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(Update) Birth Control Pill Evolves, Safer Than Ever After 50-Years

admin — Mon, 10 May 2010 00:31:04 +0000

Boston (SmartAboutHealth) - The birth control pill has turned 50-years-old, and with that, we can celebrate it helping promote safe sex for a half-century.

It is pretty amazing to think that the birth control pill for women has been around for a half of a century now.

Birth control was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) some 50-years-ago, and since then it has allowed men and women to take part in sex without having to worry about becoming pregnant.

When used properly, the birth control pill is 99.9% effective in preventing pregnancy.

The birth control pill has evolved a great deal over the past 50-years.

When it was first introduced, there were quite a few health concerns surrounding it.

Even today, there are studies who link increases in breast cancer, as well as cervical cancer risks from taking the pill.

As the decades have gone by though, the pill has evolved and is now extremely safe, with very few side effects being noted.

There are now roughly 50 brands of the birth control pill all over the world.

In 2008 alone, over $3 billionw as spent on birth control pills, with it being taken by 80% of women during their lifetimes.

All of these statistics are pretty remarkable, and show just how much the birth control pill has changed the practice of sex in the last 50-years.

Life Expectancy On The Rise, Many In U.S. Live To See 80

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:00:13 +0000

Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - Americans can now expect to live to be nearly 80-years old according to new life expectancy numbers released.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put out a new study this week showing that life expectancy in the U.S. is now at an all-time-high.

The expectation now is that women will live to be 80-years old.

Men, on the other hand, now have a life expectancy of over 75-years old.

These are very high numbers as it has shown that the average life expectancy in the U.S. is roughly 78-years.

This is a record high, as never before in the history of this country has the average life expectancy been so high.

Don’t put on your party hat just yet though, as the life expectancy in the U.S. is still dwarfed by some other countries around the world.

Another very positive thing to come out of this though is that deaths from heart disease, cancer, stroke, etc. are on the decline.

Walgreens Steps Up To Plate With H1N1 Vaccine

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:45:46 +0000

Boston (SmartAboutHealth) - The largest drug store in the United States has announced that by the end of the year, they will offer the H1N1 vaccine.

Walgreens made the announcement on Wednesday of this week, stating that they will have the H1N1 vaccine available nationwide in select locations.

The company already has begun to offer the vaccine at several pharmacies, but plans to expand greatly. This is great news as the H1N1 vaccine has begun to become far more widely available.

Walgreens and rival pharmacy CVS offer the H1N1 vaccine currently in 20 states, but that will expand to every state in the country soon.

Rite Aid is soon to follow as well as all of the big drug stores look to get on board to distribute the H1N1 vaccine.

The expectation is that by distributing the H1N1 vaccine, it will prove to not only help the general public, but also help the companies as a whole.

The demand for the H1N1 vaccine continues to outstrip the supply, but hopefully things will change for the better with this move by Walgreens.