Here in the United States, rare diseases are categorized as such if they affect less than roughly 650 patients per million people of this country’s total population. Over in Europe in the relatively newly formed European Union, a rare disease is noted or categorized as being rare if it affects less than 500 patients per million of its population. Even rarer diseases yet, which are referred to as ultra-rare, are assigned that distinction when less than 20 patients per million suffer from them. Sometimes known as a specialty disease, rare and ultra rare diseases are quickly becoming the focus of pharmaceutical companies looking to produce niche drugs.
(more…)
|
|
|
After years of pointing an accusing finger at video games and their negative affects on kids, some new studies have come out with some positive news for parents. Yes, the violent games out there still exist and they can still have a negative impact on your child, but these new studies have shown that with the right games your child can actually learn valuable life skills and a variety of other interesting and unexpected benefits. As with all things with your child’s development, involvement and monitoring are strongly encouraged to ensure they’re not being exposed to the wrong influences and that their consumption of any one thing is done in moderation.
Ah, there’s nothing like watching a good hockey game to see men beating each other. Sure it’s violent, it’s hockey! That’s why we love it. Then, for some reason, we are shocked when we see hockey players in real life being violent.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for everything from the proper labeling of foods to the inspection of mammography facilities. They’re responsible for making sure the “general public” is safe from misrepresented products and that drugs won’t have dangerous side effects.
The term “autism” was coined in 1911 by a Swiss psychiatrist named Eugen Bleuler. It applied to only adult schizophrenics and later became the term to diagnose children with schizophrenia. Regardless of the term, medical and psychological diagnoses were rarely correct at that time. It’s only been within the last 50 years that true knowledge and awareness of autism has become popular. Within the past ten years, celebrities like Jenny McCarthy have brought awareness to popular culture about what autism is and how to protect your children from an increased risk. Because of books like Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism, by McCarthy, and many others, Americans have become interested in learning more about the disability that could affect their own children. Controversy surrounds everything attached to autism. While scientists try to prove if children immunized or vaccines and autism are connected, parents must decide whether or not to take a chance and immunize saying, “They haven’t proved it does, but they haven’t proved it doesn’t.” It’s hard to know what to do especially considering there’s not very much known about the cause. |
|
