FDA's MedWatch Safety Alerts: December 2011

FDA gives updated safety information on ADHD drugs and heart disease in adults, dietary supplements that could be contaminated with Salmonella, and a blood thinner that may lead to bleeding problems. Learn about these and other safety alerts at http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucmXXXXXX.htm

Consumer Update Analytics

This page contains links to all past Consumer Update Analytics web pages.

Jan. 18 Webinar: Reporting Bad Reactions From Cosmetics

Learn how to report a bad reaction to a beauty, personal hygiene or makeup product. Click here to find out how to connect to this 30-minute webinar.

FDA Warns About Stem Cell Claims

Don't be fooled by unscrupulous people who offer hope through unapproved stem cell therapies for diseases or conditions for which few treatments exist.

FDA Targets Risks From Reused Medical Devices

The Food and Drug Administration is taking steps to ensure that reusable medical devices, especially endoscopes, are properly cleaned and disinfected to reduce the risk of infection.

Trace: Canned act fails despite good intentions

Walking into Trace, the restyled restaurant in the W Hotel, was like opening a 1990s time capsule. The tall, model-thin hosts wore tight black dresses and high heels, occasionally parading down the center of the long,...

Manresa review: Renovated - and even better

A great chef is often driven against reason; David Kinch of Manresa is one of those chefs. In his more than nine years in business, he's continued to up his game, creating a restaurant that fulfills his vision,...

Former dishwasher now cleaning up as head chef

Long before San Francisco's Westfield shopping center opens its doors, Lark Creek Steak, on the upstairs Restaurant Dome floor, is bustling. On a Wednesday morning late in the summer, chef Ismael Macias is quietly...

Pasion gives Inner Sunset a shot of sophistication

Like the neighborhood itself, the dining scene in San Francisco's Inner Sunset isn't fussy. Largely a mix of solid, inexpensive ethnic restaurants and mom-and-pop cafes, the vibe is comfortable and casual, more humble...

Artisan cheese makers abound in Sonoma and Marin

If Seana Doughty wants a motto for her new Bleating Heart creamery, she might consider "No Guts, No Glory." Doughty's saga of transformation from bored office paper pusher to professional cheese maker has enough...

Mateo's Cocina Latina review: Soulful Mexican food

Mateo Granados started his restaurant career as a dishwasher in San Francisco more than 20 years ago. Through hard work and talent, the Yucatan native worked up to chef de cuisine at Masa's under Julian Serrano, and...

Spicy Asian influences on Bay Area fried chicken

I have a confession that might sound familiar: I loved Kentucky Fried Chicken as a kid. Finger-lickin' goodness aside, it was usually the first meal we'd have when my father visited from Paraguay, where he was stationed...

Birch Street review: Bistro Elan's charm preserved

Too often on the Peninsula, a restaurant closes because of high rents, and a neighborhood loses a great place to dine. After 16 years on Palo Alto's California Avenue, Bistro Elan was facing that possibility. But then a...

Rising Star Chefs 2011: a passionate group

The road to becoming a Chronicle Rising Star Chef is diverse, but there are guideposts along the way. The main one: passion. Yet, while passion is always an element in a chef's success, the feeling is palpable with this...

Moroccan food bounty in S.F.

Fans of Moroccan food have a scattering of places in which to indulge around the Bay Area, but a short five-block stretch of San Francisco's Polk Street lets them sample some regional variations by just walking down the...