Author: Erin Elizabeth

I feel like this should have been a no-brainer for far longer than the last week and a half but hey, progress… The American Academy of Pediatrics has FINALLY said that codeine isn’t safe for children and shouldn’t be used to ease pain or relieve coughs (there is little proof of its effectiveness in kids’ coughs and “mounting evidence” suggesting that for some kids it might not even work as a pain reliever). Despite evidence of its danger, doctors have prescribed codeine for decades and it’s still available over-the-counter in 28 states and the District of Columbia. From the article: “We...

In response to the corporate insanity surrounding Epipen (company Mylan purchased the rights to Epipen in 2007 and raised the price from  $57 to $318), medical hacking collective, Four Thieves Vinegar, has established a DIY version of the life-saving injector for $30. The epi-pen works by spring load injecting epinephrine into someone that is suffering from anaphylactic shock.  Anaphylaxis can occur as an allergic reaction to a wide array of things, including peanuts or bee stings, and the Epipen, for many, is a last line of defense. Unfortunately, the $318 price tag puts it out of reach for many people....