I am a member of what people call the “sandwich generation.” I’ve spent the past decade caring for my own family while looking out for the needs of my aging parents. My father is now 92, and his cardiologist and I have gotten to know each other pretty well over the past several years as we refine his medications. I realized […]

Because of advances in pharmacology, the medical landscape in the United States has changed. Illnesses that were once considered terminal are now manageable. Symptoms that once that greatly reduced quality of life can now be kept at bay. And conditions that only years ago were considered shameful have now been largely destigmatized thanks in part […]

Medicine has a particular taste that many people dislike. It doesn’t even seem to matter what particular type of medication it is; the overpowering flavor is very hard to mask. Pharmaceutical companies are exceedingly aware of this dilemma, which is why there are so many flavor options available. However, studies have shown that masking the […]

When I was growing up, sunscreen bottles were still color coded according to how tanned you wanted to get; bottles of SPF 4 were a deep brown for those who planned on getting darker color while more conservative users opted for the lighter packaging of SPF 10. The true sun-worshippers, of course, would forgo sunscreen […]

If you watch television, chances are you have witnessed the marketing attempts of various pharmaceutical companies and their efforts to persuade your choices. These marketing ploys are designed to get your attention, but what you may not be aware of is the strategic use of color in both packaging to develop a subconscious association with […]

The kids are out of school for the summer, which for many parents—myself included—means longer days, later nights, and a louder environment overall. Whether from lack of sleep, too much sun, or too much fun, I found myself battling a raging headache by the end of last week. Stranded at the park with nothing but a […]

No one ever says they’re happy they started smoking. In fact, 70% of smokers report that they want to stop and each year nearly half of all smokers make at least one attempt to quit tobacco.1 Unfortunately, only about 4-7% of people are able to quit on their own, a testament to the addictive power […]

In a competitive marketplace, companies go with the most economically viable processes that get their products on the market to start bringing in revenue. Unfortunately for consumers and public health, maintaining high levels of production without proper quality control has historically been very affordable for the pharmaceutical industry—an economic reality which has tainted public opinion […]

The development of new medications is an exciting process that opens up new possibilities for preserving health and improving the quality of life. Due to the high stakes of pharmaceutical development, it is also an exacting, time-consuming, and labor-intensive process, as new medications must be subjected to rigorous testing to determine efficacy and ensure that drugs […]

In the early 1920s, Coco Chanel spent her holiday on a Mediterranean cruise and got too much sun. At the time, pale skin has been a fashion mainstay for centuries, suggesting a kind of rarified femininity unexposed to the harsh rays of the sun. But when Chanel disembarked from that cruise and stepped out into […]

Generic drugs play a vital role in the health of millions of people across the United States and allow consumers to benefit from pharmacological therapies at a fraction of the cost of brand name drugs. According to IMS Health, generic drugs now represent 80% of total prescriptions dispensed, and this number is expected to grow […]