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Top 9 reasons to adopt a dog

2018-10-15T08:43:00

(BPT) – If you’re thinking of adding a four-legged friend to your family, adopting is a great way to go. Whether you find a purebreed or a mutt, an older dog or a puppy, you will be saving a life while adding immeasurably to your own.

Here are some more reasons to consider adoption:

Dogs know.

Anyone who has ever adopted a dog will tell you that they feel like rescues know you are saving them from a life in a shelter (or worse). The gratitude in their eyes when you bring them home will melt your heart.

You’re helping more than one animal.

According to the ASPCA®, shelters take in approximately 6.5 million companion animals every year. The fees you pay for your new best friend go toward helping other animals find their loving homes, too.

Great selfies. Everyone loves posting pet pics on social media, and this month, Haggar Clothing Co. is giving you another reason to do just that. For every pet post between Oct. 15 and 21, 2018, using the hashtag #HaggarHelps, the company will donate $5 to the ASPCA, up to $10,000. They’re also donating an additional $50,000 and are accepting still more donations at all Haggar Outlet stores. That’s a lot of lives they’re saving.

It’s heart healthy.

And not just because you’ll love your new dog. The act of petting a dog helps to lower your heart rate and blood pressure, giving you a lower risk of coronary artery disease. You’ll get more exercise, too.

Many shelter dogs are already house trained.

If you pick an adult dog, they’ll often already know how to behave. Odds are, you won’t have to go through the puppy phase of them chewing everything in sight, either.

You’ll be happier.

Dog owners are less likely to suffer from depression than people who don’t have a pet. The routine involved with caring for a dog — feeding them, making sure they have water, walking them — can help people who suffer from depression get up and get moving with a sense of purpose. The mere act of looking at your pet increases oxytocin in your brain, making you feel good. Having a companion in your household makes it less lonely, too.

Your children may be healthier. The presence of pet dander in your household will make your children less likely to develop allergies, asthma and even obesity later in life. According to a 2017 study published in the medical journal Microbiome, those benefits can even start when children are in the womb.

They’ll likely be more empathetic, too.

A 2017 study looked at 7- to 10-year-olds and found that dog attachment promotes well-being, positive attitudes toward animals and empathy in children. Having a dog can even help kids regulate their emotions because dogs can trigger and respond to child attitudes and behavior.

You’ll experience unconditional love.

There’s nothing like coming home after a long day (or even a trip to the store) and getting the excited, overjoyed greeting that only your dog can give you.

For more information about Haggar Clothing Co.’s program to celebrate National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, visit http://www.haggar.com/haggaraspca.


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Spinal Muscular Atrophy is the Number One Genetic Cause of Infant Mortality – Have You Heard of It?

2018-10-12T08:01:00

(BPT) – 1 in 10,000 babies worldwide are affected by spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a devastating disease that can cause extreme muscle weakness and paralysis1,2,3

When Layla was born, her mom Desiree started to notice that something was not right – Layla’s legs were floppy and would turn outward like a frog’s when she tried to use them. Also, she wasn’t getting stronger. Then Layla stopped nursing because she was struggling to swallow.

Layla was diagnosed at 10 weeks old with spinal muscular atrophy, or SMA, a devastating disease caused by a defect in a gene – known as SMN1 – that generates the protein required for the survival of cells that control essential voluntary muscle activity such as breathing, swallowing, speaking and walking.1 Without these motor neuron cells, muscles get progressively weaker, eventually leading to the inability to perform these basic functions.1

“I don’t know how long I stayed in the doctor’s office after receiving the diagnosis, holding Layla and crying,” says Desiree. “She was smiling, but our world was forever changed in that moment.”

