Two people have died in Melbourne, Australia, from “thunderstorm asthma,” a rare phenomenon which occurred following a storm that struck the city on November 21. [1]
Source: Business Insider
The 2 fatalities included an 18-year-old girl who was just days away from her high school graduation, and a female law student who died on her front lawn while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.
A leading group of pediatricians said in a statement published September 19 that codeine is not safe for children and should not be used to relieve pain or coughs. [1]
The guidance nearly mirrors a January 2016 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning that codeine should not be given to children and most teens.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) medical advisers are saying that medications containing codeine should not be given to children and most teens to treat pain or cough.
Members of the Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs (PADC) and Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committees voted in favor of including a new contraindication for codeine for the treatment of cough in individuals under 18, while others recommended a lower threshold.
Early exposure to agricultural pesticides may harm children’s lungs – even more than secondhand smoke – researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, are saying.
The study links organophosphate pesticide metabolites in the urine of 279 children aged 6 months to 5 years living in Salinas Valley with decreased lung function. The area is a hub for lettuce, grapes, orchids and many more crops.
