VOL. 29 NO. 10DECEMBER 1995

Features

How FDA Works to Ensure Vaccine Safety
Many dread diseases--such as smallpox, polio, rubella, and whooping cough--have been eradicated or become rare, thanks to widespread inoculation. But some people still have questions about the safety of vaccines.

Concern About AIDS in Minority Communities
Rapid increases in HIV infection are occurring among minorities, particularly in low-income urban African American and Hispanic communities. The problem is often compounded by lack of access to health care, cultural barriers to condom use, and denial.

Botulinum Toxin: A Poison That Can Heal
Called the most poisonous substance known, botulinum toxin can paralyze and kill if consumed in contaminated food. Now scientists have found a way that it can be used, in a purified form, to treat certain muscle conditions.

Fingernails: Looking Good While Playing Safe
High fashion for fingernail aficionados is not risk-free. Some chemicals used to decorate nails can be poisonous and flammable if not used as directed, and practices in some salons may encourage disease transmission if regulations are not followed.

How Much Do You Know About FDA?
Does FDA regulate Spam? Insect repellent? Eye charts? Spaghetti? Take this quiz and see if you can distinguish the products FDA regulates from those it does not.

Departments

Updates
The latest information on FDA-related issues, gathered from FDA Press Releases, Talk Papers, and other sources.

Notebook
A potpourri of items of interest gathered from the Federal Register and other sources.

Investigators' Reports
Selected cases illustrating regulatory and administrative actions--such as inspections, recalls, seizures, and court proceedings--by FDA's regional and district offices across the country

Summaries of Court Actions
Cases involving seizure, criminal and injunction proceedings.


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