In the past several weeks, manufacturers have started shipping flu vaccines and expect to supply a record 143 million doses to the U.S.

Flu shots are being shipped earlier than usual this year to ensure that an adequate supply is in the hands of doctors, clinics and other providers by the end of October.

Approximately 115,000 personalized pacifiers sold by It's My Binky have been recalled because they pose a choking hazard to babies. Although no injuries have been reported, the pacifier button, ring handle and shield can detach and potentially choke infants.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that one jalapeno pepper sample is a positive genetic match with the Salmonella Saintpaul strain causing the current Salmonella outbreak.

The positive sample was obtained during an FDA inspection at a produce distribution center in McAllen, Texas. The pepper was grown on a farm in Mexico, however, that does not mean that the pepper was contaminated in Mexico.

The Food and Drug Administration has proposed replacing a 30-year-old system for classifying prescription medications in order to provide women with far more detailed information about a medication’s risks and benefits during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Should the proposal be approved, new prescription drug labels would list the potential risks and benefits for both the mother and the fetus when taking the medication and how those risks might change during pregnancy. The new labels will help women become better informed about their prescription drugs, and doctors will be better able to counsel patients about using prescription drugs.

Memory loss can have devastating effects on an individual’s quality of life. But according to the results of a new Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) study, having an active social life may slow memory loss among the elderly. Researchers who conducted the study set out to test whether memory loss might be associated with social connectedness and found evidence that being socially active may increase feelings of self-worth and emotional validation that could end up helping maintain memory.

Sticking to a healthy diet and exercise plan can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes, an epidemic which affects nearly a quarter billion people worldwide and accounts for 6 percent of all global deaths. Along with diet and exercise, researchers have also found that lifestyle modifications such as drinking less alcohol are also instrumental in delaying the onset of the condition.

Diabetes (types 1 and 2) is characterized by a disordered metabolism and abnormally high blood sugar resulting from insufficient levels of insulin. As a result, diabetics typically exhibit symptoms such as excessive urine production (due to high blood glucose levels), excessive thirst and increased fluid intake (to compensate for the increased urination), blurred vision due to high blood glucose effects on the eye's optics, unexplained weight loss, and lethargy. Too much glucose, or blood sugar, in the blood can cause damage to the eyes and kidneys, and also leads to heart disease, stroke, and limb amputations over the long term.

According to a new recommendation from the American Heart Association, children who have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), also known as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), should be screened for heart problems with an electrocardiogram (EKG) before they are prescribed drugs such as Ritalin.

Drugs used to treat ADHD are stimulants, having the potential to increase both heart rate and blood pressure. In children with heart conditions, ADHD drugs could potentially make them more vulnerable to cardiac arrest and other heart problems. A Food and Drug Administration review of its own FDA databases found reports of 19 sudden deaths in children treated with ADHD drugs and 26 reports of other problems including strokes and rapid heart rates between 1999 and 2003.

The Cleveland Clinic estimates that the annual rate of sudden cardiac deaths among the approximately 2.5 million children in the US who take medication for ADHD is approximately one to two children per 100,000.

Prior to prescribing ADHD medication, the AHA now recommends that doctors screen children for any personal or family history of heart problems, and perform a thorough heart exam including an EKG. The AHA also recommends testing for children already taking ADHD drugs. Such testing can help identify any previously undiagnosed heart issues and detect abnormal heart rhythms that may lead to a sudden heart attack.

ADHD medications now have labels to warn patients of the possible risks to individuals who have heart defects or other heart problems.

Questions your doctor should ask in a heart screening exam:

• Has your child ever fainted during exercise or similar physical activity?

Bisphenol A (BPA), the chemical used to make clear plastic hard and shatterproof, is commonly used in many baby bottles and reusable water bottles. The newest information indicates that the chemical could pose health risks to humans.

The U.S. National Toxicology Program has concluded that "there is some concern for neural and behavioral effects in fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposures," and that there is "some concern for bisphenol A exposure in these populations based on effects in the prostate gland, mammary gland, and an earlier age for puberty in females."

The American Heart Association has agreed with a recent study that found giving compression-only CPR (without mouth-to-mouth assisted breathing) works just as well as standard CPR for sudden cardiac arrest in adults.

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation which previously included mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in combination with chest compressions. Now, for adults who suddenly collapse, a new study provides evidence that chest compression is just as effective. In fact, interrupting chest compressions to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation may do more harm than good.