advertisements
LETTERHEADS
ENVELOPES
Complete
Printing
Services
BUSINESS CARDS
• BUSINESS FORMS WEDDING ANNOUNCE NTS ADVERTISING MAILERS • LABELS PRICE LISTS • CATALOGUES
KOPY ARTIST
Printing and Lithographic Service 1017 EDDY ROAD CLEVELANO, OKIO 44103
216-268-2179
t888
ADDRESS:
11828 Euclid Avenue PHONE: 721-3047 OUR HOURS:
Mon thru Fri 10am-7:30pm Saturday 10am-4pm OWNED AND OPERATED BY ITS MEMBERS
Bill French Color Lab
Serving the professional & free lance photographers
• Color Film Processing • Automated Print Services C-41 Vericolor II Kodacolor II Economy-Candids
• Portrait Packages
• Commercial Services
• Prom Packages
• Color Print Service 30"x40" For Information or Price Quotations Contact Joye Gulley or Bill French
T-SHIRTS As Seen in
Photo Silk Screen
our specialty
15617 St. Clair
What She Wants
761-4000
earth apy
Superlation Seafood and Vegetarian Quistos
WE'RE NOW OPEN between LUNCH and DINNER serving SOUP and SALAD and cocktails EVERYDAY BUT MON.
2151 LEE ROAD AT CEDAR IN CLEVELAND HEIGHTS FOR RESERVATIONS 371-1438
K+
Page 10/What She Wants/July-August, 1981
}
Tampon Troubles (continued from page 7)
famous "woman gynecologist" who invented o.b. tampons.) Friedman did learn, however, that at least some manufacturers test for toxicity and microbial contamination, and they test their products on animals before using human subjects (usually employees of the facility). Much of the testing 'focuses on absorbency. Only Playtex publicizes the contents of its tampons, but does not indicate whether the fibers have been altered. (This same company, however, would not allow Friedman even to visit its facilities.)
Despite their obstinacy, Friedman is optimistic that external pressure can have an effect on the tampon industry. In 1976, the Federal Drug Administration, historically slow to act on danger signals of any sort, reclassified tampons as "Class II medical devices" subject to certain performance standards which, unfortunately, have not yet been established. This classification requires that the government inspect manufacturing facilities at least every two years and gives the FDA the option of recalling a dangerous tampon, although it has never done so. That same year the FDA established a computer file called Device Experience Network (DEN) which keeps records of consumer and physician complaints. As of 1980, there were only 59 tampon-related complaints filed in the DEN. By February 1981, this number had increased ten-fold. Many of the complaints were related to TSS, but they covered a wide variety of other tampon-related conditions as well. Due to the publicity of TSS, the FDA is now following up on these complaints.
One of the most promising avenues for change is the current lobbying effort of such groups as Woman Health International, the National Women's Health Network, and the Health Research Group. Among their demands are required labeling of all contents, more industryand government-funded tampon research, the reclassification of tampons as Class III medical devices (which would require the FDA to review all pre-market testing), and more consumer education.
There is no question that these recent developments, not to mention the "embarrassment" resulting from the TSS publicity, have put the manufacturers on the defensive. The most dramatic case, of course, is Proctor & Gamble. Although they denied any connection between Rely tampons and TSS, within one week of the release of an Atlanta Center for Disease Control study which revealed that 71 percent of the 50 women who had TSS used Rely tampons, Proctor & Gamble voluntarily removed Rely from the market at a loss of around $75 million. Most manufacturers now include TSS warnings in their literature and have begun to cooperate with the government in following up on DEN complaints. (It is probably no coincidence that this new concern occurs at a time when every manufacturer except Purex, makers of Pursettes, is being sued by TSS victims.)
4
+
In another interesting development, Tampax rereleased its original "all-cotton regular" tampon in May 1981. Many of the local stores do not stock the all-cotton regulars, but they will if you ask for them." You can also order them directly for $3 a box from Tampax, Inc., Box 271, Palmer, MA 01069. When I asked whether they were admitting that superabsorbent tampons presented any health hazards, the manufacturers asserted that no, they were just trying to keep their customers satisfied.
Only time will tell how seriously our concerns about tampons will be taken, but in the meantime Friedman reminds us that we have other options. A chapter of her book is devoted to these options, a recap of which appears below 2
Sanitary napkins, the most common alternative, come in a variety of types, including belted and beltless, deodorant and non-deodorant, minis and maxis. The latest pads, made out of the same
superabsorbent fibers as tampons, are ultrathin. (One ad boasts of pads so thin they fit in your wallet.) It has been suggested that pads may increase the risk of vaginal infection because they span the entire perineal area, providing a breeding ground for bacteria carried in the feces. Also, unlike tampons, pads are in contact with the air, further increasing the likelihood of bacterial infection.
Sea sponges, which made a comeback among feminists in the 1970's, have been used for years and probably centuries. Unlike pads and tampons, they are inexpensive and reusable. They are also distributed almost exclusively by small womenowned businesses. Lately they have become more difficult to purchase due to FDA restrictions. The FDA, exasperatingly slow when it comes to moving'against
If you use tampons, Freidman suggests you follow the advice of Sandra Ritz, registered nurse-practitioner and women's health editor of Medical SelfCare Magazine.
• Examine your brand to see how it is made. Cut it apart. Dunk it in water to see how it expands. • Use only as absorbent a tampon as you need. Use a more absorbent tampon for heavy days. and a less absorbent tampon or a mini-pad for light days.
• Don't use a deodorant tampon.
• Try an alternative to tampons one month and see if you experience any difference. For example, you might find that a chronic vaginal infection clears up. • Change your tampon every 4 to 6 hours or more if neces-
sary. Using the same tampon day and night can en.courage bacteria to grow.
Warning: The Surgeon General Has Determined
That This Device is Dangerous to Your Health
• Don't use tampons
between periods. Tampons absorb secretions
Changing too often can cause irritation.
that protect you from infection
and may increase your chances of vaginal ulcers.
tampon manufacturers, quickly cracked down on distributors of sea sponges. The reason: two TSS victims had been using sponges and a single study of unwashed sponges straight from the package revealed such contaminants as hydrocarbons, nicotine, sand particles, and common bacteria. There are no conclusive studies on the sponges' safety, but Friedman suggests that before using one, inspect it for large particles, clean it and boil it. Also, do not re-use a sponge if you have an infectión.
The diaphragm and cervical cap, though not actually menstrual products, can be used to collect menstrual fluid. Both have the advantage of holding more fluid than sponges. Friedman recommends rinsing them out at least two times a day. There is some evidence that extended use of diaphragms and cervical caps may increase the risk of cervical abrasion or erosion, but this has not been confirmed.
The menstrual cup works on the same principle as the diaphragm and cap but is specially adapted for menstrual use. A version called the Tassette cup was marketed in the U.S. beginning in the early 1950's. In 1968 the name was changed to Tassaway, and a large advertising campaign earned it 5 percent of the market. Due to organizational problems, the company went bankrupt in 1972, but is currently
(continued on page 12)