Web site keeps citizens and stakeholders up to date on latest changes.

The feds have cooked up a new project in response to President Barack Obama’s directive to upgrade the nation’s food safety system (see Medicine & Health Vol. 63, No. 21). The White House Food Safety Working Group, led by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, recently launched a Web site to provide information about the group’s activities and progress -- www.foodsafetyworkinggroup.gov.

“The Working Group will be an important tool for gathering ideas as to how we can strengthen the food safety system to be more accountable and accessible to the public it protects, flexible enough to quickly resolve new safety challenges that emerge, and able to meet the robust needs of our rapidly changing world,” said Vilsack. 

“Families have enough to worry about. You shouldn’t have to wonder if the food you buy at the grocery store is safe,” said Sebelius. “Our Working Group is working hard to modernize our food safety system and protect the American people."

And it's not just a one-way street. "The Web site will help ensure all Americans can share their thoughts and contribute to this important process," Sebelius promised.

The Web site features social bookmarking tools including an RSS feed and a downloadable widget to help individuals stay informed, according to an HHS release.

Last week, representatives from the White House Food Safety Working Group met and outlined principles to meet the President’s goal. In the weeks to come, the Food Safety Working Group will provide additional opportunities to engage stakeholders in conversations and help shape these principles, HHS said. 

In other news…

            • Spanish-speaking people may see some improvements in pharmacy services. Following a complaint filed on behalf of a Spanish-speaking member with the HHS Office of Civil Rights, Medco, a national pharmacy benefit management company, has said it will significantly improve access to its services for limited English proficient members this year. In addition to expanding its pool of bilingual customer service representatives who speak Spanish, Medco will enhance its ability to route Spanish-speaking members directly to bilingual staff, including pharmacists where possible. Medco is the nation's largest mail-order pharmacy operation and dispenses more than 100 million prescriptions a year.

• A tobacco regulation bill is one step closer to becoming law. The Senate passed S. 982 on June 12 by a 79 to 17 vote "virtually ensur[ing] that the bill will become law," reported the Washington Post. See Medicine & Health Vol. 63, No. 20 for more information on the bill, which would require tobacco companies to disclose ingredients in their products, remove fruit flavorings that could appeal to children and to overhaul advertisements aimed at younger smokers.

            "Miracles still happen," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) in a statement. "The United States Senate has finally said 'no' to Big Tobacco."

Sen. Kay Hagen (D-N.C.) was the only Democrat who voted against the bill, according to the Post.

            • A quick cold remedy could create a serious long-term problem. The Food and Drug Administration posted an advisory on June 16 warning consumers not to use Zicam cold remedies, including nasal gels and nasal swabs (over-the-counter products). The FDA has found that these products are associated with anosmia (loss of one's sense of smell).

The FDA has received more than 130 reports of loss of sense of smell associated with these Zicam products. In these reports, many people who experienced a loss of smell said the condition occurred with the first dose; others reported a loss of the sense of smell after multiple uses of the products.

For more information, go to www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm166834.htm

            • June 15th-21 is National Men's Health Week. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is asking the provider community to keep men with Medicare healthy by ensuring that they take advantage of Medicare-covered preventive services. Medicare covers colorectal and prostate cancer screenings, among other preventive services, CMS said in an email to providers.

The agency has developed several educational products related to Medicare-covered preventive services, including screenings for various forms of cancer. These include:

1) A Cancer Screenings Brochure found at www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/cancer_screening.pdf