SMA is the number one genetic cause of infant mortality, affecting approximately one in 10,000 babies globally.1,3 There are multiple subtypes with varying levels of severity. Layla has Type 1, the most severe form of the disease that accounts for 60 percent of all SMA cases.4 Babies with SMA Type 1 have difficulty controlling their head, breathing and swallowing.5,6 These infants do not reach normal developmental milestones and are dependent on their caregivers for even the simplest of movements, like repositioning their bodies and sitting up.3 Sadly, without treatment the majority of babies with SMA Type 1 pass away or need permanent help breathing by the age of two.7 SMA is a disease that significantly affects the lives of not just the diagnosed, but also the loved ones and caregivers on whom they rely.

For Layla, who is now two years old, “A good day is a boring day because that means she is comfortable,” explains Desiree. “It’s the small victories that count – like going all day without hearing a sound from Layla to then hearing her babbling in response to me washing dishes.”

Recent advancements in treatment, as well as promising therapies on the horizon, hope to change the heart-breaking trajectory of SMA – but early diagnosis is critical and increases the chances of rescuing the motor neuron cells before they are lost. Once they are gone, they cannot grow back.8 In recognition of this, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently recommended that SMA be added to the list of tests performed on babies immediately after birth in order to make the diagnosis as soon as possible. Now it is up to each individual state to adopt this national recommendation and add SMA to their newborn screening panels.

“With new technologies and treatments, the future looks so much brighter for people with SMA,” says Desiree. “Raising awareness of SMA is a key part of continuing to make those advances – for Layla and for future generations born with SMA.”

To learn more about SMA, newborn screening, and what you can do to help raise awareness, please visit Cure SMA: http://www.curesma.org/

US-UNB-18-0137 October 2018

[1] National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). Spinal Muscular Atrophy http://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/spinal-muscular-atrophy/. Accessed on March 7, 2018.

[2] Monani UR, De Vivo DC. Neurodegeneration in spinal muscular atrophy: from disease phenotype and animal models to therapeutic strategies and beyond. Future Neurol. 2014;9(1):49-65.

[3] Farrar MA, Park SB, Vucic S, et al. Emerging therapies and challenges in spinal muscular atrophy. Ann Neurol. 2017; 81(3): 355-368.

[4] Verhaart IEC, Robertson A, Wilson IJ,et al. Prevalence, incidence and carrier frequency of 5q–linked spinal muscular atrophy – a literature review. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases. July 2017.

[5] d’Ydewalle C, Sumner C. Spinal muscular atrophy therapeutics: where do we stand? Neurotherapeutics. January 2015; 12:303-316.

[6] Spinal muscular atrophy 1. National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center. https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/7883/spinal-muscular-atrophy-1. Accessed on July 13, 2018.

[7] Finkel RS, McDermott MP, Kaufmann P. et al. Observational study of spinal muscular atrophy type I and implications for clinical trials. Neurology. 2014;83(9):810-7

[8] Govoni A, Gagliardi D, Comi GP, Corti S. et al. Time is motor neuron: therapeutic window and its correlation with pathogenetic mechanisms in spinal muscular atrophy. Mol Neurobiol. 2018;55(8):6307-6318.


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New Study Uses Smartphone Technology to Connect the Dots for People with MS, Doctors and Researchers

2018-10-12T08:01:00

(BPT) – Can you remember the last time you had a headache? How about the last time you ate something that bothered your stomach? Chances are these events are hard to recall, because our brains aren’t wired to retain small, subtle details over time.

But what if remembering these changes could make a difference in your health? This is what life is like for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS), a condition that usually leads to some level of disability. MS symptoms tend to vary, and people living with MS can typically recall some of their more obvious symptoms like trouble seeing or walking. Recalling more subtle changes, however, like problems thinking or speaking, can often be difficult. Yet, the subtle symptoms are equally important as they can signal new signs of disease progression.

“I generally see my patients once or twice a year, and while we have ‘gold standard’ in-office tests to evaluate for new disease activity, it is hard to capture all of the important fluctuations in their symptoms that occur between visits,” said Dr. Jennifer Graves, Associate Professor of Neurosciences and Director of Neuroimmunology Research at University of California, San Diego and Adjunct Professor at University of California, San Francisco. “Because MS symptoms vary day-by-day, we’ve known for quite some time that people’s experience outside of the doctor’s office may hold the key to better understanding and managing the disease.”

