It’s baby time for Dr. Meredith Grey at Seattle Grace Hospital. I mean, 39-year old actress Ellen Pompeo, who plays the resident surgeon in the award-winning medical drama Grey’s Anatomy. Ellen and her husband Chris Ivery, who have been married since November 2007, are happily expecting their first child. Chris is a music producer.

But it’s not only Ellen who’s been bitten by the baby bug. Late last year, it has was reported that Chyler Leigh, who plays the Seattle Grace intern with the photographic memory Dr. Lexie “lexipedia” Grey, and her husband actor Nathan West, are expecting their third child, a girl, next month. The couple have been married since 2002. They already have a son Noah (6) and a daughter Taelyn (2).

The funny thing is, Chyler’s and Ellen’s characters are actually are half sisters in the show.

I’m a big fan of Grey’s Anatomy. My family is not really into watching TV but I do love watching medical soaps in general and Grey’s is my favorite. I just love the characters and the cases. My husband, on the other hand, is more into Dr. House.

We’re a season behind here in Switzerland and the next Grey’s Anatomy season only starts in June. I can hardly wait.

After last year’s safety issues with children’s cough and cold medications, the drive to increase awareness of their safety is being stepped up and the drug manufacturers are taking an active part in the awareness campaign. Actress Chandra Wilson, star of ABC’s Emmy Award-winning medical drama TV series Grey’s Anatomy is working together with the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) to spread safety news and information about over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines for children. The education campaign is called “Treat with Care”and targets parents and caregivers and gives the following recommendations:

• Always follow the label exactly and use the measuring device that comes with the medicine,
• Do not give a medicine only intended for adults to a child.
• Do not use two medicines at the same time that contain the same ingredients.
• Prevent unsupervised ingestion by keeping all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.
• Do not use antihistamine products to make a child sleepy.
• Consult a physician or healthcare professional with questions.

Chandra has three children herself and is therefore concerned about the safety of OTC children’s medicine. CHPA is a trade association which represents manufacturers and distributors of OTC medicines and nutritional supplements. By working together with Chandra, celebrity mother and “medical” figure, CHPA hopes to reach out to their target audience.

This is not the only measure that OTC drug manufacturers are taking to ensure increased drug safety. According to a US FDA safety alert, several manufacturers of OTC cough and cold medicines are voluntarily changing the labels on their products as well as introducing new child resistant packaging and measuring devices. The new labels clearly indicate the warning “do not use” for children under the age of 4 years.

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