In the last few years, Forensic Data Analytics (FDA) has grown considerably in terms of technological advancement, enterprise adoption and maturing FDA deployment. FDA refers to the ability to collect and use data, both structured (e.g. general ledger or transaction data) and unstructured (e.g. e-mail, voice or free-text fields in a database), to detect, prevent, monitor or investigate potentially improper transactions, events or patterns of behavior related to misconduct, fraud and non-compliance issues. It is an advanced form of data mining that many of today’s companies are using not only to find patterns in otherwise overwhelmingly large datasets, but also to gain insights into the quantitative and statistical characteristics of their data.
Even sunscreen products can lose their effectivity when stored for a long time, and vacationers would do well to keep an eye on the expiry date. This was the advice of the Food and Drug Administration, which also urged the public to report products that cause an adverse reaction. “Remember that not all sunscreens have the same ingredients. Choose a product that suits your skin. Be aware of the expiration date because some sunscreen ingredients might degrade over time,” it said. It also advised consumers to “read the label and follow the instructions on the amount that can be applied on the body.” The products may also contain when to apply sunscreens before actual exposure and the frequency of re-application, it said. On the other hand, the FDA said consumers can report adverse reactions via email to report@fda.gov.ph. It advised health professionals to log in at the FDA Website and click the ADR Report platform and accomplish the form on line. Creams or gels? The FDA also suggested sunscreen creams are best for the face and dry skin while gels are good for hairy areas of the skin. Water-resistant sunscreen products are best when going swimming or when sweating profusely, it added. “Regardless of which sunscreen preparation you choose, be sure to apply it generously to achieve full UV ray protection,” it said. Also, the FDA said babies can be protected from sun by being kept in the shade or with appropriate clothes or cover. “Allow them to drink plenty Read More …
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned the public against cheap and unregistered bottled water being sold mostly to commuters stuck in traffic. A report on “24 Oras” on Wednesday said some bottled water that didn’t pass the FDA are being sold on the streets and on sidewalks at relatively cheaper prices. “Dito natin malaman sa likod [ng plastic container] kung ang isang produkto ay rehistrado,” said FDA spokesperson Joyce Cirunay in the report. “Mayroon siyang registration number.” The report said a registration number means the product — both the water and plastic container — passed FDA standards. Cirunay asked the consumers to inspect the packaging of the product to determine if they are “fake.” “Sa isang mapanuring mamimili, tignan yung cover. Kung ni-refill lang, tignan nila kung talagang unbroken yung seal. Inspekin nila kung yung integridad ng packaging material ay nandoon pa. Tignan din kung merong mga lumulutang,” she said. The report said refilling stations, although regulated by local government units, are not allowed to sell bottled mineral water. “They are just there to refill,” Cirunay said. “May certain specifications na sinusunod sila according to the requirements of the refilling station.” — KBK, GMA News
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned the public against buying medicine online, after the agency learned that some of these were counterfeit products. “The FDA ha not yet issued any guideline on on-line sale or advertisement of pharmaceutical products,” the agency, under the Health department, posted on its website. “The FDA warns the public from buying medicines on-line (sic) until such time that the FDA can assure safety, efficacy and quality of medicine sold through this medium,” FDA Advisory No. 2013-043 read. In a recent investigation of the FDA with Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, they found out that an online hub was responsible for selling these fake multivitamins. “[FDA] has monitored counterfeit multivitamins + mineral tablets, [like] Centrum and Centrum Silver of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare (PCH), that are being advertised, sold or offered for sale on-line thru Beeconomic Philippines, Inc., owned and operated by GROUPON Philippines,” it said. Groupon Philippines was not immediately available for comment. The investigation showed that labels of the counterfeit Centrum and Centrum Silver products differed from the FDA-registered products in the following ways: a) The counterfeit products do not bear the FDA Certificate of Product Registration Number and do not contain the same formulation approved by the FDA. b) The counterfeit products do not carry the complete name and address of the manufacturer and/or distributor as required by the FDA. c) The font size of the generic name multivitamin + mineral does not conform to the labeling requirements of RA No. 6675, otherwise Read More …
