While any pharmaceutical purchased online may be counterfeit, of poor quality, or both, the FDA recently warned consumers with specific regard to the prescription drug Adderall, which is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) [1].

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is implementing a new educational program to help remind parents of the importance of keeping medications — even those purchased over-the-counter — “Up and Away and Out of Sight” of young children. Toddlers in particular are at risk from medications and vitamins left within reach, as they have the manual dexterity to open many medication containers, coupled with a very young child’s tendency to explore the world orally. According to the CDC, one in 150 two-year-olds ends up in the emergency room each year due to medication overdose; most of these are the result of the child encountering and ingesting the medicine [1].

Young girl pouring pills image via Shutterstock

Health Highlights is a biweekly summary of particularly interesting articles from credible sources of health and medical information that we follow & read. For a complete list of recommeded sources, see our links page.

• 12 Tips for a Happier Holiday Season | Dr Shock MD PhD

  Dr. Shock offers 12 tips for a happier holiday season.

• The Acetaminophen Blues | Secundum Artem

  N.B. discusses the difference between non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen.

• Medicine 2.0 Wiki: Benchside to Bedside 2.0

  Rahul Shetty of Constructive Medicine 2.0 has created a wiki on Medicine 2.0 to serve as a common healthcare and life science resource.

• Drugs Don’t Work | InsureBlog

  Drugs don’t work … unless you take them. Seems like a no-brainer, doesn’t it? Bob at Insureblog writes about a USA Today article discussing people with chronic health conditions who stop taking their medication.