Now, the emergence of “Big Data” and wearable healthcare technology is making this a possibility. Just like we use smartphone technology to track things like steps, calories and hours of sleep, a new study is using it to understand the effects of MS on mental and physical functioning in a real-world setting, enabling researchers to see “big picture” trends in the data that could help us one day better understand the disease and how it may lead to disability over time.

The study, called FLOODLIGHT Open, is being led by San Francisco-based biotech medicine manufacturer Genentech. The study uses a proprietary mobile technology delivered through a smartphone app to track a person’s ability to perform simple tasks over the 365 days in a year that someone lives with MS, versus the two or three days they see their neurologist.

The FLOODLIGHT app is designed to collect a continuous stream of data all year long. People are asked to complete a short series of tests in the app that are based on traditional clinical assessments they undergo at their doctor appointments, like the “25-foot walk” for walking ability and a “9-hole peg test” to assess dexterity. The app also uses the smartphone to passively monitor walking ability and mobility throughout the day, without the person having to do much at all.

FLOODLIGHT Open is an open access study looking to enroll 10,000 patients in five years, which means anyone can join, and the anonymous “Big Data” collected through the study is freely available to help accelerate further research and collaboration.

“The availability of this level of data to the medical community is an important step in better characterizing the disability MS patients face in their real-world settings, and the results from this study could one day lead to better treatments and care plans for patients,” continued Dr. Graves, who was an investigator for a trial at the University of California, San Francisco that helped evaluate the FLOODLIGHT technology. “Fellow researchers and neurologists can access the anonymous data to conduct independent research, or for our own patients who’ve enrolled in the FLOODLIGHT study, we can see their test results – with their permission – and monitor their progress over time.”

Importantly, no information that could identify a person is entered into the FLOODLIGHT app, stored on the phone or in the database, so each person entering the study remains anonymous. People can choose to share their results with loved ones or their neurologists if they wish.

Annette, 48, was diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting MS in 2015, and she recently entered into the FLOODLIGHT study after hearing about it from her doctor. For Annette, the opportunity to be involved in this type of research is exciting. “Those of us living with MS want to do all that we can to help each other, so if participating in FLOODLIGHT Open helps doctors understand the disease and that turns into better care one day, I’m all for it. I also have elected to share my data with my doctor, so it gives me peace of mind to know that the app is tracking any changes in my health that I may have otherwise missed.”

To learn more and enroll, visit https://floodlightopen.com or download the FLOODLIGHT app on iTunes for iPhone or Google Play for Android.


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Medicare Part D: 3 factors that could save you money

2018-10-12T15:11:00

(BPT) – Many people are surprised to find out that Original Medicare doesn’t generally cover prescription drugs. For help with the cost of your medications, you can choose a stand-alone Part D plan or a Medicare Advantage plan with prescription coverage.

With Medicare Annual Enrollment running from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 — the yearly window when you can make changes to your Medicare coverage — now is a good time to find a plan that can best meet your needs.

Kent Monical, senior vice president for Part D at UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement, recommends you consider these three things when choosing a plan.

1. Your drugs.

Prescription drug plans can vary significantly. Each Part D plan has a list of drugs, called a formulary, which shows the drugs it covers.

“When considering a Part D plan, be sure your medications are covered,” Monical said. “Even if you don’t expect to change plans, it’s important to make sure your drugs will still be covered next year, as plans can change from year to year.”

2. Your pharmacy.

Most Part D plans have preferred pharmacy networks. People can typically get their drugs for a lower copay when they visit preferred pharmacies.

“Make sure the plan offers access to pharmacies that are convenient for you,” Monical said. “Some plans also have mail-order pharmacy benefits, and you can get prescriptions delivered to your home for a lower cost than purchasing from a retail location.”