Flood hits Parañaque as monsoon ravages homes. A resident takes a break from cleaning her house, which was deluged by monsoon rains in Sucat, Paranaque, on Monday, August 19. John Javellana / Reuters Health authorities on Monday warned the public against selling or consuming food or medicines that were submerged in floodwaters. “Discard any water damaged food packed in plastic, paper or carton. Throw screw-capped fluid bottles submerged in flood,” National Epidemiology Center head Dr. Enrique Tayag advised. The Food and Drug Administration, for its part, noted flood waters are “most likely to contain physical, chemical and biological hazards to health.” It added contaminants may include “animal and human feces and other excrements, mainly from overflowing septic tanks and sewage system, and heavy metals, fuel and other chemicals and pesticides from nearby industrial factories, hospitals or clinic, or farms.” “It only takes a small amount of microbial pathogens to make people sick, which can manifest after several days after exposure. ,Infection can be through ingestion of contaminated food and water, penetration of mucous or skin with cut or lesions, and possibly inhalation of aerosol, produced, for example, by playing in flood water.” Sale, purchase The FDA reminded establishments against “selling, offering for sale or use, donating, transporting, and moving or distributing flood water-damaged canned goods and other processed food products, medicines, and cosmetic products.” “All health product establishments shall immediately pull out all damaged health products from the shelves,” it said. It reminded consumers against buying flood water-damaged food products, Read More …
Consumers – especially netizens – planning to buy cosmetic products should check with an online database of authorized products first. This was the gist of the Food and Drug Administration’s Advisory 2013-021, which also exhorted consumers to buy the authorized products only from legitimate outlets. “For protection, consumers are enjoined to access the FDA website (http://www.fda.gov.ph) to verify if a Certificate of Notification has been issued, use the SEARCH tab found in the upper right hand corner of the website,” acting FDA chief Kenneth Hartigan-Go said in Advisory 2013-021. “Type the product name and wait until the name of the product appears. The product name and other details will appear, namely the name of the company, the Certificate of Notification No. (NN No.), and product variants,” he said. “All consumers are advised NEVER to buy cosmetic products that are not authorized by the FDA and to buy only from legitimate outlets. Cosmetic products are health products that may need advice or assistance from a pharmacist or trained healthcare product provider on the proper use, a service which only a legitimate outlet can provide. Consumers are further advised NOT to buy cosmetic products, among other health product needs, from ambulant and sidewalk vendors,” he added. Consumers should also report adverse reactions from using a specific cosmetic product via email at report@fda.gov.ph, Hartigan-Go said. For other inquiries, they can email the FDA at info@fda.gov.ph, he said. Outlawed list may grow too long Hartigan-Go said that while the FDA had released several advisories Read More …
The Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday assured the public that no part of the three batches of whey protein concentrate from New Zealand reportedly contaminated with clostridium botulinum are among the dairy products and infant formulas sold in the country. FDA head Kenneth Hartigan-Go said Fonterra-branded consumer products in the Philippines do not contain the batches of WPC80. These include Anchor, Anlene, Anmum, Mainland, and Perfect Italiano. In Advisory No. 2013-022, the FD chief said they have coordinated with the local importer-distributor of Fonterra Brands (Phils.) Inc. about the three batches of whey protein concentrate. The FDA “will be collecting samples in the market for testing as part of its monitoring and surveillance activities,” Hartigan-Go said in the advisory. Hartigan-Go also urged mothers nursing their infants to continue breastfeeding since it is the safest milk for their babies. He also said clostridium botulinum is a species of harmful spore-forming bacteria that produce toxin in processed food products. The contamination happens when manufacturing or processing plants do not implement proper food hygienic practices and sterilization of canned goods or any tightly sealed food products. “Ingestion of preformed toxin may result to symptoms like double vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and muscle weakness that is symmetric and descends through the body and possibly death, usually due to respiratory failure. Thus, the pathogenic bacteria are also known as ‘canned goods bacilli’ that causes ‘flaccid paralysis,’” he said. “All consumers are advised to buy dairy products and infant formulae that Read More …
