Factsheets and report on flame retardants by Health Care Without Harm

Flame retardants: Alarming Increases in Humans and the Environment
What Health Care Purchasers Can Do to Reduce Flame Retardants
Brominated Flame Retardants: Rising Levels of Concern

Household Products

Each day most of us spray, spread, squeeze, pour, and shake any number of chemical products onto our bodies and into our home environments as part of our daily routines. Household shelves display a bounty of chemical products ranging from pesticides and drain cleaners to shaving cream and air fresheners. In 2002, U.S. consumers bought more than $20
billion worth of household cleaners alone.

To provide consumers with a reliable source for information on how to safely use household chemical products, the National Library of Medicine offers the Household Products Database.

The database, which is planned to be updated periodically, currently contains information on more than 4,000 consumer brands. The site also offers contact information for manufacturers and poison centers, as well as a glossary of terms and acronyms used in material safety data sheets, access to toxicity reports, and other resources that consumers may consult for more detailed chemical information.

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Other Resources:

WHO Guidelines on Safety of Alternative Medicines

The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) announced the publication of guidelines aimed at helping countries and consumers navigate the largely unregulated world of alternative medicines.

The guidelines provide simple, easy to follow tips on issues to look out for and a brief checklist of basic questions which may be used to help facilitate proper use of traditional and alternative medicine. Advice is provided to government authorities on preparing easy-to-access information and on working with the mass media to sensitize and educate the population. In addition, suggestions are given for several health system structures and processes needed to promote proper use of traditional and alternative medicines.

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