3. Your total costs.

Plans sort drugs into several tiers, with generic or lower-tier drugs generally costing less than drugs on higher tiers. Talk to your doctor about whether a lower-tier drug might be suitable for you, which could help you save money.

“A low monthly premium plan doesn’t necessarily mean it will be the lowest cost plan,” said Monical. “You should also understand the other out-of-pocket costs, including the annual deductible and drug copays.”

The bottom line

Medicare Annual Enrollment is a great time to make sure you have the right prescription drug coverage for your health and budget needs. Monical concludes, “Exploring your Part D options now could help you save money in 2019.”

For more helpful information on Medicare Annual Enrollment, visit UHCOpenEnrollment.com.

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3 Steps to Help Manage Depression

2018-10-12T08:01:00

(BPT) – Sadness and grief are normal human emotions. These feelings can often last for a short period of time. However, when these emotions last for many days or weeks, depression becomes a concern.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, depression is among the most treatable of mental disorders. Between 80 percent and 90 percent of people with depression eventually respond well to treatment. Almost all patients gain some relief from their symptoms.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 16.2 million adults in the U.S. have had at least one major depressive episode in a given year. In fact, according to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics an estimated 8.1 percent of adults age 20 and older had depression in a given 2-week period during 2013-2016. Of those affected by depression, 80 percent reported having at least some difficulty managing work, home and social activities.

In the past, stigma surrounding depression caused some people to avoid seeking help. As celebrities, musicians, and even politicians speak out about their own struggles with depression, people have felt empowered to take the steps to find the help they need.

Symptoms of depression

It can be difficult to know when feeling down is turning into something more concerning. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, a major depressive episode may include some of these symptoms:

* Persistent sad, anxious or “empty” mood

* Feelings of hopelessness

* Feelings of guilt, worthlessness or helplessness

* Restlessness, irritability

* Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies

* Decreased energy

* Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions

* Insomnia, early-morning awakening or oversleeping

* Low appetite and weight loss, or, overeating and weight gain

* Thoughts of death or suicide

* Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment (such as headaches, digestive disorders and pain for which no other cause can be diagnosed)

Three steps that can help

People experiencing some or all of these symptoms can take action by following these three steps.

Step 1: Get screened by a qualified mental health expert. Depression can only be diagnosed by a health care professional who has special assessments and tools to make the appropriate diagnosis.

Step 2: Talk to your healthcare provider about a treatment plan. Depression can be managed with the right treatment options. A healthcare provider can determine the strategy that works best for you. Common treatment plans may include psychotherapy and medication.

Step 3: Follow a treatment plan closely and take medications as prescribed. Abruptly stopping medications may cause withdrawal symptoms that could worsen depression. If you are uninsured or your health insurance doesn’t cover the medications you need, there are programs that can help. For example, the Inside Rx program is a free prescription savings program that could save an average of 40 percent off select brand-name medications and 80 percent off retail price on generic medications. You can check the price of medications, and terms and restrictions like eligibility requirements, at InsideRx.com.

Depression doesn’t discriminate. It impacts all races, ages and genders. Take these first steps to help manage your symptoms. Keep in mind, if you are ever feeling suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 immediately.


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How to keep pests out of your chimney

2018-10-12T07:01:00

(BPT) – As temperatures drop, many people will start spending more time in the warmth of their homes. Animals don’t have the luxury of extra heating and take whatever refuge they can find, making chimneys a convenient place for pests to seek shelter. The team at Terminix has some helpful information to share so that homeowners can be better prepared to address critters that find their way into chimneys.

What kinds of pests can end up in your chimney?

If you hear rustling or scratching coming from your chimney, some type of rodent may be the culprit. Your visitors could be squirrels, which are excellent climbers and can be found in all sorts of places within your home, from attics to crawl spaces to wall voids. Or your chimney might become the den of choice for a female raccoon birthing her young.

Rats are yet another option. Norway rats can enter this area of your home from the ground floor and nest on little shelves inside your chimney. And while roof rats, a different species of rat found mostly found along the coasts, are more likely to nest in your attic, they can also find their way into your chimney.

