FDA changes prescribing information on popular diabetes mellitus treatment
-The Examiner
11/05/2009 - Some treatment plans for type 2 diabetes may need to be modified, as the FDA has prompted prescribing information changes for the popular drug Byetta. According to the FDA, from April 2005 until October 2008, 78 reports of impaired kidney function was reported. More>>>

Marshall resident claims denture cream caused zinc poisoning
-The South East Texas Record
11/05/2009 - MARSHALL - A Marshall resident and an Arizona resident believe they are the victims of zinc poisoning and possible neurological damages caused by their ingestion of Super Poligrip Denture Adhesive Cream. More>>>

More claims filed against Medtronic's defibrillators
-The St. Clair Record
11/05/2009 - Three Illinois residents say they are susceptible to sudden shocks after defective implantable defibrillators manufactured by Medtronic were inserted into their hearts. Lillian Tengstrand, Effie Thomas and Marcus Williams filed a lawsuit Oct. 14 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Medtronic, Medtronic USA, Medtronic International Technology and Medtronic Puerto Rico Operations. More>>>

Regulators slam Toyota over 'no defect' claim
U.S. auto safety agency rebukes an assertion that it found nothing wrong in vehicles involved in a massive recall over incidents of unintended acceleration.
- Los Angeles Times
11/05/2009 - Federal safety regulators have sharply rebuked Toyota Motor Corp. for issuing "inaccurate and misleading" statements asserting that no defect exists in the 3.8 million vehicles it recalled after a Lexus sedan accelerated out of control in San Diego County, killing four people. More>>>

Antipsychotic Drugs Can Cause Rapid Weight Gain in Kids
-FNA
11/04/2009 - Results of a new study suggested that prescription of antipsychotic drugs for children could be a factor in their rapid weight gain and may raise the risk for diabetes and heart disease. More>>>

Owners of Toyota Cars in Rebellion Over Series of Accidents Caused by Sudden Acceleration - ABC News Investigation Uncovers Reports of 16 Deaths, Over 200 Accidents; Toyota Owners Demand Answers
-ABC NEWS
11/04/2009 - Refusing to accept the explanation of Toyota and the federal government, hundreds of Toyota owners are in rebellion after a series of accidents caused by what they call "runaway cars." Safety analysts found an estimated 2000 cases in which owners of Toyota cars including Camry, Prius and Lexus, reported that their cars surged without warning up to speeds of 100 miles per hour. More>>>

FDA Approves New Byetta Label Amid Renal-Failure Reports
-Wall Street Journal
11/04/2009 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday said it approved a new label for the diabetes treatment Byetta, made by Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY) and Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AMLN), amid reports the medicine may cause kidney problems. More>>>

US FDA issues alert on kidney problems with Byetta
-Reuters
11/03/2009 - Patients and doctors should be aware of possible kidney function problems with Eli Lilly and Amylin Pharmaceuticals' Byetta diabetes drug, U.S. health regulators said on Monday. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration received 78 reports of problems with kidney function in patients using Byetta from April 2005 through October 2008. More>>>

Toyota says stuck accelerator problem entirely due to floor-mat jams
- USA Today
11/03/2009 - Toyota said today that its cars don't have a rampant sudden acceleration problem for any reason other than driver’s side floor mats that can become lodged under the gas pedal. More>>>

FDA Issues Warning for Diabetes Drug: Reports of kidney problems for those using Byetta prompted action
- US News
11/03/2009 - Reports about possible kidney problems, including renal failure, in people taking the diabetes drug exenatide (Byetta) have prompted changes to the drug's prescribing information, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Monday. More>>>

FDA: Byetta Label Revised to Include Safety Information on Possible Kidney Problems
-FDA
11/02/2009 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today acted on new safety information about possible kidney function problems, including kidney failure, in patients taking Byetta (exenatide), a drug used to treat Type 2 diabetes. From April 2005 through October 2008, the FDA received 78 reports of problems with kidney function in patients using Byetta. More>>>

U.S. Declines Investigation on Lexus Car Acceleration
-Bloomberg
11/02/2009 - A U.S. safety board declined further investigation into an alleged defect that may cause uncontrolled acceleration in Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus ES sedans after the carmaker issued a recall this month for floor mats. More>>>

Take Two Kickbacks...
-Mother Jones
11/02/2009 - So your doctor says it's time to consider that hip replacement. Trouble is, more than a dozen firms make artificial hips, and there've been plenty of recalls—no small inconvenience when the recalled product resides in your pelvis. More>>>

Isotretinoin Use Linked to Increased Risk of IBD: Presented at ACG
-DoctorsGuide
11/01/2009 - Results from a retrospective study presented here at the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) 74th Annual Scientific Meeting suggest that use of isotretinoin is associated with the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). More>>>

Astra sets aside $520M for Seroquel case
- Philadelphia Inquirer
11/01/2009 - Drugmaker AstraZeneca P.L.C. said yesterday that it had set aside $520 million as part of a tentative agreement to resolve an investigation by federal prosecutors in Philadelphia into the company's marketing practices. More>>>

Suicide Blamed on Acne Drugs
-Courthouse News
11/01/2009 - Parents say their daughter committed suicide because drug companies failed to warn them of the side effects of their acne drugs. Their daughter, whose age is not specified, killed herself after taking Claravis and YAZ for acne, the parents claim in Mahoning County Court. More>>>

Hylla to hear motions in Accutane suit
-The St.Clair Record
11/01/2009 - It's been over a month since Madison County Circuit Judge David Hylla heard arguments in a case over the acne drug Accutane and, with the case's Oct. 19 trial date past, he is scheduled to hear more motions in the suit on Nov. 3. More>>>

AZ's Seroquel Legal Bill Is $1.1B and Getting Bigger
-BNET
11/01/2009 - Let’s look at the numbers behind AstraZeneca’s Seroquel settlement with the U.S. Disrict Attorney in Pennsylvania. The headline number is $520 million, the amount AstraZeneca (AZN) will pay to end a probe of its marketing practices on the atypical antipsychotic, which allegedly resulted in off-label use of the drug in children and the elderly. More>>>

Appeals court reinstates Zicam lawsuit
- East Valley Tribune
10/29/2009 - A federal appeals court on Wednesday reinstated a shareholder lawsuit against Scottsdale-based Matrixx Initiatives over what company officials knew about potential dangers from its popular Zicam cold remedy. In a unanimous ruling, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said that U.S. District Court Judge Mary Murguia was wrong to throw the lawsuit, filed in 2004, out of court. More>>>

Warnings strengthened for Tysabri
-Pharmacy News
10/29/2009 - A growing association between a widely used multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri (natalizumab) and a potentially deadly brain infection has been reflected in strengthened warnings for prescribers and patients. More>>>

Diabetes drug from San Diego’s Amylin caught up in Aussie Brouhaha
-xconomy
10/28/2009 - From Australia comes word that San Diego-based Amylin Pharmaceuticals’ biggest drug, exenatide (Byetta), has been caught up in a controversy over a diabetes report co-sponsored by Amylin’s marketing partner, Eli Lilly & Co. More>>>

Minn. judge dismisses Medtronic heart device suits
-Reuters
10/28/2009 - A Minnesota state court judge has dismissed a batch of lawsuits against Medtronic Inc stemming from the October 2007 recall of the medical device maker's Sprint Fidelis defibrillator leads. More>>>

Ennis & Ennis, P.A. is Still Accepting Accutane Cases against Hoffman La-Roche
-OpenPress
10/27/2009 - Ennis & Ennis, P.A. announces today it is still investigating and accepting Accutane cases against the manufacturer of the drug Hoffman La-Roche. David Ennis states, "although Hoffman La-Roche announced in June 2009 that it will no longer sell Accutane due to generic competition and large legal costs defending the drug this does not absolve La-Roche from liability from patients who took the drug in the past and have suffered Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease". More>>>

Bayer Faces Nearly 1,000 Trasylol Cases in Florida
-BNET
10/27/2009 - Bayer faces almost 1,000 lawsuits in a Florida federal district court regarding its anti-bleeding drug Trasylol, according to the docket in the case (1:08-md-01928-DMM). While there have been sporadic reports in local media of people filing claims against Bayer alleging Trasylol contributed to renal failure, there has been little overall publicity to what is clearly a massive multi-district litigation effort going on in Judge Donald Middlebrooks’ Southern District federal court. More>>>

Matrixx says FDA unwilling to change stance on Zicam
-Reuters
10/27/2009 - Matrixx Initiatives Inc (MTXX.O) said the U.S. health regulator has indicated that it is unwilling to reverse its position regarding the warning letter issued on company's nasal versions of Zicam cold remedy. In June, the company voluntarily withdrew two of its existing Zicam products after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter that the products could cause a loss of smell. More>>>

Federal report tied to Toyota floor mat recall released
- Union-Tribune
10/27/2009 - A federal report on the fiery, high-speed Lexus crash that killed a California Highway Patrol officer and his family found that the accelerator was stuck to an unsecured and incorrect floor mat and that the design of the gas pedal may have contributed to the crash. More>>>

New details in crash that spurred massive Toyota recall
- Los Angeles Times
10/26/2009 - Federal highway safety inspectors have released new details of a fatal car crash that triggered Toyota Motor Corp.’s largest recall, including a finding that the Lexus ES 350 sedan involved had a gas pedal design that could increase the risk of it being obstructed by a floor mat. More>>>

Drugs used during MRI scans that have been linked to a rare disease are being widely used in South Africa.
-Times LIVE
10/26/2009 - An agent used during MRI scans has been named as a health risk for those with kidney problems. But radiologists say local patients have little to fear. US researchers have found that the drugs - contrast agents containing the potentially toxic metal gadolinium, which make scans easier to read - pose health risks to people with impaired kidney function. More>>>

Diabetes drugs may leave heart at greater risk
Working harder to lower blood glucose in Type 2 diabetics doesn't help the heart, studies say.
-LA Times
10/24/2009 - Medications for Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes are very effective at controlling blood sugar levels. You'd think, then, that the drugs would also be very effective at controlling complications of the disease related to those spikes in blood sugar: cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage and amputation of limbs. Surprisingly, though, that has not turned out to be the case for cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes. More>>>

PML Found in Patient on Rituximab Monotherapy
-Medpage Today
10/24/2009 - A case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) has been reported in a rheumatoid arthritis patient taking rituximab (Rituxan) who had not previously received anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy, according to the FDA and the drug's manufacturer. More>>>

Newark woman sues maker of Yaz birth control
- Oakland Tribune
10/23/2009 - A 39-year-old Newark woman has filed a lawsuit this week against Bayer Corp., blaming its popular birth control product Yaz for causing her stroke and other related health issues. Susan Galinis, the mother of 3-year-old twin girls, took the prescription-only product for four weeks in the summer of 2008, and wound up suffering a stroke that caused her to be hospitalized for six months, said her attorney. More>>>

Confusing Choices for Doctors and Type 2 Diabetes Patients
-GEN
10/23/2009 - Given the current worldwide type 2 diabetes epidemic, it’s hard for drug developers to ignore the huge potential for new, better, and safer oral drugs. The U.S. market alone has reached $5 billion annually, and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes continues to rise across the globe. More>>>

Pharmaceutical company behind Yaz forced to air corrective advertising
-Independent Florida Alligator
10/22/2009 - Back in 2008, pharmaceutical maker Bayer released a series of ads for Yaz, a birth control pill. The ads claimed that Yaz can treat various premenstrual symptoms and help clear up acne on skin. But oops-they weren't supposed to say that. The FDA said that these ads made claims that it hadn't approved, and they didn't adequately disclose the health risks associated with Yaz. More>>>

Lawsuits Against Yaz Increasing
-empowerher
10/22/2009 - While all birth control pills have side effects, Yaz and its sister pill, Yasmin (which contains less estrogen) seems to be taking the cake for increasing lawsuits for its effect on women. More>>>

CPSC to address dangers of recreational off-highway vehicles
-ConsumerReports
10/22/2009 - Okay, it's going to be an eventful ride. But before you get on this Yamaha Rhino, the company needs to put a spacer on the rear wheels, remove an anti-sway bar, add extra handholds, and install a half door so you don’t go flying out if the thing rolls over. Because nearly 60 people have died and hundreds have been injured, some seriously, on three models of this vehicle. More>>>

Accutane trial continues with discovery, trial had been set for Oct. 19
- Madison County Record
10/21/2009 - What would have been Madison County's first trial involving acne medicine Accutane has been put off again as discovery in the case continues. Plaintiff Jason Peipert filed notice of another deposition Oct. 13 as the defendants in the case have attempted to bar an unpublished study by the University of North Carolina. More>>>

No patch for deepest cut
-The Boston Globe
10/21/2009 - Then, on the morning of Sept. 28, Leslie got a call from the dean of students. I’m so sorry, he kept saying. Adrianna had collapsed in her dorm room. The 17-year-old died of a pulmonary embolism - a blood clot in her lung. More>>>

Bayer under pressure as birth control pills linked to blood clots
-Deutsche Welle
10/21/2009 - A hormone in some birth control pills made by Bayer may cause dangerous blood clots, studies have found. The pills have been linked to several recent deaths, but a ban is considered unlikely. More>>>

Super PoliGrip Now Contains Zinc Warning: Adhesive has been linked to poisoning
-ConsumerAffairs.com
10/21/2009 - The makers of Super PoliGrip have apparently caved to consumer pressure, adding a zinc-related warning to packages of the popular denture cream. The move by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) comes after dozens of lawsuits and a prominent medical article outlined the danger of zinc poisoning resulting from overuse of denture adhesives. More>>>

Specter of MRI disease haunts GE
-ProPublica
10/20/2009 - In May 2006, medical regulators in Denmark issued a warning that signaled trouble for General Electric. Danish researchers noted that, over a four-year period, 25 patients in Denmark and Austria had suffered a rare and crippling disease after undergoing an MRI, the scanning procedure used to diagnose everything from brain tumors to blown knees. More>>>

Bay Area woman sues Yaz birth control
-ABC News
10/20/2009 - A Bay Area woman says the popular birth control pill known as Yaz caused her to have a stroke which has devastated her life. She is suing the drug's maker, Bayer, to take the pill off the market. More>>>

Thiazolidinediones have a role for appropriate diabetic patients
-Heartwire
10/20/2009 - Although the Rosiglitazone Evaluated for Cardiac Outcomes and Regulation of Glycemia in Diabetes (RECORD) trial and other trials found that rosiglitazone (Avandia, GlaxoSmithKline) increases risk of heart failure and fractures, thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are still useful for appropriate diabetic patients. More>>>

Bayer's Legal Woes: 125 Suits Over Yaz; FDA Allegedly Not Told of Trasylol Study
-BNET
10/19/2009 - Bayer faces more than 125 lawsuits over its Yaz contraceptive and new cases are being filed around the country at a rate of up to up to six a day, according to Courthouse News Service. The cases all claim the same thing: That the new progesterone ingredient that Bayer used for Yaz causes more dangerous blood clots to form than previous formulations. More>>>

Ford SUV catches fire, more recalls made
-WINK News
10/19/2009 - NAPLES, Fla. - Millions of Ford vehicles were recalled this week for fire danger. One Naples man knows firsthand what can happen if the problem isn't fixed. Jose Sosa's SUV caught fire while it was parked in his driveway. He said it was part of a recall last June, but didn't know about it. Ford said four and a half million vehicles could potentially burst into flames without warning. More>>>

Bayer pulls U.S. Trasylol supplies after study
-Reuters
10/19/2009 - Bayer AG is removing remaining supplies of its heart-surgery drug Trasylol from the U.S. market after a long-awaited study found it raised the risk of death compared to two alternatives, U.S. regulators said on Wednesday. More>>>

Report: Toyota faulty throttles caused by more than jammed car mats
-SDNN
10/19/2009 - The deaths of an off-duty California Highway Patrol officer and his family in a runaway Lexus, its brakes on fire, point to a troubling possibility that millions of Toyota and Lexus autos on American roads have serious throttle control problems, it was reported Sunday. More>>>

Ford recalls 4.5m vehicles on fire risk
A faulty cruise-control switch prompted the Ford recall.
-Bloomberg News
10/19/2009 - Ford Motor Co. said 4.5 million more vehicles may have a faulty cruise-control switch that could cause a fire, prompting the automaker to expand a recall that was already its biggest. More>>>

Pfizer to pay $1.3 billion criminal fine for misbranding its drugs
-NaturalNews
10/19/2009 - In the largest criminal fine ever levied against any drug company in the world, a unit of U.S.-based Pfizer, Inc. was sentenced to pay $1.3 billion in criminal fines and revenue forfeiture. It's all part of a $2.3 billion settlement announced by the Justice Department. The case centers around Pfizer's criminal "off-label marketing" of four drugs, including the painkiller Bextra. After whistleblowers filed lawsuits in three states, the U.S. Justice Department took an interest in the case and prosecuted Pfizer for criminal acts. More>>>

Man Discovers Used Car Was Recalled When It Explodes
-NBC News
10/17/2009 - When Mike Gerrin bought his 2002 Ford F-150, he had no idea that it had been recalled for a faulty part. That is, until the truck burst into flames. It happened on October 7. Gerrin had just taken a quick trip out to pick up a sandwich. He was in his house eating, when he heard what he thought was fireworks. When he looked outside, he saw his truck was in flames. More>>>

U.S. presses Toyota to issue mandatory recall over floor mat
-The Japan Times
10/17/2009 - NAGOYA (Kyodo) U.S. authorities are urging Toyota Motor Corp. to issue a mandatory recall over loose floor mats in some of its cars, stepping up the pressure for the Japanese automaker to admit that the vehicles in question have a safety defect, sources said Friday. More>>>

GSK antidepressant Paxil to blame for baby's heart defects, US jury rules
-Telegraph
10/16/2009 - A US family has been awarded $2.5 million (£1.6 million) in damages after a Philadelphia jury decided that the antidepressant Paxil, known as Seroxat in Britain, was responsible for their son's birth defects. GlaxoSmithKline Plc, the British manufacturer of Seroxat, said it would appeal against the verdict in the case, which is the first of 600 such cases to come to trial. More>>>

Ford expands massive recall by 4.5 million, says National Highway Safety
-Weekly Driver
10/16/2009 - Once week after Toyota recalled 3.5 million cars, Ford Motor Co has dubiously and decisively one-upped the Japanese manufacturer by expanding its massive vehicle recall linked to faulty cruise control switches by 4.5 million vehicles. More>>>

Fire on Ford truck linked to cruise control
-NBC News
10/16/2009 - A Port St. Lucie woman lost her Ford F-150 truck to fire Wednesday night, a fire that investigators trace back to the vehicle's cruise control system. Maryanne Komar said when her dogs started barking at 10:30 p.m., she knew something was wrong. She rushed to the window of her home on the 1500 block of SE Pitcher Rd. That's when she saw her truck, parked in her driveway, engulfed in flames. The flames quickly spread to her boat, which was parked beside it. More>>>

Investigation Of Contaminated Heparin Syringes Highlights Medication Safety Issues
-ScienceDaily
10/16/2009 - An outbreak of bloodstream infections appears to have been caused by the contamination of pre-filled heparin and saline syringes made by a single company, according to a report in the October 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. More>>>

Ford recalls 4.5M vehicles over switch's risk of fire
- Detroit Free Press
10/14/2009 - Ford Motor Co. is recalling 4.5 million vehicles due to a faulty switch that can overheat and catch fire. It’s the automaker’s eighth recall in a decade involving the same switch, which has now resulted in the recall of more than 14 million vehicles. More>>>

Zyprexa targeted in St. Clair County
-TheSt.ClairRecord
10/14/2009 - Eli Lilly is being sued by an Illinois woman and an unknown number of plaintiffs who claim either they or their children developed a number of conditions ranging from diabetes to weight gain after taking the antipsychotic medication Zyprexa. More>>>

Idaho to get $13 million over mental-health drug Zyprexa: Settlement is second-largest under state's Consumer Protection Act
-Trading Markets
10/14/2009 - The Idaho attorney general's office alleged that drug manufacturer Eli Lilly marketed its top-selling drug Zyprexa deceptively and failed to warn health-care providers that patients could suffer side effects such as weight gain and diabetes More>>>

Actual Toyota and Lexus floor mat recall announced
-TheExaminer
10/13/2009 - The Feds just released the official floor mat recall notice that affects more than 3 million Toyota and Lexus cars that could be at risk for acceleration problems. A couple of weeks ago the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration took extreme steps and announced a rare warning about the situation--telling car owners to just take the mats out until the manufacturer comes up with a plan to deal with the predicament. More>>>

Pulmonary Embolism Leads To Woman's Death After Using Birth Control
-EmaxHealth
10/13/2009 - Swissmedic, the medical regulatory agency in Switzerland, is looking into the death of a young woman who suffered a pulmonary embolism that appears to be a side effect of her birth control medication. According to the agency, the woman had been using Yaz, an oral medication made by Bayer Pharmaceuticals, for about 10 months when her death occurred in mid-September. More>>>

Glaxo Ordered to Pay $2.5 Million for Paxil Defects
-Bloomberg
10/13/2009 - GlaxoSmithKline Plc must pay $2.5 million over claims that its Paxil antidepressant caused birth defects, a Pennsylvania jury concluded in the first of 600 such cases to come to trial. More>>>

Deaths Linked To Trendy Birth Control Pill
-The Bulletin
10/12/2009 - It was mid-August, 2008, when 24-year-old Tanya Hayes began to experience breathlessness and what her family described as a “nasty, hard cough.” A busy student, Tanya ignored the symptoms until one afternoon when she collapsed in a car park in her hometown of Melbourne, Australia. Five hours later, she was pronounced dead of a pulmonary embolism. More>>>

Rio Linda widow berates Toyota on safety after crashes
-Sacramento Bee
10/12/2009 - A phone call brought Melodie Bohuchot news so improbable, she thought it must be a joke: Her husband had been killed when a Toyota Camry with a jammed accelerator rear-ended him at 120 mph. More>>>

'Killer' mats pulled back by Toyota
-Beacon Journal
10/12/2009 - Toyota announced the biggest U.S. recall in its history this week. The company is calling in 3.8 million vehicles because of . . . floor mats. More>>>

Maytag Expands Recall of Refrigerators Due to Fire Hazard
-NBC News
10/10/2009 - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Maytag®, Magic Chef®, Performa by Maytag® and Crosley® brand refrigerators announced today an expansion of refrigerators recalled due to fire hazard. More>>>

Gulf Stream Motorhomes with Norcold Refrigerators|
- U.S. Recall News
10/10/2009 - GULF STREAM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MOTORHOMES EQUIPPED WITH NORCOLD MODEL 1200LR, 1200LRIM, AND 1201LRIM REFRIGERATORS WITH SERIAL NUMBERS BETWEEN 1273701 AND 1536607, NON-CONSECUTIVELY. A FATIGUE FAILURE IN THE SECTION OF THE COOLING UNIT WHICH CONTAINS THE REFRIGERANT COULD ALLOW THE LIQUID SOLUTION TO SLOWLY LEAK. More>>>

Glaxo Ignored Paxil’s Birth-Defect Risks, Lawyer Says
-Bloomberg
10/09/2009 - GlaxoSmithKline Plc officials intentionally ignored the possibility that the Paxil antidepressant caused birth defects, a lawyer said in closing arguments of a trial over the drug. More>>>

Toyota to Use Zip Ties to Fix Floor Mats
- U.S. News
10/09/2009 - If you're into extreme sports, you're probably fine trusting your life to a bungee cord. How do you feel about trusting it to a zip tie? Automotive News reports, "Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. is instructing dealers to attach floor mats to seat frames on the driver's side of select vehicles with self-locking wire ties to prevent the mats from snagging on gas pedals and causing unintended acceleration." More>>>

Toyota tells dealers to tie down floor mats
-Automotive News
10/08/2009 - Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. is instructing dealers to attach floor mats to seat frames on the driver’s side of select vehicles with self-locking wire ties to prevent the mats from snagging on gas pedals and causing unintended acceleration. More>>>

AstraZeneca Promoted Seroquel as ‘Weight Neutral’
-Bloomberg
10/08/2009 - AstraZeneca Plc advised its sales force to promote the antipsychotic drug Seroquel as “weight neutral” four years after company research found “clinically significant” weight gains in users, internal documents show. More>>>

Eli Lilly says it will settle SC suit
-GoUpstate
10/08/2009 - A spokeswoman for a major drug manufacturer said Wednesday that a "tentative settlement" to a lawsuit filed by the state of South Carolina has been reached. The Attorney General's office, however, said a confirmed agreement between the state and Eli Lilly & Co. does not exist. More>>>

Toyota-Lexus Floor-Mat Problem Is Now Officially A Recall
-The Car Connection
10/07/2009 - One week ago today, owners of eight Toyota and Lexus models got an urgent plea from the U.S. Department of Transportation, delivered via the media: Remove your driver's side floor mat immediately, and don't replace it until you've taken your car to the dealer. More>>>

Depression Is a Dilemma for Women in Pregnancy
-The New York Times
10/06/2009 - When Sherean Malekzadeh Allen of Marietta, Ga., learned she was pregnant, she was 43, had been married for two years, had gone through two miscarriages and had all but given up hope of having a baby. But instead of being overjoyed, Ms. Allen was immobilized: panic-ridden, nauseated, listless and thoroughly depressed. More>>>

Toyota's Reputation in U.S. Tarnished by Recall, Lawsuits
-The Chosun Ilbo
10/06/2009 - This fall has been tough for Toyota, which had already been suffering from a strong yen amid the global financial crisis. On Sept. 30 the Japanese automaker recalled 3.8 million Lexus and Toyota cars sold in the U.S. since 2004 because of potentially deadly floor mats. It is the largest ever recall in the company's 72-year history. More>>>

Gas pedal, floor mat may drive big recall
-TampaBayOnline
10/04/2009 - Federal investigators say that of the 102 accidents caused by stuck gas pedals on Toyota vehicles, there are four possible causes involving floor mats: The mats are too long or too thick, they weren't properly secured, the gas pedal design is flawed or the floor geometry is defective. More>>>

Toyota Floormat Recall Could Expand
- US News
10/02/2009 - If your Toyota wasn't included in the massive floormat recall campaign announced yesterday, don't breathe easy yet. In fact, you may want to remove your driver's side floormat as a precaution, even if you haven't been instructed to. The list of affected vehicles may grow in coming weeks. More>>>

Toyota recall in works
-The Spokesman Review
10/02/2009 - Toyota Motor Corp. said it would recall 3.8 million vehicles sold in the United States as it attempts to resolve concerns that floor mats in those cars and trucks could cause their gas pedals to become stuck, leading to uncontrollable acceleration. More>>>

California couple filesTexas suit over tainted heparin
-The Southeast Texas Record
10/01/2009 - While in Bowie County, Tracey Underwood believes she was given multiple vials of contaminated heparin and as a result developed superior vena cava syndrome. Alleging the drug was intentionally contaminated to raise profits, California residents Tracey and Brian Underwood filed suit against Baxter Healthcare Corp., Baxter International Inc. and Scientific Protein Laboratories on Sept. 28 in the Texarkana Division of the Eastern District of Texas. More>>>

Study finds certain diabetes drugs may cause bone fractures
-DrugStoreNews
10/01/2009 - A certain class of diabetes drugs may put patients at higher risk of bone fractures, according to a study published in the online edition of the journal PLoS Medicine. More>>>

Sliding floor mats lead to biggest Toyota, Lexus recall
- USA TODAY
09/30/2009 - Toyota is launching its biggest recall ever to prevent sliding floor mats from jamming accelerator pedals, a problem that may have killed four in the crash of a runaway Lexus. The automaker on Tuesday warned the owners of 3.8 million late-model Toyota and Lexus vehicles to immediately remove any driver's side floor mat. Official notice will go out to owners next week. More>>>

Woman alleges pill caused death of unborn baby, sues drug maker
-The Southeast Texas Record
09/30/2009 - A pregnant woman claiming her birth control pills are responsible for her blood clot and the death of her unborn baby has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the drug's manufacturer. More>>>

Toyota to recall 3.8 million vehicles:
Floor mats may slide, jam accelerator pedal
-The Detroit News
09/30/2009 - Toyota Motor Corp. will recall more than 3.8 million Lexus and Toyota vehicles, its largest ever U.S. safety recall, after drivers reported that floor mats slid forward and in some cases jammed the accelerator pedal, the company and the U.S. government said Tuesday. More>>>

Lilly to Pay Connecticut $25.1 Million Over Zyprexa
-Bloomberg
09/30/2009 - Ely Lilly & Co., the largest maker of psychiatric medicines, agreed to pay the state of Connecticut $25.1 million to settle claims it promoted the antipsychotic drug Zyprexa for unapproved uses. The company illegally marketed Zyprexa to treat depression and attention-deficit disorder and for other uses in children never approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. More>>>

On Yaz, Bayer Believes "a Multiple of a Rare Event Is Still a Rare Event"
-BNET
09/29/2009 – The mainstream media has finally woken up to Bayer’s problems on its Yaz contraceptive brands. The New York Times published a story over the weekend about the 74 lawsuits against the company alleging that the pills cause potentially fatal embolisms in users. A close look at recent events at Bayer indicate that the company seems to see the world one way, even though everyone else sees it another. More>>>

Yaz and Yasmin: the Facts Behind the Hype
-TheFasterTimes
09/29/2009 - The New York Times reported September 25 on the controversy surrounding Yaz and Yasmin, two popular birth control pills (BCPs). Part of the controversy stems from problematic marketing and manufacturing processes identified by the Food and Drug Administration. However, the principal concern is whether these medications increase the risk of blood clots. More>>>

Are Yaz and Yasmine Safe? What You Should Know About Your Birth Control
-Twirlit
09/29/2009 - Conflicting reports are out about the safety of Bayer’s popular lines of birth control: Yaz and Yasmine. While a Bayer sponsored study shows the pills are no less safe than other birth control pills in their incidences of stroke or blood clots, some women, their attorneys and other researches argue just the opposite. More>>>

