Researchers have warned few years ago, head lice in the U.S. and all over the world are developing immunity against strong insecticides used in prescribed shampoos and counter products. It takes four to five years for the parasites to adapt a new product, in spite of claims to the contrary by the manufacturers, noted Shirley C. Gordon, an associate professor at Florida Atlantic University who studies relentless head lice.

Health officials have kept on recommending the products, because drugs like the permethrin, pyrethrin, lindane and the prescription malathion still effective in some people.

But the nation’s school nurses say it’s obvious to them that families facing problem due to the bugs are annoyed with the product failures. “I had a mom drag her child into my office on the first day of school,” said Jill Burgin, a registered nurse. “She had been battling it throughout the summer and wanted advice on where to go from there.”

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WASHINGTON – FDA awarded a safety certification to a chemical, used in baby bottles, canned food and household item in spite of persistent safety concern from consumers and politicians.

The trace amounts of bisphenol A, that used in canned food are harmless to infants or adults. The agency acknowledged that still more research is needed to fully understand the chemical’s effects on humans, and said “there are always uncertainties associated with safety decisions.”

Bisphenol A used to harden plastic, seal canned food and in making of unbreakable bottles, is similar in structure to estrogen hormone. It is also used in hundreds of consumer products, ranging from sunglasses to CDs.

American Chemistry Council, which has defended the chemical’s safety, welcomed the FDA report.

“FDA is the government agency we rely upon to assess food-contact products. They’ve assessed this issue in great detail and their conclusion is very reassuring,” said Steve Hentges, an executive director with the council

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Diabetes drugs must go through longer studies to make it certain that they are free from unexpected heart risks; this has been recommended by a government panel. It may cost pharmaceutical companies millions but it is protective for the patients to avoid unexpected heart risks.

On Wednesday, with a 14-2 voting, the advisers of the Food and Drug Administration recommended that all new diabetes drugs must have undergone longer studies to make it certain that they didn’t boost cardiovascular problems risks.

The diabetes experts, cardiologists and statisticians opined for less than a year after the FDA was badly criticized regarding managing the issue of GlaxoSmithKline’s commonly used pill. The drug was recommended in 1999 but FDA didn’t warn about possible heart risks till last November.

Many members of the panel suggested that drug companies should start safety tests before submitting any drug to the FDA, and they also complete the studies after the availability of the drugs in the market. The testing would cost tens of millions of dollars to the drug manufactures and will take a time of five to seven years to complete.

According to Dr. Eric Felner who is a pediatric specialist at Emroy University School of Medicine, “If such amount of time is spent for testing, it will be certainly preventing some drugs that may prove better than the already available drugs.”

It is not essential for FDA to follow the advice of the panel but it often does. Almost 24 million Americans are the victim of Type 2 diabetes that can cause kidney failure, blindness and heart disease.

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