By Jocelyn R. UyPhilippine Daily Inquirer 4:42 am | Wednesday, July 3rd, 2013 The World Health Organization on Tuesday, July 2, 2013, urged the government to regulate the sale of e-cigarettes, citing a trend in other countries where people who started using it ended up smoking the real thing. Electronic cigarettes are battery powered devices that vaporizes a nicotine laced liquid solution into an aerosol mist which simulates the act of tobacco smoking. SPENCER PLATT/GETTY IMAGES/AFP MANILA, Philippines—Beware of e-cigarettes. The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday urged the government to regulate the sale of e-cigarettes, citing a trend in other countries where people who started using it ended up smoking the real thing. Dr. Susan Mercado, director for Building Healthy Communities and Populations of the WHO-Western Pacific office, said there was no proof that the use of electronic cigarettes was safe and that it could help people kick the habit of smoking. “In 2010, the WHO organized a global panel of experts to review the evidence and there is no evidence to show that it can help you quit smoking,” Mercado said at a press conference following the Red Orchid Awards ceremonies at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City. The Red Orchid Awards is a recognition given by the Department of Health (DOH) to government offices, state hospitals and local government units that have been consistent in promoting a “100-percent tobacco-free” environment. At the event, the WHO also awarded a medal of honor to President Aquino, Sen. Read More …
No politics involved. This was how a Malacañang official described a decision by a government agency banning 15 food products from Taiwan that were found to contain maleic acid, an unapproved food additive that could potentially harm the kidney. “Alam mo ang kagandahan dito sa FDA (Food and Drug Administration) there is empirical evidence e. [They were banned] because of the presence of a certain ingredient. It’s not subject to politics,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said at a press briefing Monday. Lacierda added that the banning of the food products, which include tapioca pearls and rice noodles, have been subjected to tests. “It’s subject to a scientific evaluation whether that banned substance exists in those products, and if it is, under our laws, it is banned. It is as simple as that,” Lacierda said. “It has nothing to do with politics. It has nothing to do with the present situation that we’re in with Taiwan. FDA ‘yung nagdesisyon ‘nun e,” he added. Lacierda said the government continues to look out for the health of all Filipinos. “Siyempre ang concern po ng gobyerno, ‘yung safety po at ‘yung kaligtasan, ang kalusugan po ng ating mga mamamayan. It has everything to do with the health of the Filipino citizens,” he said. However, Lacierda also expressed hope that the tensions in Taiwan, which has resulted in cases of discrimination agaisnt OFW’s there, will end soon. “Siyempre gusto nating ma-lift ‘yung sanctions pero alam ninyo, meron tayong investigation na nangyayari ngayon, NBI and their Taiwanese Read More …
MANILA, Philippines – Fight gout with Goutritis, an all-natural food supplement that contains tart or sour cherries, which have a high content of anthocyanins, antioxidants and potassium. All these natural nutrients combine to effectively and safely reduce inflammation and contribute to alkalizing the body, which is helpful in reducing pain associated with gout. Goutritis is FDA-approved. It is available directly from Whealth Inc. with customer hotlines 524-6549, 354-2208 to 09 and 09474890262. It is currently sold in jars of 90 capsules priced at P900. For additional product information, email info@goutritis.com or visit www.goutritis.com and www.facebook.com/GoutritisSupplement. Three capsules of Goutritis, taken daily before breakfast, will help the patient manage his gout on top of doctor’s orders to take the prescribed medication, maintaining a healthy and balanced diet low on Purine-rich foods, drinking plenty of water to rehydrate the body and flush out excess uric acid, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy body weight.