Cold Or Flu? | Miscarriage Drug Restrictions | Mail-Order Drug Questions

Flu strikes fast and hard, while a cold takes its time

CSA-Printstock/Getty Images Is That Achoo A Bad Cold Or The Flu? You wake up with a scratchy throat, stuffy nose, a little achy. Is it a cold or could it be the flu? "There's lots of confusion out there, because both are viral respiratory illnesses," says Dr. Yul Ejnes, an internist in Rhode Island. One key difference: Flu symptoms usually come on fast; a cold takes a couple of days to get rolling. Read the story by NPR’s Patti Neighmond on how to tell the cold and flu apart and what to do about them.   Adria Malcolm for NPR Why A Drug That Eases Miscarriages Is So Hard For Women To Get Recent research shows that when miscarrying women take a drug called mifepristone before another medicine called misoprostol, they have better results. But mifepristone, approved for medication abortions in 2000, is subject to restrictions that make it difficult for women who are miscarrying to receive it. Only designated pharmacies can dispense mifepristone. "Some people are worried about the politics around the medication and how that could create repercussions," says Kristyn Brandi, an OB-GYN at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark. Read the story from NPR’s Sarah McCammon and Mara Gordon about why many doctors and activists are calling for restrictions on the drug to be lifted.   Alex Smith/KCUR Extreme Temperatures May Pose Risks To Some Mail-Order Meds Take a look at your prescription bottles. Most say, "Store at room temperature" or "Keep refrigerated." But what happens when drugs are delivered by mail? Are medicines kept safe as they make their way from the pharmacy to your doorstep? Loretta Boesing lives with her son Wesley in Park Hills, Mo. He had a liver transplant in 2012 and has been on anti-rejection medicine since then. She worried that a health setback for Wesley a few months after surgery might have been related to the effect of high temperatures on his mail-order medicine. In response, Boesing started a Facebook group for people who share her concerns and want mail-order pharmacies to make sure medicines are properly shipped. For more, read the story from KCUR’s Alex Smith. We hope you enjoy these stories. Find more of NPR's health journalism on Shots and follow us for daily stories at @NPRHealth.  Your Shots editor, Scott Hensley   You received this message because you're subscribed to our Health emails. |  Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002