Avandia Study Shows Increased Risk Of Heart Failure
-Ennis & Ennis, P.A.
-J.Murawski
09/28/2009 - Avandia is marketed by GlaxoSmithKline for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. Recently however, studies have shown that Avandia significantly increases the risk of heart attack and heart related deaths. More>>>

Oral Contraceptive Linked to Death from Blood Clot
-MedIndia
09/28/2009 - German drugmaker Bayer is in serious trouble after Swiss medical authorities revealed that they are investigating reports that a woman died after consuming a low dose contraceptive manufactured by Bayer. More>>>

Merck Fosamax lawsuit declared mistrial!
-JusticeNewsFlash
09/28/2009 - Manhattan federal judge declares first of nearly 1,500 plaintiffs lawsuits against Fosamax manufacturer a mistrial. Reports of violence and dessention in the U.S. District court jury deliberation room leads to New York federal judge declaring mistrial. More>>>

Diabetes Drug Could Cause Pancreatic Cancer
-NaturalNews
09/26/2009 - The popular diabetes drug sitagliptin (marketed as Januvia) may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to study conducted by researchers from the University of California- Los Angeles and published in the journal Diabetes. More>>>

Diabetes drug could lead to heart failure: Study
-CalgaryHerald
09/26/2009 - New research involving nearly 40,000 Ontario patients is questioning the use of a widely prescribed diabetes drug that an expert in drug safety says should be removed from the market. The study, published this week by the British Medical Journal, found that rosiglitazone — sold under the brand name Avandia — is associated with an increased risk of heart failure and death compared to a similar drug, pioglitazone, or Actos. More>>>

Health Concerns Over Popular Contraceptives
-The New York Times
09/26/2009 - The oral contraceptives Yaz and Yasmin are the top-selling pharmaceutical line for Bayer HealthCare, largely as a result of marketing that presents them as much more than mere pregnancy prevention. Yaz, in particular, the top-selling birth control pill in the United States, owes much of its popularity to multimillion-dollar ad campaigns that have promoted the drug as a quality-of-life treatment to combat acne and severe premenstrual depression. More>>>

Bayer’s Yaz Consumer’s Death Probed By Swiss Agency
-Bloomberg
09/26/2009 - Bayer AG, Germany’s largest drugmaker, said its Yaz contraceptive is part of an investigation by a Swiss health regulator into the death of a young woman who took the pill. The Swissmedic agency and an investigative judge are looking into the case of the woman, who died from the effects of pulmonary embolism, Bayer’s Swiss health unit said in a statement posted on its Web site yesterday. More>>>

Study Shows Small Risk of Heart Defect From SSRIs Taken During Pregnancy
-WebMD
09/25/2009 - New research adds to the evidence that babies born to women who take antidepressants during pregnancy have a small increased risk for a specific heart defect. More>>>

Hylla hears motions in Accutane case set for trial Oct. 19
-The Madison County Record
09/25/2009 - A defense motion to bar a doctor's testimony regarding whether he warned patients about the risks of taking acne medicine Accutane was granted Thursday by Madison County Circuit Judge David Hylla. More>>>

Setback for Taxus Liberte Stent
-WSJ
09/24/2009 - SAN FRANCISCO—Heart stents made by market leader Boston Scientific Corp. took a scientific drubbing at a big cardiology conference, after rival products from Medtronic Inc. and Abbott Laboratories appeared safer in several studies. More>>>

Prescription Avandia Has Been Linked To Cases Of Serious Side Effects And Fatalities
The prescription drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) causes an increase in liver problems, heart problems and bone density problems resulting in fractures
-OfficialWire
09/24/2009 - The prescription drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) causes an increase in liver problems, heart problems and bone density problems resulting in fractures. It has been linked to cases of death due to liver failure and heart failure. Patients who have taken Avandia should be aware of possible side effects and should know when to seek treatment for serious Avandia related health problems. More>>>

Hylla to hear motions Thursday in Accutane case
-The Madison Record
09/24/2009 - Madison County Circuit Judge David Hylla is scheduled to hear motions Thursday in a medical malpractice case against a local dermatologist who prescribed the acne medicine Accutane. Godfrey native Jason Peipert sued Dr. Daniel Goran of Edwardsville, Hoffman LaRoche Inc., and Roche Laboratories in 2003, claiming he developed Crohn's Disease, an inflammatory bowel disorder, after using the drug Goran prescribed 10 years ago. More>>>

Coachmen Travel Trailers with Maytag Refrigerators
-US Recall News
09/24/2009 - COACHMEN INDUSTRIES IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002 THROUGH 2006 TRAVEL TRAILERS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MARCH 2002 AND JUNE 2005 EQUIPPED WITH CERTAIN MODEL MAYTAG REFRIGERATORS. THE RELAY THAT TURNS ON THE REFRIGERATOR CAN OVERHEAT. More>>>

AstraZeneca Denied Drug’s Diabetes Link Years After Warning
-Bloomberg
09/23/2009 - An AstraZeneca Plc saleswoman told a U.S. doctor the antipsychotic Seroquel didn’t cause diabetes almost four years after the company warned Japanese physicians about the drug’s links to the disease, internal documents show. More>>>

Bone density and osteoporosis
- Kansas City Star Midwest Voices
09/23/2009 - The recent mistrial concerning claims that Merck's anti-osteoporosis drug Fosamax allegedly weakens jaw bone tissue reminds us of the rather complicated issues many older people face in dealing with bone density problems. By some estimates half of all women and one third of all men over 65 will develop bone density problems. More>>>

Tendon / Ligament Injuries and Tendonitis: Symptoms or Side Effects?
-US Recall News
09/23/2009 - Tendon and ligament injuries and tendonitis are often symptoms of conditions or diseases such as, or caused by lifestyle or workplace activities, but could also be side effects associated with certain medications, such as Levaquin. More>>>

Lilly Reaches Zyprexa Agreement With Seven States
-Bloomberg
09/22/2009 - Eli Lilly & Co. agreed to settle, on confidential terms, lawsuits filed by seven states alleging the company improperly marketed its antipsychotic drug Zyprexa, a court-appointed official said. More>>>

Medical device firm flies in controversial surgeon
-TheAge
09/22/2009 - A CONTROVERSIAL American surgeon being investigated by the US Senate over his financial ties with medical device giant Medtronic was flown by the company to Australia to lecture doctors at a medical conference last month. More>>>

CALL7 Investigation: Recalled Baby Warmers At Local Hospital
Babies Could Be Burned, Investigation Prompts Changes
-ABC News
09/22/2009 - DENVER -- Swedish Medical Center boasts state of the art care, but the CALL7 Investigators found the hospital still using recalled baby warmers months after warnings and recalls were made public. The recalls were the a result of an incident at a Minnesota hospital in January 2008.
Maverick Werth, just hours old, was placed into what is called a Hill-Rom Stabilet when it burst into flames. More>>>

Glaxo Linked Birth Defect of Fetus to Paxil, Ex-Executive Says
-Bloomberg
09/18/2009 - Officials of GlaxoSmithKline Plc, the U.K.’s largest drugmaker, said in 2001 that a birth defect in the fetus of a woman taking its Paxil antidepressant likely was linked to the drug, according to court testimony. More>>>

Eli Lilly paid doctors to write Zyprexa prescriptions?
-Justice News Flash
09/18/2009 - South Carolina government lawyers introduced damaging evidence in a court hearing in a lawsuit against the drug company, Eli Lilly. Pharmaceutical sales representatives’ notes reveal South Carolina doctors were paid for prescribing Zyprexa, a now highly debated antipsychotic, to patients. More>>>

Trial opens here in Paxil lawsuit
-Philly Enquirer
09/17/2009 - GlaxoSmithKline P.L.C. for years ignored evidence that its antidepressant Paxil may have caused birth defects, a lawyer told a Philadelphia jury today on behalf of a woman who says that taking the drug during her pregnancy caused her three year-old son's heart problems. More>>>

Heartburn drug may cause brain damage
-STL Today
09/17/2009 -Q. A dear friend was put on Reglan for acid stomach and left on the drug for nine years. The therapy is only supposed to last a few weeks. She now has tardive dyskinesia. Her tongue is enlarged, and she can no longer speak properly. The side effects did not go away when the drug was stopped. Is there anything that can help her? Please warn your readers about Reglan. More>>>

Pennsylvania Poised to be Center of State Court Yaz(R) Yasmin(R) Ocella(R) Birth Control Litigation
- US Newswire
09/17/2009 - Yesterday, Judge Sandra Mazer Moss, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, consolidated all lawsuits filed in Philadelphia that involve Bayer's popular birth control pills, commonly known as Yaz or Yasmin. Philadelphia is likely to be the country's center for state court litigation involving this widely used birth control pill. More>>>

Heart Palpitations, Slow Heart Rate, Low Blood Pressure: Symptoms or Side Effects?
-US Recall News
09/17/2009 - Heart palpitations, slow heart rate, and low blood pressure are often symptoms of diseases or conditions like hormonal changes or Sleep apnea, but could also be side effects associated with certain medications. Below is a list of diseases and conditions associated with symptoms like heart palpitations, slow heart rate, and low blood pressure, as well as a list of medications related to similar side effects. More>>>

FDA Sends Warning Letter to Makers of Yaz – Yasmin
-US Recall News
09/17/2009 - As if the makers of Yasmin / Yaz didn’t have enough to worry about with pending lawsuits related to major side-effects, now they’ve been served a warning letter from the FDA for quality control problems at a plant in Germany that manufactures one of the ingredients in the drug. More>>>

Eight locals sue hip replacement manufacturer over alleged defects
- Bakersfield
09/17/2009 - A hip replacement was supposed to cure Mary Shelton's pain. Instead, the Bakersfield woman replaced one pain with another. Shelton and seven other local folks are suing the manufacturer and distributor of a hip replacement system. More>>>

FDA hits Medtronic sutureless catheter with Class I recall
Design flaw caused leakage, other problems in 10 patients when implant was used with Medtronic IsoMed infusion pumps.
-MassDevice
09/16/2009 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has classified a letter intended to correct a labeling error made by Medtronic Inc. with its Sutureless Connector intrathecal catheters as a Class I recall, the agency's most severe level of call-back. More>>>

Glaxo Executive’s Memo Suggested Burying Drug Studies
-Bloomberg
09/16/2009 - An executive of GlaxoSmithKline Plc, the world’s second-biggest drugmaker, talked about burying negative studies linking its antidepressant drug Paxil to birth defects, according to a company memo introduced at a trial. More>>>

Concern over use of zinc as common cold cure
-IrishTimes
09/16/2009 - It’s back to school time. Along with carrying all their books, some pupils will be bringing home the bugs that are making their way around the school. The search for cold remedies will soon be upon us. The FDA reported that it had received more than 130 complaints from people claiming they lost their sense of smell after using these products. It also demanded that the manufacturer, Matrixx, forward the 800 additional complaints it had received. By law, drug manufacturers are required to send such complaints to the FDA, but Matrixx had failed to do so. More>>>

Merck Case Over Fosamax Ends in Mistrial in New York
-Bloomberg
09/14/2009 - A federal judge declared a mistrial in the first case to go to a jury over claims that Merck & Co.’s osteoporosis drug Fosamax causes so-called jaw death after a lone juror refused to exonerate the company. More>>>

Weight Loss Drug Hydroxycut Reformulated and on Shelves
-ExamHealth
09/14/2009 - Just four months after it was recalled from consumers’ shelves, the weight loss supplement Hydroxycut has been reformulated and returned to a store near you. The popular weight loss product was removed from the market because it was linked to serious liver damage and one death. More>>>

VA ISSUES FURTHER CHANTIX AND ZYBAN WARNINGS
-VA Watchdog
09/14/2009 - "Family members and caregivers should also be alerted to the potential for changes in mood or behavior and contact the health care provider if they observe these changes..."
The VA is the premier organization for promoting smoking cessation programs. However, they tend to push drugs as the "helper of choice" for those veterans who wish to give up the cigarettes. The two drugs used by the VA are Chantix and Zyban (varenicline and bupropion, respectively). More>>>

Medtronic payments to doctor-consultants controversy erupts Down Under
-StarTribune
09/14/2009 - The stateside controversy concerning Medtronic's payments to its doctor-consultants has erupted Down Under. Citing confidential documents, the Sydney Morning Herald in Australia reported last week that the Fridley-based medical technology giant devised a "secret marketing strategy" in 2007 to woo doctors' loyalty by paying fellowship grants. More>>>

Fosamax Plaintiffs Lawyer: Mistrial a 'Shock' to Merck
-Am Law Litigation Daily.
09/13/2009 - To those tracking the first product liability trial accusing Merck's osteoporosis drug Fosamax of causing debilitating jaw bone deterioration, it should come as no surprise that a mistrial was declared Friday. But the lead plaintiffs lawyer's view of the eight-member jury's failure to reach a verdict may be a bit more eyebrow-raising. More>>>

What Is Ulcerative Colitis? What Causes Ulcerative Colitis?
-Medical News Today
09/13/2009 - Ulcerative colitis is a fairly common chronic (long-term) disease that causes inflammation of the colon (the large intestine). It is a form of inflammatory bowel disease that has some similarity to Crohn's disease, a related disorder. More>>>

BMJ: Ingredient in Bayer's Yaz Causes More Blood Clots Than Rivals
-Bnet
09/12/2009 - Folks inside the Yaz brand management team at Bayer have another pill-induced headache this month in the form of a BMJ study that indicates the progesterone ingredient of Yaz is more risky than those in other contraceptives. More>>>

Suicide and Aggressive Behavior Found as a Result Of Taking Anti-Smoking Drugs
-PR inside
09/12/2009 - In January of this year, David Collins killed himself with a shotgun just three months after he began taking Chantix (varenicline) a smoking cessation drug made by Pfizer. Linda Collins who is David Collins widow has filed a lawsuit in Indianapolis against Pfizer over Chantix (Champix in other countries) its side effects and its possible failure to provide warnings to users. More>>>

Medtronic warns about heart device battery
-Reuters
09/11/2009 - Medtronic Inc said it is warning doctors about problems with 6,300 implantable heart devices because the batteries in the devices drain sooner than normal. More>>>

Mistrial Declared In Merck Fosamax Liability Case
-Wall Street Journal
09/11/2009 - A judge declared a mistrial Friday in a closely watched case involving Merck & Co.'s osteoporosis drug Fosamax after a jury failed to reach a verdict amid tense jury deliberations. More>>>

Lilly in dock over improper marketing
-PharmaTimes
09/11/2009 - Eli Lilly is the new drug giant to be raked over hot coals for improper marketing of its drugs. Sales notes were made public for the first time in a South Carolina court this week allegedly detailing that Eli Lilly provided a number of incentives to doctors, such as being paid to take part in speakers’ programmes, in return for prescribing the company’s antipsychotic Zyprexa (olanzapine). More>>>

Is your laxative hurting you?
-Examiner
09/10/2009 - Fleet Phospho-soda is an over-the-counter laxative product that has been manufactured and marketed by C.B. Fleet Company for over a hundred years. These products have been approved by the FDA for use as laxatives in a lower dose and appear to be safe. However, problems began to occur in the 1990’s, when C.B. Fleet Company began teaming up with pharmaceutical companies to mass market the product in double doses to doctors offices and gastroenterologist’s clinics across the country as a preparatory solution for a colonoscopy procedure, something that the FDA has never given approval for. More>>>

Fosamax Judge Rejects Merck Bid To Exclude Experts' Testimony
-CNN
09/09/2009 - A federal judge denied a bid Wednesday by Merck & Co. to exclude the testimony of several expert witnesses and dismiss 24 personal-injury cases over its osteoporosis drug Fosamax. In an order Wednesday, U.S. District Judge John F. Keenan rejected efforts to exclude testimony by two doctors on whether Fosamax can cause a severe jaw condition known as osteonecrosis before three years of continuous use. More>>>

Merck loses effort to dismiss 24 Fosamax cases
-Reuters
09/09/2009 - A Manhattan federal judge has rejected Merck & Co's effort to dismiss 24 cases alleging that its Fosamax drug treatment for osteoporosis causes jaw damage. In an opinion released Wednesday, U.S. District Judge John Keenan ruled that the plaintiffs could introduce testimony by two doctors to show that the drug can cause jaw damage after less than three years of continuous use. More>>>

Despite 98 Suicides and 188 Suicide Attempts, FDA Favors Chantix Over Electronic Cigarettes:
Tobacco Control Expert Dr. Michael Siegel Calls for a Scientific, Not Ideological or Political Response to the Electronic Cigarette Issue
-Emailwire
09/09/2009 - An article in this week's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reports that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now acknowledged receiving 98 reports of suicides and 188 reports of suicide attempts that appear to be linked to use of Chantix, a prescription medication for smoking cessation. In addition, the FDA has received reports of patients taking the drug being involved in motor vehicle crashes. More>>>

Jury in bellwether Fosamax case unable to agree
-FiercePharma
09/09/2009 - The jury in the bellwether Fosamax case against Merck said today that they could not reach a decision, but the federal judge presiding over the case sent them back to the deliberation room to keep trying. The jury is to decide whether osteoporosis drug Fosamax caused a woman's osteonecrosis of the jaw--or "jawbone death." The plaintiff is asking for at least $1 million. More>>>

Judge To Give Jury 'Cooling Off' Period In Fosamax Case
-CNN Money
09/09/2009 - A U.S. judge called for a daylong "cooling off" period in a product-liability case over Merck & Co.'s (MRK) osteoporosis drug Fosamax after jury deliberations became tense on Wednesday. More>>>

Yaz/Yasmin birth control pills: Serial Killers?
-Examiner
09/08/2009 - Yasmin is the brand name for a birth control pill that is generically known as drospirenone. It is also a treatment for moderate acne and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) in women. Yasmin is produced by Berlex Laboratories, Inc.(this name changed to Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals in 2008) as an oral contraceptive. More>>>

Merck Jury Told to Keep Deliberating in Fosamax Case
-Bloomberg
09/08/2009 - A federal judge instructed a jury to continue deliberating whether Merck & Co.’s osteoporosis drug Fosamax caused a Florida woman’s “jaw death,” after the panel told the judge it couldn’t decide. More>>>

Obama administration may mean tougher FDA recalls
-Examiner
09/08/2009 - Time will only tell if this speculation proves true, but it appears to be the case with reference to the recent actions of the FDA against the popular homeopathic cold remedy Zicam Nasal Gel and Zicam Nasal Swabs. These products have been manufactured by Matrix Initiatives since 1999. More>>>

What's Really in Supplements? Regulators and Physicians Raise Alarms About Dangerous Ingredients in Many Herbal Remedies
-Wall Street Journal
09/08/2009 - When Dan Gerkey was trying to get into better shape a few years ago, he tried out a dietary supplement from a local store that promised to help build his strength. At first, the stuff worked. But after several weeks the police officer, who lives in Fraser, Mich., started feeling exhausted, and his wife noticed a yellowish tinge in his eyes. More>>>

Pfizer’s smoking-cessation drug cautions behavioural changes
-Hindu Business Line
09/08/2009 - Pfizer has updated the label on its smoking-cessation product Champix, to alert health professionals of behavioural changes, including depressed moods and suicidal thoughts, reportedly associated with such products. More>>>

Yaz and Yasmin: Potentially Dangerous
-24-7 Press Release
09/05/2009 - Two recently released studies in the prestigious British Medical Journal show oral contraceptives including Yaz and Yasmin cause a dramatic increase in the risk of blood clots. The data indicates users of the pills are 6.3 times more likely to suffer blood clots that can lead to dangerous health problems such as heart arrhythmia, heart attacks and strokes. More>>>

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics and double vision
-Examiner
09/04/2009 - In the September issue of Opthalmology, researchers from the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland analyzed 171 case reports from the National Registry of Drug-Induced Ocular Side Effects, World Health Organization, and Food and Drug Administration to determine the association of the antibiotics and diplopia (double vision). More>>>

Suicidal Thoughts and Rage: What are Causing Your Symptoms of Side Effects
-US Recall News
09/04/2009 - Suicidal thoughts and Rage are often symptoms of conditions like clinical depression, and bipolar disorder. Since everyone handles depression differently, the symptoms of this disease manifest in different ways. Extreme anger is a common – but often ignored – symptom of depression, especially in men. More>>>

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer settles with Justice Department, to pay 2.3 Billion in fines
-Examiner
09/04/2009 - In a record settlement, the U.S. Justice department announced on September 2nd that a settlement has been reached in its prosecution of fraudulent activities by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its subsidiaries. The charges included fraudulent marketing and related fraudulent medical insurance claims, as well as kickbacks to healthcare providers for prescribing Pfizer medicines. More>>>

39 Digitek plaintiffs must answer questions
-The West Virginia Record
09/03/2009 - Thirty-nine individuals suing drug companies Actavis Totowa and Mylan Bertek over Digitek heart medicine must answer questions loaded with trouble for their lawyers. On Aug. 26, U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Stanley ordered the 39 to admit or deny that their lawyers possessed no medical or pharmacy records when they filed complaints. More>>>

Judge wants 'global settlement' of remaining AG Zyprexa suits
-Legal Newsline
09/03/2009 - U.S. District Judge Jack Weinstein recently continued his push to have all state actions filed against Eli Lilly & Co. over its prescription antipsychotic Zyprexa settled. More>>>

Pfizer to pay $2.3 billion, agrees to criminal plea
-Reuters
09/03/2009 - Pfizer Inc agreed on Wednesday to plead guilty to a U.S. criminal charge relating to promotion of its now-withdrawn Bextra pain medicine and will pay a record $2.3 billion to settle allegations it improperly marketed 13 medicines. More>>>

Jurors weigh jaw risk of Merck osteoporosis drug
-Reuters
09/03/2009 - Jurors heard sharply different closing arguments on Wednesday in a trial over whether or not Merck & Co's Fosamax drug treatment for osteoporosis caused a Florida woman's jaw damage. The trial in New York is Merck's first out of some 1,280 plaintiff groups involving almost 900 cases over U.S. lawsuits by patients who claim Fosamax caused the condition known as osteonecrosis of the jaw, or ONJ. More>>>

Fosamax Case Goes to Jury
-The Wall Street Journal
09/03/2009 - A lawyer for Merck & Co. told a jury Wednesday that the osteoporosis drug Fosamax isn't the cause of a severe jaw problem suffered by a 71-year-old Florida woman who took the drug for years. More>>>

Some antibiotics can cause double vision
-LA Times
09/02/2009 - Add one more side effect to the growing list of adverse events associated with the family of antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones: double vision. The powerful drugs are widely used to treat infections, including bacterial or chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, urinary infections and some skin infections. But they have been associated with a wide variety of side effects, including tendinitis (an inflammation of tendons) and tendon rupture, gastrointestinal problems, liver damage, central nervous system problems and skin phototoxicity. More>>>

Yaz Lawsuits Heat Up – Is a Recall on the Horizon?
-US Recall News
09/02/2009 - Several lawsuits have been filed against Bayer due to serous side effects associated with Yasmin / Yaz. Here we discuss the implications such a lawsuit would have on a potential recall. Both the drugs are oral contraceptives that contain synthetic versions of the hormones estrogen and progestin, and are associated with side effects including stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, gallbladder problems, and kidney problems. More>>>

Carter Albrecht's Dad Explains Why, Two Years Later, He and His Wife are Suing Pfizer
-UnfairPark
09/02/2009 -Yesterday in Dallas federal court, Carter Albrecht's parents, Ken and Judy, finally sued Pfizer, claiming that its smoking-cessation drug Chantix played a "direct and proximate" role in Carter's shooting death almost two years ago to the day. More>>>

Merck’s Fosamax Didn’t Attack Woman’s Jaw, Jury Told
-Bloomberg
09/02/2009 - Merck & Co. didn’t cause a Florida woman’s “jaw death” with its osteoporosis drug Fosamax, a lawyer for the company told jurors at the close of the first trial of hundreds of claims over the medicine. Fosamax plaintiffs say Merck, the U.S. drugmaker buying Schering-Plough Corp., misrepresented the drug’s safety and failed to warn doctors and patients that it might hamper blood flow to the jaw, which causes jawbone-tissue death. More>>>

Bayer didn't warn of Trasylol's possible side effects, suit claims
-The St. Clair Record
08/31/2009 - A man and woman have filed a suit against Bayer, alleging they were not warned of possible side effects in a drug used to control bleeding in coronary artery bypass grafting. More>>>

Drivers of off-road vehicles urged to get safety upgrades
-The Miami Herald
08/31/2009 - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said it received reports of nearly 60 deaths involving the Yamaha Rhino 660 vehicle and similar ones. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning drivers of recreational off-highway vehicles, and especially drivers of Yamaha Rhinos, to remain vigilant about safety before hitting the trails and while off-roading. More>>>

Drugmakers willing to pay to get doctor's approval
-St.PetersburgTimes
08/29/2009 - There are lots of reasons why your doctor might switch your prescription to a Lilly drug. One of them might be found in a new online database that lists how much Eli Lilly & Co. paid physicians for their expertise during the first quarter of 2009. For the first time, Floridians can see if their doctors juggled patient appointments with speaking gigs for the maker of popular drugs like Cymbalta, Zyprexa and Cialis. More>>>

Medtronic CEO defends paid physician consulting contracts
-FierceHealthcare
08/29/2009 - Lately, medical device companies and pharmaceutical giants have been taking a lot of heat for their relationships with doctors. Critics suggest that it's seldom, if ever, a good idea for doctors to get paid for collaborating with such companies, as the payments essentially come down to a kickback in most cases. More>>>

Studies tipping toward surgery to prevent strokes
-Reuters
08/29/2009 - Surgery may be a better way to clear blockages in neck arteries and prevent strokes than less invasive treatment such as angioplasty, European researchers reported on Friday. More>>>

Dr. David Polly Resigns From American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Board
-DotMed
08/28/2009 - Under intense scrutiny for not revealing a relationship with Medtronic, Dr. David Polly, a well-known spine surgeon, has resigned from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Board. More>>>

AstraZeneca faces lawsuits over Seroquel
-EmaxHealth
08/27/2009 - AstraZeneca sales over $5 billion a year worldwide from its drug Seroquel alone. Recently it has come to the attention of the public of the astronomical lawsuit defense costs as a result of failing to adequately warn about the serious side effects the drug carries. More>>>

First Yamaha Rhino trial under way in Orange
-Southeast Texas Record
08/27/2009 - What could prove to be a landmark case, a dozen Orange County residents have been tasked to decide if Yamaha Motor Co. cut costs and negligently placed a defective off-road vehicle into the stream of commerce. With hundreds of Yamaha ATV suits pending in courts around the country, the outcome of the trial in Orange, which began Aug. 18, may influence how Yamaha proceeds with similar litigation. More>>>

Maytag Recalls Refrigerators Due To Fire Hazard
- TWICE
08/27/2009 - Maytag, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), has voluntarily recalled 46,000 refrigerators due to a fire hazard. The refrigerators have an electrical failure in the relay - the component that turns on the refrigerator's compressor - that can cause overheating and pose a serious fire hazard. More>>>

Maytag, Magic Chef, Performa by Maytag, Crosley Refrigerators
-ConsumerAffairs
08/26/2009 - Maytag Corp. is expanding its recall of Maytag, Magic Chef, Performa by Maytag and Crosley brand refrigerators. An electrical failure in the relay, the component that turns on the refrigerator’s compressor, can cause overheating and pose a serious fire hazard. The latest recall is for 46,000 refrigerators. About 1.6 million units were recalled in March 2009. More>>>

Stabilet Infant Warmer models 200, 300, 1250, 1500, 200/3000, 2000, 2200/3200, 3000, and 3200 [Dräeger/Hill-Rom]
-FDA
08/26/2009 - FDA notified healthcare professionals of a Class 1 recall of these models of the Stabilet infant warmer because these out-of-date devices may cause serious injury to infants and caregivers due to the possibility that the warmer might be the ignition source for a fire. More>>>

Recalled SUV may be linked to fire
-TheDailyAdvertiser
08/26/2009 - Investigators are looking into whether a faulty cruise control switch could have sparked a fire that destroyed an SUV and two homes in Lafayette on Saturday. Firefighters responded to the 300 block of Macklyn Drive after a 1999 Ford Expedition caught fire under a carport. More>>>

Gadolinium and Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis Symptoms
-US Recall News
08/26/2009 - Gadolinium is a contrast agent used in MRI. Gadolinium can cause side effects ranging from minor skin irritations to debilitating, and sometimes fatal, Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF). Gadolinium is especially dangerous for patients with poor renal function. Below is a list of side effects associated with Gadolinium, including the symptoms of NSF. More>>>

W.Va.'s Zyprexa settlement unsealed
-Legal Newsline
08/25/2009 - Pharmaceuticals maker Eli Lilly & Co. has agreed to pay $22.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw over its prescription anti-psychotic Zyprexa. More>>>

Diabetes drug linked to heart failure risk
-UPI
08/25/2009 - Canadian scientists say they have discovered rosiglitazone (Avandia) a type 2 diabetes drug, might be linked with increased risk of heart failure and death. The scientists from the University of Toronto and the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center in Toronto, said the linkage was found among older patients, compared to a similar drug, pioglitazone (Actos). More>>>

ATV rollover injures 23-year-old's face
Alcohol may have been a factor,
-WOOD TV
08/24/2009 - A 23-year-old Kentwood man who was the passenger of a 2008 Yamaha Rhino ATV suffered facial fractures after the vehicle flipped as it was rolling down a hill. He was treated at Spectrum Butterworth Hospital. More>>>

Birth control pill 'Yaz' named in suit against Bayer, Walgreens
-St.Clair Record
08/24/2009 - After a birth control pill spent months in the spotlight during commercials aimed at correcting misrepresentations about it, the pill is now at the center of a St. Clair County lawsuit. Kerry Sims filed a lawsuit Aug. 18 against Bayer and Walgreens, alleging her ingestion of the birth control pill Yasmin, which is also known as Yaz, caused her to experience a blood clot in her lung and infection surrounding the clot. More>>>

