USE CAUTION WHEN TREATING HEADLICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) August 4, 2008 -- Parents Against Lindane


Contact: Pamela LaBrake For Immediate Release
email:hlabrake@yahoo.com


USE CAUTION WHEN TREATING HEAD LICE

With school just around the corner a reminder to parents and healthcare providers concerning the insecticide lindane.

In 2003 the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) added a blackbox warning to lindane shampoo and lotion. Lindane shampoo is a prescription treatment for headlice and lindane lotion for scabies.

A blackbox warning means that medical studies indicate a drug carries a significant risk of serious or life threatening adverse effects. It is the strongest warning that the Food and Drug Administration requires.

Young children, preschool through elementary age, are most prone to head lice infestation so the following information by the FDA cannot be stressed enough.

Lindane is contraindicated for use in neonates and should be used with extreme caution in children and in individuals weighing less than 50 kg (110 lbs). Among adverse event reports in which the outcome was serious (resulted in hospitalization, disability or death), the very young and the elderly appeared to be more susceptible to Lindane’’s adverse effects and had worse outcomes.

http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2003/006309shampoolbl.pdf

The risk of neurologic side effects associated with Lindane is known from clinical trials, spontaneous post-marketing reporting data and literature reports. These side effects have ranged from dizziness to seizures. In post-marketing reports, neurologic side effects occurred in patients who misused Lindane, as well as in patients who used Lindane according to labeled instructions. Among the adverse event reports in the FDA database, 70% reported neurologic events including seizure, dizziness, headache and paresthesia.

There are less toxic over the counter treatments. Most important is to get a good lice comb to remove lice and nits.

Dr. Greene has excellent information on his website on how to safely treat head lice with inexpensive ingredients, many found right in your home.

http://www.drgreene.com/21_640.html


Links for Parents and School Nurses

NY guide to getting rid of lice and nits
http://home2.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/scah/lice.shtml

Getting rid of lice naturally
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Lice

A School's Guide to the 'Nitty-Gritty'
About Head Lice

http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/c850.htm

head lice     lindane