Rodents aren’t the only animals that can end up in this space, either. Flapping sounds or chirps indicate that a bird may be nesting in your chimney. It may not look much like a tree to you, but to certain species of birds, your house’s chimney could look very similar to the hollow trees in which they like to build their nests.

How do you keep pests out of your chimney?

Ideally, you’ll want to set up some preventative measures to reduce the chances of a mother raccoon or other pest in your chimney. Installing a chimney cap can help keep birds, raccoons and other large pests out. When it comes to pests like rats and mice, you should focus on sealing smaller entry points, as a rat can squeeze through a hole the size of a quarter! It can be difficult to spot these access points from the ground, so you should have a professional inspect your roof and chimney for possible holes.

What do you do when a pest is already inside?

Pest control measures vary depending on what kind of animal has entered your chimney, but the general rule is that you shouldn’t light a fire or try to smoke the animal out. Pests like raccoons can attack when they feel threatened, and rodents can spread ectoparasitic insect pests like ticks and fleas, so you don’t want to come into direct contact with whatever animal has decided to seek shelter in your home. Leave the actual removal to professionals, as Terminix’s trained technicians can safely and effectively remove pests that have taken up residence in your chimney.


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Inside the mind of a renter [Infographic]

2018-10-11T13:01:01

(BPT) – The age-old question — to own or to rent — still looms for many, and renters acknowledge that finances remain one of the top barriers to homeownership. Common homebuying myths about down payments, private mortgage insurance and credit scores are also holding renters back. Learn more about current trends among renters in this infographic.


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Don’t Let Hodgkin Lymphoma Hold You Back: Jennifer’s Story of Perseverance May Help Newly Diagnosed Patients

2018-10-11T16:29:00

(BPT) – Jennifer Hoodless was in the prime of her life (37) when she was diagnosed with Stage 3 classical Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer that can affect younger people. A schoolteacher, wife, and mother of five young children who prided herself on living a healthy life, Jennifer was shocked when she learned of her disease.

“My Stage 3 diagnosis came out of nowhere,” Jennifer noted. “Our family lived a very active life and the idea that cancer could strike any one of us came as a true shock.” Jennifer’s diagnosis occurred in her early adulthood, which is not just the time when Hodgkin lymphoma is most common, but also a time in many people’s lives when they are managing daily stresses, such as college and new families, in addition to new challenges of coping with the diagnosis and subsequent treatment.

Hodgkin lymphoma starts in lymphocytes, which are white blood cells that comprise a large part of the body’s lymphatic system — a part of the immune system that helps fight infections and diseases. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 8,500 cases of Hodgkin lymphoma will be diagnosed in the United States this year, with approximately 1,050 of those cases resulting in death. Hodgkin lymphoma can affect people of all ages, and while it is most common in early adulthood, the risk of developing Hodgkin lymphoma also rises again later in life (after age 55).

Until recently, treatment for newly diagnosed Stage 3 or 4 Hodgkin lymphoma patients hadn’t changed in more than 40 years. In March 2018, ADCETRIS® (brentuximab vedotin) for injection was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for adults with previously untreated Stage 3 or 4 classical Hodgkin lymphoma in combination with chemotherapy. Stage 3 and Stage 4 classical Hodgkin lymphoma is also called advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma; this means that the cancer is more widespread throughout the body and may be present in organs outside the lymphatic system.

ADCETRIS represents important progress in treatment options for people like Jennifer. After noticing enlarged lymph nodes in her abdomen and on her neck, Jennifer was referred to Joseph M. Connors, M.D., FRCPC, Clinical Director, Center for Lymphoid Cancer at BC Cancer in Vancouver, Canada, who told her she was a candidate for a clinical trial testing ADCETRIS in combination with chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed advanced stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma. The clinical trial, called ECHELON-1, evaluated a combination of ADCETRIS and three chemotherapies, adriamycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (AVD), against a standard chemotherapy regimen of adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine (ABVD).

