Masking the truth Tuesday's episode of the popular police drama "NYPD Blue" included a segment involving a fictional anthrax scare. Aside from raising the panic meter a few notches, the episode did little to prepare you for an attack. Here's what you really need to know. First, it's important to recognize the symptoms of anthrax. There are three different forms of infection, all of which are characterized by unique ailments. Skin infection begins as a raised itchy bump that resembles an insect bite. After one or two days, the bump will become an open sore with a black area in the center. Inhaled anthrax infections, in the early stages, resemble a common cold or flu, with aches, chills, cough, fever, etc. After several days, these symptoms may progress to severe breathing problems. The intestinal form of anthrax may follow the consumption of contaminated meat. Initial signs include nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, and fever. These symptoms are followed by abdominal pain, vomiting of blood, and severe diarrhea. Government spokesmen are telling you that the antibiotic Cipro is the treatment of choice for anthrax. But research has shown that similar antibiotics can also effectively treat anthrax. Even the FDA has conceded that two other widely available antibiotics-doxycycline and penicillin-can save a person exposed to anthrax from developing the disease. Ask a doctor to give you a prescription for amoxycillin (a form of penicillin) instead of Cipro, which is vanishing from druggists' shelves. Get a bottle of 100 500-milligram capsules for each member of the family. I doubt that Cipro is any better than amoxycillin. Anthrax is a gram-positive rod-a big, blue boxcar thing, when seen under a microscope. Gram-positive organisms, such as anthrax, respond well to penicillin. You may also want to get some cloth facemasks for every member of your family. I think these items will become commonplace, so you won't have to feel ridiculous wearing them in public. In the December 2001 issue of Real Health, I responded to a letter from a subscriber asking if Paxil is an addictive drug. Back then I reported that GlaxoSmithKline PLC, the makers of Paxil, lost a court battle to the tune of $8 million dollars in damages to the family of a Paxil patient who fatally shot members of his own family, then himself. Once again the court battle is heating up. In August, a federal judge ordered GlaxoSmithKline to stop airing commercials that claim the drug is not addictive. The order was to take effect on September 1, but the ruling has been postponed pending further review. The FDA has been called in to explain why they approved these ads before they aired (of course, you and I know the answer!). The FDA has previously said this class of drugs (serotonin re-uptake inhibitors - SSRIs) is not addictive. A class action suit by 35 patients says otherwise. This is becoming a real circus. I'll follow the story and keep you posted. | 