Suit alleges Yamaha Rhino at fault in death
-Beaumont Enterprise
08/23/2009 - Twelve people in Orange County are listening to engineers, looking at police photos and following computer graphics that seek to explain the death of a 13-year-old and the possible role of a Yamaha Rhino. More>>>

Researchers decry use of diabetes drug Avandia
-The Canadian Press
08/23/2009 - Some Ontario researchers are calling into question the continued use of the controversial diabetes drug Avandia, saying a competing drug in the same class is as effective and less dangerous. The scientists, from Toronto's Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, said people taking Actos or pioglitazone for Type 2 diabetes are 23 per cent less likely to be hospitalized for heart failure and 14 per cent less likely to die than people taking Avandia or rosiglitazone. More>>>

Surgeon accused of faking study resigns
-UPI
08/21/2009 - A surgeon accused of faking a study on a bone growth drug used to treat wounded Iraq war veterans has resigned from a St. Louis university, the school said. More>>>

Lilly to Pay $22.5 Million to Settle Zyprexa Suit
-Bloomberg
08/21/2009 - Eli Lilly & Co. will pay $22.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the state of West Virginia claiming the company improperly marketed its antipsychotic drug Zyprexa. More>>>

Three states have Sept. date for Zyprexa arguments
-Legal Newsline
08/20/2009 - Three state attorneys general who still have Zyprexa lawsuits against Eli Lilly & Co. will have their attorneys in Brooklyn federal court next month to argue their cases and possibly talk settlement. More>>>

Rosiglitazone safety questioned, again, this time in population-based study
-TheHeart.org
08/20/2009 - Toronto, ON - The risk of dying or being hospitalized with heart failure, but not of MI, is lower among older diabetic patients taking pioglitazone (Actos, Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America) than in those taking rosiglitazone (Avandia, GlaxoSmithKline), suggests a retrospective analysis based on outpatient data from across Ontario. More>>>

Stop prescribing killer diabetes drug, scientists warn:
Rosiglitazone, brand name Avandia, has higher rates of heart failure and death than similar alternative
-Guardian UK
08/20/2009 - Scientists say doctors should stop prescribing a commonly used diabetes drug, after studies show that it is linked to higher rates of heart failure and death than a similar alternative. More>>>

Digitek MDL judges deny request to transfer cases to Texas judge
- West Virginia Record
08/20/2009 - AUSTIN, Texas -- Manufacturers and distributors of heart medicine Digitek succeeded in consolidating 19 personal injury suits from 12 counties, but were taught a lesson in judge shopping. On Aug. 5, multi district judges in Austin transferred suits against drug maker Actavis Totowa and distributor Mylan Pharmaceuticals to a pretrial judge, but denied a motion to put Jefferson County District Judge Milton Shuffield in charge of the cases. More>>>

Glaxo's Avandia riskier than Takeda drug -study
-Reuters
08/19/2009 - GlaxoSmithKline Plc's diabetes drug Avandia is associated with an increased risk of heart failure and death among older patients compared with Takeda Actos, according to Canadian research. More>>>

Diabetes drug could lead to heart failure: Study
-The Vancouver Sun
08/19/20019 - New research involving nearly 40,000 Ontario patients is questioning the use of a widely prescribed diabetes drug that an expert in drug safety says should be removed from the market. The study, published this week by the British Medical Journal, found that rosiglitazone — sold under the brand name Avandia — is associated with an increased risk of heart failure and death compared to a similar drug, pioglitazone, or Actos. More>>>

ATV fun comes with risk
-Journal Star
08/19/2009 - In a risk-averse age in which kids ride in massive car seats and are ordered by their parents to put on helmets for a bicycle ride down the block, there are odd exceptions to public's apparent obsession with safety. A glaring example is the all-terrain vehicle. The public could benefit from a better education on the risks of the little ATVs, some of which can reach speeds in excess of 60 miles an hour. ATVs can be lethal, especially when they are operated unsafely. More>>>

Surgeon Tied to Bone Product Inquiry Resigns
-The New York Times
08/19/2009 - A former Army surgeon accused of falsifying a study on a bone growth product used on severely injured Iraq war veterans has resigned his teaching position at Washington University in St. Louis, a spokeswoman said Tuesday night. The surgeon, Dr. Timothy R. Kuklo, 48, was placed on leave earlier this year while the university investigated charges against him. Medtronic, a maker of the bone growth product Infuse, also suspended his consulting contract. The company paid him nearly $800,000 the last few years. More>>>

The good and the not-so-good of osteoporosis drugs
- North Island Midweek
08/18/2009 - “Do you treat osteoporosis?” asked Patty. “I have been doing some research and I sure want to avoid the Fosamax that my doctor has prescribed for me.” Patty, 65, had recently read an article about the bisphosphonates, the drugs that are used to treat osteoporosis. These include Fosamax, Actonel and Didrocal. The most notable things she remembered from the article were the increased risk of jaw necrosis (death of the jaw bone), increased risk of esophageal cancer and atrial fibrillation. More>>>

Food Safety Forum Focuses On Salmonella, Peanut Butter
-MyNC
08/18/2009 - Earlier this year, a nationwide salmonella outbreak virtually shut down the peanut industry, while plants rid themselves of contaminated peanut butter paste. The outbreak was one of the biggest topics of conversation at the 5th Annual Commissioner's Food Safety Forum Tuesday at the State Fairgrounds. More>>>

Off-label Botox applications linked to deaths
-Grinza
08/17/2009 - Botox, the famous anti-wrinkle drug, has been linked to fatal and severe complications in cerebral palsy patients, a treatment unapproved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Botox and other similar products use a purified form of botulinum toxin that temporarily paralyzes the muscles to stop repetitive movements, preventing wrinkles from forming. More>>>

Eli Lilly Zyprexa Risk Side Effects
-OPENPRESS
08/17/2009 - Zyprexa's many drug interactions, side effects,and effectiveness could not be detected when the drug was FDA approved. They were found only after the drug have been used by millions of people and for a long time.
Eli Lilly has received the largest criminal fine ever against a drug company over their Zyprexa cash cow,add it all up comes to $4.6 billion, in Zyprexa settlements,fines,litigation. More>>>

On mission to sue med-tech makers
-StarTribune
08/17/2009 - As Michele Meyer navigated the hallways of Congress earlier this month, meeting lawmakers and telling her story, she felt as though her daughter Katie was beside her, urging her on. "She would have been right there," said Meyer, of Cambridge, Minn. "She was very outgoing, exuberant, true to herself and her own beliefs." But Katie, 30, died in 2008 after surgery to remove a heart defibrillator wire made by Medtronic Inc. that had been recalled for safety reasons. More>>>

TZDs may increase risk for fracture in men, women
-Endocrine Today
08/17/2009 - Men and women who are exposed to thiazolidinediones may be at increased risk for fractures, especially with pioglitazone. A prospective cohort study examined risk for fractures in 84,339 adults (mean age, 59; 43% women) from British Columbia, Canada, who began treatment with a TZD or sulfonylurea. More>>>

Low-estrogen birth-control pills safer than others
European research finds that oral contraceptives with high doses of the hormone increase users' risk of blood clots
-The Globe And Mail
08/15/2009 - Many women are not using the safest birth-control pills possible, new research suggests. While it is well established that taking oral contraceptives slightly increases the risk of blood clots, two new European studies say that risk varies depending on the type of product chosen. More>>>

Drug companies will get chance to prove bogus claims
-TheWestVirginiaRecord
08/15/2009 - CHARLESTON - U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Stanley will give drug companies Actavis Totowa and Mylan Pharmaceuticals a chance to prove that lawyers filed bogus suits in national litigation over heart medicine Digitek. More>>>

THE most popular oral contraceptive in Ireland is not the safest, research suggests.
-IrishExaminer
08/14/2009 - Yasmin is the preferred choice among Irish women but it carries an almost six-fold added risk of blood clots, compared with women not on the pill. More>>>

Accutane trial set to begin in Madison County
-The Madison St.Clair Record
08/13/2009 - Madison County Circuit Judge Dave Hylla is set to preside over a medical malpractice trial Monday involving acne medication Accutane. Godfrey native Jason Peipert sued Dr. Daniel Goran, Hoffman LaRoche Inc., and Roche Laboratories in 2003, claiming he developed Crohn's Disease, an inflammatory bowel disorder, after using the drug Goran prescribed 10 years ago. More>>>

Area doctors paid thousands by Eli Lilly
-TheRoanokeTimes
08/13/2009 - The drug company Eli Lilly and Co. pumped $60,562.50 into the pockets of Roanoke doctors and other health care providers during the first three months of the year. More>>>

Kanawha woman files suit against diet product maker
-The Charleston Gazette
08/12/2009 - CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A Kanawha County woman has filed a lawsuit against the makers of popular weight-loss product Hydroxycut, alleging that they falsely marketed their products as safe and effective dietary supplements. More>>>

Belle Mead woman pitches Medical Device Safety Act to Congress
-MyCentralJersey
08/12/2009 - Several years ago, Jan Beadling was driving with her daughter when she went into cardiac arrest and slipped into a coma. Beadling was rushed to a hospital, and her life was saved, but it was two weeks before Beadling started breathing again on her own. More>>>

Fosamax lawsuits begin
-WHYY News
08/12/2009 - Hundreds of patients who used the osteoporosis drug Fosamax are suing the manufacturer over damage to their jawbones. The first of hundreds of lawsuits against pharmaceutical company Merck will begin in New York. A jury will decide whether the company misrepresented the side effects associated with Fosamax treatment. More>>>

Shoulder Pain Pump Injuries
-24/7 PressRelease
08/11/2009 - Scientific evidence now suggests that shoulder pain pumps temporarily implanted in the joint during surgery may be linked to serious shoulder injuries. The painful resulting condition is known as Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL). More>>>

The US Drug Watchdog Calls Zicam Nasal Gel Or Zicam Swabs A National Disaster That May Have Caused People To Lose Their Sense Of Smell
-PR Web
08/11/2009 - The US Drug Watchdog is intensifying its national efforts to get the word out about the FDA recalled drug products called Zicam Nasal Gel & Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs. According to the group, "Our reasons are pretty simple. We fear these Zicam products are in millions of US homes, and the US FDA has said, use of the products could result in a loss of taste, or smell." More>>>

Misuse of Fluoroquinolones May Be Causing Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis
-DG News
08/11/2009 - Use of a fluoroquinolone may be undercutting its utility as a first-line defense against drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), according to a study published in the August 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. More>>>

Merck readies for first Fosamax trial
-Reuters
08/11/2009 - Merck & Co on Tuesday is slated to fight the first of numerous U.S. lawsuits brought by patients who claim they suffered jaw damage from the company's widely used Fosamax treatment for osteoporosis. Some 1280 plaintiff groups, involving almost 900 cases, have alleged jaw problems due to Fosamax, a one-time blockbuster product that recently began facing generic competition in the United States. More>>>

Husband Of ATV Crash Victim Speaks
-KPHO News
08/10/2009 - Although it appears as though Tyler Chase’s Yamaha Rhino was not in a serious accident, a wreck involving the all-terrain vehicle took the life of Tyler’s wife, Jennifer. More>>>

FDA Warns Against Three Zicam Cold Medicines
-24/7 PressRelease
08/10/2009 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises consumers to stop using three Zicam products marketed as cold remedies. The products are associated with the loss of sense of smell (anosmia), a condition the federal agency warns could be long-lasting or permanent. More>>>

Merck Faces First Trial of Claim That Fosamax Attacks Jawbone
-Bloomberg
08/10/2009 - Merck & Co., the drugmaker facing 900 lawsuits over claims that its osteoporosis drug Fosamax causes the death of jawbone tissue, goes to trial tomorrow in a case that may affect all the others. More>>>

Information Update: Health Canada Removes Purgative Use From Label for Over-the-Counter Oral Sodium Phosphate Products
-EarthTimes
08/06/2009 - Further to the Public Warning issued March 5, 2009, Health Canada is informing Canadians that over-the-counter oral sodium products are no longer indicated for bowel cleansing. These products have either been voluntarily relabelled to remove the bowel cleansing (i.e., "purgative") indication, or discontinued from the Canadian market. Oral sodium phosphate products should only be used as a laxative. More>>>

Off-Roading With Safety: CPSC Reminder to Yamaha Rhino Riders to Stay Safe This Summer
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
08/06/2009 - Summer is here and that means off-road riding is in high season in many communities. As side-by-side recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) continue to gain in popularity, so does the number of reports to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission of injuries and deaths involving these vehicles. Even though ROVs have a roll cage and seat belts, CPSC urges all riders and passengers to remain vigilant about safety before hitting the trails and while off-roading. More>>>

Antibotic Type- Please Read. Ive Experienced Adverse effects from Cipro for a UTI
-pgcitizen
08/06/2009 - Fluoroquinolones were originally designed and approved for serious infections which do not respond to traditional antibiotic therapy. However, they are increasingly being prescribed for routine infections that do not warrant such powerful and dangerous antibacterials. More>>>

Yamaha's Rhino: For Some A Deadly Ride
Exclusive CBS News Investigation Finds 59 Deaths, Hundreds Of Injuries Linked To Yamaha's Off-Road Vehicle
-CBS News
08/05/2009 - In the swath of Kentucky called the Land Between The Lakes, the Turkey Bay Off-Highway Vehicle Area is a rugged expanse of hills and woodlands crisscrossed by 100 miles of trails. Test drivers came here in July, 2002, to try out the Yamaha Rhino, a new breed of off-road vehicle then in development, and had a mishap that would resonate years later. More>>>

FDA Safety Information: Stop Recalls Before They Start
-TheLedger
08/05/2009 - Warnings and recalls are necessary components of any system that seeks to protect consumers and their health. Yet these actions - which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has regularly used to warn consumers after specific over-the-counter supplements caused health problems in users - are not acceptable alternatives to effective testing and regulation before such products are sold. More>>>

Bettendorf man testifies in Washington about medical device failure
-Quad City Times
08/05/2009 - Two years ago, Michael Mulvihill was driving through a construction zone in western Ohio when he saw a blue flash and felt a jolt. At first, the Bettendorf man said, he thought that he had hit something in the road. Instead, he said, it was something in his chest - the defibrillator that had been implanted a little more than a year earlier for an irregular heart beat and pulse rate. More>>>

FDA Signs Off On Botox Warning; Changes Generic Name
-The Wall Street Journal
08/04/2009 - The Food and Drug Administration said Monday it approved a new warning on Allergan Inc.'s (AGN) Botox and a similar product about the possibility of life-threatening breathing and swallowing problems, following up on an earlier announcement about tougher warnings. More>>>

Health 101: Does the FDA approve weight loss supplements?
-Examiner
08/04/2009 - Within the past 12 months over 86 weight loss supplements have been flagged by the FDA as unsafe. Over 70 products tested positive for potentially harmful prescription drugs and chemicals that were not declared by their manufacturers. Fourteen Hydroxycut products were also recently recalled after the FDA reported possible liver damaging side effects. More>>>

Statement By Merck & Co., Inc. Regarding FOSAMAX® (alendronate Sodium) And Rare Cases Of Osteonecrosis Of The Jaw
-Medical News Today
08/02/2009 - Merck is committed to putting patients first and providing accurate information regarding the efficacy, safety and tolerability of our medicines. Merck offers the following statement concerning the osteoporosis medication FOSAMAX® (alendronate sodium) and reports of jaw problems associated with delayed healing and infection of the jaw often following tooth extraction. More>>>

U of M surgeon's ties to Medtronic under scrutiny|
-MPR News
07/31/2009 - A University of Minnesota spine surgeon is now part of a larger look into the financial relationship between doctors and private medical companies. U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, is asking the U of M for information on Dr. David Polly, a surgeon who was paid more than $1 million in consulting fees by medical device maker Medtronic, which is based in Fridley. More>>>

Patient safety advanced by revised heparin standards
-ScienceBlog
07/31/2009 - Continuing to help ensure the identity, purity and quality of heparin, the U.S. Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention has revised written and physical standards for the widely used blood thinner. More>>>

Merck Won’t Face Punitive Damages in Fosamax Trial
-Bloomberg
07/30/2009 - Merck & Co., facing more than 850 lawsuits over claims that its osteoporosis drug Fosamax may cause irreversible “jaw rot,” won’t face punitive damages in the first trial, a federal judge said. More>>>

AstraZeneca Q2: $593M Seroquel Legal Bill Taps Out Insurance; Income Charges Expected
-BNET Pharma
07/30/2009 - AstraZeneca said its Seroquel litigation costs have exceeded $593 million, and that it has tapped out the extent of its liability insurance. With no more insurance available to cover its bills, the company said it will take charges on its income statement in upcoming quarters. More>>>

Woman Claims Denture Cream Crippled Her
-NewsNet5
07/30/2009 - BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Like most moms, Marianne Chapman plays Xbox with her little one. But unlike most moms, Chapman said she doesn't have full use of her hands to compete. The 31-year-old said the problems started years ago. "I woke up and had no feeling in my hands," Chapman said. More>>>

Spine Surgeon Didn't Disclose Medtronic Pay in Testimony
-The Wall Street Journal
07/29/2009 - In May 2006, University of Minnesota spine surgeon David Polly urged a Senate committee to fund research into the severe arm, leg and spine injuries suffered by soldiers in Iraq and elsewhere. More>>>

FDA Warns Consumers Not to Use Body Building Products Marketed as Containing Steroids or Steroid-Like Substances
Agency issues Warning Letter to American Cellular Laboratories for marketing and distributing potentially harmful steroid-containing products
-FDA
07/29/2009 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a Public Health Advisory (PHA) warning consumers to stop using body building products that are represented as containing steroids or steroid-like substances. Many of these products are marketed as dietary supplements. More>>>

U surgeon's deals with Medtronic draw fire
Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa also is scrutinizing whether the University of Minnesota adequately oversees potential conflicts of interest.
-StarTribune
07/29/2009 - A top spine surgeon at the University of Minnesota who has reaped more than $1 million consulting for Medtronic Inc. is facing tough questions from a prominent U.S. senator investigating financial conflicts in medicine. More>>>

Bone-building drug led to stress fracture
-The People's Pharmacy
07/28/2009 - Two weeks after I suffered a thighbone fracture that had started as a hairline stress fracture, a friend alerted me to your column citing an article in The Journal of the American Medical Association (Feb. 18). I showed it to my doctors, and we all agreed that my fracture was caused by long-term use (12 years) of Fosamax. More>>>

Antipsychotics pose high risks for older diabetics:
Patients were up to 15 times more likely to need hospital treatment for elevated blood sugar if new to the medications
-GlobeLife
07/28/2009 - Diabetic seniors on newly prescribed antipsychotic medications have up to 15 times the risk of being hospitalized for dangerously high blood-sugar levels as diabetics not taking the powerful drugs, new Canadian research shows. More>>>

Diabetes drug Avandia comes under new criticism
-LA Times
07/25/2009 - The diabetes drug rosiglitazone, already under fire because it has been found to increase the risk of heart attacks, can also produce liver failure and death in some patients, researchers from the activist group Public Citizen said this week. More>>>

Man Says Botox Left Him Crippled
-Courthouse News Service
07/24/2009 - Botox injections for writer's cramp left a man with devastating brain injuries, including "multiple ischemic brain lesions" and "dementing encephalopathy," he says in an $11 million claim against Allergan, which makes the drug. More>>>

Lilly nears another Zyprexa settlement
-FiercePharma
07/24/2009 - Eli Lilly is close to settling another slate of Zyprexa marketing cases. According to the company's quarterly report, it's in "advanced discussions" with attorneys general investigating the company for off-label promotions of the antipsychotic drug. More>>>

Yamaha Rhino suit to proceed in Orange after appeals court denies mandamus request
-The South East Texas Record
07/23/2009 - After a quick trip to a higher court, a wrongful death trial against Yamaha can proceed next month as planned, now that the Ninth Court of Appeals of Texas has shot down the motor company's petition for mandamus. More>>>

Woman Needed New Liver After Taking Recalled Drugstore Diet Supplement
-FOX News
07/23/2009 - The Food and Drug Administration in May warned Americans to immediately stop using the over-the-counter diet drug Hydroxycut because of concerns over liver failure. More>>>

Polaris Recalls 2009 ATVs
-ConsumerAffairs
07/23/2009 - Polaris Industries is recalling about 4,700 2009-model ATVs. The valve assembly can fail in freezing temperatures, causing oil to leak into the exhaust system. This could pose a fire and burn hazard to the rider. More>>>

More Jefferson County suits filed over Digitek dosage
-The South East Texas Record
07/23/2009 - Actavis, UDL Laboratories and Mylan Pharmaceuticals are being sued by at least three different plaintiffs who claim they or their deceased relative took a prescription drug for heart problems that contained twice the approved level of its active ingredient. More>>>

Dangerous Diet Supplements Remain On The Market
-CBS News
07/22/2009 - "Rapid Weight Loss"… "Get the Body You Want"… But at what cost? These powerful claims are being made about a popular diet supplement, but the key ingredient is known to cause liver damage. So why is it on the market? CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine has a serious warning. More>>>

Medtronic Recalls Its Quick-set Infusion Sets
-Diabetes Health
07/22/2009 - Minneapolis-based Medtronic Inc. is recalling some lots of its Quick-set infusion sets over concerns that they may cause insulin pumps to deliver too much or too little insulin. More>>>

Dräger Initiates a Voluntary Device Recall of Stabilet Contacts Current Users
-FDA
07/20/2009 - Draeger Medical Inc. recommends the removal of Stabilet Infant Warmer models 200, 300, 1250, 1500, 200/3000, 2000, 2200/3200, 3000, and 3200 from service and replacing them with alternative warmers as soon as it is feasible. More>>>

Experts Welcome FDA Order For Warning Labels On Anti-smoking Drugs
-Medindia
07/20/2009 - Smoking cessation experts have heartily welcomed the US FDA’s order for warning labels on anti-smoking drugs Chantix and Zyban. Varenicline, marketed as Chantix and bupropion, marketed as Zyban, might set off changes in behavior — hostility, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and attempts at suicide. More>>>

FDA looks into Xolair side effects
-PharmacyNews
07/20/2009 - A link between an asthma drug and adverse heart and cerebrovascular effects is being investigated by the United States drug regulator. More>>>

Food safety in the age of recalls: What the government is doing to protect us, and what you can do
-DAILY NEWS
07/20/2009 - With 5,000 Americans expected to die and another 75 million expected to get sick this year after eating contaminated food, food safety is a national health concern. Recalls within the past year on contaminated products like cookie dough and peanut butter have brought into focus the fact that increased government oversight, as well as individual self-protective measures, are crucial. More>>>

FDA Investigating Safety of Asthma Drug Xolair
Injected medication may be linked to higher risk of heart attack, stroke, agency says
-U.S.News
07/18/2009 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has begun a safety review of the asthma drug Xolair (omalizumab) after reports of an increased risk of heart attack, abnormal heart rhythm, heart failure, and stroke, the agency said Thursday. More>>>

FDA scrutinizing safety of asthma drug Xolair
-CNN
07/18/2009 - The Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday it is conducting a safety review of the asthma drug Xolair after data from an ongoing study suggested an increased number of heart attacks and strokes among patients who use it. More>>>

Denture Adhesive Can Be Toxic to Some Patients
-PRWeb
07/17/2009 - A recent report in the medical Journal Neurology www.neurology.org search "denture cream" documented several patients in which zinc poisoning was a result of their denture cream. In the past, dental patients commonly reported disliking the smell, taste, and general messiness of denture creams. More>>>

Kuklo-Medtronic timeline gets messier with new details
-MinnPost
07/16/2009 - The Dr. Kuklo-Medtronic timeline got a little messier last night with new disclosures reported by the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Dr. Timothy Kuklo, a former military surgeon, is under fire for allegedly falsifying data in a study of Medtronic's bone-growth product Infuse. More>>>

Medical-Device Suits Allege Kickbacks
-The Wall Street Journal
07/16/2009 - Former employees of certain medical-device makers allege in lawsuits unsealed in a Texas federal court that the companies paid kickbacks to heart surgeons to get the doctors to use their products to treat the heart-rhythm defect called atrial fibrillation. More>>>

Serious Side Effects From Yaz and Yasmin Oral Contraceptives
-Best Syndication
07/15/2009 - If you are taking either Yaz or Yasmin birth control pills, be aware that there could be some severe effects on your health. Those who have elevated blood potassium should not take these pills, because they can raise your blood potassium. A high potassium level in the body can cause: More>>>

Zicam: Homeopathy Fails the Sniff Test
-In These Times
07/15/2009 - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has caught itself in a trap of precedent and logic that should force it, finally, to regulate homeopathic products. FDA regulations require that drugs and treatments be “scientifically proven safe and effective. More>>>

Beware of faulty hip replacement parts
-Telegraph Journal
07/15/2009 - Patty Owen is only 41 years old, but has just had her right hip replaced for the third time. Three years ago she went in to have an artificial hip replaced that had kept her going for 18 years because it had simply worn out. But since 2006 she has been in constant pain and unable to return to work. More>>>

Medtronic Recalls 60,000 Paradigm Quick-Set Infusion Sets
-US Recall News
07/14/2009 - Medtronic has issued a recall of specific lots of infusion sets that are for use with MiniMed Paradigm insulin pumps. These infusion sets may not work properly, resulting in a delivery of too little or too much insulin, which could result in injury or death. More>>>

The US Drug Watchdog Expands Its National Investigation Of Zicam Gel & Zicam Swabs For Individuals Who Lost Their Sense Of Smell Or Taste
-PRWeb
07/14/2009 - The US Drug Watchdog is expanding its state by state & national investigation of Zican Nasal Gel & Zicam Nasal Swabs because according to the US Food & Drug Administration one application could be enough for a consumer to lose their sense of smell, or taste, potentially for life. More>>>

Lawsuit: MRI dye linked to disease
RI woman among those joining a lawsuit
-WPRI
07/14/2009 - A Warwick woman has joined 516 other plaintiffs in a massive lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies that make certain dyes used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The woman, who did not want to be identified, was diagnosed with nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) in 2006 after being injected with a contrast-agent made with gadolinium. More>>>

Anti-smoking drugs may increase risk of depression
-Examiner
07/14/2009 - Psychiatric issues in patients using anti-smoking drugs has led the Food and Drug Administration to call for the agency’s strongest warning, a “Black Box” warning. More>>>

Zyprexa user claims diabetes in suit against Eli Lilly
-St.ClaireRecord
07/14/2009 - Eli Lilly is being sued by an Illinois man who claims he developed diabetes after taking the antipsychotic medication Zyprexa. Caleb Russell says he began taking drug, which is used to treat schizophrenia and acute manic episodes associated with Bipolar I disorder, at the age of 13 in 2003. A short time after his ingestion of the medication, Russell developed diabetes, according to the complaint filed June 30 in St. Clair County Circuit Court. More>>>

Older schizophrenia drug safer than more widely prescribed ones, study says
-Los Angeles Times
07/14/2009 - Schizophrenics taking the first -- and cheapest -- of a new generation of antipsychotic medications, clozapine, were less likely to suffer premature death than patients taking the newer, costlier and more widely prescribed antipsychotic drugs Seroquel, Risperdal and Zyprexa, says a study published in the British medical journal Lancet. More>>>

No new Alzheimer's indication for Avandia
-FiercePharma
07/13/2009 - Poor Avandia. The GlaxoSmithKline drug failed an Alzheimer's disease trial, dashing the company's hopes of a new indication and up to $300 million in additional sales. "We saw no efficacy in this study, or the two adjunct trials," Michael Gold, Glaxo's vice president of neurosciences, told Bloomberg. More>>>

Medtronic Voluntarily Recalls Specific Lots of
Paradigm® Quick-Set® Infusion Sets In The United States
-FDA
07/13/2009 -  Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT) said today (07/10/2009) that it has initiated a recall of specific lots of Quick-set® infusion sets that are used with MiniMed Paradigm insulin pumps. An infusion set is a thin plastic tube used to deliver insulin from an insulin pump to a diabetes patient, and is typically replaced by the patient every three days. More>>>

Medtronic Paradigm Quick-Set Infusion Sets
-FDA MedWatch
07/13/2009 - Medtronic, Inc. and FDA notified healthcare professionals and patients of a recall of Quick-set infusion sets that are used with MiniMed Paradigm insulin pumps because the affected infusion sets may not allow the insulin pump to vent air pressure properly. More>>>

Study cites danger of zinc poisoning from denture creams
-Times Standard
07/12/2009 - If you use denture cream, you might want to sit down while you read this. Remember the old saying, “What you don't know won't hurt you?” That's not the case with some denture creams. Glaxo Smith Kline, the maker of PoliGrip and Super PoliGrip, and Proctor & Gamble, the makers of Fixodent, are being sued because their products contain zinc, a potentially harmful element when taken in high doses. More>>>

Glaxo’s Avandia Fails to Benefit Alzheimer’s Patients in Study
-Bloomberg
07/12/2009 - GlaxoSmithKline Plc’s diabetes drug Avandia failed to benefit patients with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a company-funded study. The findings are another setback for Avandia, once the biggest-selling drug for diabetes in the world, and raise questions about the theory that Alzheimer’s is a form of diabetes of the brain. Sales of Avandia haven’t recovered since a study linked the drug to heart attacks in May 2007. More>>>

Medtronic Recalls Insulin Devices
-The Wall Street Journal
07/12/2009 - Medtronic Inc. is recalling three million insulin-infusion sets, estimating that 60,000 of them could cause improper insulin delivery and lead to serious injury or death. More>>>

Hydroxycut recalled: Southeast Texans suing for liver damage
-KFDM News
07/12/2009 - Two Southeast Texans have hired an attorney after experiencing adverse side effects when taking Hydroxycut, a popular dietary supplement that has been linked to liver problems. One death due to liver failure has been reported to the FDA. More>>>

