An easy way to 'Get the Facts'

FDA Consumer, Sept-Oct, 2004 by John Henkel

Did you know that about 12 percent of women in the United States suffer from depression, but that 80 percent of them get better with treatment? Or that most health plans won't cover the cost of LASIK eye surgery? Are you aware that dietary supplements such as vitamin pills should not be used as a substitute for eating a variety of foods?

These are a few of dozens of useful health tidbits that you'll find in a series of fact sheets called "Get the Facts," available online in graphical (PDF) form or in a printer friendly text format. Produced by the FDA Office of Women's Health, the series offers reliable background on nearly 30 topics, some of interest just to women, but many of value to all consumers. Among them:

* diabetes

* allergies

* tattoos and permanent makeup

* infertility

* heart disease

The fact sheets are brief and written in an easy-to-understand style. To "Get the Facts," go to www.fda.gov/womens/getthefacts/.>

COPYRIGHT 2004 U.S. Government Printing Office

COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning