If There Are No Side Effects, This Must Be Honduras

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Culled from The Physician’s Desk Reference — the standard sourcebook for U.S. doctors, containing information drug companies supply about their products — and comparable foreign guidebooks.

Chart excerpted by Carolyn Marshall

Tetracycline

[ANTIBIOTIC USED AGAINST VARIOUS INFECTIONS; LEDERLE LABORATORIES.]

Ovulen

[BIRTH CONTROL PILLS; G.D. SEARLE CO.]

Imipramine

[ANTI-DEPRESSANT; CIBA-GEIGY.]

UNITED STATES Caution against use:

By infants, children; during pregnancy; with liver or kidney impairment (latter can be fatal) or if overly sensitive to light.

Adverse reactions publicized:

Vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, upset stomach, rashes, kidney poisoning. Can poison fetus.

Caution against use:

If patient has tendency to blood clot, liver dysfunction, abnormal vaginal bleeding, epilepsy, migraine, asthma, heart trouble.

Adverse reactions publicized:

Nausea, loss of hair, nervousness, jaundice, high blood pressure, weight change, headaches.

Caution against use:

If patient has heart disease, history of urinary retention, history of seizures, manic disorder or is on typhoid medication. Not recommended for children or during pregnancy.

Adverse reactions publicized:

Hypertension, stroke, stumbling, delusions, insomnia, numbness, dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, itching, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, sweating.

Tetracycline Ovulen Imipramine
MEXICO Caution against use:

By infants, children; during pregnancy or if overly sensitive to light.

Adverse reactions publicized

Vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, upset stomach.

Caution against use:

If patient has tendency to blood clot, liver dysfunction.

Adverse reactions publicized

Nausea, weight change.

Caution against use:

During first trimester of pregnancy.

Adverse reactions publicized

Dry mouth, constipation, itching, sweating.

Tetracycline Ovulen Imipramine
CENTRAL AMERICA Caution against use:

None.

Adverse reactions publicized

None

Caution against use:

If patient has tendency to blood clot, liver dysfunction.

Adverse reactions publicized

Nausea, weight change.

Caution against use:

If patient has heart disease.

Adverse reactions publicized

None

Tetracycline Ovulen Imipramine
BRAZIL Caution against use:

By infants, children; during pregnancy.

Adverse reactions publicized

Vomiting, nausea, upset stomach, rashes.

Caution against use:

If patient has tendency to blood clot.

Adverse reactions publicized

None

Caution against use:

If patient has heart disease. Not recommended for children or during pregnancy.

Adverse reactions publicized

None

Tetracycline Ovulen Imipramine
ARGENTINA Caution against use:

None

Adverse reactions publicized

None

Caution against use:

If patient has tendency to blood clot.

Adverse reactions publicized

None

Caution against use:

May exaggerate response to alcohol.

Adverse reactions publicized

None

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

Wow.

And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

About that: It’s unfathomably hard in the news business right now, and we came up about $28,000 short during our recent fall fundraising campaign. We simply have to make that up soon to avoid falling further behind than can be made up for, or needing to somehow trim $1 million from our budget, like happened last year.

If you can, please support the reporting you get from Mother Jones—that exists to make a difference, not a profit—with a donation of any amount today. We need more donations than normal to come in from this specific blurb to help close our funding gap before it gets any bigger.

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