Lawsuit filed against laxative maker over risks
-CTV.ca
07/09/2009 - More Canadian patients are joining a class-action lawsuit filed last year against the makers of an over-the-counter oral laxative, which has been linked to kidney damage in some patients who used it as a bowel preparation prior to having a colonoscopy. More>>>

Honolulu Resident Files Lawsuit Against Zicam Maker
-KHON2
07/09/2009 - A lawsuit was filed in Hawaii against the maker of a popular cold remedy that federal regulators say could damage your sense of smell. Honolulu resident Marvin Yamasaki is filing suit against Matrixx Initiatives, the maker of Zicam. More>>>

Zicam Users File Class Action Lawsuits
-consumeraffairs
07/09/2009 - Users of a recalled cold medicine have filed a pair of class action lawsuits, alleging that, instead of easing their sniffles, the medication permanently impaired their sense of smell. More>>>

Acne Drug Accutane No Longer Sold
Generic Versions Still Available as Isotretinoin
-WebMD
07/09/2009 - Accutane won't be sold any more, drug giant Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. has announced. Generic versions of the acne drug, called isotretinoin, are still available from several manufacturers. But Roche, which has sold the drug to 13 million patients since 1982, will not be one of them. More>>>

Health Canada Warns Against Pain Relief Patch
-AHN
07/09/2009 - Health Canada warned medics against prescribing a pain relief patch which is suspected to have caused 52 deaths in the country from 1992 to 2007. More>>>

C.B. Fleet Says Bowel Cleansers Safe
-EndoNurse
07/08/2009 - LYNCHBURG, Va.—Last year, C.B. Fleet Company voluntarily recalled its over-the-counter products Fleet Phospho-soda and Fleet Phospho-soda EZ-Prep Bowel Cleansing System after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a safety alert stating that oral sodium-phosphates bowel-cleansing solutions should be available by prescription only. More>>>

Drug that could damage kidneys being sold over the counter here
-Jamaica Observer
07/08/2009 - A drug - Phospho-soda - that could cause severe kidney injury, especially in seniors, is still being sold over the counter in Jamaica, six months after its US manufacturer yanked it off American shelves. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has frowned on Phospho-soda, an over-the-counter (OTC), bowel-cleansing drug, saying it could have "serious, adverse" effects on users and should be sold by prescription only. More>>>

The legal effects of withdrawal
-Irishtimes
07/07/2009 - The withdrawal of Roaccutane, the anti-acne drug, in the US has a huge effect on legal cases against its manufacturer here. The withdrawal last week of the anti-acne drug, Roaccutane, from the US market has “relevance” for up to 10 pending cases here against the drug manufacturer, Roche Pharmaceuticals, according to the main solicitor taking the cases. More>>>

5 Risks Linked to Diabetes Medications Like Lantus, Avandia, Actos: Cancer, heart failure, fractures, and eye and liver problems among some diabetes drugs' possible risks
-U.S.News
07/07/2009 - For the 200 million diabetics worldwide, the past few years have brought some disturbing findings about risks that may be associated with certain diabetes drugs. Recent concerns that Avandia (rosiglitazone) might cause cardiovascular problems, for example, have led some experts to call for it to be pulled from the market, although it remains available today. More>>>

Accutane off shelves, but lawsuits live
-THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
07/06/2009 - Since 1982, Accutane has been a godsend and a curse. Millions of people who have used the prescription acne medication call it a miracle. But the drug also has been the target of lawsuits, federal investigations and scientists who say the drug is overused and that its dangers outweigh its benefits. More>>>

Warnings stress need for caution, official says
-PennLive
07/06/2009 - Hershey Medical Center pharmacy officer Kathleen Gaither offers tips for safely using over-the-counter medications and supplements. Yet again, it turns out a familiar over-the-counter remedy isn't as harmless as we assumed. More>>>

FDA: Unregulated Supplements Pose Health Risk to Unaware Consumers
-dvids
07/06/2009 - BAGHDAD – Rows of colorfully designed jars and plastic tubs scream "Shock your muscles" and promise "Get ultra-ripped fast" or "Gain 12 pounds in 2 weeks!" At the end of the aisle, slick magazines line the shelves showcasing the newest methods to gain mass or how to push 20 percent more weight instantly when you use their new technique. More>>>

Diabetes debate
-Indian Express
07/06/2009 - In a new study, GlaxoSmithKline refuses to accept the claim that its product Avandia puts patients at high risk of heart attacks; diabetologists say the final word is not yet out. More>>>

If You Lost Your Sense Of Smell Or Taste After Using Zicam Nasal Gel, Or Zicam Nasal Swabs Call The US Drug Watchdog Immediately
-PRWeb
07/06/2009 - The US Drug Watchdog is leading a state by state & national investigation of consumers who may have lost their sense of smell or taste after using the nasal products called Zicam gel, or Zicam swabs. More>>>

Patients sue maker of medication pumps
-Bloomberg
07/06/2009 - Stryker Corp., a maker of artificial knees and hips, was sued by consumers over claims its pain pumps for delivering medicine after surgeries cause arthritis. The company, based in Kalamazoo, Mich., actively concealed or misrepresented information about the pumps’ safety and efficacy, Glen and Angela Gore said in one of four complaints filed in federal court in Philadelphia. More>>>

Suicide Warnings Required for Anti-Smoking Drugs
-The Washington Post
07/03/2009 - The Food and Drug Administration announced today that it is requiring the smoking-cessation drugs Chantix and Zyban to carry the strongest type of safety warning possible to alert patients that the medications can cause serious mental health problems, including depression and suicide. More>>>

Accutane Finally Removed From the Market Proving Again That Lawsuits Are the Last Line of Defense Against Unsafe Drugs
-ThePopTort
07/03/2009 - Over the weekend Roche Holding, the maker of the dangerous acne drug Accutane took it off the shelves. This is a development that consumer groups have been calling for for years (as noted in Center for Justice & Democracy’s report, The Bitterest Pill, How Drug Companies Fail to Protect Women and How Lawsuits Save Their Lives.) More>>>

FDA warning issued for smoking cessation drugs
-Examiner
07/02/2009 - Chantix and Zyban are both commonly prescribed drugs used to treat nicotine addiction in smokers hoping to quit the habit. Both drugs have proven to be successful in reducing nicotine cravings in addicted smokers, although serious side effects have been reported. More>>>

Rapid City Dentist Says Patients Need to Disclose Medical History
-BlackHillsToday
07/02/2009 - The old saying “knowledge is power” penned by English philosopher Francis Bacon is a motto doctors and dentists live by. The more they know about patients the better treatments they can provide. More>>>

Millions of childrens' products from major retailers recalled:
Simplicity cribs, inflatable floats pulled for safety hazards: Regulators advise consumers to check homes for previously recalled Simplicity, Graco products
-South Florida Sun-Sentinel
07/02/2009 - Federal safety regulators have announced two large recalls of children's products, including one involving four million water toys, for serious safety hazards on the eve of the Fourth of July holiday weekend. More>>>

Problems for Infuse in study
-New York Times
07/01/2009 - Patients who received a bioengineered protein during spinal fusion procedures to correct neck pain had far more complications than patients who did not get it, according to a study released Tuesday. More>>>

Public Health Advisory: FDA Requires New Boxed Warnings for the Smoking Cessation Drugs Chantix and Zyban
-FDA
07/01/2009 - The FDA is notifying the public that the use of Chantix (varenicline) or Zyban (bupropion hydrochloride), two prescription medicines that are used as part of smoking cessation programs, has been associated with reports of changes in behavior such as hostility, agitation, depressed mood, and suicidal thoughts or actions. More>>>

The US Drug Watchdog Expands its Zicam Investigation and Wants to Hear From All Users Who Lost Their Sense of Smell
-PR Web
07/01/2009 - According to the US Drug Watchdog, "we want to hear from any Zicam Nasal Gel or Zicam Nasal Swab user who has lost their sense of smell." The group says, "on June 16, 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advised consumers to stop using products marketed over-the-counter as cold remedies because they are associated with the loss of sense of smell (anosmia). More>>>

Man who lost sense of smell assumed Zicam safe
-TheJournal
07/01/2009 - He was like millions of other consumers who sometimes take vitamins or echinacea, hoping to build up his immunity or ward off a cold. He figured alternative remedies were as safe as a spoonful of honey. But that notion washed away with one squirt of a homeopathic cold gel. More>>>

Gardasil: the denial continues
-OnLineopinion
07/01/2009 - Two weeks after receiving the “cervical cancer” vaccination Gardasil, 26-year-old Shannon from Melbourne remembers, “it became so difficult to breathe that I went straight to the emergency room. I was very frightened at this point. Two weeks before I had been fit and healthy, and by this stage I was limping around the house like a stroke victim, wheezing and worried I was suffocating.” More>>>

Healthy Living: Herbal, nutritional products linked to serious issues
-The Norwich Bulletin
07/01/2009 - The recent removal of Zicam and Hydroxycut products from the market highlights an important aspect of herbal medications: sometimes you don’t know what you are paying for. Zicam was a popular zinc-based flu remedy taken off the market due to reports of users losing their sense of smell, sometimes permanently. Hydroxycut weight-loss products have been linked to serious liver damage, and were removed from store shelves in May. More>>>

Drugging Our Children to Death
-HealthNewsDigest
07/01/2009 - In Massachusetts, a four-year-old girl named Rebecca became the center of a murder investigation after being found dead from an overdose of a dangerous combination of drugs. Both her parents and psychiatrist are facing criminal prosecution and will stand trial later this year. More>>>

Drug At Center Of Local Trial Pulled From Market
-KDKA News
06/29/2009 - The drug maker, Roche, has pulled the acne drug Accutane off the market because of jury verdicts regarding bowel disease. The news comes as the drug's purported psychological effects are at the center of a defense argument in a local trial. More>>>

Gardasil safety continues to raise concerns
-Examiner
06/29/2009 - Since the introduction of Gardasil HPV vaccine, the FDA has reported forty seven deaths. Gardasil was approved in 2007. Cervical cancer is caused by HPV (human papillomavirus) and is easily spread. Adverse events from Gardasil in 2008 totaled 6,273, and 147 were reported at “life threatening”. More>>>

All natural. Not all safe.
-The Boston Globe
06/29/2009 - Just because a supplement is derived from a natural plant, like echinacea, does not always mean it’s good for you. The allure is undeniable. Stroll into a store, pluck a remedy branded “all-natural’’ from the shelf, and pay the price tattooed on the bottle. No insurance card, no prescription, no doctor appointment required. More>>>

BFAD orders recall of risky Hydroxycut weight-loss goods
-GMANews
06/29/2009 - MANILA, Philippines – If you have Hydroxycut weight-loss products in your house, you should stop using them and demand a refund from the store where you bought them. More>>>

Moral of Zicam story: Report all side effects
-htrnews
06/29/2009 - Every year, millions of Americans suffering from the common cold buy nonprescription remedies promising relief. Some have ended up with another health problem: loss of the ability to smell. More>>>

New FDA Records Obtained by Judicial Watch Indicate 28 Deaths Related to Gardasil in 2008
-Judicial Watch
06/27/2009 - Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has obtained records from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) documenting 28 deaths in 2008 associated with Gardasil, the vaccination for human papillomavirus (HPV), up from 19 deaths in 2007. More>>>

Smell-Loss Drug Escaped FDA Review Under Homeopathic Label
-Bloomberg
06/27/2009 - Carol McDaniel blames her permanent loss of smell on the Zicam nasal spray, a cold remedy she thought would be safer than other medicines because it was sold as homeopathic. More>>>

Roche Pulls Accutane Off Market After Jury Verdicts
-Bloomberg
06/27/2009 - Roche Holding AG, the world’s biggest maker of cancer drugs, is pulling its Accutane acne medicine from the U.S. market after juries awarded at least $33 million in damages to users who blamed the drug for bowel disease. More>>>

Local couple files Zicam suit
-STL Today
06/27/2009 - ST. LOUIS – A Madison County couple has sued the makers of the cold remedy Zicam, claiming that parent company Matrixx Initiatives continued selling Zicam after consumers complained that it robbed them of their sense of smell. More>>>

FDA wants additional study of diabetes drug
-ChicagoTribune
06/27/2009 - In a blow to the diabetes treatment franchise of a Deerfield drug maker, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asked Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America Inc. to conduct an additional heart safety trial of its experimental drug alogliptin, the company said this afternoon. More>>>

Botox injection nearly kills woman - Cerebral Palsy treatment spread too far
-TheSpec
06/27/2009 - A Hamilton family is questioning Health Canada’s approval of Botox after their daughter became so ill she could have died within days of being given the drug to treat cerebral palsy. More>>>

Zicam recall: Manufacturer pulls intranasal cold remedy
-Examiner
06/25/2009 - That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet—unless you’re one of the hundreds of people who say they lost their sense of smell after using intranasal Zicam cold remedies. More>>>

Diabetes drugs can lead to heart failure
-TheMedGuru
06/25/2009 - A latest study has revealed how a certain category of diabetes drugs can actually increase the risk of heart failure. The class of drugs under study were thiazolidinediones (TZDs). More>>>

117 Individual Claims Filed in Arizona Superior Court against Zicam Manufacturer, Matrixx Initiatives
-NewsBlaze
06/25/2009 - Nearly 120 individual claims were filed today in Arizona Superior Court against Matrixx Initiatives, the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based manufacturer of Zicam Cold Remedy gels, a zinc nasal cold gel linked to a loss of smell and taste. More>>>

Sunrise man loses sense of smell after taking cold medicine, suit alleges
-South Florida Sun Sentinel
06/25/2009 - There are serious consequences to losing your sense of smell, but those aren't the things Frederick Schaffer really misses. He misses the smell outside Cinnabon when he's walking through the mall. And a really good cup of coffee. And his wife's perfume. And his kids' hair when they've just taken a bath. More>>>

The recall of some Hydroxycut products points to the danger of weight-loss supplements.
-VeloNews
06/24/2009 - This past May the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) moved to ban the diet product Hydroxycut after receiving 23 reports of serious health problems related to the product, including one death due to liver failure. More>>>

Coroner: Painkiller killed ex-Wilco member Jay Bennett
-ChicagoTribune
06/24/2009 - Former Wilco member Jay Bennett died of an overdose of a painkiller, the Champaign County coroner said Tuesday, and his office is investigating Bennett's death as an accident. More>>>

Medtronic Gets Subpoena Regarding Disputed Study
-New York Times
06/24/2009 - Medtronic disclosed on Tuesday that it had received a Justice Department subpoena seeking information about its ties with a company consultant, a former Army doctor accused of falsifying a favorable medical journal article about a Medtronic bone growth product called Infuse. More>>>

Twins' deaths stun tight-knit town
The crash was a tragic accident, but one that calls into question the safety of ATVs and riders' ability
-Timesunion
06/23/2009 - SCHAGHTICOKE -- Zachary and Alex Rohloff, twin sons of a local developer, might not have known they were on a deadly collision course when they crested a small hill on their ATVs and collided head-on in Schaghticoke, according to the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Department. More>>>

How diabetes drugs raise heart failure risk
-ThaindianNews
06/23/2009 - A new study may help explain how a class of diabetes drugs increases the risk of heart failure. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) have been controversial since a 2007 analysis of Avandia (rosiglitazone), a TZD made by GlaxoSmithKline, suggested that patients taking it are at higher risk of heart attack. More>>>

Antipsychotic drugs for kids raise hope, worry
-San Francisco Chronicle
06/23/2009 - Increasingly powerful antipsychotic drugs available on the market, and growing evidence that starting these medications early can help children with conditions like bipolar disorder, is putting doctors under more pressure than ever to diagnose and treat young people with mental illnesses. More>>>

Drug 'reports' found to be faked
-TorontoStar
06/22/2009 - From the creation of fake academic journals, to bogus stories submitted to real journals, to falsified results in some of academia's most respected publications – the pharmaceutical industry has been rocked by allegations that the world's biggest drug companies put public relations above public safety. More>>>

Colorado receives $2.6M share of Lilly settlement over Zyprexa
-DenverBusinessJournal
06/20/2009 - Colorado has now received its $2.6 million share of a multistate settlement with Eli Lilly and Co. over allegations that the drugmaker improperly promoted the anti-psychotic drug, Zyprexa, state Attorney General John Suthers announced Friday. More>>>

$788,000 Paid to Doctor Accused of Faking Study
-TheNewYorkTimes
06/20/2009 - Medtronic said on Wednesday that it had paid nearly $800,000 over an eight-year period to a former military surgeon who has been accused by the Army of falsifying a medical journal study involving one of the company’s products. More>>>

Eli Lilly To Pay Millions After 'Deceptive' Marketing Practices
-KETV
06/20/2009 - Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly was forced to pay more than $1.7 million to Nebraska on allegations that it improperly marketed an antipsychotic drug. More>>>

Kentucky settles with Eli Lilly over Zyprexa marketing
-BusinessFirst Louisville
06/20/2009 - Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway has settled with drug maker Eli Lilly and Co. over allegations of improper marketing of its Zyprexa antipsychotic drug. More>>>

R.I. to share in penalty
-ProvidenceJournal
06/20/2009 - Rhode Island, 35 other states, the District of Columbia and the federal government have reached an agreement with Eli Lilly and Co. to settle allegations that that drugmaker engaged in a six-year “off-label” marketing campaign that improperly promoted the anti-psychotic drug Zyprexa. More>>>

Injured woman's suit alleges ATV unfit for intended use
-TheSouthEastTexasRecord
06/19/2009 - Injured while riding as a passenger on a Yamaha Rhino ATV, Krissi Henry alleges the vehicle was defective and unfit for its intended use and has filed suit against Yamaha. More>>>

Teenage Girls Develop Degenerative Muscle Diseases After HPV Vaccine Injections
-NaturalNews
06/19/2009 - The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have launched an investigation into a potential connection between the Gardasil vaccine for the human papillomavirus (HPV) and a rare degenerative muscle disease. More>>>

AstraZeneca Can’t Stop Testimony by Seroquel Expert Witness
-Bloomberg
06/19/2009 - AstraZeneca Plc can’t block testimony by a medical expert that its antipsychotic Seroquel can cause weight gain and diabetes, a federal judge ruled. More>>>

Hydroxycut and choosing a safe weight loss supplement
-Examiner
06/19/2009 - Americans spent $1.67 billion in 2007 on weight loss supplements. Ninety percent of the market belonged to one company. Selling over 9 million units in 2008, Hydroxycut’s reign as king has come to an end. More>>>

GSK: RECORD trial results do not change Avandia’s CV risk stigma, bone fracture risk, physicians say
-Pharmawire
06/19/2009 - The final results of the RECORD study demonstrated that overall rates of cardiovascular (CV) hospitalization and cardiovascular death - the two primary endpoints - were similar in patients taking Avandia (rosiglitazone) compared to those receiving metformin and sulfonylurea. More>>>

Gardasil Warnings to Include “Seizure-Like” Reactions
-Eco Childs Play
06/17/2009 - The FDA has ordered the manufacturer of Gardasil, Merck, to add a few more side effects to the HPV vaccine’s label: fainting, tonic-clonic (jerking) movements, and “seizure-like” reactions. More>>>

Diet Pills Recalled on Reports of Liver Damage
-MainStreet
06/17/2009 - If you’re using dietary supplements to lose fat as you shed layers of clothes this summer, steer clear of Hydroxcut to avoid severe and potentially fatal liver damage. More>>>

Denture Adhesive Toxic to Some Patients
Denture cream has found to have general health consequences.
-PRWeb
06/17/2009 - A recent report in the medical Journal Neurology documented several patients in which zinc poisoning was a result of their denture cream. In the past, dental patients commonly reported disliking the smell, taste, and general messiness of denture creams. More>>>

Killing for Fun and Profit
-OpEdNews
06/17/2009 - Bloomberg reports a U.S. District Court Judge has allowed law suits to move forward against Eli Lilly, the drug company is accused of selling and encouraging physicians to prescribe the drug Zyprexa for uses never proven or approved by the FDA. More>>>

Headline : Merck faked to promote drug
-DownToEarth
06/17/2009 - Pharma giant Merck has been accused of using unscrupulous methods, including publication of fake journals, to promote its anti-arthritis drug Vioxx. More>>>

Zyprexa suit highlights CVS links to Lilly
Unit was paid to pitch drug to health insurers
-Boston.com
06/16/2009 - A unit of CVS Caremark Corp. used its access to doctors to market Eli Lilly & Co.'s Zyprexa antipsychotic while it was under contract to bargain with the drug maker on behalf of health insurers, internal Lilly files disclosed in a multibillion-dollar lawsuit by insurers show. More>>>

Moms and drugs: Dangers during and after pregnancy
Decision to medicate often difficult in pregnancy
-CalorieLab
06/16/2009 - Only a dozen prescription drugs (all related to pregnancy, such as those for epidurals and to induce labor) have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use during pregnancy, yet two-thirds of women take at least five different medications during the course of their pregnancy and labor. More>>>

Eli Lilly and Zyprexa Under the Spotlight
-PsychCentral
06/16/2009 - Eli Lilly & Co.’s atypical antipsychotic medication, Zyprexa, was not only marketed to doctors for an unapproved, off-label use — the treatment of dementia in elderly patients — but it was done despite Lilly’s access and knowledge of at least seven studies that showed the drug was apparently ineffective for the treatment of dementia. More>>>

Seroquel, Zyprexa and Geodon for Kids?
-Adelphi, MD
06/15/2009 - Even as a US District Court prepares 6,000 Seroquel lawsuits for trial, Eli Lilly pays $1.42 billion for illegal Zyrexa marketing and 30 states sue over heisted Medicaid funds for atypical antipsychotics, an FDA advisory panel has recommended approval of Seroquel, Zyrexa and Geodon for children. More>>>

Dieters warned over weight loss pills
-TheIndependent
06/15/2009 - Dieters have been warned to stop taking the best-selling weight loss supplement, Hydroxycut, after it was linked to 23 cases of serious liver damage and one death. More>>>

Recent study links Avandia and Actos to increased bone breaks
-Examiner - Knoxville
06/15/2009 - Be careful!Dr. Merri Pendergrass presented a study of bone fractures in close to 70,000 patients taking either rosiglitazone (Avandia) or pioglitazone (Actos) at the 2009 American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions. Fracture risk appears to be increased by 40% for patients taking these medications. More>>>

Medtronic Paid Surgeon While He Was in the Army
-TheNewYorkTimes
06/13/2009 - Medtronic has acknowledged that it paid a former Army surgeon, who is now accused of falsifying research about one of its products, to give speeches and train other doctors on the company’s behalf while he was in the military. More>>>

More evidence links glitazones to broken bones
-WebMD – theheart.org
06/13/2009 - New Orleans, LA - The largest study to date looking at whether the risk of bone fractures is increased in the setting of thiazolidinedione drugs (TZDs) suggests that fracture risk is more than 40% higher in people taking TZDs and that both men and women are vulnerable. More>>>

Gardasil Label Highlights Fainting Risk
-CancerConsultants
06/13/2009 - Information about the risk of fainting has been added to the “Warnings and Precautions” section of the prescribing information for the HPV vaccine Gardasil®. As with any vaccine, Gardasil recipients should remain seated or lying down and be observed for 15 minutes following vaccination. More>>>

Just in: the psoriasis drug Raptiva has been banned in Europe
-Examiner
06/12/2009 - In a manner similar to the COX inhibitor Vioxx, Raptiva became the latest victim of the pharmaceutical industry world-wide due to the development of serious side-effects in patients. Raptiva was approved in the US in 2003 and in Europe reaping millions of dollars in sales world-wide before being pulled from the market due to the reports of a multitude of side-effects in patients. More>>>

Lilly ‘Ghostwrote’ Articles to Market Zyprexa, Case Files Show
-Bloomberg
06/12/2009 - Eli Lilly & Co. officials wrote medical journal studies about the antipsychotic Zyprexa and then asked doctors to put their names on the articles, a practice called “ghostwriting,” according to unsealed company files. More>>>

Botox must have stronger warnings, American regulator says
-Telegraph U.K.
06/11/2009 - Botox – the cosmetic wrinkle eliminating injection favoured by celebrities – must have stronger warnings on its packaging after serious side effects, the American drugs regulator has said. More>>>

FDA Strengthens Warnings on Gardasil
-WSJ
06/11/2009 - The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday strengthened warnings on Merck & Co.'s Gardasil vaccine about fainting after receiving reports of "traumatic injuries" among some vaccine recipients. More>>>

House Bill Would Create Artificial Joints Registry
-The New York Times
06/11/2009 - Two House Democrats introduced a bill Wednesday to create a national database of patients who received artificial hips and knees, a system already used in some other countries to track how patients fare, reduce unnecessary surgeries and weed out inferior products. More>>>

FDA Alerts Patients to Medtronic Pacemaker Recall
-FDA News
06/11/2009 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting patients to the Class I recall of certain Medtronic Kappa and Sigma pacemakers. These devices may fail due to a separation of wires that connect the electronic circuit to other pacemaker components, such as the battery.  More>>>

Daily News: Certain Propafenone HCL and Digoxin Tablets Recalled
-Nurse.com
06/11/2009 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has posted information about two cardiac drugs that were recently recalled because of variability in the size of the tablets. More>>>

FDA panel to decide on antipsychotics for use in children
-PharmaTimes
06/10/2009 - A US Food and Drug Administration advisory committee will vote later today on whether three blockbuster antipsychotics should be allowed to market them to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in paediatric and adolescent populations. More>>>

What's behind drug causing tendon issues?
-Ask the Doctor : Peter Gott
-GoErie
06/09/2009 - Q I recently heard a statement on television made by an attorney with regard to Levaquin, causing tendon rupture and asking anyone who suffered with the problem to call a toll-free telephone number. What on earth is this all about? More>>>

Docs say Avandia fears aren't laid to rest
-FiercePharma
06/09/2009 - Doctors aren't so sure that the Avandia-exonerating safety study is as conclusive as presented at the American Diabetes Association meeting. Some physicians are calling the study "flawed." In an editorial in the Lancet--where the research was published--two doctors wrote that the study's limitations prevent any "definitive conclusions" about Avandia's effects on cardiac safety. More>>>

EU-wide Recall of Raptiva (efalizumab) to be Initiated
-PharmaLive
06/08/2009 - LONDON - The European Medicines Agency has agreed to an EU-wide recall of all of the remaining batches of Raptiva, from Merck Serono. This means that within the next few days all batches of Raptiva will be recalled from wholesalers, pharmacies and hospitals. Following this, the medicine will no longer be available anywhere in the European Union. More>>>

Zimmer’s hip takes a hit
Patients sue over cup; firm blames surgeon training
-TheJournalGazette
06/08/2009 - It’s been more than two years since Trudie Millerburg had hip replacement surgery, and she is still putting the pieces back together. Millerburg, 63, a retired clinical lab scientist, can’t stoop to dust the bottom of her cabinets. She can’t bend over to clear bugs off her car or garden. More>>>

A familiar story for hip replacement doctor
Zimmer Inc.’s Durom cup is a source of controversy.
-TheJournalGazette
06/08/2009 - When Dr. Lawrence Dorr noticed patients had problems with the Durom cup, a hip-socket implant, loosening last year, he didn’t wait to act. He felt a moral obligation, he said, especially considering what he’d been through about a decade before. More>>>

Avandia Raises Risk of Heart Failure, Fractures
But study found diabetes drug didn't increase chances of heart disease, death
-HealthDay News
06/08/2009 - The diabetes drug Avandia significantly raises the risk of both heart failure and bone fractures, but it does not boost the odds for either cardiovascular disease or death, new research has found. More>>>

FDA Monitoring More Than 20 Drugs For Potential Risks
-RedOrbit
06/06/2009 - The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday released a list of a variety of drugs that it is currently testing for possible safety issues. The list contains two-dozen different drugs, which vary from treatment of sleep disorder to weight-loss. Pfizer Inc’s Chantix, a drug aimed at helping people stop smoking, is among the drug varieties currently being monitored by the FDA. Regulators are seeking to determine whether or not the drug poses a possible risk of accidental injury or vision impairment to patients. More>>>

The return of the dreaded 'Phossy Jaw'
-RDH Magazine
06/06/09 - During the early 19th century, it was discovered that adding yellow (now called white) phosphorous to matchstick heads made it easier to ignite matches. As a result, there was an enormous demand for these "strike-anywhere" matches.(1) During the industrial revolution, this new industry of matchmaking was profitable, and low wage workers spent 10 to 15 hours a day over large heated vats that contained yellow phosphorus.(2) More>>>

Discredited Research Study Stuns an Ex-Army Doctor’s Colleagues
-The New York Times
06/06/2009 - Dr. Romney C. Andersen, a Walter Reed Army Medical Center surgeon, was surprised last summer when his neighbor, a fellow doctor, congratulated him on a new medical journal study bearing his name. Dr. Timothy R. Kuklo and copies of the signatures of other Army doctors on his study that authorities say he forged. “What study?” Dr. Andersen asked. More>>>

Popular Weight Loss Drug Recalled: What You Need To Know About Hydroxycut
-Alternative Health Journal
06/05/2009 - An increasing number of weight loss drugs and supplements are being recalled due to their link to health problems. One that received a great deal of attention recently was Hydroxycut. Hydroxycut is marketed as a fat burner and considered to be a low cost diet aid. It was recalled by the FDA due to liver injuries resulting from the drug, some leading to death. Keep reading to find out more about the health dangers of Hydroxycut! More>>>

FDA Committee to Rule on Psych Meds for Youths
-YouthToday
06/05/2009 - The Food and Drug Administration's Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee will vote next week on whether to allow three psychotropic medications to be marketed as effective and acceptably safe for youths with certain conditions. More>>>

