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- The National Pediculosis Association (NPA) is a health and education
501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1983 to protect
children from the harmful effects of pesticides used for the treatment
of head lice.
- The NPA serves the public by providing independent and helpful
information and resources so that pediculosis can be controlled safely
and effectively.
- The NPA maintains its independence from product manufacturers through
the sale of educational resources and its LiceMeister® comb.
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- Prevention and Education
Educating the public in advance of outbreaks is imperative in
order to avoid panic and potentially harmful chemical responses. We encourage each family to do its
part at home with routine screening, early detection, accurate
identification and thorough removal of lice and nits.
- Environment
Many of the same chemicals potentially harmful to children when
used to treat head lice and scabies also are harmful to the
environment. For example,
lindane, a prescription treatment for head lice, is a persistent
bio-accumulative and toxic chemical.
The Lindane Usage Reduction Project was the first major program
to convince physicians to change the medications they prescribe based on
environmental concerns.
- Research
The NPA is at the forefront of identifying lice resistance,
issues associated with head lice and disease, new laboratory methods and
related public health problems.
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- Head lice represent an important public health problem for children and
families affecting more than 6 million school children each year.
- Traditional lice treatment products are pesticides and Americans spend
over $86 million annually.
- Children of any age or size are vulnerable to these chemicals, but none
are more at risk than the growing number of children treated for
illnesses such as cancer, brain tumors, epilepsy, asthma, allergies and
AIDS. Jesse’s Project addresses
the critical need to protect these children.
- Parents want and need fewer pesticides in their family’s lives. The NPA developed the LiceMeister Comb
and LiceMeister Kit as the non-chemical treatment alternative.
- Recently published DNA research shows that head lice, like body lice,
are potential carriers of disease.
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- The NPA’s teaching website is consistently ranked first on Google,
Yahoo! and other popular search engines.
- A monthly average of 90,000 unique visitors seek and obtain help from
HeadLice.Org.
- HeadLice.Org is independent of head lice and scabies product
manufacturers.
- HeadLice.Org hosts the National Reporting Registry for lice and scabies
treatment failures and adverse events, reporting them monthly to the
FDA’s MedWatch program.
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- In 1985, the NPA established September as National Pediculosis
Prevention Month. In its’ 20th
consecutive year, this is the premiere back-to-school health message and
is designated on health event calendars nationwide.
- The NPA drives the All Out Comb Out™ campaign all year long,
promoting routine screening, early detection, accurate identification
and thorough removal of lice and nits.
- The goal is to encourage the highest possible public health standard and
enable children to be in school lice and nit free.
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