“When I enrolled in this clinical trial, I was scared but determined to beat my cancer,” said Jennifer. “I persevered through side effects and I am thankful to be in remission now and back to work, with a thriving family and lots to look forward to.”

Historically, newly diagnosed patients with Hodgkin lymphoma have been treated with a chemotherapy regimen that includes bleomycin, an agent that can cause unpredictable and sometimes fatal lung toxicity. While ADCETRIS in combination with chemotherapy is bleomycin-free, there are side effects including possible lung toxicity, low numbers of red blood cells, low numbers of white blood cells, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, constipation, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, weight loss, mouth sores, and abdominal pain. Please read the Important Safety Information, including BOXED WARNING, below.

“ADCETRIS in combination with chemotherapy marks an important advance in treatment for newly diagnosed advanced-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma patients who are often young and have their whole lives ahead of them,” said Dr. Connors. “As an oncologist, it is exciting to see a treatment that fills an unmet need and can help improve patient prognosis.”

ADCETRIS Indication

ADCETRIS® (brentuximab vedotin) for injection is approved for the treatment of:

  • Previously untreated Stage 3/4 classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL): Adult patients with previously untreated Stage 3/4 cHL in combination with chemotherapy

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is the most important serious safety information I should know about ADCETRIS?

  • PROGRESSIVE MULTIFOCAL LEUKOENCEPHALOPATHY (PML): Patients who are treated with ADCETRIS can have a rare, serious infection of the brain called PML. It can cause death. Symptoms started at different times after starting ADCETRIS treatment, some within 3 months after the first dose. Other possible causes of PML are prior treatments or diseases that weakened the patient’s immune system.
  • ADCETRIS should not be taken with bleomycin because of possible side effects in the lungs.

What are the other possible serious side effects of ADCETRIS?

  • Nerve damage: Peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage) that mostly involves numbness or tingling in the hands or feet (sensory) and/or weakness in the arms or legs (motor). Symptoms increase with more doses. Your doctor may change or stop your ADCETRIS dose depending on the severity of your symptoms.
  • Allergic and infusion reactions: Allergic reactions, including severe forms, during infusion or up to 24 hours after administration of ADCETRIS. Patients who had a reaction with earlier doses should receive premedication with later doses, which may include acetaminophen, an antihistamine, and a corticosteroid.
  • Blood problems: Serious cases, including deaths, of fever with a low number of white blood cells have occurred with ADCETRIS. ADCETRIS may also cause a low number of white blood cells lasting a week or more, with or without fever. A low number of platelets (which help the blood clot) or red blood cells has also occurred with ADCETRIS.

Your doctor will give you a medicine called growth factor with your first dose if you are receiving ADCETRIS in combination with chemotherapy to treat Stage 3 or 4 cHL. Growth factor is meant to prevent you from having a low number of white blood cells.

Your blood counts will be checked before each dose, more often if necessary. You will be monitored for fever. If your white blood cell count is too low, your doctor may delay your next infusion, lower your dose, stop your ADCETRIS therapy, or give you growth factor with future doses of ADCETRIS.

