Table of Contents
FDA Consumer magazine
March-April 2000

Seven out of 10 Americans will get medical or dental x-rays this year. These peeks inside the body can be valuable, even lifesaving, tools for diagnosing health problems. But sometimes x-rays are ordered when not needed. Other times, failure to follow precautions may expose patients to more radiation than necessary. To help inform consumers about x-rays and their risks, FDA offers a checklist at www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/xraybrochure.html. Also at this site is a record card that can be printed and used to track the date and location of x-rays.

Doctor. Co-pilot. Truck driver. The names may sound innocent enough, but they actually are common street terms for potentially dangerous drugs that young adults sometimes use at all-night dance parties known as "raves" or "trances." At www.clubdrugs.org, the National Institute on Drug Abuse gives the facts on these "club drugs," and the picture isn't pretty. Some deaths have occurred. The drugs have been linked to heart and kidney failure, strokes, muscle breakdown, and impaired breathing. Combined with alcohol, the drugs--which include Ecstasy, GHB and Rohypnol--can become even more dangerous. The NIH Website is part of a public education strategy to alert teens, young adults, parents, and educators to the dangers of these drugs. (For more information, see "The Death of the Party" in this issue of FDA Consumer.)

Kids who bring their lunches to school may enjoy a meal more tailored to their preferences than cafeteria fare, but storing the food so that it's safe to eat by lunch time may be a challenge. However, with a few precautions, it's possible to minimize risks and help ensure that lunch doesn't cause any sickness. How? "Quick Tips to Packing a Safe Lunch" tells you. It's one of more than two dozen pages on topics from safe cooking to the proper way to wash hands featured on www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/fsgkids.html. Along the way you'll find a coloring book, crossword puzzle, word scramble, and family vacation game. Also on the site are food safety tips for babysitters and suggestions for packing a summer camp lunch. The site is a collaboration between FDA and several federal, state and local agencies.

Health and public safety information from the federal government is growing by leaps and bounds every day. There's so much of it in so many places that consumers may wonder where to turn. "Government Guide," a new site sponsored by America Online, can help. It collects Web-based information from dozens of agencies on topics such as diseases, nutrition, injury prevention, workplace safety, substance abuse, and fraud. It also has special sections for children, seniors, women, men, and minorities. Besides health information, the site also has government materials on small businesses, taxes, travel, and weather. Check it out at www.governmentguide.com.

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