Eli Lilly Promoted Zyprexa for Patients Who Were Badly Dressed
-BNETPharm
06/05/2009 - When Eli Lilly launched Zyprexa, its drug sales reps campaigned for doctors to prescribe the antipsychotic off-label to patients who appeared to be depressed because their clothes were “drab” or “disheveled,” according to a study in Social Science & Medicine. More>>>

Health Hazard Alert: Various Foods Containing Peanut Products Recalled by PCA May Contain Salmonella Bacteria
-Marketwire 
06/04/2009 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume the foods described below because these products may be contaminated with Salmonella.  These foods contain peanut products (butter/paste, as well as whole, crushed, powdered, etc.) that have been recalled in the U.S. and Canada by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) due to Salmonella contamination. More>>>

Multiple Evenflo high chairs recalled:
High chairs' screws can loosen, fall out
-The Leaf-Chronicle
06/04/2009 - Evenflo Company is expanding its recall of Majestic High Chairs sold nationwide from January 2007 to March 2009. Plastic caps and metal screws on both sides of the high chair can loosen and fall out, allowing the seatback to suddenly fall back or detach from the high chair. More>>>

Eli Lilly Stalling Zyprexa Claims
-OPENPRESS
06/04/2009 - Lilly's (NOW up to $4.6 billion) Zyprexa settlement payout is being stonewalled. 8 Lilly employees who are supposed 'whistle-blowers' are getting $ 10 million each the real victims like me are being ignored. More>>>

Gardasil. The vaccine that almost killed me, and maybe you.
-BUZZNET
06/03/2009 - If you have been following me for some time now you would have noticed I have lost a lot of weight, been traveling and seeing lots of doctors lately and been super health conscious. Did you ever hear of the vaccine called Gardasil. You know the one you see commercials for on tv every five minutes and that is given out in schools. If I had gotten the third installment of that vaccine I would not be alive to tell you about it. More>>>

Anti-clot drug combinations boost bleeding risks
-Reuters
06/03/2009 - CHICAGO - Heart patients are often given two or three different drugs to prevent life-threatening blood clots but these combinations can double, triple or even quadruple the risk of stomach or intestinal bleeding, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday. More>>>

AS Medications Solution LLC. Announces a Nationwide Recall of All Lots of Digoxin Tablets 0.25mg Due to Size Variability
-FDA
06/02/2009 - A S Medication Solutions, LLC, a drug repackage company, announced today that all tablets of Caraco brand Digoxin, USP, 0.25 mg, distributed prior to March 31, 2009, which are not expired and are within the expiration date of August, 2011, are being voluntarily recalled to the consumer level. More>>>

AstraZeneca Told Sales Reps to Lie About Seroquel-Diabetes Link
-NaturalNews
06/02/2009 - Drug giant AstraZeneca instructed its sales representatives to tell doctors that there was no link between its antipsychotic drug Seroquel and an increased risk of diabetes, even though studies conducted by the company had already shown otherwise, according to documents uncovered as part of a lawsuit. More>>>

Super Poligrip Lawsuit Filed After Denture Wearers Suffered Zinc Poisoning
-AboutLawsuits
06/02/2009 - Earlier this month, a lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on behalf of two couples who allege that severe and disabling injuries were caused by zinc poisoning from Super Poligrip denture adhesive cream. More>>>

Hydroxycut hazard: The popular bodybuilding and weight-loss supplement has been linked to liver damage, but it's uncertain how many have suffered harm.
-ThePhiladelphiaInquirer
06/01/2009 - It was a case that might have puzzled TV's acerbic Dr. House. A 33-year-old woman with dark urine and yellowish skin complained of profound fatigue when she showed up at the emergency room at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Lab tests showed she had acute liver inflammation. Joseph Lim, a liver specialist at Yale, was on the case. He noted that the woman had been taking Hydroxycut supplements for weight loss for two weeks. Several reports in the medical literature had linked Hydroxycut (which is used for both bodybuilding and weight loss) to liver damage. More>>>

Germany's Robert Koch Institute is Questioning the effectiveness of the HPV vaccines.
-American Chronicle - By: Leslie Botha
05/31/2009 - Christina England May 30, 2009 All around the world concerns are mounting about the effectiveness and the safety of the HPV vaccines. While many of our Governments refuse to listen to public concern and ignore the ever increasing numbers of children who have had adverse reactions to the Gardasil and Cervarix vaccines, in Germany their concerns are at last being looked at and examined carefully. More>>>

Death of boy in ATV crash raises questions
-NEWS10
05/31/2009 - A crash involving a four-wheeler has left a young boy from Knox dead. Now, questions are being raised about the vehicle's safety and how much the boy's parents knew about possible problems. The parents say that they just found out that the type of four-wheeler involved in the crash had been recalled after causing dozens of deaths. More>>>

Rollover that killed boy, 13, came despite safety work
-Timesunion
05/30/2009 - KNOX -- Thirteen-year-old James Wyatt Spencer, an experienced ATV rider, was driving a 2009 Yamaha Rhino with his friend Thursday when he hit a patch of wet grass and rolled. The machine flipped and landed on Spencer in a field more than 500 yards from his Bozenkill Road home. More>>>

Hydroxycut move shows limits of FDA
-TheCabin
05/29/2009 - The push to get Hydroxycut products off the market is the first test of legislation and federal regulations that have given the Food and Drug Administration some new regulatory powers over the herbal supplements industry. Those initiatives hold dietary supplement makers to specific manufacturing standards and require them to notify the FDA when they receive reports of serious adverse health effects suffered by consumers taking their products. More>>>

Ennis & Ennis P.A. Announces Launch of New Hydroxycut Recall Website
-OpenPress
05/28/2009 - Ennis & Ennis P.A. announces the launch of a new website to assists users of Hydroxycut products due to the voluntary recall by the manufacturer, Lovate Health Sciences, Inc. This new Hydroxycut recall website will give consumers up-to-date news and legal developments related to the recall. Also Ennis & Ennis is announcing free legal consultations to consumers of Hydroxycut products to advise them of their legal rights. More>>>

Arkansas woman claims gastric drug led to dyskinesia
-SoutheastTexasRecord
05/28/2009 - EL DORADO, Ark. - After a year of taking a drug to combat a medical condition involving paralysis of stomach muscles, an Arkansas resident started exhibiting abnormal muscle movements throughout her body. More>>>

Name of 31-year-old man killed in off-road rollover released
-Desert Sun wire services
05/27/2009 - Authorities today released the name of a 31-year-old man killed in Moreno Valley in an off-road vehicle rollover accident that injured five others, one critically. More>>>

AstraZeneca Faces Suits over Seroquel
-BusinessWeek
05/26/2009 - Britain's No. 2 drugmaker is accused of pushing 'off-label' uses of its top-selling psychiatric drug, and 16,000 patients are suing for alleged side effects More>>>

Two Hydroxycut Class Actions Filed: Suits follow recall of liver-damaging dietary supplement
-ConsumerAffairs
05/26/2009 - Two class action lawsuits have been filed in the wake of the recall of Hydroxycut, a popular weight-loss supplement that has been linked to liver damage and other life-threatening side effects. More>>>

2 Cases of Achilles Tendinitis
-AdvanceWeb
05/26/2009 - PAs in family practice, emergency medicine and other specialties are likely to encounter quinolone-associated tendinitis and/or tendon rupture at some time, making it important to recognize the signs of and be aware of the risk factors for the condition. More>>>

Reports of Brain Virus from Common Cancer Drug
-EmaxHealth
05/26/2009 - So far, 57 cases of an often fatal brain virus have been reported in association with administration of the cancer drug rituximab. The reports span 1997 to 2008, and include patients with anemia, rheumatoid arthritis and lymphoma, who developed the brain virus, progressive multifocal leukoencephalitis (PML). More>>>

Wichita Teen Warning Against Gardasil
-Kansas CW
05/26/2009 - When a Wichita teenager found out about a vaccine that prevents cervical cancer, she asked her mom if she could get it. After receiving the three shots of Gardasil, she says she began fighting for her life. More>>>

Medtronic Kappa and Sigma Series Pacemakers may have a defect which causes wire seperation and may lead to serious side effects for patients and may even result in death.
05/21/2009 -  Medtronic recently sent out a "Dear Doctor" letter which warned healthcare providers of defective Medtronic pacemakers. Specifically the "Dear Doctor" letter was warning of defective Medtronic Kappa Series and defective Medtronic Sigma Series pacemakers. According to the information that was sent out to healthcare providers the Kappa and Sigma pacemakers may fail due to seperation of wires that connect the electronic circuit to other components inside the pacemakers. More>>>

Another ATV rollover suit filed against Yamaha
-WV Record
05/20/2009- CHARLESTON - A West Virginia resident has filed a lawsuit against a prominent ATV manufacturer, alleging his minor daughter was injured after their Yamaha Rhino flipped. More>>>

Children's Use Of Psychiatric Drugs Begins To Decelerate
- Wall Street Journal
05/18/2009 - The growth in antipsychotic-drug prescriptions for children is slowing as state Medicaid agencies heighten their scrutiny of usage and doctors grow more wary of the powerful medications. More>>>

Doctors call for better tracking of device wire problems
-MinnPost
05/15/2009 - A group of heart doctors is calling on Medtronic and other medical device companies to do a better job tracking defibrillator wire problems after they are on the market, the Wall Street Journal reports. More>>>

Suit against GSK claims Avandia not worth the risks
-SoutheastTexasRecord
05/14/2009 - After taking Avandia for five years, Frank Casteel underwent heart bypass surgery in 2007. Now Casteel is suing the drug's manufacturer alleging that the drug is not worth the risks. More>>>

Merck Paid for Medical ‘Journal’ Without Disclosure
-NewYorkTimes
05/14/2009 - Pharmaceutical companies routinely offer doctors reprints of articles from medical journals that are favorable to their products. But news of a Merck-sponsored publication for doctors in Australia, that has come to light in a personal injury lawsuit there over Vioxx, has raised eyebrows in international medical publishing. More>>>

National class action certified against Guidant/Boston Scientific
-TradingMarkets
05/14/2009 - In a decision released May 8, 2009, Justice Cullity of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice certified a national class action against Guidant Corporation (subsequently purchased by Boston Scientific) on behalf of a class of 28, 443 individuals for claims relating to allegedly defective pacemakers. Litigation in the U.S. resulted in a settlement of $240 million in late 2007 on behalf of approximately 8,000 plaintiffs. More>>>

Cerebral Palsy Botox treatments have new warnings
-Examiner
05/14/2009 - The Food & Drug Administration has released a new warning for the off-label use of Botox in spastic pediatric Cerebral Palsy patients. This is an update to the 2008 Early Communication regarding the drug. This new information will be added to the product label and patient information for future production of Botox A & B. More>>>

Hydroxycut Recall: FDA Warns Against Weight-Loss Supplement
-About.com
05/13/2009 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning against the use of Hydroxycut, a weight-loss supplement linked to serious liver injuries. Hydroxycut's manufacturer has recalled 14 of its products, which are marketed as fat-burners, diet aids, and energy boosters. More>>>

Examaning FDA Reports
-SportsIllustrated
05/13/2009 - In 2008, according to documents obtained by Sports Illustrated through a Freedom of Information Act request, the FDA received a variety of adverse health event reports from consumers using supplements. More>>>

Patients injured by faulty medical devices want laws to hold manufacturers accountable
-Cleveland.com
05/13/2009 - Two summers ago, Bill Storms of Delaware, Ohio, says he got 138 electrical jolts over a five-hour period when the wires to his pacemaker went haywire. The 38-year-old truck driver had to visit several emergency rooms before the device could be turned off. More>>>

FDA issues 'Black Box Warning' in connection with prescribing Reglan
-RenoGazetteJournal
05/13/2009 - It's wonderful when prescription medications cure ailments, but what happens when they cause adverse medical side effects? I'm angry because I appear to be suffering from permanent central nervous system damage associated with the prescribed drug Reglan (brand name for "metoclopramide") prescribed over a year ago for a digestive disorder. More>>>

Stryker receives subpoena, FDA warning letter
-ModernHealthcare
05/13/2009 - Devicemaker Stryker Corp. has been hit with two new investigations, according to documents the company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. On May 5, Stryker received a Food and Drug Administration warning letter related to compliance issues for a craniomaxillofacial implant product previously sold through its Portage, Mich., distribution facilities. More>>>

BREAKING NEWS: Insider speech about fraud & corruption at BAYER
-LifeGen.de
05/12/2009 - It is a a major breakthrough in combating fraud and corruption: At today's annual general shareholders meeting of Germanys Bayer AG, a former pharmaceutical employee intends to unveil severe corruption practices within BAYER. More>>>

Hydroxycut Warning From FDA
-UKMedix
05/12/2009 - A warning has been put out by the Food & Drug Administration in America that people should not use a popular dietary supplement called Hydroxycut because of reports that it causes irreversible liver damage and even could be linked to the death of a nineteen year old boy. More>>>

Hospital investigating whether Baxter's Heparin had role in death of 2 patients
-ChicagoTribune
05/12/2009 - Baxter International Inc. said medical care providers at a hospital in Delaware and U.S. health officials are investigating whether the deaths of two patients are linked to a brand of heparin blood thinner Baxter sells in intravenous bags. More>>>

You just have to love the makers of Gardasil Vaccine
-MotleyFool
05/11/2009 - Recent reports have exposed the shocking truth about the Gardasil vaccine. Thousands of young girls have experienced serious reactions after receiving the vaccine -- and 32 girls have died. More>>>

Salmonella outbreak prompts demands for more scrutiny of food processing plants
-CMAJ
05/11/2009 - By the time Cheri Markos received a letter from Kellogg’s warning her not to eat the peanut butter sandwich crackers she’d purchased at Costco, the snacks were long gone. She’d already eaten them or given them away to friends. More>>>

Hydroxycut Cut from Market
-EmpowHer
05/09/2009 - “Natural” does not mean safe. Billions of dollars are spent every year on supplements that do not have to be proven safe or effective. Hydroxycut has been added to the list of Herbalife and others to be dangerous and even deadly. More>>>

Daily News: Baxter Heparin Use Suspended at Hospital
-Nurse.com
05/09/2009 - At least five adverse patient outcomes suspected to be associated with the use of pre-mixed bags of heparin from Baxter International Inc., prompted Beebe Medical Center, Lewes, Del., to suspend use of the products. More>>>

Iovate Health Sciences U.S.A., Inc. Adds Hydroxycut-Branded Product Universal Product Codes to its Voluntary Nationwide Recall
-FDA Press Release
05/08/2009 -Iovate Health Sciences USA, Inc. of Blasdell, New York and Ontario, Canada announced today that it is adding Universal Product Codes (UPCs) with respect to the Hydroxycut-branded products sold in the United States and subject to the voluntary recall. These additions all involve additional packages and sizes of products previously referenced. More>>>

Elsevier published six ‘fake’ Australian medical journals on behalf of pharma companies
-Australian Life Scientist
05/08/2009 - AustraliaAcademic publisher Elsevier has admitted its Australian office produced six fake journals between 2000 and 2005. The Scientist revealed last week that pharma giant Merck paid Elsevier to produce a journal called the Australasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine which contained reprints or summaries of previously published articles, many with only one or two citations. More>>>

Unsafe and unregulated:
Hydroxycut recall shows the need for better controls on supplements
-HeraldTribune
05/08/2009 - The recall of Hydroxycut shows again why such products and their manufacturers' claims should be tested and verified by federal regulators before the supplements are marketed and sold. More>>>

Heartburn drugs affect anti-clotting drugs
-UPI
05/07/2009 - The anti-clotting action of the medication clopidogrel -- Plavix -- can be compromised by common drugs for the treatment of heartburn, U.S. researchers said. More>>>

Hydroxycut pulled after FDA warning
-Stars and Stripes
05/07/2009 - A sign tells shoppers that bottles of a new formula Hydroxycut weight reduction supplement is now ephedra-free. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service pulled the popular dietary supplement Hydroxycut from its shelves last weekend after government health officials urged dieters and bodybuilders to immediately stop using the product. More>>>

Hydroxycut recalls products
-EveningObserver
05/06/2009 - As part of a manufacturer's recall, Tops Friendly Markets have removed from shelves several Hydroxycut products. The Food and Drug Administration is urging consumers to discontinue the use of Hydroxycut products as they have been associated with a number of serious liver injuries. More>>>

Concerns Over Dietary Supplements Raised
-ScienceDaily
05/06/2009 - As the FDA warns consumers to stop using Hydroxycut products, a new editorial published in the May 2009 issue of The FASEB Journal shows that this FDA warning is not unique. More>>>

US FDA Expresses Concern Over Safety of Botox-type Products: Botox-type drugs are attracting adverse notice from the US Food and Drugs Administration.
-MedIndia
05/05/2009 - A little after it approved Dysport, a rival to Botox, the agency said both drugs, along with a third called Myobloc, should carry black-box warnings to alert patients and doctors to serious safety risks. More>>>

Hydroxycut Pulled From Shelves; FDA Warns Of Serious Liver Injuries, Heart Problems, & Death
-PNC
05/05/2009 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers nationwide to stop using Hydroxycut products and has issued a recall for 14 products under the name brand weight loss drug. More>>>

FDA issued Hydroxycut product injury warning after liver injuries and one death.
-JusticeNewsFlash
05/05/2009 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) www.fda.gov issued a stop product use directive on May 1, 2009. All consumers are urged to stop using Hydroxycut health products which are sold and marketed to U.S. consumers as weight loss supplements. More>>>

Weight Loss Drug Recall: A popular weight loss drug has been recalled after users report major health problems. At least one person has died.
-CBS News
05/05/2009 - The popular weight loss drug Hydroxycut has been pulled from the shelves. Government health officials warn dieters using the supplement to stop after the FDA received 23 reports of liver problems including the death of a 19 year old male who used Hydroxycut. More>>>

Black Box Warning Required for All Botulinum Toxin Products by FDA
-Emaxhealth
05/04/2009 - The FDA has announced changes to the safety label on botulinum toxin due to reports that the effects of the toxin may spread from the area of injection to other areas of the body causing serious adverse problems. This new label requirement is required on Botox and Botox Cosmetic (botulinum toxin type A); Myobloc (botulinum toxin type B); and a new FDA-approved product, Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA). More>>>

Iovate Health Sciences U.S.A., Inc. Voluntarily Recalls Hydroxycut-Branded Products
-FDA
05/04/2009 - Iovate Health Sciences USA, Inc. of Blasdell, New York and Ontario, Canada announced today that it is voluntarily recalling Hydroxycut branded products sold in the United States. More>>>

Maytag needs to ponder slow recalls
-Winnipeg Free Press
05/04/2009 - Recalls have become an all-too-common experience for consumers. The latest recall of Maytag refrigerators adds to the growing list. The recall involves 1.6 million refrigerators sold by Maytag, 193,500 of them in Canada. More>>>

Hydroxycut Products Being Recalled After Reports of Death
-SmartAboutHealth
05/04/2009 - A dietary supplement called Hydroxycut is being recalled because it has been linked to liver damage and death in people taking it. The drug is marketed as one comprised of all natural ingredients, but nevertheless it is causing major health problems for people. More>>>

Faulty Cable Affects Thousands Of Heart Patients
-KGTV
05/02/2009 - SAN DIEGO -- A heart device that has been pulled off the market can still be found inside the bodies of thousands of people, including at least one San Diegan. More>>>

10 Utahns, 2 others sue pharmaceutical company
-Deseret News
05/02/2009 - Ten Utahns and two people from Oregon filed federal lawsuits Thursday against the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline PLC alleging that the company was negligent in researching the drug Avandia, which caused them (or a spouse) to have heart attacks and subsequent health problems. More>>>

Gardasil Linked to Nerve Disorder: Cervical Cancer Vaccine May Raise Risk of Guillain-Barre Syndrome
-WebMD
05/02/2009 - Girls and women who receive the Gardasil vaccine to prevent cervical cancer may be at increased risk of a rare but serious disorder of the nervous system in the first few weeks after getting their shots, researchers report. More>>>

F.D.A. Orders Warning Label for Botox
-TheNewYorkTimes
05/02/2009 - Botox and other similar antiwrinkle drugs must now carry the most stringent kind of warning label, the Food and Drug Administration said Thursday. More>>>

Botox Must Warn of Muscle Weakness as U.S. Market Expands
-Bloomberg
05/02/2009 - Allergan Inc. was ordered by U.S. regulators to strengthen precautions on its wrinkle smoother Botox, hours after the first major competition to the treatment was approved for sale. More>>>

Allergan to Resolve Botox Safety Labels Article
-TheWallStreetJournal
05/02/2009 - NEW YORK -- Allergan Inc., which reported a 64% slump in first-quarter profit Friday, said it will work with the Food and Drug Administration to appropriately update labeling for its Botox and Botox cosmetic products. More>>>

Hydroxycut Diet Aids Recalled After Warning
-TheNewYorkTimes
05/02/2009 - Federal drug regulators warned consumers Friday to stop using the popular Hydroxycut line of weight-loss products, citing reports of a death due to liver failure and other instances of serious health problems. More>>>

Hydroxycut products recalled after one death: FDA
-Reuters
05/02/2009 - The maker of the widely sold Hydroxycut weight-loss supplements is recalling 14 products after reports of liver damage and one death, U.S. health officials said on Friday. More>>>

FDA Warns Consumers to Stop Taking Hydroxycut Products
-The Wall Street Journal
05/02/2009 - WASHINGTON -- Consumers should "immediately stop" using Hydroxycut weight-loss products amid concerns they may cause jaundice and liver failure, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday. More>>>

FDA warns consumers to stop using Hydroxycut dietary supplements
-LA Times
05/02/2009 - Consumers using Hydroxycut products should immediately stop taking the dietary supplements, the Food and Drug Administration warned today after receiving reports of serious health problems related to the drugs. More>>>

Wyeth Supreme Court Loss Breaks Drug Lawsuit Logjam
-Bloomberg
04/30/2009 - Just two months after the U.S. Supreme Court decided patients can sue drugmakers over injuries from medicines approved by the government, long-stalled lawsuits against GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. are again moving toward trials. More>>>

Epilepsy drug should be avoided during pregnancy
-Reuters Health
04/29/2009 - Guidelines released this week recommend that women with epilepsy should avoid taking the anti-epilepsy drug valproate during pregnancy, because of the risk of harmful effects to the fetus. More>>>

Doctors and Nurses, Still Learning
-TheNewYorkTimes
04/29/2009 - My patient was a young woman struggling with aggressive lymphoma who needed around-the-clock pain control. Because of her youth, and the hope that she might be cured, the attending physician was thinking of her future. He worried a patient-controlled analgesia pump could lead to a psychological dependence on narcotics. More>>>

Death toll linked to Gardasil vaccine rises
-WND
04/28/2009 - "Anaphylactic shock," "foaming at mouth," "grand mal convulsion," "coma" and "now paralyzed" are a few of the startling descriptions included in a new federal report describing the complications from Merck & Co.'s Gardasil medication for sexually transmitted human papillomavirus – which has been proposed as mandatory for all schoolgirls. More>>>

97 plaintiffs take aim at Digitek in St. Clair County
-MadisonCountyRecord
04/28/2009 - Actavis and Mylan Pharmaceuticals are being sued by 97 people in St. Clair County Circuit Court who claim they took a prescription drug for their heart problems that contained twice the approved level of its active ingredient. More>>>

Psoriasis Drug Raptiva Pulled From U.S. Market
-Forbes
04/27/2009 - The troubled psoriasis drug Raptiva is being withdrawn from the U.S. market, California-based drug maker Genentech ( DNA - news - people ) announced Wednesday. The move comes almost two months after U.S. health officials issued a public health advisory on the drug after confirming a link to a rare, sometimes fatal brain infection. More>>>

"I had an Allergic Reaction Immediately after the MRI Gadolinium Injection"
-LawyersandSettlements
04/25/2009 - Jason says he has been having complications from a gadolinium based-contrast agent he was injected with during an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). "I had an allergic reaction immediately after the gadolinium injection," says Jason. "Nobody told me beforehand about the risk factors, or even what it was." Jason found out later that gadolinium exposure is linked to nephrogenic systemic fibrosis / nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NSF/NFD). More>>>

Felled footballer blames pain pump
-Cincinnati.com
04/25/2009 - Matthew McKeown worked for years so he could hear his name called this weekend and make his fame and fortune as a professional football player. Instead, McKeown won’t be drafted by a National Football League team. He blames the manufacturer of a pain-relief pump for destroying his shoulder – and his NFL aspirations. More>>>

Denture creams are focus of lawsuits
-FayObserver
04/25/2009 - Q: I saw a lawyer advertising on TV about denture cream being a health hazard. What’s the story with this? A: Lots of potential lawsuits are brewing following a report last year that prolonged overuse of denture adhesives could lead to serious neurological problems. More>>>

Glaxo Compares Sex Virus Shots, Delay Raises Eyebrows
-Bloomberg
04/23/2009 - GlaxoSmithKline Plc will release the first study to compare its cervical cancer vaccine with Merck & Co.’s blockbuster Gardasil, more than a year after completing the research. Sales for Glaxo’s Cervarix amount to less than 10 percent of those garnered by Merck’s similar vaccine. The comparison study may influence which product doctors use and insurers pay for. More>>>

Generic Reglan Makers Lose Appeal Request in Vermont
-Ennislaw.com
04/22/2009 - A federal judge has handed four generic manufacturers of the heartburn medication Reglan another loss in their request to dismiss a product liability suit in Vermont. More>>>

TEENAGE GIRLS SUE OVER CANCER JAB
-DailyExpress U.K.
04/20/2009 - They have suffered symptoms ranging from paralysis and seizures to fatigue and muscle aches since being given the Cervarix vaccine. The jab is being given to girls from the age of 11 in a huge nationwide programme launched last September. More>>>

FDA Cites Two Chinese Heparin Makers
-Wall Street Journal
04/18/2009 - WASHINGTON -- Two Chinese-based firms shipped contaminated heparin to the U.S. between 2007 and 2008 and one company lied to federal health regulators about their role in the matter, according to the Food and Drug Administration. More>>>

Bayer Settles Suits Over Imaging Dye Tied to Disease
-Bloomberg
04/17/2009 - Bayer AG, Germany’s largest drugmaker, has started settling lawsuits over its Magnevist contrast agent used in diagnostic imaging tests. The company began negotiations in about 40 cases linking the product to a disease that hardens organs, Peter Burg, an attorney with Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh Jardine PC in Englewood, Colorado, said today. More>>>

Truck Catches Fire in Brooklyn Center Driveway
-FOX News
04/17/2009 - A mother and son had a very close call, as just moments after parking their pick-up truck in their driveway, it burst into flames. This happened on Lakeshore Drive this afternoon. Leslie Liner had just used her boyfriend’s Ford F-150 to pick up her daughter from school. After going in the house, a door-to-door salesman came and told her the truck was on fire. It was his first day on the job in the neighborhood. More>>>

Faulty truck part could be cause of local garage fire: Cruise control switch blamed
-Press Publications
04/17/2009 - A possible default on a Ford truck caused a fire at a Lino Lakes home, according to an insurance company. Richard Rodriquez and his family were spending a quiet night at their home on Lindell Lane late last month when the doorbell rang. When he answered the door, his neighbor told him his house was on fire. More>>>

Arrow International Announces Worldwide Voluntary Recall Of Intra Aortic Balloon Pump (IAB) Catheters|
-Medical News Today
04/16/2009 - Teleflex Medical announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified the voluntary medical device recall initiated on February 2, 2009 by Arrow International's Cardiac Care Division involving volume connectors for its 30cc, 40cc and 50cc Intra Aortic Balloon Pump (IAB) Catheters as a Class 1 recall. More>>>

Hip replacement manufacturer sued in St. Clair County
-MadisonCountyRecord
04/15/2009 - Forty-two people from across the United States are suing a hip replacement manufacturer over injuries they say they sustained after an alleged defective device was placed into their bodies. More>>>

FDA requires black box warning-Reglan may cause permanent injury!
-NewYorkInjuryNews
04/15/2009 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) www.fda.gov announced drug makers are now required to place a black box warning on all metoclopramide containing drugs like Reglan. Federal regulators must warn patients, healthcare professionals and medication consumers about the risk of serious injury in long-term or high-dose use of all metoclopramide containing drugs. More>>>

Mystery epidemic hitting the UK after HPV jab
-RenewAmerica
04/14/2009 - Since September of 2008 a mystery illness has struck the UK after the HPV jab Cervarix was implemented in a school vaccine program. It has been reported in the UK Mail Online that 1,340 reports have been filed coincidentally after the HPV vaccine Cervarix was implemented in September. This mystery illness causes Paralysis, Convulsions, Sight problems, Nausea, Muscle Weakness, Fever, Dizziness and Numbness, Bell's palsy, Hypoesthesia (loss of sense of touch) and Guillain-Barré syndrome. More>>>

Low blood sugar a dementia risk for diabetics
-The Malaysian Insider.
04/14/2009 - Older diabetics whose blood sugar drops to dangerously low levels have a higher risk of developing dementia, US researchers said today. The study by researchers at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California, suggests that aggressive blood sugar control resulting in blood sugar so low it requires a trip to the hospital may increase dementia risks in older adults with type 2 diabetes. More>>>

Certain Diabetes Drugs May Pose Eye Risk
-Forbes
04/13/2009 - A class of diabetes drugs called glitazones are associated with an increased risk of a vision-threatening complication called diabetic macular edema (DME), which features swelling and fluid accumulation in the retina. More>>>

Eli Lilly Zyprexa Claims Being Stonewalled
-TheOpenPress
04/12/2009 - Eli Lilly, the Indy-based pharmaceutical company pleads guilty to promoting Zyprexa for unapproved uses and is slapped with $1.4 billion criminal fine, the largest ever placed on a U.S. company. It's the largest pharma-fraud-whistleblower case in US history. More>>>

