Health Highlights: Aug. 12, 2009
Aug. 13 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:
FDA's Medical Device Division Chief Resigns
The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's medical device division has resigned, a move welcomed by consumer health advocates.
Daniel Schultz, who announced Tuesday that he'll leave his post, has been under a cloud since earlier this year when nine scientists in his division alleged they'd been pressured to approve medical devices against their professional judgment, the Associated Press reported.
In a letter to agency staffers obtained by the AP, Schultz said he and FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg agreed his resignation "would be in the best interest of the center and the agency."
Shultz led the medical device division for five years. Associate Commissioner Jeff Shuren will serve as interim director for devices until a permanent replacement is found, Hamburg said.
"This change in leadership will bring hope to many patients who have been very concerned about the safety of medical devices," Dr. Diana Zuckerman, of the National Research Center for Women and Families in Washington, D.C., told the AP.
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Older Drivers Unaware That Drugs Affect Driving: Study
Most older American drivers aren't aware of the potentially dangerous effects that medications can have on their driving ability, says a study released Tuesday the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
Interviews with 630 drivers ages 56 to 93 found that 78 percent of them used one or more medications, but just over 25 percent said they knew about the possible risks of driving while on medications, The New York Times reported.
Only 18 percent of the participants said they'd been warned about the possibility that their medications could impair their driving, said the study. It also found that awareness about the issue decreased with age, even though the use of prescription medications increased.
