The acronym REACH stands for: • Registration • Evaluation • Authorization • Chemicals While the acronym CLP stands for: • Classification • Labeling • Packaging The REACH regulation stems from the famous White Paper issued in 2001 concerning the future of chemicals’ policy by the EU; since the time of the White Paper until the entry into the regulation there has been...read

The strategic objectives of the regulation aim to increase awareness of the risks of using chemicals (particularly hazardous ones), to ensure a high level of protection of health and environment, to promote the free movement of chemical substances as such, or in preparations and articles, to promote competitiveness and innovation, and, finally, to encourage the substitution of dangerous...read

2010 is a key year for the registration and declaration of chemicals for both, the Regulation 1907/2006 (REACH), and the Regulation 1278/2008 (CLP). Companies that must register by November 30, 2010, should begin the process as soon as possible; first of all should contact the SIEF for sharing data on substances. The SIEF is a forum for exchanging information on substances; its main objective...read

Nutrition of surgical patients is one of the key points, if not the most important, in the evolution of their clinical picture. Nutritional disorders, in fact, can further increase the risk linked to the underlying disease and to the surgery. The malnourished patient can be defined as "critically ill". The body response to the additional insult of the surgery involves quantitative and...read

The human papillomavirus vaccine (Gardasil) has been available in Italy for two years, and is finding increasing use in adolescents given the high risk of contracting HPV 16,18,6 and 11: four very dangerous histotypes, the first two associated with cervical cancer, and the others implicated in the development of genital warts. The vaccine produces neutralizing antibodies that inhibit the...read

We all have suffered otitis at least once in our lifetime. It seems a trivial pain, but is often caused by poor ear hygiene (not just scarce, but bad). This article will discuss external otitis, which is confined to the external ear canal, and thus not affecting the eardrum (middle ear) or the inner ear: in practice, this is the vast majority of cases of otitis that occur during the summer....read

Tinea Pedis, also known as athlete's foot, is a widespread a fungal infection, but despite this, it is little known and poorly treated. The patient comes to the doctor because of itching and desquamation of the foot accompanied by bad odor. The infection may take three major forms: -“Interdigital”, where the skin including the space between the toes, it is macerated and humid; -...read

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is defined as a syndrome characterized by the migration of micro-organisms from the vagina and cervix to the endometrium, the fallopian tubes and adjacent structures. This results in the development of a broad spectrum of upper genital tract infections including endometritis, salpingitis, pio-salpingitis, tubo-ovarian abscess and pelvic-peritonitis. PID is common...read

The issue of AIDS and strategies used to reduce the sexual transmission came back in the limelight during the recent visit of Pope Ratzinger in Africa. In fact, a recent work of Professor Cohen, presented to the International AIDS Society in 2008, suggests a variety of prevention opportunities that apply to: 1) the general population, 2) the exposed persons, and 3) the infected subjects. 1)...read

The history of influenza viruses has shown that the flu comes from volatile animals, waterfowl in general, before moving to man through the "jump" in pigs. The promiscuity of the farms, as is in use in Asia, leads this step and then its spread. This is what caused the Spanish influenza (1918, H1N1), the Asiatic (1957, H2N2), the Hong Kong (1968, H3N2), and so forth. Older people have antibodies...read

A little less than 28 years since the onset of the AIDS epidemic, we can sum up some basic thoughts on the spread of HIV infection worldwide, and how it influences the living conditions, the quality of life, and the development of various countries. Using a medical jargon, we can say without a doubt that there are 2 forms of AIDS. The first form could be described as "the AIDS of the rich" which...read

Until the late 80's exposure to benzene was considered a health problem, but only relevant, or almost exclusively, in the workplace. But the widespread use of this compound in confined environments, such as offices, homes and schools, as well as in open places, such as streets, sports fields and public gardens, has gotten the attention of the public opinion. Especially in recent years, the...read

Chromium (Cr) is a transition element that exhibits three possible states: metallic stable, trivalent and hexavalent. While the trivalent form is characterized by a relatively low toxicity and is considered an essential nutrient, hexavalent chromium, present in several compounds of industrial origin (including chrome and thiols), is considered highly toxic, and on the basis of experimental and...read

The safety of food is controlled by precise rules based on the principle that the control “from farm to fork” means that foods that are healthy and safe can be obtained only in healthy and safe environments. Indeed, the most significant food contaminations occur at the level of the primary production, i.e. during breeding, farming, hunting, fishing and gathering wild products. Dioxins can...read

"Attention" is a word that begins with "A" and ends up ... saving your life. So recites the radio spot sponsored by INAIL / Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Policies, broadcasted as part of the campaign "Pay attention to safe behavior" aimed to spread and increase the culture of safety in the workplace. We have worked for many years in the field of prevention and protection in the workplace,...read

The concern of citizens for the potential health risk associated with waste disposal is increasingly heard. This is a dynamic that could lead to a general dissent from citizens concerned about a possible correlation with the risk of contracting serious diseases. In this case, epidemiological studies assume great importance. These studies conducted in North American countries as well as in Europe,...read

Water of sufficient quality to serve as drinking water is termed potable water, whether it is used for drinking or not. Although many sources of water are utilized by humans, some contain contaminants or pathogens and can cause long-term health problems if they do not meet certain water quality safety standards. Water is safe if: - does not contain pathogens (germs) - does not contain large...read

Summer brings the desire of well-being and relaxation, a jump in the pool, or a visit to the nearest fitness center, represents for many a pleasant break during their working day; what are the health risks associated with these installations? The purpose of this article is to provide the reader of Doctor Mag some brief technical information.The Ministry of Health in agreement with the Regions and...read