Genentech Removing Raptiva From U.S. Market: Announcement Follows Reports of Three Deaths Associated With Use of Psoriasis Drug
-AAFP
04/11/2009 - Drug manufacturer Genentech has announced that it is voluntarily withdrawing its psoriasis drug efalizumab, which is marketed as Raptiva, because of life-threatening infections associated with use of the medication. More>>>

Astrazeneca gets mixed response to Seroquel
-FinancialTimes
04/10/2009 - AstraZeneca’s hopes of extending the uses of its blockbuster drug Seroquel in the US have met with a mixed response from a key panel of medical experts. More>>>

Salmonella warning focuses on San Joaquin pistachio processor
-SacramentoBee
04/09/2009 - Federal food safety officials have lifted last week's blanket salmonella warning on all pistachios, focusing on nuts now being recalled by a single San Joaquin Valley processor. More>>>

FDA Panel Ambivalent on Expanded Seroquel Indications
-MedPageToday
04/08/2009 - An FDA advisory committee today was reluctant to recommend approval of more indications for the antipsychotic drug quetiapine (Seroquel), with studies showing substantial metabolic and cardiovascular risks. More>>>

FDA Statement on the Voluntary Withdrawal of Raptiva From the U.S. Market
-FDA
04/08/2009 - Today, Genentech, the manufacturer of the psoriasis drug Raptiva (efalizumab), announced that it has begun a voluntary, phased withdrawal of the product from the U.S. market. The company is taking this action because of a potential risk to patients of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare, serious, progressive neurologic disease caused by a virus that affects the central nervous system. More>>>

Doctors warn of jaw damage from bone drugs
-TheNewsTribune
04/07/2009 - After Geneva Grimpo fell and broke her hand and her arm, doctors put the tiny, fragile-looking woman on drugs to strengthen her bones. Three years into her drug therapy, trouble began. More>>>

Removing Medtronic Heart Cables Is Hard Choice
-TheNewYorkTimes
04/07/2009 - BOSTON — Pulling a medical device off the market is one thing. Removing it from the bodies of thousands of patients is a lot more complicated and dangerous. Consider the Sprint Fidelis, a heart defibrillator cable. In 2007 its maker, Medtronic, stopped selling it after five patients who had the cables died. More>>>

Bill would empower Michigan patients to sue drug manufacturers
-TheGrandRapidsPress
04/06/2009 - Kathy Roaleen, 59, of Rockford, suffered life-changing side effects after taking tablets that might have contained higher dosages of morphine than prescribed. The drug maker later recalled the medicine. Lawyers told Roaleen she cannot sue. More>>>

FDA Warns Drug Firms Over Internet Ads Article
-WSJ
04/06/2009 - WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration warned 14 major pharmaceutical companies about brief Internet ads that accompany searches on Google and other search engines, saying the ads were misleading because they didn't include risk information. More>>>

Pistachios had been found to have salmonella three times in recent months before recall, Kraft says: Positive tests for bacteria found in September, November, February
-Chicago Tribune
04/05/2009 - Kraft Foods had been bedeviled with positive salmonella tests in products containing pistachios for months prior to its recall last week of a pistachio-laden trail mix, the company said Friday. More>>>

Fall Danger Prompts High
-FOX News
04/05/2009 - A voluntary recall of almost 733,000 Evenflo high chairs was announced Thursday by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The recall involves all 643,000 Evenflo Envision high chairs as well as some 90,000 Majestic high chairs (95,000 of which were the focus of a recall in December). More>>>

Conflicts for FDA committee set to weigh risks of Seroquel
-Philadelphia Inquirer 
04/04/2009 - AstraZeneca P.L.C. paid Florida child psychiatrist Jorge Armenteros to talk to other doctors about prescribing Seroquel, the company's powerful antipsychotic. More>>>

Injuries Prompt Evenflo High Chair Recall: Evenflo Recalls About 733,000 Envision and Majestic High Chairs Because of Fall Risk, Choking Hazard
-WebMD
04/03/2009 - About 733,000 Evenflo high chairs are being recalled because of fall risk, choking hazard, and reports of injured children. The recall includes all Evenflo Envision high chairs and also certain models of Evenflo Majestic high chairs. More>>>

US sees death concern in schizophrenia drugs
-Reuters
04/03/2009 - U.S. regulators are concerned about a potential risk of sudden death with schizophrenia drugs from AstraZeneca Plc and H Lundbeck A/S, documents released on Friday showed. More>>>

Diabetes drug class linked to vision-threatening complication
-EurekAlert
04/02/2009 - Treatment with the glitazone class of diabetes drugs leads to a "modest" increase in the risk of diabetic macular edema (DME)—a common complication that can lead to vision loss, reports a study in the April issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ajo), published by Elsevier. More>>>

Data Support Gadolinium-NSF Link
-Renal and Urology News
04/02/2009 - Meta-analysis reveals a strong association between contrast agents and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. Evidence suggests a potentially causal link between gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) in patients with advanced kidney disease, according to researchers. More>>>

Gardasil Side Effects? Parents Seek Answers
-U.S.News
04/02/2009 - In response to my recent post about the government deciding to take a closer look at cases of paralysis that occurred after the Gardasil vaccination, I received comments and E-mails from several devastated mothers whose daughters became ill for no apparent reason in the days and weeks after getting the vaccine, which protects against the cervical-cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV). More>>>

Patients head to D.C. to lobby for right to sue Medtronic
-Minnesota Independent
04/01/2009 - Diana Levine sees a double-standard in the law. As her own case proves, people can sue when they are harmed by pharmaceuticals, but individuals hurt by defective medical devices cannot. She appears in a new video that targets Twin Cities-based defibrillator manufacturer Medtronic to support passage of the Medical Device Safety Act, which would effectively overturn the 2008 Supreme Court ruling in Riegel v. Medtronic that prevents patients receiving faulty devices from suing. More>>>

Yamaha recall: 145,000 Rhino vehicles recalled for safety concerns
-Chicago Tribune
04/01/2009 - Yamaha Motor Corp. USA recalled about 145,000 off-highway recreational vehicles Tuesday, after two models were involved in 46 deaths and hundreds of injuries. More>>>

Caraco Recalls Generic Pills Over Irregular Sizes
-Bloomberg
04/01/2009 - Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories Ltd. recalled generic heart tablets that may contain the wrong amount of medicine, sending the drugmaker down the most in four months in New York trading. More>>>

Boston Scientific Stents Less Effective Than Rivals
-Bloomberg
03/30/2009 - Heart stents made by Boston Scientific Corp., the world’s biggest seller of the artery- clearing devices, were less effective in studies than those from Abbott Laboratories, Johnson & Johnson and Medtronic Inc. More>>>

Shoulder Pain Pump Patient Anxious for Diagnosis
-LawyersandSettlements
03/29/2009 - Northglenn, CO: Russell E. has endured 3 shoulder surgeries, all involving the use of the shoulder pain pump. After the first surgery did not appear to work, Russell had to go through 2 more surgeries, procedures he now thinks may not have been necessary. Russell now believes that the shoulder pain pump caused the shoulder pain following his first surgery and all his shoulder pain that has continued to this day. More>>>

Leaky Roof Eyed in Salmonella Outbreak
-NewsInferno
03/28/09 - The historic salmonella outbreak linked to Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), which has sickened and hospitalized hundreds; was linked to nine deaths; prompted thousands of food recall; and resulted in governmental investigations, bankruptcies, and dozens of lawsuits, might all have originated with a leaky roof. More>>>

"My Brother Died from Fentanyl"
-LawyersandSettlements
03/27/2009 - Richmond, RI: "My brother was prescribed fentanyl patches for severe back pain and throat cancer," says Michael. "He was on conventional opiates for a long time but he was prescribed the fentanyl patches on July 10, 2007. The next day my mother found him dead." More>>>

Mingo couple suing over drug's side effects
-WestVirginiaRecord
03/26/2009 - WILLIAMSON - A Mingo County couple is suing a physician and the makers of a drug used to treat reflux, alleging the companies concealed the risk of side effects and the physician failed to recognize the wife was suffering from two of them. More>>>

Following A Girl’s Death, the CDC is Finally Looking at Gardasil Links
-NewsInferno
03/26/2009 - After scores of young girls have been stricken with a variety of ailments following Gardasil injections, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are looking at the possible association between the controversial injection and paralysis. Unfortunately, it took the death of a 15-year-old girl to get the agency’s attention. More>>>

Peanut Recall Not Over Yet
-ConsumerAffairs
03/25/2009 - The recall of food products containing peanuts possibly contaminated with salmonella has stretched into a third month. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to consume any peanuts or peanut-derived products sold by Irvington, New Jersey-based Westco Fruit and Nuts Inc. due to possible Salmonella contamination. More>>>

Shoulder Chondrolysis Trial to Begin July 2009 in Breg Pain Pump Lawsuit
-AboutLawsuits
03/25/2009 - It appears that the first trial of a pain pump lawsuit, involving the development of shoulder chondrolysis after arthroscopic surgery, will begin this summer in Key West, Florida. According to court records, the plaintiff, Douglas Kilpatrick, and the device manufacturer, Breg, Inc., failed to reach a settlement during a court ordered mediation earlier this month, and the trial is scheduled to begin in the first half of July 2009. More>>>

Black Box Warning Due for Reglan
-LawyersandSettlements
03/24/2009 - Washington, DC: They may have known about it for years, but the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is finally getting around to mandating a black box warning for Reglan side effects—and specifically, Reglan tardive dyskinesia. Metoclopramide side effects can be either temporary, or permanent. The latter could have life-changing effects on a patient's health and well-being. More>>>

FDA announces more peanut-related recalls
-UPI
03/24/2009 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to eat peanuts or peanut-derived products sold by Westco Fruit and Nuts Inc. The FDA said peanuts and peanut-containing products produced by the Irvington, N.J., company might be contaminated with salmonella bacteria, since the peanuts in the Westco products came from the Peanut Corporation of America, which has been involved in a nationwide Salmonella typhimurium outbreak. More>>

Watson Announces a Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Propafenone HCL Tablets Due to Oversized Tablets
-MarketWire
03/24/2009 - Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: WPI), a leading specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today that one lot of Propafenone HCL 225 mg Tablets sold in 100 count bottles in the United States is being voluntarily recalled to the consumer level as a precautionary measure. More>>>

CDC Takes Closer Look at Gardasil and Paralysis
-U.S.News
03/21/2009 - Phil Tetlock and Barbara Mellers were in a race against time to save their 15-year-old daughter, Jenny. As I reported last summer, Jenny developed a degenerative muscle disease nearly two years ago, soon after being vaccinated against the cervical-cancer-causing HPV. She became nearly completely paralyzed, though her mind was perfectly intact and she could still enjoy her pet parakeet, Hannah Montana, and Twilight. More>>>

FDA Increases Reglan Warning for Tardive Dyskinesia
-InjuryBoard
03/21/2009 - Recently the FDA announced that the heartburn drug, Reglan, and all other drug containing metoclopramide will now carry the administration’s strongest warning, the infamous “black box” warning. The label change was made to warn consumers, and health care professionals alike of an increased risk of developing tardive dyskinesia. More>>>

Gardasil Vaccine: Not Without The Risks
-NewsWest9
03/21/2009 - Samantha Hobbs, 15, still doesn't know exactly what is going on inside her body. After three rounds of the vaccine Gardasil she says she developed strange symptoms including nausea, fatigue, vomiting, and severe abdominal pain. More>>>

Digitek suit claims too much medication in pills
-SoutheastTexasRecord
03/19/2009 - Another Jefferson County citizen has filed suit against Mylan Pharmaceuticals, claiming he suffered physical pain after he took the prescription drug Digitek, which allegedly contained twice the approved level of its active ingredient. More>>>

Common Anti-Seizure Medications May Increase Risk of Cardiovascular Problems
-Newswise
03/18/2009 - An important clinical repercussion in the treatment of epilepsy has been discovered by a research team led by Scott Mintzer, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and the Jefferson Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. The team has determined that two of the most commonly prescribed anti-seizure medications may lead to significantly increased levels of cholesterol, C-reactive protein and other markers of cardiovascular disease risk. More>>>

Lawsuit claims pain med overdose killed wife
-TheTennessean
03/18/2009 - A Nashville man says too much pain medicine killed his wife after she had a hysterectomy. David Cohen filed a lawsuit in Davidson County Circuit Court against the New Jersey-based drug manufacturer Actavis Inc., alleging that the medication came from a defective prescription patch. He is seeking $20 million in damages. More>>>

"I almost Died from Fentanyl"
-LawyersandSettlements
03/18/2009 - Munroe, NY: "I almost died from fentanyl in the Duragesic patch," says Vito. "Six patches in a box is like playing Russian Roulette—the third patch I wore definitely leaked and left me comatose." More>>>

Avandia Causing Havoc For Patients
-LawyersandSettlements
03/18/2009 - Centerview, MO: As more lawsuits are filed against the maker of Avandia alleging the drug caused irreparable harm to patients, more patients are wondering if they too have suffered an Avandia heart attack or other Avandia side effects. Meanwhile, public interest groups are encouraging patients to avoid the drug and return to older medications that do not have as many complications. More>>>

Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis Settlements Being Negotiated on Bayer Magnevist Lawsuits
-AboutLawsuits
03/16/2009 - According to U.S. District Judge Dan Polster, Bayer Healthcare has initiated settlement negotiations with a number of plaintiffs who have filed Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis lawsuits after receiving the gadolinium-based Magnevist MRI contrast agent. More>>>

Fire department warns of defective refrigerators
-WindsorStar
03/14/2009 - Certain models of refrigerators pose a serious fire hazard and are subject to an international consumer recall, the Windsor fire department warns. More>>>

Medtronic Says Broken Heart Wires Tied to 13 Deaths
-Bloomberg
03/14/2009 - Medtronic Inc. said fractures of wires in its cardiac defibrillators “may have been a possible or likely contributing factor” in 13 deaths, more than double the number initially suspected. More>>>

True Stories: Serious complications of drugs for osteoporosis
-Recorderonline
03/14/2009 - Bones are formed, molded and absorbed continuously. Bone cells, called osteoblasts, are responsible for the new bone formation and cells known as osteoclasts absorb the bone. Osteoclast activity leads to thinning of the bones (osteoporosis), which results in fractures eventually. Around 60 years, the new bone formation slows down, osteoclast activity increases and bone thinning accelerates. More>>>

Seroquel Victim Wants More AstraZeneca Documents Unsealed
-NewsInferno
03/13/2009 - A plaintiff in a Seroquel lawsuit is trying to convince a judge to unseal more AstraZeneca documents before a Food & Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel meets next month to consider expanding the use of an extended-release version of the drug. More>>>

Baxter Infusion Pump Recall: Pump Failure Could Result in Death
-AboutLawsuits
03/13/2009 - Baxter Colleague Infusion pumps, which are widely used at hospitals throughout the United States to deliver IV fluids and medicine, have been recalled by the FDA because the devices could delay or interrupt the infusion of fluids, potentially resulting in serious personal injury or death. More>>>

And the Drug Companies and FDA Try to Kill Us Again in the name of Profits.
-Motley Fool
03/13/2009 - Leave it to the FDA to wait until the last minute to finally sound the alarm a drug with deadly side effects. By now, I'm sure you've heard that Genetech's psoriasis drug Raptiva not only might cause a brain infection, but it could even kill you. That's a heck of a risk to be taking to clear up your skin. More>>>

Baxter's Colleague infusion pump under FDA's most serious recall
-ChicagoTribune
03/13/2009 - Baxter International Inc. disclosed Wednesday that the latest flaw it identified with its frequently problem-plagued Colleague infusion pump has been classified by the Food and Drug Administration as a "Class 1 recall," the regulatory agency's most serious recall designation. More>>>

Accutane Risks
-InjuryBoard
03/13/2009 - Do you take Accutane to treat severe acne? If you do, hopefully your doctor has already warned you about all of the possible risks. If you are thinking about using Accutane, then there are some serious side effects that you need to be aware of. More>>>

Recall Issued on Baxter Electronic Infusion Pumps
-Medscape
03/12/2009 - A class 1 recall has been issued on Baxter Healthcare Corp Colleague Single and Triple Channel Volumetric Infusion Pumps manufactured and distributed between February 1997 and December 2008, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says. More>>>

Info about the Maytag recall
-Newsday
03/11/2009 - Here are the details of the refrigerator recall announced by the Maytag Corp. and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. It includes certain Maytag®, Jenn-Air®, Amana®, Admiral®, Magic Chef®, Performa by Maytag® and Crosley® brand side by side and top freezer refrigerators. More >>>

Maytag Recalls About 1.6 Million Refrigerators Due To Fire Hazard
-CNN
03/11/2009 - Maytag Corp. and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on Tuesday announced a voluntary recall of about 1.6 million refrigerators because of a fire hazard. More >>>

Drug-eluting stents: Heart attack risk?
-WWLP
03/10/2009 - In recent years, there has been some concern about the use of some types of popular medical devices called stents. Stents are used to keep arteries open after a procedure called angioplasty. More than 2 million people receive stents each year, including a million Americans. More>>>

Shoulder Pain "Makes Me Feel Like I’m Falling Apart"
-LawyersandSettlements
03/10/2009 - Like many patients before her, Debra L. says she thought her shoulder pain was a result of the surgery she had. She had no idea it could be related to the use of a shoulder pain pump following surgery. It was not until recently that Debra heard about problems with the shoulder pain pump and discovered that her inability to use her shoulder could have been caused by a machine that was meant to help her. More>>>

Jelly Belly Candy Joins The Peanut Butter Recalls
-InjuryBoard
03/10/2009 - The last week in February, Jelly Belly Candy's announced the recall of chocolate-covered peanuts, chocolate peanut clusters and no-sugar added chocolate peanuts. Three peanut confections in the company's line of 200 confections. More>>>

Man Almost Overdosed on Fentanyl
-LawyersandSettlements
03/09/2009 - Payette, ID: After dealing with 10 major surgeries over 21 years, Roger has gained a lot of knowledge and experience regarding pain medications, pain management and pain clinics. He studies every medication before taking it, but fentanyl, by way of the Duragesic patch, was in a class all by itself. More>>>

Review of Heart Side Effects for Diabetes Drugs Lead to Delay for Proposed Takeda Medication
-AboutLawsuits
03/09/2009 - Following the discovery of heart problems with Avandia and other diabetes drugs, the FDA is requiring that drug makers establish that proposed diabetes medications do not increase the risk of cardiovascular side effects, even if the New Drug Application was filed before the new guidance was issued in December 2008. More>>>

New documents question data on Seroquel, diabetes
-PhiladelphiaInquirer
03/08/2009 - Shortly after new antipsychotic drugs came on the market in the late 1990s, the Food and Drug Administration started to worry that they might trigger diabetes in some patients. More>>>

Reglan Side Effects "Frightening"
-LawyersandSettlements
03/08/2009 - Flushing, NY: Shelee H. says she may have been suffering from Reglan side effects for the past year but never realized it. She was prescribed the drug Reglan 2.5 years ago, following gastric bypass surgery. About one year ago she began to develop facial tics without realizing they were metoclopramide side effects. More>>>

Reglan, Similar Heart Burn Drugs to Have Black Box For Movement Disorder
-NewsInferno
03/08/2009 - Heart burn drugs that contain metoclopramide, including Reglan Tablets, Reglan Oral Disintegrating Tablets, Metoclopramide Oral Solution and Reglan Injection, will now be labeled with a Black Box that warns of their link to a movement disorder. According to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Reglan and other metoclopramide-containing drugs can cause a neurological problem called tardive dyskinesia when they are taken in high doses, or over a long period of time. More>>>

Gastrointestinal drug gets 'black box' warning
-LA Times
03/08/2009 - Late last month, the Food and Drug Administration ruled that makers of the drug metoclopramide must put the strongest so-called black-box warning on the product's package insert. Also sold as Reglan, Octamide and Maxolon, metoclopramide is used to treat certain gastrointestinal problems. If taken chronically, it can cause a serious neurological disorder called tardive dyskinesia (TD). More>>>

Kugel Mesh Patch "Not Doing Its Job"
-LawyersandSettlements
03/06/2009 - Orlando, FL: Barbara F. is waiting to have the Kugel Mesh Patch taken out of her abdomen. Ever since she had hernia repair surgery, she has had problems with the hernia patch. She says her doctor has now decided that the patch needs to come out, but he is concerned that the Kugel Mesh has caused internal problems. More>>>

Skin Patch Burns May Occur During MRI Scans Warns FDA
-AboutLawsuits
03/06/2009 - The FDA has issued a Public Health Advisory about the risk of burns from medicated skin patch drugs during MRI scans, as some of these medications may contain aluminum or other metal that could overheat, causing a potentially serious skin burn around the patch. More>>>

Digitek plaintiffs face thorough fact sheets
-TheWestVirginaRecord
03/06/2009 - CHARLESTON - Individuals who sued manufacturers of heart medicine Digitek will feel more like patients than plaintiffs when they fill out fact sheets for a federal judge. More>>>

Common drug causes spastic movements
-GreatFallsTribune
03/05/2009 - In a surprising move this week, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it is imposing the infamous "black box warning" on the label of a common gastrointestinal drug, metoclopramide or Reglan, because of serious side effects. More>>>

Patients' lawyers in Medtronic cases want new judge
-StarTribune
03/05/2009- Plaintiffs' lawyers in a set of lawsuits against Medtronic Inc. have asked for the recusal of U.S. District Judge Richard Kyle, who recently threw out hundreds of suits over a heart device manufactured by the Fridley-based firm. More>>>

Osteoporosis Drugs Linked to Rotting Jaw Disease
-NaturalNews
03/05/2009- Widely used osteoporosis drugs can significantly increase the risk of bone death in the jaw, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) School of Dentistry and published in the Journal of the American Dental Association. More>>>

Is the Duragesic transdermal patch recall worrisome? How about the possibility of an ultra hazardous mini-pain pump malfunction?
-InjuryBoard
03/05/2009 - Due to a Duragesic transdermal patch fold over defect, ALZA Corporation has been in the news lately. A recent FDA recall involved several lots of Duragesic with an expiration date in December 2009. Johnson & Johnson (J&J) acquired ALZA in 2001 for $10.5 billion. Another J&J subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceutica (1961) distributes Duragesic. More>>>

No Legal Shield in Drug Labeling, Justices Rule
-TheNewYorkTimes
03/05/2009- WASHINGTON — In a major setback for business groups that had hoped to build a barrier against injury lawsuits seeking billions of dollars, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said state juries may award damages for harm from unsafe drugs even though their manufacturers had satisfied federal regulators. More>>>

Yamaha Rhino UTV Safety Report Released by Advocates and Victims
-AboutLawsuits
03/04/2009- Consumer safety advocates and victims who have been impacted by Yamaha Rhino rollover accidents, have released a report calling for government regulation of side-by-side Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTV), as well as basic design changes which could substantially increase the safety of the vehicles. More>>>

Patients can sue drug companies, Supreme Court rules
-ChicagoTribune
03/04/2009- Patients have the right to sue drug companies when they believe they’ve been harmed by their products, the Supreme Court ruled today in a 6-3 decision. The much-watched case is a significant defeat for the drug industry and could open to door to thousands of lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies. More>>>

Don't let drugmaker hide records
-St.Petersburg Times
03/04/2009- Beyond arbitrating private disputes, the courts play a key role in protecting the public interest. A federal magistrate in Orlando is deciding whether to open records of the drug company AstraZeneca or allow the maker of the blockbuster drug Seroquel to hide potentially embarrassing information. More>>>

KV Pharmaceutical Agrees to Improve Drug-Making
-Bloomberg
03/04/2009- KV Pharmaceutical Co., a St. Louis drugmaker, agreed to improve its manufacturing processes to resolve a U.S. Food and Drug Administration lawsuit filed in the wake of a shutdown of the company’s production. More>>>

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Expand Massive Drug Recall: KV Pharmaceutical Faces Class-action Lawsuits, SEC Inquiry
-AAFP
03/04/2009- KV Pharmaceutical Co. and its subsidiaries have expanded a recall initiated late last year to include a total of more than 90 drug products. The products were recalled for failing to comply with current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations established by the FDA. More>>>

Raptiva Side Effects Include Meningitis
-LawyersandSettlements
03/03/2009- Springfield, IL: Kristina says she took only one dose of Raptiva before being rushed to the emergency room 24 hours later. "They suspected meningitis," says Kristina, "then one of the doctors at the hospital did some research and told me there were 2 other reported cases of meningitis associated with Raptiva." More>>>

Dead mice found at salmonella U.S. peanut plant
-Reuters
03/03/2009- Dead mice and rodent droppings were found throughout a Texas plant run by a company whose peanut products caused one of the biggest food recalls in U.S. history, food inspectors reported on Tuesday. More>>>

Lawyers: AstraZeneca Failed to Inform Patients on Seroquel Risks
-eFluxMedia
03/03/2009- AstraZeneca Plc failed to make public results of at least three clinical trials of its antipsychotic drug Seroquel, according to an e-mail sent by one of the company’s officials in December 1999. The e-mail was unsealed Thursday under an agreement between the company and lawyers for patients. More>>>

Evra Birth Control Patch Class Action Lawsuit Settled in Canada
-AboutLawsuits
03/03/2009- A subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit involving the Canadian version of the Ortho Evra birth control patch, resolving claims brought by women in Canada who allege that they were not properly warned about the risk of blood clots, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, heart attacks and strokes. More>>>

Various Infuse Bone Graft Lawsuits Filed against Medtronic Inc.
-TransWorldNews
03/03/2009- Medtronic Inc, one of the world’s largest medical technology companies, has recently been targeted in various lawsuits related to its Infuse Bone Graft, a medical device designed to stimulate bone growth. More>>>

Raptiva Puts Patients At Risk For PML
-InjuryBoard
03/02/2009- Patients taking the Genentech product, Raptiva, for psoriasis are being warned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the risk of developing a rare brain infection. A fourth possible report of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) has yet to be confirmed. Three out of the four instances have ended in death, and each patient had been taking the medicine for more than three years. More>>>

Mother blames Gardasil for daughter's health issues: Pair to participate in Internet forum
-The Press Republican
03/02/2009- MALONE — A Malone mother and daughter will take part in an Internet forum about the preventive cervical-cancer drug Gardasil, which they claim caused a serious reaction. More>>>

AstraZeneca Warned Japanese Doctors of Diabetes Link (Update3)
-Bloomberg
03/02/2009- AstraZeneca Plc pushed salespeople to tell U.S. doctors its antipsychotic drug Seroquel didn’t cause diabetes more than two years after warning physicians in Japan of possible links to the disease, internal documents show. More>>>

Schwan's Adds Another Product To the Peanut Butter Recall List
-InjuryBoard
03/01/2009- On Saturday, Schwan's announced the recall of all 1.75 quart cartons of “#216 Schwan's® Caramel Peanut Chocolate Bar” ice cream (regardless of product identification codes). This follows a recall of limited codes back in early February. More>>>

Seroquel Studies Cherry Picked, Company Docs Show
-InjuryBoard
02/28/2009- Often litigation yields secrets a company would rather keep quiet. That is what’s happened in litigation over the antipsychotic drug, Seroquel, made by AstraZeneca Plc. Bloomberg News filed a motion to unseal records in the case and AstraZeneca has agreed to release more than 100 files. More>>>

More Shoulder Pain Pump Lawsuits Filed Against Pain Pump Manufacturers
-TransWorldNews
02/28/2009- In early January 2009, several lawsuits were filed in Arizona federal court on behalf of patients injured by shoulder pain pumps, medical devices implanted into the shoulder during surgery to alleviate post-operative shoulder joint pain. Numerous pain pump manufacturers are named as defendants in the lawsuits, including: More>>>

Lawsuit over Evra contraception patch settled
-CTV.ca
02/28/2009- Janssen-Ortho Inc. has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit started by Canadian women who claimed they were injured by the Evra contraceptive skin patch. The women alleged that Janssen-Ortho failed to adequately warn them and their doctors about Evra's association with an increased risk of developing blood clots, pulmonary embolisms, strokes, heart attacks and deep vein thrombosis. More>>>

Risks Associated With Ortho Evra
-InjuryBoard
02/28/2009- The FDA has updated the warning label on the Ortho Evra Birth control patch because some studies have shown women developing higher risks to blood clots forming in their lungs or legs over women who were not taking the birth control. More>>>

Raptiva Recall in Canada and Europe Due to Risk of PML Brain Infection
-AboutLawsuits
02/27/2009- Following recommendations that a Raptiva recall be issued due to a potential risk of users developing a deadly brain infection, sales of the psoriasis drug are being suspended in Canada and Europe. In the United States, the FDA is continuing to review whether the benefits of Raptiva outweigh the risks, and have urged doctors to carefully monitor any patients receiving the treatment. More>>>

AstraZeneca Papers Raise Seroquel Issues
-WSJ
02/27/2009- ORLANDO, Fla. -- AstraZeneca PLC instructed its U.S. sales representatives to tell doctors that its powerful psychiatric drug, Seroquel, didn't cause diabetes even though a company physician had at one point stated years earlier that such a link was probable in some individuals, documents unsealed in a federal court case here show. More>>>

"Did Dilantin SJS Kill My Husband?"
-LawyersandSettlements
02/27/2009- David was prescribed Dilantin because "he was confused and couldn't get his words out," says his wife, Sandra. Dilantin is an epileptic drug that is typically used to control seizures and David's doctor thought he might be experiencing seizures. Instead, David suffered horrific skin problems and died just a few months later from other complications. David's neurologist said he had an allergic reaction to the drug; he likely developed Dilantin Stevens Johnson Syndrome. More>>>

Patient Endures Six Surgeries For "Messed Up" Shoulder
-LawyersandSettlements
02/27/2009- Gardnerville, NV: Joanna S. has had her life torn apart because of a shoulder injury. She has endured 6 shoulder surgeries in the past few years, all because of a torn rotator cuff. Of those surgeries, the shoulder pain pump was used in 3 of them. Joanna says she has suffered severe pain and is unable to continue her career because of problems with her shoulder. More>>>

