Medication Side-Effects: Cold Sensitivity – update to FAME medication guide

We have updated the FAME Medication Side-Effects: Heat and Sun Sensitivity guide to now include cold sensitivity. The updated guide can be found on our website here: Medication Side-Effects: Heat, Cold and Sun Sensitivity and included below in this news item.

Some medications can make it harder for people to regulate their body temperature and thus increase the risk of overheating. Or, the opposite issue, developing cold intolerance.  Additionally, some medications can cause photosensitivity, also known as ‘sun allergy’, a condition where the skin becomes extremely sensitive to ultraviolet light.

We have created this guide because archaeologists have an elevated risk of these adverse reactions given the nature of some of our work – outdoors during hot and cold weather, though indoor work is not without risk. Moreover, employees do not normally have to disclose the medications they take so employers should always assume that they do not have full knowledge of their employees’ medical conditions and should regularly raise awareness of these issues with their employees i.e. share this guide with them. Most archaeologists are unlikely to be aware of these risks, or may have started a new medication and/or may not remember the risk associated with a specific medication; the lists in this guide are lengthy.