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This Month

hat you see is what you get," says Geraldine, the

But when you buy canned fruits and vegetables you can't see what you get. And consumers sometimes are a bit miffed to find that there is more water, brine, or syrup and less peas, peaches, or prunes than they bargained for. FDA hasn't figured out a way to see through tin, but it does have some ideas on ways to let consumers know what's in a can before they buy it. FDA has proposed that the drained weight—that is, the weight of the solid food after the packing liquid has been drained off-be listed on the labels of all canned fruits and vegetables. There's more on FDA's proposal to require Labels That Spill the Beans in this issue.

It isn't difficult to see the instructions for taking medicines; they are written on the label. But many people apparently fail to "see" the importance of really doing what the instructions say. They figure that if they are told to take a capsule with water it's all right to take it with milk, or ginger ale, or beer, or just about any liquid. Or just pop it in your mouth and swallow it without any liquid, if you are able. And if you are directed to take a medicine before a meal and you forget, why not just take it after? The answer is that the drug will work better if it is taken before a meal. When and how you take a medicine can have a great deal to do with its effectiveness and safety, as we try to make clear in Drug Instructions: The Importance of Being Earnest.

Not many people see much similarity between pigs and people. But the similarities are there, and the researchers at FDA's Special Pharmacological Animal Laboratory are glad of it. The way pigs react to certain food additives, drugs, and other chemicals can tell us a lot about what these substances may do to humans. What pigs and people have in common, and how the similarities are used in scientific research, are the subject of this month's color article.

Inside Front Cover Photo: One of the options for people who have trouble falling asleep is to take any of a number of nonprescription drugs that are supposed to alleviate the problem. What ingredients are used in these products? Are they safe? Are they effective? How often should a consumer use them? A panel of experts appointed by FDA has been looking into these and similar questions about over-thecounter sleep-aids, daytime sedatives, and stimulants. There's a report on the panel's findings and recommendations beginning on page 10.