Salmonella Count Now at 666
-NewsInferno
02/26/2009- The peanut salmonella outbreak linked to ingredients made by a Peanut Corp. of America (PCA) manufacturing facility in Blakely, Georgia plant has now sickened more than 600 people. Meanwhile, health officials have confirmed that salmonella found at a second PCA plant in Texas was also tied to the nationwide salmonella outbreak. More>>>

Ruling near on privacy issues in Seroquel case
- Philadelphia Inquirer
02/26/2009- Does the world have the right to know about negative studies on AstraZeneca's potent antipsychotic drug Seroquel? Or whether company representatives promoted the drug for unapproved uses? And what about details of sexual relationships between Wayne Macfadden, AstraZeneca's former U.S. medical director for Seroquel, and two women who researched and wrote papers supporting the drug's safety and efficacy? More>>>

Local doctors urge caution with psoriasis drug Raptiva
-Newsday
02/25/2009- Some Long Island doctors are urging caution about a potent psoriasis drug linked to a deadly brain infection, as a report in a major medical journal today encourages more conservative prescribing for all medications. Raptiva, a drug that erases the red and scaly patches of psoriasis by tamping down the immune system, is the subject of a public health alert issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the wake of three deaths and a possible fourth. More>>>

Seroquel Case: Must AstraZeneca Tell All?
-BusinessWeek
02/25/2009- In more lawsuits, companies are being forced to reveal internal information during the pretrial discovery phase that otherwise would be kept private A showdown is looming in a Florida courtroom over an issue that has long bedeviled business: How much internal information can a company be forced to make public simply because it has become a defendant in a lawsuit? More>>>

Medina woman's salmonella death gives Ohio delegation another reason to push for stronger FDA
-Cleveland
02/25/2009- Nellie Napier of Medina died of salmonella poisoning.WASHINGTON — Nellie Napier survived desertion by her husband and raised six kids by herself on a salary as low as 98 cents an hour. Even diabetes couldn't fell the 80-year-old Medina woman. More>>>

First Levaquin Tendon Tear Lawsuit Scheduled For Trial August 2010
-AboutLawsuits
02/24/2009- U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim, who is overseeing all federal lawsuits alleging tendon ruptures from Levaquin, has issued a pretrial order which identifies 15 cases that will begin case-specific discovery and sets out a discovery schedule where the first trial should begin on or about August 2, 2010. More>>>

ETHEX Drug Overdose "Like Going to Hell and Back Again"
-LawyersandSettlements
02/24/2009- York, SC: Sandi I. is just one of many patients who say they suffered from a mix-up that led to an ETHEX drug overdose. Sandi was taking morphine, one of the drugs named in the recent ETHEX drug recall. Although Sandi survived her ordeal, she says she spent months with serious problems and wouldn't wish that experience on anyone. More>>>

Study Finds More Failure of Heart Device
-NewYorkTimes
02/24/2009- A widely used heart device recalled two years ago by Medtronic may be failing in patients at a rate significantly higher than previously known, a new report by two prominent cardiac specialists indicated. More>>>

Yamaha Rhinos are popular but dangerous vehicles
-Injury Board
02/23/2009- If Ashlyn Vargas were still alive, she would be telling us about her experience driving a Rhino. Reportedly, Ashlyn was operating a Rhino in her home town in Paso Robles, California on Thanksgiving Day, and she was traveling slowly when her Rhino just rolled over, pinning her underneath the vehicle. More>>>

Jaw problems linked to medication
-The Columbus Dispatch
02/23/2009- KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- After Geneva Grimpo fell and broke her hand and arm, doctors put the tiny, fragile woman on drugs to strengthen her bones. Three years into her drug therapy, trouble began. Her lower jawbone poked out through sores on the left side of her mouth where her gums had decayed. The visible bone was dead, and she used her fingers to fish out tiny bits as they broke off. More>>>

Psoriasis drug may be linked to fatal infection
- Seattle Times
02/23/2009- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned U.S. patients last week that it is investigating the possibility of a link between the psoriasis drug marketed as Raptiva, or efalizumab, and at least three deaths caused by a rare brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. The agency is looking into a fourth, unconfirmed, report of the deadly infection in a patient taking Raptiva. More>>>

Psoriasis Drug Raptiva Tied to PML Deaths
-eFluxMedia
02/21/2009- The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday said Genentech’s psoriasis drug Raptiva has been linked to three deaths from progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy or PML, a condition known as a side effect of the drug. More>>>

Galveston suit blames Rhino ATV for boy's injuries from rollover
-Southeast Texas Record
02/20/2009- A Santa Fe couple is seeking $3 million in damages from Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. after their son was injured in a Rhino ATV rollover more than a year ago. Warren and Terry Aldous filed a lawsuit on behalf of Brandon Aldous against Yamaha and numerous other businesses, including Altus, Okla.-based Altus Motorsports, in Galveston County District Court. More>>>

Raptiva Sales Suspension Recommended in Europe After Reports of Brain Infections
-NewsInferno
02/20/2009- On the same day U.S. regulators warned that the psoriasis drug Raptiva had been linked to three fatal case of a rare brain infection, their counterparts in the European Union have recommended sales of the drug be suspended. In a statement, advisers to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) said that in light of the deaths, Raptiva’s benefits do not outweigh its risks. More>>>

FDA: Psoriasis drug may be linked to 3 deaths
-LA Times
02/20/2009- The Food and Drug Administration today warned American patients that it is investigating the possibility of a link between the psoriasis drug marketed as Raptiva (efalizumab) and at least three deaths caused by a rare brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. The agency is looking into a fourth, as yet unconfirmed report of the deadly infection in a patient taking Raptiva. More>>>

Genentech’s Raptiva Faces EU Suspension on Infections -Bloomberg
02/19/2009- European regulators recommended suspending sales of Genentech Inc.’s psoriasis treatment Raptiva after the drug was linked to four cases of a deadly brain infection. More>>>

Yamaha Rhino Defect Caused Crushing Injuries – Cases to be Consolidated for Pretrial Proceedings
-InjuryBoard
02/18/2009- Last week, the Federal Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) Panel ruled in favor of creating an MDL for cases involving Yamaha Rhino all-terrain vehicles, to consolidate pretrial proceedings for more than 50 separate injury cases currently pending against Yamaha. The product and alleged defect are the same in every case, with Rhino drivers who had rollover accidents sustaining serious crushing injuries due to the design of the vehicle’s roll bar. More>>>

State demands peanut records
-JournalInquirer
02/17/2009- To get more information on where contaminated peanut butter was shipped in Connecticut, the state Department of Consumer Protection has demanded that King Nut Co. and the Peanut Corp. of America produce a list of companies that received their peanut products between Jan. 1 and Feb. 2 and delivery records. More>>>

Pain Pump Cases In Ohio
-InjuryBoard
02/17/2009- One of the fastest growing areas of litigation in Ohio are the pain pump cases. Young high school and college athletes who had shoulder surgery in 2005 and 2006 and before are finding out that the cartilage in their surgical shoulder is now destroyed due to the use of a pain pump after surgery. More>>>

Klobuchar: Peanut plant owner should face charges
-Star Tribune
02/16/2009- U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar said today that the owner of a peanut-processing company should be prosecuted for the salmonella poisoning of more than 600 people and federal laws should be changed in the hope of preventing future outbreaks of food-borne disease. More>>>

Peanut Corp Files For Bankruptcy
-redOrbit
02/15/2009- On Friday, Peanut Corp. of America filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy amidst a salmonella outbreak that affected a number of consumers. "It's regrettable, but it's inevitable with the events of last month," said Andrew S. Goldstein, the lawyer who filed the bankruptcy petition. The salmonella outbreak was traced to the company’s facility in Blakely, Ga. According to the Food and Drug Administration, inspectors found mold, roaches, filthy equipment and a leaking roof at the plant. More>>>

Judge Who Dismissed Hundreds of Medtronic Injury Cases Biased? Plaintiffs May Get New Life in Court
-Attorneyatlaw
02/14/2009- In a shocking twist to a landmark legal case, a Minnesota federal judge who recently dismissed the cases of hundreds of people allegedly injured by Medtronic Inc. heart-device wires has a son who is an attorney at a law firm which has represented the medical device maker in the past. More>>>

King Nut was tip of iceberg in peanut recall
- Cleveland
02/14/2009- Martin Kanan, chief executive of King Nut Companies in Solon, reluctantly found himself in the national spotlight after salmonella was found in peanut butter the company supplied to a nursing home in Minnesota last month. After the incident, the FDA identified peanut butter as the cause for a nationwide salmonella outbreak that has made hundreds ill. More>>>

A Fatal Step on Fentanyl Patch
-LawyersandSettlements
02/14/2009- Baton Rouge, LA: Lydia's daughter, Abbey, had muscular dystrophy and was on a host of pain medications. "Our doctors didn't feel comfortable giving Abbey so many different pills so about three years ago, they suggested the fentanyl patch," says Lydia. "Abbey took it for about a year before she passed away, just after the dosage was doubled." More>>>

Salmonella Peanut Butter Recall: Batch Shipped Before Lab Results; Co. Failed to 'Destroy' Shipment
-Hispanic Business
02/13/2009- In the latest fallout from the salmonella-spawned peanut butter recall scandal that has rattled the country, the manufacturer at the center of the controversy shipped potentially tainted products before getting test results from the lab, according to documents (PDF download) released Wednesday by the House Energy and Commerce investigations Subcommittee. More>>>

Chantix Suicide: "Something Demanded I Do It"
-LawyersandSettlements
02/13/2009- Three Rivers, MI: When Melinda F. started reading other people's stories about Chantix side effects, she started to cry. That was because she had not realized that her use of Chantix may have caused her suicide attempt in November, 2007. Melinda says that she had never experienced anything like the depression she went through while taking Chantix. More>>>

Wichita Teen Says She's Dying From Vaccine
-ABC News
02/13/2009- A Wichita teen and her mother want a popular vaccine taken off the market. Doctors say Gardasil is killing the 16-year-old. The drug is used to prevent the HPV virus which causes cervical cancer. The makers of Gardasil recommend girls and young women ages 9-26 get the vaccine to protect them from the virus that causes cervical cancer. More>>>

Peanut scandal's weakest victims - Salmonella case leads to suffering, outrage
-SeattlePost
02/12/2009- Peanut and peanut products tainted with salmonella have made 604 people sick, sent 187 to the hospital and killed eight. But those are mere statistics. They do nothing to communicate the anguish that a Wilsonville, Ore., family endured most of last month. Jacob Hurley was a pretty healthy 3-year-old. But in early January, Jacob's lethargy, vomiting, cramps and bloody diarrhea were clearly more than a day care bug. His parents, Peter and Brandy, rushed him to the pediatrician. More>>>

How Could it Happen? Salmonella Timeline
-ABC News
02/12/2009- More than 1,550 peanut products have now been removed from store shelves because of a widespread salmonella outbreak that has prompted one of the largest recalls in history. With an ongoing criminal investigation focused on Peanut Corporation of America, Congress will further examine the problem during a Wednesday hearing on Capitol Hill. More>>>

Peanut Corp. Knew of Salmonella Contamination in 2006
-Bloomberg
02/12/2009- Peanut Corp. of America’s president refused to talk to U.S. lawmakers as an internal e-mail showed he looked for a way to turn raw peanuts “into money” after salmonella-tainted peanut butter was found. More>>>

Avandia Health Problems "Frustrating"
-LawyersandSettlements
02/12/2009- Pine Mountain Valley, GA: Dave J. (not his real name) says he is not sure how long he took Avandia for, but he says he was definitely on the medication for a while. Since he took Avandia, Dave has had a number of medical problems, including at least one massive stroke. Following his medical problems, Dave has been unable to return to any of his jobs, which included being a high school teacher, an adjunct professor and a part-time deputy with the sheriff's office. More>>>

Three local suits filed against Mylar over Digitek
-Southeast Texas Record
02/12/2009- Three Jefferson County residents have filed separate suits against Mylan Pharmaceuticals, alleging they suffered physical pain after they took the prescription drug Digitek, which they claim contained twice the approved level of its active ingredient. More>>>

Peanut Recall Triggers Criminal Investigation and Civil Lawsuit
-InjuryBoard
02/10/2009- On January 30, 2009 the FDA confirmed that the government has opened a criminal investigation into Peanut Corp. of America (PCA) in Blakely, Georgia, the processing plant that has been linked to the outbreak of illnesses caused by Salmonella Typhimurium. Stephen Sundlof, head of the FDA’s food safety center, said the Justice Department will join FDA investigators in looking into criminal violations. More>>>

New Concerns Regarding Use Of Bisphosphonates
-EmaxHealth
02/10/2009- Bisphosphonates are a class of drug that slow bone resorption by reducing osteoclast function. Many studies have shown that this class of medication can improve bone density and reduce the risk of fracture in patients with a reduced bone density. They have been used commonly for more than a decade for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis, and are administered in two ways: orally and intravenously. More>>>

Peanut butter products remain a health concern across nation, in Oklahoma Disease: Two in state diagnosed with the salmonella outbreak strain
-NewsOK
02/10/2009- The hits keep coming for a Georgia peanut company at the center of a salmonella outbreak, but Oklahoma remains relatively unscathed. Only two Oklahomans have been diagnosed with the outbreak strain, although health officials said new cases of salmonella still are being identified because of the time it takes the illness to manifest symptoms. More>>>

Digitek Recall Lawsuits to be Coordinated Between Federal and State Court
-AboutLawsuits
02/10/2009- The Digitek recall lawsuits which are currently consolidated in an MDL before Judge Joseph Goodwin in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia will be coordinated with state court lawsuits pending in the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, West Virginia. More>>>

More Peanut Butter Recalled in Salmonella Outbreak
-WashingtonPost
02/09/2009- A nationwide recall of peanut butter made in a Georgia plant was issued late Tuesday even as the number of people sickened by salmonella-contaminated peanut butter rose to 425 in 43 states. More>>>

Peanut Corporation of America Provides Additional Information about Expanded Nationwide Recall of Peanut Products
-FDA
02/09/2009- In connection with the January 28, 2009 expanded recall announcement issued by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), the company wishes to highlight important information regarding several of its products. On January 28, 2009, PCA announced it was voluntarily recalling all peanuts and peanut products processed in its Blakely, Georgia facility since January 1, 2007 because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. More>>>

State sees 12th case of peanut butter poisoning
-nashuatelegraph
02/09/2009- The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has identified a 12th case of Salmonella in a New Hampshire resident that is linked to the peanut butter recall. The patient became ill approximately January 19. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified 575 cases of salmonella in the U.S. associated with contaminated peanut butter as part of this outbreak, 8 of whom have died. Forty-three states have reported cases. More>>>

Peanut company’s history includes profits, issues
-The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
02/08/2009- Hugh Parnell, the man who founded the peanut company now famous for one of the biggest product recalls in the nation’s history, peddled ice-cream sandwich machines from Baltimore to Miami in the 1960s. Clients complained they couldn’t buy peanuts in bulk in the South. So, Parnell decided, brokering and distributing specialty nuts was the business for him. More>>>

Consumers should not ignore warnings about peanut butter
-The Ada Herald
02/07/2009- Neal Hooker is a food safety policy researcher with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center and Ohio State University Extension and a visiting scholar at the Food Policy Institute at Rutgers University. More>>>

Fallout Widens as Buyers Shun Peanut Butter
-The New York Times
02/07/2009- Many consumers, apparently disregarding the fine print of the salmonella outbreak and food recall caused by a Georgia peanut plant, are swearing off all brands of peanut butter, driving down sales by nearly 25 percent. More>>>

Over 800 complaints on quit-smoking aid reported to Health Canada
-CBC
02/07/2009- A drug commonly used to help people quit smoking is the focus of more than 800 complaints from Canadian users, many of them reporting mood swings, depression or suicidal thoughts. Of the 818 complaints about Champix (varenicline tartrate) Health Canada has received complaints on its adverse reaction database, 520 involved psychiatric problems. More>>>

Peanut company lied on salmonella testing, FDA finds
Some batches were not retested for the bacteria before shipping, the agency says -- though Peanut Corp. of America said they were.
-LA Times
02/07/2009- Peanut Corp. of America, the company that produced the contaminated peanut butter now being widely recalled, lied to Food and Drug Administration investigators about shipping batches of the food known to be tainted with salmonella bacteria, the agency said Friday. More>>>

Ex-employees tell of 'filthy' conditions at Georgia peanut processing plant:
They say the operation, which is the target of a federal salmonella probe, was plagued with cleanliness problems. Eight deaths are linked to tainted products.
-LA Times
02/07/2009- David James recalled opening a container of peanuts at the processing plant here and seeing baby mice. "It was filthy and nasty all around the place," said James, who worked in shipping. More>>>

U.S. suspends peanut company from federal contracts
-Reuters
02/05/2009- The company whose peanut butter and paste has been linked to an outbreak of salmonella food poisoning has been suspended from federal government contracts, the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Thursday.
Family-owned Peanut Corp of America and a subsidiary, Tidewater Blanching LLC, cannot participate in federal contracts for a year, USDA said. The agency also proposed to debar the company from contracts for three years. More>>>

Gardasil: More Adverse Reactions and Scandals
-NewsInferno
02/05/2009- Despite Merck & Co.’s claims that Gardasil is safe, stories abound over devastating reactions to the three-shot inoculations that claim to prevent some—not all—types of the human Papillomavirus (HPV). More>>>

ETHEX Corporation Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall Of Prescription Prenatal and Iron Supplements To Wholesale Level
-FDA MedWatch
02/04/2009- ETHEX Corporation, a subsidiary of KV Pharmaceutical Company is issuing a voluntary nationwide recall of the products identified below (all lots within their expiration dates) at a wholesale level. The Company is taking this action as a precautionary measure, because the products may have been manufactured under conditions that did not sufficiently comply with current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP). More>>>

ETHEX Corporation Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall: Previously Issued Recall to Wholesale Level On Certain Products Expanded to Retail Level
-FDA
02/04/2009- ETHEX Corporation, a subsidiary of KV Pharmaceutical Company (NYSE: KVa/KVb), is issuing a voluntary expansion to the retail level of a previously announced recall on certain products. The recall on the products listed below had previously been issued to the wholesale level, but is now being expanded to the retail level. More>>>

"Extreme Pain" from Kugel Mesh Complications
-LawyersandSettlements
02/04/2009- Hardinsburg, KY: Tyler C. is a young man—far too young to be facing lifelong complications from the use of the Kugel Mesh Patch. Although he is only in his early 20s, Tyler has already had numerous surgeries to fix problems likely caused by his hernia patch. Unfortunately, Tyler faces still more surgeries, and he has no guarantee that those surgeries will fix his problems. More>>>

Drugs used to fight cancer and osteoporosis can create ‘dental cripples’
-The Kansas City Star
02/03/2009- Her problem is a growing concern for dentists nationwide. It is called osteonecrosis of the jaw, or ONJ, a condition in which the gums become painful and infected, exposing underlying areas of dead bone in the jaw. Dentists see ONJ in patients who take certain bone-strengthening drugs used to fight cancer or osteoporosis — drugs that include Fosamax, Boniva and Actonel, some of the most-prescribed medications on the market. More>>>

One Fentanyl Patch Almost Lethal Dose
-LawyersandSettlements
02/02/2009- Haliburton, ON: A few years ago Stuart suffered a back injury from a boating accident that caused two herniated discs and a great deal of pain. Stuart was taking a lot of painkillers and discovered he was allergic to many narcotics, including morphine. More>>>

Fosamax Linked To Esophageal Cancer
-InjuryBoard
02/02/2009- Fosamax, a popular osteoporosis drug by Merck, and other similar drugs have been linked to some rare, but serious, side effects, including heart irregularity, osteonecrosis of the jaw and most recently esophageal Cancer. More>>>

Pain Pump Patient Suffers from Shoulder Pain
-LawyersandSettlements
02/01/2009- Debra K. had shoulder surgery involving the use of a shoulder pain pump a year ago. She initially had her shoulder surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff—but has not fully recovered from the surgery. It was not until recently that Debra learned that her pain pump could actually have caused further shoulder injury. More>>>

SJS Ibuprofen: Who Would Have Thought?
-LawyersandSettlements
02/01/2009- Kelso, WA: Mike had never heard of Stevens Johnson Syndrome before he wound up in the hospital's burn unit—caused by an allergic reaction to SJS Ibuprofen. "There aren't warnings on Ibuprofen bottles about SJS and now I am scared to death to take anything, except maybe Tylenol," he says. Needless to say, Mike is angry with the drug company for not including SJS side effects on its labelling. More>>>

Some women concluding HPV vaccine not worth risk
-SC Now
02/01/2009- The highly publicized Gardasil vaccine has become the subject of debate during the past year, leading some young women to conclude that taking the vaccine isn’t worth the risk. More>>>

Texas woman sues Rhino for rollover as plaintiffs seek MDL
-The Southeast Texas Record
02/01/2009- MARSHALL - More than four years ago, Vicki Joyce's child was injured when the Yamaha 660 Rhino she was in, rolled over and pinned her legs underneath it. Joyce joins one of many new lawsuits alleging the Rhino ATV is defective and unreasonably dangerous. More>>>

Lilly May Spend $2 Billion More on Zyprexa Lawsuits|
-Bloomberg
01/30/2009- Eli Lilly & Co., after agreeing to spend more than $2.6 billion to settle government and individual claims over its antipsychotic Zyprexa, still faces lawsuits over the drug that might cost the company another $2 billion. More>>>

Oxycodone and Morphine Among Dozens of Drug Recalls
-AboutLawsuits
01/29/2009- Ethex Corp. and Ther-Rx Corp., two subsidiaries of KV Pharmaceuticals, have recalled an additional 35 types of drugs following a series of manufacturing problems which have allowed oversized pills to be distributed to consumers. More>>>

Following Morphine Recall and Other Generic Drug Problems, KV Pharma Suspends All Shipments
-AboutLawsuits
01/28/2009- KV Pharmaceutical, the parent company of generic drug maker Ethex Corp., has announced that they are suspending manufacturing and shipping of all products. The action is being taken following a series of manufacturing problems over the past year, which has led to several recalls of Morphine Sulphate and other generic drugs which were sold with more of the active drug than they were supposed to contain. More>>>

Shoulder Surgery Pain Pump Lawsuits Filed in Arizona
-AboutLawsuits
01/28/2009- Five new shoulder surgery pain pump lawsuits were filed last week in the U.S. District Court of Arizona, joining more than 100 other lawsuits filed throughout the country on behalf of individuals who have suffered debilitating loss of cartilage from the use of implantable pain control pumps after arthroscopic shoulder surgery. More>>>

Nationwide recall of multiple ETHEX generic drug products due to manufacturing deficiencies
-FDA MedWatch
01/28/2009- FDA notified pharmacists and consumers that ETHEX Corporation has expanded two previous 2008 recalls to include over 60 generic drug products recalled to wholesalers, and two generic drug products, Hydromorphone HCl and Metoprolol Succinate, recalled to retailer level. These generic products may have been manufactured under conditions that did not sufficiently comply with current Good Manufacturing Practices. More>>>

Spine Doctors Mandated to Disclose Financial Ties to Industry
-NewsInferno
01/27/2009- Some doctors will be required to disclose their financial ties to medical device companies as well as the dollar amounts associated with those relationships, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported. More>>>

Will Fosamax Be the New Vioxx?
-medHeadlines
01/27/2009- 1999 was a good year for Merck. In its 64-page annual report it predicted arthritis medicine Vioxx–Our Biggest, Fastest and Best Launch Ever!–would prevent Alzheimer’s disease and colon cancer. More>>>

HPV Vaccine Shot Causes 500 Percent Increase in Allergic Reactions Compared to Other Vaccines
-NaturalNews
01/26/2009- The "cervical cancer" vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV) is between 5 and 26 times more likely to cause severe, potentially fatal allergic reactions in young women than other vaccines, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Children's Hospital at Westmead in Sydney, Australia, and published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. More>>>

"My Mother Died from a Fentanyl Overdose "
-LawyersandSettlements
01/26/2009- Olathe, KS: Melissa says that now she understands the effects of fentanyl, she believes her mother died from an overdose of this powerful opoid which was administered by way of the Duragesic patch. More>>>

Plavix [Clopidogrel bisulfate] FDA safety review to evaluate differences in efffectiveness, genetic factors, potential drug interactions
-FDA MedWatch
01/26/2009- FDA notified healthcare professionals that the makers of Plavix have agreed to work with FDA to conduct studies to obtain additional information that will allow a better understanding and characterization of the effects of genetic factors and other drugs (especially the proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)) on the effectiveness of clopidogrel. More>>>

Patient's Ordeal After Use of Shoulder Pain Pump "A Nightmare"
-LawyersandSettlements
01/25/2009- Las Vegas, NV: Julie P. had not 1 but 2 shoulder surgeries in only a few months, both of which included the use of a shoulder pain pump. She says that her shoulder surgeries resulted in serious injury to her shoulder and she has been told she will never recover full use of that shoulder. More>>>

Eli Lilly Admits Zyprexa Guilt
-NewsInferno
01/24/2009- Eli Lilly finally admitted some wrongdoing in how it marketed Zyprexa. Lilly also agreed to pay over $1.4 billion in settlements, but did not officially admit its guilt in the civil investigation, reported Forbes. Zyprexa has been linked to serious side effects including diabetes, hyperglycemia, and other blood sugar disorders. More>>>

Vaccinating teens during menstrual phase may increase adverse reactions
-RenewAmerica
01/24/2009- Why has there not been any mention of the potentially adverse effects of Merck's cervical cancer vaccination, Gardasil® in relationship to the timing of the inoculation and where a young woman is in her menstrual cycle? This information is especially critical considering the vaccination is recommended for adolescent girls from the age of nine to young women up to 26-years. More>>>

Lawsuits Filed Over Shoulder Pain Pump Injuries
-NewsInferno
01/24/2009- A variety of pain-pump makers are being sued over claims that the medical devices caused pain and permanent damage. The nine patients in Arizona are asking for $68 million in damages, reports BizJournal. More>>>

Nine Arizonans suing pain pump manufacturers for damage to cartilage
- Triangle Business Journal
01/23/2009 - Nine shoulder-surgery patients in Arizona have filed lawsuits against national pain-pump manufacturers alleging the medical devices caused permanent and painful damage. They’re asking for a total of $68 million in damages. More>>>

Inhaler Drugs Increase Risk of Heart Attacks, Death
-NaturalNews
01/22/2009- People taking inhaled drugs to treat a widespread lung condition may be at increased risk of heart attack and death, according to a Veterans Affairs study conducted by researchers from Wake Forest University and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. More>>>

Suit against drug maker claims woman died from too much morphine in tablets
-SoutheastTexasRecord
01/22/2009- The family of a Jefferson County woman has filed suit against drug manufacturer over allegations the woman's prescription contained a lethal amount of morphine because the tablets were too large. More>>>

Study on osteoporosis drug and risk of heartbeat problems
-BMJ Group
01/21/2009- You may have read reports this week that women who take a medicine commonly used for osteoporosis face an increased risk of heart problems. But how big is the risk, and should you worry about it? We take a closer look at the evidence to find out. More>>>

Heart risk of diabetes drugs
-BMJ Group
01/21/2009- Two medicines used to treat people with diabetes can increase the risk of serious side effects, new research has found. Rosiglitazone (brand name Avandia) and pioglitazone (Actos) are medicines for type 2 diabetes. More>>>

Seroquel Diabetes Side Effects Increase Risk 389 Percent
-AboutLawsuits
01/20/2009- According to testimony presented by an expert witness at pre-trial hearings last week, Seroquel side effects increase the risk of diabetes by nearly four times when compared with older anti-psychotic medications. More>>>

Antipsychotics up cardiac death risk
-PressTV
01/19/2009- Taking antipsychotic drugs for conditions they have not been approved for increases the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases. Antipsychotic drugs such as Risperdal, Zyprexa and Seroquel are usually prescribed for serious mental conditions like schizophrenia; some physicians, however, recommend these drugs for treating conditions such as Alzheimer's and attention deficit disorders. More>>>

Patients Concerned About Their Zimmer Hip Replacements
-LawyersandSettlements
01/18/2009- Livingston, TX: If you are worried about your Zimmer Hip replacement, you are not alone. Many patients who have had the Zimmer Hip prosthesis implanted are concerned that at any time, their hip will give out on them, leaving them unable to move. More>>>

Patient "Totally Lost" Since Hernia Repair Surgery
-LawyersandSettlements
01/18/2009- McDonough, GA: Since she had a Kugel Mesh Patch implanted, Sarah H (not her real name) has suffered many complications. She believes that the Kugel Mesh hernia repair patch has caused a lot of her problems, but her doctors are still having trouble figuring out what exactly is going on with her. More>>>

Patients Need To Be Aware of Medtronic Infuse Use In The Neck
-InjuryBoard
01/18/2009- Medtronic is facing more trouble over its Infuse Bone Graft. A Texas woman is reportedly preparing a lawsuit blaming off-label use of Infuse for injuries she suffered after cervical spine surgery. Mary Selke claims that bone formed in her neck and it made it difficult for her to breathe and swallow resulting in more surgery, this time of an emergency nature. More>>>

SJS Dilantin: "My Wife's Pain and Suffering was Avoidable"
-LawyersandSettlements
01/18/2009- Essex, ON: Kevin's wife Jennifer was prescribed Dilantin one year ago to control her epileptic seizures. She had taken the pills for about three weeks when the first signs of SJS Dilantin were noticed. More>>>

Serious Injuries Linked to Fosamax
-InjuryBoard
01/18/2009- Fosamax, the osteoporosis drug, has been linked with some rare, but serious, side effects, esophageal cancer and osteonecrosis of the jaw. Esophageal cancer is cancer of the esophagus and osteonecrosis of the jaw is a bone-killing infection. More>>>