  • Infections: Serious infections, including deaths, that occur when your immune system is weakened, such as pneumonia, bacteremia, and sepsis or septic shock.
  • Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS): You will be closely monitored for TLS if you have a tumor that grows quickly or have many tumor cells throughout your body.
  • Patients with severe kidney disease may have more side effects and deaths compared to patients with normal kidney function and should avoid use of ADCETRIS.
  • Patients with moderate or severe liver disease may have more side effects and deaths compared to patients with normal liver function and should avoid use of ADCETRIS.
  • Liver injury: Serious liver problems, including deaths, have been reported after the first dose of ADCETRIS and after ADCETRIS was stopped and restarted. Your liver function will be monitored. Having liver problems, raised liver enzymes, and some medicines may increase the risk. Your doctor may delay your next infusion, lower your dose, or stop your ADCETRIS therapy if you have liver problems.
  • Lung problems: Serious lung problems, including deaths, have been reported. If you have symptoms, your doctor may hold your ADCETRIS therapy until they improve.
  • Skin problems: Rare but serious skin conditions, including deaths, called Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). If either occurs, your doctor will stop ADCETRIS and treat you for symptoms.
  • Gastrointestinal (GI) problems: Serious problems, including deaths, related to the pancreas, stomach, intestine, and colon have been reported. Lymphoma that involves the stomach or intestine may increase the risk of GI perforation (hole in the stomach or intestine).
  • Fetal harm: ADCETRIS can harm a fetus (unborn baby). Women should not become pregnant while taking ADCETRIS and for at least 6 months after the last dose of ADCETRIS.

What were the most common side effects in the study?

In the 662 patients treated with ADCETRIS + chemotherapy, the most common side effects were low numbers of red blood cells, low numbers of white blood cells, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, constipation, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, weight loss, mouth sores, and abdominal pain.

What should I tell my doctor before I start treatment with ADCETRIS?

  • Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. ADCETRIS should be avoided if you have severe kidney disease or moderate or severe liver disease.
  • Tell your doctor about any medicine you are taking (including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and herbal supplements) because it is possible for ADCETRIS to interact with certain types of drugs.
  • Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. You should not take ADCETRIS while pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • Women should use effective birth control while taking ADCETRIS and for at least 6 months after the final dose of ADCETRIS.
  • Men with female partners should use effective birth control while taking ADCETRIS and for at least 6 months after the final dose of ADCETRIS.

Contact your doctor if you experience any of the following:

  • Symptoms of nerve damage: Tingling, burning, or numbness in the hands or feet. Changes in sense of touch or trouble moving the hands or feet.
  • Symptoms of infection: Fever of 100.5°F or higher, chills, cough, or pain upon urination.
  • Symptoms of infusion reaction: Fever, chills, rash, or breathing problems within 24 hours of infusion.
  • Symptoms of liver injury: Fatigue, anorexia, upper stomach pain, dark urine, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice).
  • Symptoms of PML: Changes in mood or usual behavior. Confusion, thinking problems, or loss of memory. Changes in vision, speech, or walking. Decreased strength or weakness on one side of the body.
  • Symptoms of lung problems: New or worsening cough or shortness of breath.
  • Symptoms of acute pancreatitis: Severe abdominal pain.
  • Symptoms of GI problems: Severe stomach pain, chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
  • Pregnancy: Pregnant or breastfeeding women should not receive ADCETRIS. ADCETRIS can harm a fetus (unborn baby).
  • Any other side effects that are bothersome or do not go away.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/ or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please click here for full Prescribing Information, including BOXED WARNING.


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3 alarming places where germs are hiding in your kitchen

2018-10-11T12:01:00

(BPT) – Your kitchen may look clean, but here’s the dirt on what’s really happening. Although a quick daily clean might keep some of the bacteria at bay, it’s important to remember that germs are lurking in the dark corners often overlooked! Since the kitchen tends to be where family and friends congregate, not only is it alarming to discover that things may not be as clean as you thought they were, bacteria can come in contact with the food you eat. That raises your risk of getting sick.

These are three places in the kitchen where germs like to hide, along with things you can do to clean up your act.

1. Your refrigerator

It’s true, germs can and do hang out inside your refrigerator, especially in the meat and vegetable compartments. In the NSF study, these tested positive for E.coli, salmonella or listeria 36 percent of the time. To keep food safe, discard food that’s past its prime, and maintain a consistent temperature level in the fridge, ideally between 40 and 32 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You should also get in the habit of regularly cleaning refrigerator door handles and meat and vegetable drawers!

