Is what’s good for the countertop good for the cold-cuts? One might argue that eliminating bacteria present on food preparation or processing surfaces is of little value when the food itself is already contaminated with salmonella or E. coli. That very reasoning prompted PURE Sciences Inc. to develop a new, direct-to-food application for its liquid disinfectant called SDC (silver dihydrogen citrate). Swift Acting, Long Lasting For years, SDC has been used to wipe down contact surfaces in restaurants and factories – part of a well-established food safety certification protocol. CEO of PURE Sciences, Hank Lambert says they’ve produced new concentrations.. READ MORE »
May 13, 2014
Canadians are plagued by skyrocketing drug prices, and in many cases are unable to afford life-saving treatments. Big Pharma defends its position, maintaining that an influx of cheap generics has forced it to inflate name brand pricing.
May 6, 2014
FDA investigators expose India-based Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries for tampering with test data and a complete failure to maintain sanitary conditions in its laboratories. Inspectors encounter human waste, rodent traps, and manufacturing refuse at the plant, prompting a ban on US exports.
April 29, 2014
Despite promises to clean up its suspect drug promotion practices, GlaxoSmithKline sales reps have been charged with bribing Polish doctors to boost prescriptions of company products.
April 22, 2014
Anyone who has experienced a bout of food poisoning thinks twice about where they eat out. They peek into kitchens, scan dining rooms for cleanliness, scrutinize how often food handlers wash their hands… But, the reality is that danger often lurks behind closed doors and from a consumer perspective, it can be difficult to see the contamination coming. According to Health Canada, up to 4 million people suffer from foodborne illnesses every year. A recent CBC Marketplace investigation looked at some of Canada’s most popular restaurant chains, examining just how careful the professionals are when it comes to protecting the.. READ MORE »
April 17, 2014
Within recent years, there’s been an explosion of pet-related products and vigorous marketing campaigns to promote them – gourmet foods, designer outerwear, luxurious accessories. Mainstream media has aggressively promoted pets as valued family members, and most of us know a dog or two who is pampered and protected on par with a newborn baby! The status gap between domestic animals and their owners is quickly diminishing. So, it’s no wonder that clinical research and pharmaceutical drug discovery is devoting increased resources to pet meds – drugs that address conditions we would normally associate with humans, but that afflict that increasingly.. READ MORE »
April 15, 2014
Western medicine loves its pharmaceuticals. There are pills, injections, inhalers and patches for every conceivable ailment. It seems that each month brings a new drug delivery system to pharmacy shelves and medicine cabinets, promising to relieve or cure whatever ails us. Unfortunately, our dependence on chemical compounds has brought with it a slew of unwanted side-effects, the problem of antibiotic resistance, and in many cases has moved us no closer to preventing devastating disease. Looking instead to nature for answers, scientists from the universities of Bonn and Lille have presented groundbreaking clinical research on the cognitive benefits of caffeine. With.. READ MORE »
April 10, 2014
It’s like owning the world’s first spaceship; an incredibly powerful and cutting-edge device capable of speeding across the universe. But there’s no guidance system. So, you end up either flying in circles, or colliding disastrously with an interstellar object. Many of the most innovative compounds that enter clinical trials suffer a similar fate.
April 8, 2014
Most of us, even those who wouldn’t call themselves pet-friendly, would love to see an end to animal lab testing. But the truth is, the practice remains central to our discovery of essential new medicines. Every new therapy from cancer treatments to neurological therapies is first tested for safety on animals before being administered to humans. With few viable alternatives, clinical research and drug discovery has continued to rely on animal testing as an unavoidable evil. That is, until now. Focused on finding more humane solutions, scientists around the world are coming up with some astonishingly innovative animal-free testing options… READ MORE »
April 1, 2014
The safety debate over food colouring is nothing new. Most of us recall the recent Kraft dinner debacle that resulted in a widespread crusade against the retailer’s use of yellow dye #5 – the chemical that puts the neon in the noodles. Clinical research has linked the dye, otherwise known as tartrazine to numerous health problems, including migraines, anxiety, blurred vision, and hyperactivity in children. Tartrazine is considered to be the most allergenic of the dyes – and consumers have learned to avoid its telltale yellow glow. But now, recent tests have focused scrutiny on a new potentially dangerous colourant… READ MORE »
March 27, 2014