele...
Many people take fish oil to protect their heart, but a new study suggests that prescription versions may raise the risk of a common heart rhythm disorder.
At issue are prescription-strength omega-3 fatty acids, which are naturally found in fish oil. The medications are ...
Makers of inhalers that contain the nasal decongestant propylhexedrine should make design changes to prevent misuse, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
Propylhexedrine is a nasal decongestant in over-the-counter inhalers, and right now is "only marketed under th...
If seasonal allergies get you down, try tackling them with a good spring cleaning.
This can not only ease some of those spring symptoms, but also get rid of allergens you've been living with for a while, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology...
For millions of Americans, sneezing, coughing, runny noses, itchy eyes and congestion are sure signs that spring is on the way.
The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) has advice for coping with these classic hay fever symptoms. It recently publish...
Most folks infected with COVID-19 will only have mild or moderate illness -- but that means they'll still be stuck at home and feeling really lousy.
What's the best way to cope?
In many ways, you want to behave as you would if you were suffering from a cold or the ...
The first non-prescription COVID-19 test that enables people to collect samples and get results at home has received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
"This is a great step forward," said Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns...
Often-used drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) ease heartburn symptoms, but a new study suggests they might also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Chinese researchers drew on information from studies of more than 200,000 U.S. health care professionals and...
A group of widely used medications might speed up older adults' mental decline -- especially if they are at increased risk of dementia, a new study hints.
The medications in question are called anticholinergics, and they are used to treat a diverse range of condition...
There may be no cure for the common cold, but a spoonful of honey might make it less miserable, a new research review concludes.
Parents have long used honey to soothe kids' sore throats and cough -- probably because their parents did. But the review of 14 clinical t...
People with high blood pressure and heart disease may be vulnerable to complications from COVID-19, heart experts say.
Nearly half of Americans have high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).
Based on current knowledge, seniors...
Rubbing cream into your skin to calm an itchy rash may seem harmless, but not all topical anti-itch formulas are created equal.
"People don't understand the potential dangers of prescription-strength steroid creams," said Dr. Lawrence Green, clinical professor of der...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is adding to a list of recalled lots of popular heartburn medications -- including generic forms of Zantac -- because the pills might contain small amounts of a suspected carcinogen.
The substance, called N-Nitrosodimethylamine (...
If you're one of the millions who rely on medications known as proton pump inhibitors for relief from heartburn, you may be at higher risk of illness from a stomach bug, new research suggests.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) include medications such as Nexium, Prevaci...
Two-thirds of American women take acetaminophen for the aches and pains of pregnancy, but the medication might not be as benign as thought.
New research shows that women who took acetaminophen, best known as Tylenol, at the end of their pregnancies were much more li...
Antibiotics aren't necessary for most toothaches, a new American Dental Association (ADA) guideline says.
It's common for doctors and dentists to prescribe antibiotics to ease toothache symptoms and prevent a more serious condition.
But a review that led to...