My Life as a Lab Rat: Getting to the Maze

About a year ago, I mentioned my interest in clinical trials. There are a lot of good reasons to get involved — access to cutting edge treatments, potential to help a lot of people around the world. One challenge I didn’t expect was how hard it would be to get involved in a study. Since I made that post, I’ve applied to be in a variety of studies — including one to look at the effect of magnets on repetitive strain injuries to the wrist and another to study the dosages of birth control pills on overweight women. There are … Continue reading

Why So Little is Known About Drug Safety in Pregnancy

One of the most common questions I hear and see asked in our forums is about the safety of medications during pregnancy. If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone ask if a certain medicine is safe, I’d be too busy lying on my private island to be writing this blog. I had the same concerns with each of my babies. The doctor often gives you a limited list of drugs that are considered to be safe. This is a relatively short list and includes mostly medicines that have been around for a long time. The reason … Continue reading