FDA Consumer Magazine -- December 1993
Table of Contents

Honey Bears, Snowmen and Other Exceptions to Food Label Rules
Food packages shaped like honey bears, snowmen, and Santa Claus face a special challenge when trying to incorporate the new nutrition labeling, as do other small or odd- shaped packages. But FDA has found ways to deal with such problems.

Controlling Yeast Infections
In the last few years, FDA has approved switching products for treating vaginal 'yeast' from prescription to OTC status for women. Though quick help is a boon, repeated infections should not be taken lightly.

From Shampoo to Cereal: Seeing to the Safety of Color Additives
Though we may hardly notice, they're all around us--in our food, drugs, shampoos, toothpaste, contact lenses, vitamins, and more. And over the years, FDA has refined a process that keeps color additives safe.

Dental Amalgam: Filling a Need or Foiling Health?
Amalgam has been used in dentistry for 150 years and remains the most widely used material to fill cavities in decayed teeth. Recently, scientists have been investigating whether mercury vapor escaping from "silver fillings" poses any health problem.

Food Allergies: When Eating Is Risky
Allergy may be a more frequent suspect in problems that follow dinings than an actual villain. But for the 2 to 8 percent of people who truly suffer from food allergies, eating-- especially when the recipe is unknown--can be fraught with danger.

On the Teen Scene: A Balanced Look at the Menstrual Cycle
The menstrual cycle doesn't affect all women the same. Some hardly notice it, while others may have bad cramps and other symptoms. Happily, modern medicine has come up with many ways to lessen discomfort and keep life on an even keel.

(Hypertext updated by clb March 30, 2001)

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