When it’s time to replace your fridge, consider the LG InstaView Door-in-Door Refrigerator with ColdSaver(TM) panel, which acts like a barrier keeping cold air in where it matters the most — inside the refrigerator, extending the life cycle of your food. The InstaView model also lets you see what’s inside before you open the door. Just knock twice on the tinted glass panel to illuminate, and you can find what you need without letting all the cold air escape. Both of these features will keep food surrounded with fresh, cool air, so everything stays fresher, longer.

2. Your dishwashing station

Be honest. How long has that kitchen towel been hanging on that loop by the kitchen sink? A week? A month? Can’t remember? If you’re not careful about how often you wash your towels, your kitchen rags could become a breeding ground for dangerous, stomach-sickening germs. According to researchers from the University of Mauritius, towels can develop some nasty bacteria — the kind that causes foodborne illnesses — when they’re used for a full month. Yuck! And don’t forget the kitchen sink sponge. Other research suggests this so-called cleaning tool harbors some of the nastiest germs, with three-quarters of them contaminated with coliform bacteria, according to a study completed by NSF International.

To keep things cleaner, get into the habit of grabbing a clean towel every few days. Sponges should not be used for longer than two weeks.

3. Your food prep surfaces

Whether you’re making your lunchtime sandwich or chopping veggies for dinner, don’t be deceived by the spotless appearance of your countertops, sinks and cutting boards. The NSF study discovered that fecal coliform has a presence on these surfaces — 45 percent of kitchen sinks, 32 percent of countertops and 18 percent of cutting boards. Even if these are wiped or rinsed daily, it’s important to take the extra step to keep bacteria from lingering on these surfaces where they can contaminate your food. Before you gather your ingredients, wash all meal prep areas with hot, soapy water.

Now that you know what to do to combat hidden bacteria lurking in your kitchen, you can prepare meals and feed your family with much greater peace of mind.


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The best way to buy beauty products without stepping in a store

2018-10-11T08:01:00

(BPT) – Mobile, social and e-commerce platforms as well as augmented reality have infinitely changed the way consumers research and shop for the things they need. Even with all of that information, buying beauty products online can be tricky.

Whether you are shopping for something you haven’t tried before or attempting to get the best bang for your buck, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the number of options. And unlike less personalized items, beauty products need to look and feel right for your own skin, hair and nails.

So how can you efficiently dig through the clutter to identify the products that will work best for you? Here are five tips to consider when shopping for beauty products online:

See what it looks like out of the tube: Lower prices and loyalty points are great but finding the right product online can seem intimidating when you can’t see or feel it in real life. If you can’t test a color in-store, try to find the swatch online or identify third-party tutorials showcasing application to get a more realistic view of how the product will look and perform on your skin. Some of the best tips can also be found on Pinterest or private Facebook groups specifically for beauty lovers.

Test it out (virtually): Brands using the latest technology have made it possible to try out looks without having to navigate beauty aisles. Amway’s Artistry Virtual Beauty App uses smart facial detection to guide true-to-life makeup application in real-time or on selfie photos. Android and iOS app users can test, discover and purchase products like the new Artistry Studio NYC Edition that channels inspiration from cities around the globe. The first edition captures the hustle, heart and unapologetic style of NYC with six products, from all-in-one palettes to double-duty sticks for eyes and lips, that make glam-on-the-go effortless.

Raise your hand for updates: Sign up with your favorite beauty brands and their reps to receive information and alerts on new products, sales and limited-edition collections. This way, you won’t have to worry about missing out on the latest launches or having to deal with the disappointment of finding the perfect product only to realize it’s no longer available!

Steer clear of unauthorized e-tailers: When buying beauty products, make sure to shop only from official brand channels — like brand reps, websites and apps. This will guarantee that the product you receive is new, undamaged and in good quality.

Do your research: Compare e-shops and brand sites so that you can identify a standard price. Once you determine the value, it becomes possible to eliminate stores that are unreasonably expensive. The key to finding the best deals? Purchase products you trust, and spend extra time sourcing the best price.

The options may seem limitless when it comes to searching for the ultimate beauty products online. These tips will help to make your next experience more seamless and successful.