Diabetes Blog – Happy-Medium.net

Okay, I’ve talked a couple of times about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and what they do in terms of testing and approving devices and products that help us manage diabetes. Today, I’d like to share a few more FDA resources with you. I hope you find them helpful.
 
 
Did you know the FDA has a web page devoted to schooling you on illegally sold diabetes treatments?
These are those “miracle cinnamon cure”-type items that pop up in our inboxes now and again. If you’re a well-informed Person With Diabetes, you can probably spot that kind of bunk from a mile away. But some people can’t. Including people who don’t live with diabetes, who don’t understand why we can’t all be cured like Halle Berry. Send those people a link to this page, which also has links to a great video helping to further define garbage products, and a Flickr page that actually shows you what some of these products look like. Case closed.
 
 
While I’m dropping F bombs… In addition to Flickr, the FDA has a presence on Facebook too.
Be the first on your block to friend the FDA! Once you do, you’ll get the latest updates as they are posted, and I suppose you’ll be able to directly leave comments of your own. More avenues of communication can only be good.
 
 
I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s worth mentioning again. MedWatch has been the FDA’s avenue for reporting adverse reactions to drugs or devices for over 20 years now. Today we can report issues by going directly to www.fda.gov/medwatch and completing on online form. Also, MedWatch is a source for safety information on drugs and devices that are a part of our everyday lives. Over the years, MedWatch has helped inform People With Diabetes about problems with blood glucose meters, the drugs Avandia and Actos, and insulin pump infusion sets. Those issues were reported by someone, and someone at the FDA listened. And then reported on it.
 
 
In addition to these sources, you can also follow and converse with the FDA directly on Twitter at @US_FDA. If you want to keep it old school, you can still call the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088).
 
 
Maybe the FDA isn’t the first place you think of going to gather information on diabetes. But any well-rounded individual should have a portfolio of important sources of data that includes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

That’s the end of my public service announcement. Enjoy your Friday!