Newer schizophrenia drugs cause heart risks: study
-Reuters
01/15/2009- Newer "atypical" drugs for schizophrenia and other mental problems, which are supposed to be safer, may in fact carry a greater risk of a fatal heart attack than older medicines, researchers said on Wednesday. More>>>

Ortho Evra Patch: Get legal help sooner than later
-LawyersandSettlements
01/15/2009- In 2004 Susan started wearing the Ortho Evra patch. She was 18 at the time and was prescribed the patch to help control migraines; her doctor thought she had a hormone imbalance. Her doctor didn't think that the patch would almost kill her… More>>>

Shoulder Pain Pump Hurt More Than it Helped
-LawyersandSettlements
01/14/2009- James F. was not told he was going to have a shoulder pain pump implanted during his shoulder surgery. It was not until he woke up from the shoulder surgery that he discovered the pain pump. However, he says his shoulder injury has been far worse since the surgery—and the use of the pain pump—than it was before. More>>>

Gadolinium Can Make MRIs Hazardous to Your Health.
-LawyersandSettlements
01/14/2009- Cleveland, OH: Magnetic resonance imaging, known more commonly as an MRI, is one of the super tools of modern medicine. It provides doctors with a detailed picture of what’s going on deep inside a patient’s body. However, there is evidence to show that one of the chemical agents used to produce MRI can be extremely toxic to people with kidney disease. More>>>

Glaxo EMails Show That Scientist Knew About Avandia
-InjuryBoard
01/14/2009-The Wall Street Journal reported on January 14 that internal emails from GlaxoSmithKline's scientists show that at the time that Glaxo was publically dismissing the notion that its diabetes drug, Avandia, posed an increased risk of heart attacks, its own scientists expressed concerns that Glaxo's own data was showing the same thing. More>>>

Beware A Killer May Be At Large In Your Area!
-AmericanChronicle
01/13/2009- In June 2006 USA saw the launch of the vaccine Gardasil by Merck. This vaccine was hailed as the wonder vaccine because it helps protect young girls from HPV, a sexually transmitted disease which can lead to Cervical Cancer. More>>>

Are You Bipolar? Unethical Drug Company Hopes So
-NewsBlaze
01/13/2009- If 100 million Americans have high cholesterol and only 8 million have schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, how can AstraZeneca's Seroquel, not cholesterol pill Crestor, be its second best selling pill? More>>>

Medtronic Infuse Bone Substitute Used Off-Label 17% of Time
-AboutLawsuits
01/13/2009- Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic have suggested that more than 1 in 6 surgeries in which the Medtronic Infuse bone substitute is implanted involve off-label use, for which the bone graft is not approved and which has been associated with an increased risk of serious and potentially life-threatening complications. More>>>

FDA wants closer scrutiny of new diabetes drugs:
With type 2 diabetes already increasing heart risks, the FDA is seeking assurances that new drugs won't do further damage.
-AMNews
01/12/2008- Washington -- The Food and Drug Administration is asking the manufacturers of new drugs and biologics for type 2 diabetes to be more diligent in determining if their therapies pose cardiovascular risks. More>>>

Walgreens Sends Urgent Drug Recall Information Letter Out to Ethex Morphine Sulfate Prescription Customers
-InjuryBoard
01/11/2009- Ethex Corporation has been recalling (four times in the past year to be exact) several of its prescription drug products, due to some of the tablets being oversized (upwards of twice the appropriate level of the active ingredient). More>>>

Arthritis Patients Should Be Aware of Complication Tied to Bisphosphonate Use
-About.com
01/11/2009- It's not uncommon for arthritis patients to be prescribed one of the bisphosphonates. Fosamax (alendronate), Boniva (ibandronate), Actonel (risedronate), Aredia (pamidronate), and Reclast (zoledronic acid) are among the bisphosphonates -- a class of drugs prescribed to treat bone conditions such as osteoporosis and Paget's disease of bone. More>>>

Osteoporosis drug Fosamax linked to serious diseases: Studies suggest the drug could raise the risk of cancer of the esophagus and a bone-killing infection in rare cases.
-LA Times
01/10/2009- Two recent reports have linked the osteoporosis drug alendronate (Fosamax) with rare but serious side effects. In a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine published Jan. 1, a Food and Drug Administration official reported that since Fosamax was first marketed in 1995, 23 cases of esophageal cancer in patients taking the drug -- including eight deaths -- have been reported to the agency. More>>>

Warning on acne drug
-TaranakiDailyNews
01/09/2009- A Taranaki woman says a powerful acne drug made her sick, depressed and suicidal, and she is calling for stronger warnings about the horrific side-effects. More>>>

Class-action suit filed over heart drug
-CalgaryHerald
01/09/2009- A Calgary law firm has launched a class-action suit against pharmaceutical giant Bayer Inc. for its drug Trasylol, alleging it causes kidney failure, stroke and other serious health problems. More>>>

Bone strengthening pills linked to jaw bone damage
-Reuters
01/09/2009- It has been known for a while that injections of a class of anti-osteoporosis drugs might trigger jaw bone decay after certain dental procedures, and now it seems that pill forms of the so-called bisphosphonate medications could have the same side effect. More>>>

Alert for Duragesic, Other Fentanyl Pain Patches Issued by Health Canada
-NewsInferno
01/09/2009- Health Canada has announced that the makers of Fentanyl Transdermal System patches are changing dosage guidelines in order to reduce the risk of fentanyl overdoses. More>>>

Canada to strengthen warning on anti-smoking drug Champix
-GlobeLifeHealth
01/09/2009- A medication highly touted for its ability to help people quit smoking can pose serious health risks - including suicidal tendencies and other psychiatric problems - to those taking it, Health Canada warned yesterday in an announcement that it will be creating a stronger warning label for the drug. More>>>

Trasylol Lawyers Take a Stance on Pharmaceutical Drug Companies
-BestSyndication
01/08/2009- For as long as large pharmaceutical drug companies have been around illegal kickbacks have been awarded to serve as an incentive for doctors to use specific drugs. These kickbacks have attributed to numerous cases where a patient has suffered due to their doctor recommending a drug that they received a kickback for. More>>>

Death following bilateral complete Achilles tendon rupture in a patient on fluoroquinolone therapy: a case report
-7thSpace
01/07/2009- IntroductionRisk of tendon rupture, especially of the Achilles tendon, is one of the many potential side-effects of fluoroquinolone therapy. Achilles-tendon rupture may be painful, debilitating or, as seen in our patient, devastating. More>>>

Medtronic Infuse Bone Graft to be Named in Another Lawsuit
-NewsInferno
01/07/2009- Medtronic could be facing more trouble over its Infuse Bone Graft product. According to a report on the website “Finance and Commerce”, a Texas woman is preparing to file a lawsuit that blames off-label use of Infuse for injuries she suffered after cervical spine surgery. More>>>

Osteoporosis Drug Fosamax Linked to Two Serious Side Effects
-HealthNews
01/06/2009- Use of bisphosphonates has been associated with unusual bone fractures, severe bone, joint and muscle pain and an increased risk of atrial fibriliation (AF), a type of abnormal heart rhythm. Now, researchers have discovered that two other serious side effects associated with bisphosphonates may be more frequent than previously suggested: osteonecrosis of the jaw and esophogeal tumors. More>>>

Cipro, Levaquin Still Popular Despite Tendon Risks
-NewsInferno
01/06/2009- Despite the fact that Cipro, Levaquin and other antibiotics called fluoroquinolones have been linked to serious tendon damage - including ruptures of the Achilles heel - not many patients are aware of the risk. According to an article in The Atlanta Constitution-Journal, drugs like Cipro and Levaquin are still being over-prescribed at an alarming rate in spite of this danger. More>>>

Esophageal Cancer Risk Heightened with Osteoporosis Drugs
-TopNews
01/05/2009- A Food and Drug Administration official said Merck's popular osteoporosis drug Fosamax and other similar bisphosphonates could carry a risk for esophageal cancer and may have been related to at least 50 such cases since 1995. More>>>

Osteoporosis Drug Fosamax May Raise the Risk for Jaw Infection
-eFlux
01/05/2009- The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday warned that Merck’s popular osteoporosis drug Fosamax and other similar drugs might increase the risk of developing a jaw infection. The disease is known as osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) and is characterized by pain, soft-tissue swelling, infection, loose teeth and exposed bone. More>>>

Actavis Agrees to Keep Digitek Manufacturing Plant Closed
-AboutLawsuits
01/05/2009- Actavis, Inc. and the FDA agreed last week on a Consent Decree of Permanent Injunction, preventing the drug maker from distributing any products from their Actavis Totowa facility in New Jersey. This follows a series of manufacturing problems at the plant, including quality control problems which allowed oversized tablets of Digitek to be commercially released, resulting in hundreds of deaths and serious injuries. More>>>

Some antibiotics overprescribed, effects not widely known
-ajc
01/05/2009- When Dr. J.T. Cooper hobbles around his Marietta medical office, the boot brace on his right foot is a reminder of a danger posed by some of the most popular — and misprescribed — antibiotics on the market. Like thousands of others who have taken Levaquin, Cipro and other fluoroquinolone antibiotics, Cooper suffered a near-rupture of his Achilles tendon. Tendon side effects have been reported for at least 20 years, but drug makers only began sending letters to doctors warning them of the problem in recent months. More>>>

PriCara recalls pain patches
-HaysPharma
01/04/2009- PriCara has recalled two batches of Duragesic pain-relief patches in the US after it was suspected that the gel contained in them may leak. Lots of 50 of the 50mcg/hr patches, one sold by PriCara and the other by Sandoz, are being recalled with the cooperation of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). More>>>

Hernia Repair Patch Caused Patient's Death
-LawyersandSettlements
01/04/2009- Hawthorne, CA: Venus Y's mother died as a result of complications from a hernia repair. The symptoms Venus' mother, Doris, suffered before she passed away are eerily similar to those suffered by other patients who have complained about problems with their Kugel Mesh Patch. More>>>

Osteoporosis Drugs Cause Dental Disaster: Loose Teeth and Exposed Jaw Bones
- NaturalNews
01/03/2009- Want to watch your teeth fall out and have your jaw bone exposed inside your mouth? Just take osteoporosis drugs! That's the conclusion of dentists who are seeing an alarming increase of patients experiencing severe dental problems following their use of prescription osteoporosis drugs called biphosphonates (such as Fosamax). More>>>

Shoulder Pain Pump Complications: Even Feeding the Baby is Difficult
-LawyersandSettlements
01/03/2009- Tucson, AZ: John H. says he noticed soon after his shoulder surgery that his shoulder was not feeling as well as it should have. He says he is not positive his problems were caused by the shoulder pain pump but his symptoms are similar to those experienced by other patients. More>>>

Fosamax Jaw Necrosis Risk Identified in New Study
-AboutLawsuits
01/02/2009- According to new research from the University of Southern California, School of Dentistry, Fosamax side effects have been linked with the development of osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), a debilitating condition where the jaw bone deteriorates and decays. More>>>

Stryker recalls some cranial implant kits
-mlive
01/02/2009- Medical device maker Stryker Corp. in Kalamazoo issued a recall of 322 custom-made cranial implant kits because of possible sterility issues, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advised could be lethal. More>>>

Report Links Osteoporosis Drug to Esophagus Cancer
Fosamax May Be Tied to 23 Cases of Esophageal Cancer, Report Says
-ABC News
01/01/2009- There could be some worrying news for the tens of millions of Americans currently taking Fosamax. A brief report from the FDA says that the osteoporosis drug Fosamax may be linked to 23 cases of esophageal cancer. More>>>

Jaw disease alert for women taking popular osteoporosis pills
-Mailonline
01/01/2009- Alert: The osteoporosis drug Fosamax may raise the risk of jaw disease. Women taking tablets to protect their bones from osteoporosis could be at risk of serious jaw damage, claim researchers. More>>>

Study Links Osteoporosis Drugs to Jaw Trouble
Condition marked by pain, swelling, loose teeth and exposed bone
-HealthDay
01/01/2009- The proportion of people taking widely prescribed oral osteoporosis drugs who develop a nasty jaw condition may be much higher than previously thought, a new study suggests. More>>>

Johnson & Johnson recalls pain patches
-APP
12/31/2008- New Brunswick-based Johnson & Johnson said it is voluntarily recalling two lots of skin patches containing the pain medicine fentanyl because of possible cuts in the reservoir containing the drug. More>>>

PriCara recalls Duragesic patches
-MPR
12/31/2008- PriCara, a division of Ortho-McNeil Janssen Pharmaceuticals, has voluntarily recalled one lot of 50micrograms/hour Duragesic (fentanyl transdermal system) CII patches and one lot of 50micrograms/hour fentanyl patches sold by Sandoz due to a cut-system defect. More>>>

Memorial for the New Year
12/30/2008- Christina Richelle Tarsell, 21, died in her sleep June 23 at her home in Tivoli, N.Y. Her death was unexpected. After an extensive autopsy, the cause of death is still a mystery. The family has concerns about the HPV vaccine, Gardasil, which she had received only days before her death. This article has several similar cases and is in memory of all the young women who are no longer with us due to the Gardasil HPV vaccine. More>>>

Digitek Problems Linked to 667 Deaths
-AboutLawsuits
12/30/2008- Following Actavis Totowa’s Digitek recall in April 2008, the FDA received a spike in adverse event reports involving the generic digoxin heart drug and it has been identified as the “primary suspect” in at least 667 deaths reported to the agency from April 1 through June 30, 2008. More>>>

Stryker recalls 322 kits for implants
-KalamazooGazette
12/30/2008- Stryker Corp. has recalled 322 custom cranial-implant kits because it could not assure the sterility of the products, which are used to repair damage to a person's face, jaw and head, the company said last week. More>>>

Oversized Tablets
-AboutLawsuits
12/29/2008- Another major Ethex recall was issued on December 23, 2008, this time involving generic Hydromorphone HCI tablets which may be oversized, posing a potential risk of overdose and other serious injury. More>>>

Stryker Cranial Implant Recall: Kits May Lead to Serious Infections
-AboutLawsuits
12/29/2008- Custom Cranial Implant Kits manufactured and sold by Stryker Corp. have been recalled due to a risk that the products may not be sterile and could pose a risk of serious and potentially life-threatening infections for individuals who received the implants to correct traumas or defects in the jaw and face or cranium and face. More>>>

Antibiotics Found to Harm Tendons
-Natural News
12/26/2008- The FDA has issued a call for "black box" warnings to be placed on certain antibiotics about the risk that they may cause tendonitis and ruptured tendons. The antibiotics affected are those in the fluoroquinolone family, including Bayer's Cipro (generic name ciprofloxacin) and Avelox, Johnson & Johnson's Floxin (generic name ofloxacin) and Levaquin, Depomed's Proquin XR, Merck's Noroxin and Oscient's Factive. More>>>

Recall Issued for Stryker Custom Cranial Implant Kits
-Medscape
12/26/2008- The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a class 1 recall for Stryker Custom Cranial Implant Kits, manufactured by Stryker Leibinger USA, because of lack of assurance of sterility and risk for infection, according to an alert sent today from MedWatch, the FDA's safety information and adverse event reporting program. Class 1 recalls warn of situations in which there is a reasonable probability that use of the recalled products will cause serious injury or death. More >>>

ETHEX Recalls More Oversized Drugs
-NewsInferno
12/24/2008- ETHEX Corp. has announced another recall of oversized tablets. This time, the company is recalling a single lot of Hydromorphone HCl 2 mg tablets. More>>>

"State of Misery" After Using Shoulder Pain Pump
-LawyersandSettlements
12/24/2008- Dearborn Heights, MI: When John L. went in for surgery to repair a torn tendon in his shoulder, he did not realize that the shoulder pain pump could potentially cause him even more problems. However, 2 years after his surgery, he still has problems with his shoulder and he believes the use of the pain pump has resulted in his lasting shoulder injury. More>>>

Digitek Deaths May Have Topped 600
-NewsInferno
12/24/2008- A new report says that Digitek tablets have been named a suspect in more than 600 deaths. Digitek tablets were recalled in April by Actavis Totowa because of a manufacturing defect. Actavis said at the time that some Digitek tablets might have been oversized, and could expose patients to a dangerously high level of the drug’s active ingredient. More>>>

Bone risk from diabetes drug
-NortWalesChronicle
12/23/2008- The Daily Mail today reports that regular use of a group of diabetes drugs, "doubles the chances of fractures in female patients," and could "more than double the risk of heart failure". More>>>

KV Pharmaceutical Dives After Halting Drug Shipments
-Bloomberg
12/23/2008- KV Pharmaceutical Co. lost half its value in New York trading after the drugmaker, announcing a third recall of medicines that may contain excess doses, stopped shipping prescription tablets. More>>>

Gadolinium Lawyers to Select from 193 NSF Lawsuits for First Trials
-AboutLawsuits
12/22/2008- Lawyers for the plaintiffs and lawyers for the manufacturers of gadolinium based MRI contract agents, have filed a joint list of 193 NSF lawsuits which are eligible to be among the first cases prepared for trial in the consolidated federal litigation. More>>>

Actos Heart Failure Warning Strengthened in Canada
-AboutLawsuits
12/22/2008- Health Canada has said that the warning label information about potential Actos heart failure side effects will be strengthened to indicate that the diabetes drug should not be used in patients with pre-existing heart failure or taken together with metformin and a sulfonylurea. More>>>

Calmer child comes with a price: side effects
-Poughkeepsie Journal
12/21/2008- When 11-year-old William, a City of Poughkeepsie youth, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, he was a skinny, 65-pound 7-year-old who had been physically aggressive to his mother and was, in her words, "tearing the house apart." More>>>

Haunting Medical Journals
-InjuryBoard
12/20/2008- Merk has also been involved in ghostwriting for the painkilling drug Vioxx, which was linked to heart problems in 2004, and led to countless lawsuits. More>>>

Be careful when considering vaccine
-DailyHerald
12/19/2008- Time magazine named Merck's HPV Vaccine, Gardasil, one of the top medical/science stories of 2008. But it's the vaccine's side-effects and not its cancer prevention claim that got it there. More>>>

Diabetes Drugs Must Now Clear Cardiovascular Hurdle, Says FDA
-heartwire
12/19/2008- The Food and Drug Administration is now recommending that all new drugs developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes show that they do not increase the risk of cardiovascular events. More>>>

Diabetes: Major drugs cause bone loss and fractures
-WDDTY
12/18/2008- The major drugs for treating type II diabetes can cause bone loss and fracture, a new study has discovered. The effects can occur within just a year of taking the drugs. More>>>

FDA: Antiepileptics Linked to Increased Risk of Suicidal Thoughts, Behavior
-DG News
12/17/2008- ROCKVILLE, Maryland -- The US Food and Drug Administration has announced today that it will require the manufacturers of antiepileptic drugs to add to these products' prescribing information, or labeling, a warning that their use increases risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. More>>>

FDA Unlikely to Approve Byetta Monotherapy Soon
-Diabetes Health
12/16/08- Hopes that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would move soon to make the diabetes drug Byetta a monotherapy are fading. It now appears that the FDA will extend its review of the drug into 2009. More>>>

Senator: Drugmaker Wyeth Paid Medical Ghostwriters to Tout Its Products
-Discover
12/16/2008- Pharmaceutical giant Wyeth is under scrutiny for its practice of paying ghostwriters to draft scientific journal articles favorable to its products and publishing them under the names of academic researchers. More>>>

Medtronic Bone Graft Death to be Reported to FDA Following Lawsuit
-AboutLawsuits
12/16/2008- The Wall Street Journal reports that Medtronic, Inc. is notifying the FDA about the August death of Shirley Nisbet, whose family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the medical device manufacturer earlier this month alleging that fatal complications following her cervical spine fusion were caused by the Medtronic Infuse Bone Graft. More>>>

Spinal Tap: Medtronic And A Patient Death
-Pharmalot
12/15/2008- The device maker was unaware for more than three months that a patient who underwent spinal surgery with one of its products had died, and will now report the episode to the FDA, The Wall Street Journal reports. More>>>

Schoolgirl, 12, paralysed after receiving cervical cancer jab
-Telegraph
12/15/2008- A 12-year-old girl has become paralysed from the waist down after being injected with the cervical cancer vaccine, raising concerns about possible side-effects of the jab. More>>>

Two Diabetes Medications Double Fracture Risks in Women
-HealthNews
12/14/2008- If you have diabetes you might want to ask your physician to review the risks of the medications before taking them. Two widely prescribed medication for diabetes, Actos and Avandia, have both been shown to double the risk of fractures among women. The fracture risk did not increas for men. More>>>

Patient Regrets Surgery with Shoulder Pain Pump
-LawyersandSettlements
12/14/2008- Tampa, FL: If you're like some patients who had a shoulder pain pump implanted after shoulder surgery, you may regret ever having had the surgery at all. Todd D. certainly does. His minor shoulder injury required surgery, but that shoulder surgery, which involved a pump for pain management, may have created even more problems for Todd. More>>>

Regulation of over-the-counter medication sparks debate
-Mainichi Daily News
12/14/2008- There has been increasing controversy over online sales of over-the-counter drugs in light of the Revised Japanese Pharmaceutical Law that will come into effect in June 2009. More>>>

Mother with SJS put into a Coma
-LawyersandSettlements
12/14/2008- St. John's, NL: On November 27, 2008 Kim Oake was put into an induced coma in the ICU unit because the pain of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis, also known as TEN, is too excruciating to bear. Kim had an allergic reaction to a run-of-the-mill antibiotic. Adverse reactions to a drug, either prescribed or over-the-counter, is the main cause of SJS. And the most common drugs have been linked to this horrific disease, including ibuprofen (Advil and Children's Motrin), Ketek, Dilantin, anti-convulsants and antibiotics such as penicillin. More>>>

Medtronic Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over Infuse Bone Graft Problems
-AboutLawsuits
12/13/2008- A class action lawsuit has been filed against Medtronic, Inc. on behalf of shareholders, alleging that the company made false and misleading statements that failed to disclose their Infuse Bone Graft problems and the extent to which sales of the bone stimulator were dependent on “off-label” uses the company was promoting, which have been associated with a number of serious and life-threatening complications. More>>>

Kugel Mesh Ordeal "Stressful"
-LawyersandSettlements
12/13/2008- Searcy, AR: In the months following the implantation of a Kugel Mesh hernia patch, Louise [not her real name] had several surgeries to try to repair complications that arose. The main complication Louise dealt with was a continual infection. More>>>

CDC Identifies Cause of Heparin-Related Reactions
-PharmTech
12/12/2008- A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study confirmed that severe adverse reactions reported in the fall and winter of 2007 resulted from heparin contaminated with oversulfated chondroitin sulfate (OSCS). The study, “Outbreak of Adverse Reactions Associated with Contaminated Heparin,” was published on The New England Journal of Medicine’s website on Dec. 3, 2008. More>>>

Medtronic to Tell FDA About Patient's Death
-WSJ
12/12/2008- Medtronic Inc. said it was unaware for more than three months that a patient who underwent spinal surgery with one of its products had died, and the company is now moving to report the death to the Food and Drug Administration. More>>>

Accutane Med Guide May Have Been Inadequate
-Pharmalot
12/12/2008- Whether a medication guide provided by Roche for its Accutane acne drug adequately warned of inflammatory bowel disease will have to be decided by a jury in litigation brought against the drugmaker by 84 people in a New Jersey state court, Mealey’s Emerging Drugs & Devices reports. More>>>

Electronic filing, service begins in Mass Litigation Cases
-WestVirginiaRecord
12/12/2008- CHARLESTON -- For the first time in West Virginia history, a Circuit Court Judge sitting in one county has taken action on a case pending in another county using electronic filing and service through LexisNexis File & Serve. More>>>

Byetta Recall
-US Recall News
12/11/2008- There seems to be a lot of interest from visitors about a possible Byetta Recall so we wanted to provide some information about what is happening with this drug. More>>>

Fluoroquinolones like Levaquin are just Plain Toxic
-InjuryBoard
12/10/2008- Those who are familiar with pain pump cases know that bupivacaine is chondrotoxic. Joint cartilage is composed of cells called chondrocytes, and most of the anesthetic “caines” cause chondrotoxicity that can result in cell death and disappearance of cartilage. It is also evident that fluoroquinolones (quinolones) like Levaquin and Cipro are both chondrotoxic and toxic to tendon cells (tenocytes). More>>>

Shoulder Pain Pump Patient "Really Upset"
-LawyersandSettlements
12/10/2008- Peggy L says she is not positive that her shoulder pain pump has caused her shoulder injury, but she is sure that she has all the symptoms of a condition associated with the pump. At 64 years old she was injured and has since undergone a shoulder surgery to correct the problem. However, Peggy now faces at least one additional surgery and possibly 2, if the first does not go well. More>>>

Avandia, Actos May Impact Bone Density In Women
-InjuryBoard
12/10/2008- The widely prescribed diabetes drugs Avandia and Actos have been in the news lately because of concerns about the risk for heart failure. Now a British analysis finds Avandia and Actos double the risk of fractures in women, not in men. More>>>

Osteoporosis Drugs May Suppress Bones' Ability to Heal
-NaturalNews
12/10/2008- The long-term use of osteoporosis drugs known as bisphosphonates can actually weaken bones by impairing their ability to heal, leading to fractures, according to a study conducted by researchers from New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. More>>>

Seroquel Problems Mount for AstraZeneca as First Trial Approaches
-AboutLawsuits
12/09/2008- The first of several thousand lawsuits filed by Seroquel users who claim that AstraZeneca failed to warn about serious side effects of Seroquel, is scheduled for trial to begin in February 2009, and the problems for the drug maker continue to increase. More>>>

Diabetes drugs double women's fracture risk
- USA Today
12/09/2008- Long-term use of a popular class of oral diabetes drugs doubles the risk of bone fractures in women with type 2 diabetes, a new study reports. More>>>

Heart Bypass and Kidney Failure Linked to Trasylol
-Best Syndication
12/09/2008- If you recently developed kidney failure and have also undergone heart bypass surgery, the Trasylol may have been the cause. For people who were administered Trasylol during their heart bypass surgery may have caused their kidney failure. Trasylol, manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals, has been linked to cause kidney complications and failure. More>>>

FDA Raps AstraZeneca For Off Label Seroquel Promotion
-MM&M
12/08/2008- The FDA's DDMAC issued a warning letter to AstraZeneca asserting that a company sales rep recommended or suggested to a healthcare professional an off-label use for Seroquel and Seroquel XR. More>>>

Lawsuit filed against Bayer over drug risks
-CTV.ca
12/08/2008- Bayer voluntarily withdrew Trasylol from the market after a clinical trial found patients treated with the drug were 53 per cent more likely to die than those treated with other anti-bleeding medications. More>>>

Bone Drugs: The Latest Skeletons in Big Pharma's Closet
-NaturalNews
12/08/2008- Bisphosphonate bone drugs have been in the news recently, and if you look outside the mainstream media you will find that the news is not good at all. Instead of a product that actually cures illness or corrects deficiencies, bisphosphonates are just the latest scandalous skeletons in the closet of Big Pharma. Like many other skeletons in the closet, they are no more than scam drugs created for profit which cause more harm than good. More>>>

Chantix "The Worst Drug"
-LawyersandSettlements
12/07/2008- Gardena, CA: For some patients, the two words go together all too well: Chantix suicide is not an abstract phenomenon for these people. In fact, it is a very real possibility. Mitchell W. says he was surprised by the Chantix side effects he suffered, especially since he had not experienced any side effects during an earlier round of the anti-smoking drug. More>>>

New Ortho Evra Lawsuit Filed in Texas
-NewsInferno
12/06/2008- A Texas woman is the latest person to file suit over injuries she sustained while using the Ortho Evra birth control patch. Karenetha Easterwood says she suffered a life-threatening pulmonary embolism just 5 months after she began using Ortho Evra. More>>>

Lawsuits Over Ortho Evra Birth Control Continue to be Filed Even as Older Cases Settle
-AboutLawsuits
12/06/2008- Johnson & Johnson has already agreed to pay over $68.7 million to settle Ortho Evra lawsuits over their birth control patch, yet new cases continue to be filed by women who have suffered a blood clot injury caused by the contraceptive patch. More>>>

ReliOn Insulin Syringes Sold at Wal-Marts and Sam’s Clubs Recalled
-InjuryBoard
12/06/2008- ReliOn insulin syringes, sold only at Wal-Mart stores and Sam’s Clubs, have been recalled because of mislabeling which may cause an overdose of as much as 2.5 times the intended dose. An overdose may lead to hypoglycemia or other serious health consequences, including death. More >>>

Morphine Overdose Killed Army Soldier
-InjuryBoard
12/06/2008- Earlier this year, a Fort Huachuca soldier died of a morphine overdose at the Army base's medical barracks, an investigation concluded this week, and authoritites are trying to determine who provided the drug, according to the Associated Press. More>>>

Shoulder Pain Pump Patient Compromised for Life
-LawyersandSettlements
12/06/2008- Concord, CA: Patients who have had a shoulder pain pump implanted following surgery and suffered injury because of that pump are wondering how they went from a simple surgery to a lifetime of pain. More>>>

FDA Issues Warning List of Heparin Products
-DOTmed
12/6/2008- Over the past year, Heparin, a widely used injectable anticoagulant, has come under intense scrutiny from consumer protection groups and the Food and Drug Administration. In December 2007, the FDA recalled a shipment of heparin because of a growth of Serratia marcescens in several unopened syringes of this product. Serratia marcescens is a bacterium that can lead to life-threatening injuries and/or death. More>>>

Ortho Evra Patch: Convenience at What Price?
-LawyersandSettlements
12/04/2008- Women who have worn the Ortho Evra patch have reported a gamut of side effects—from heavy periods and headaches to DVT (deep vein thrombosis) and stroke. More>>>

Trasylol Class Action Lawsuit Filed in Canada After Another Study Confirms Increased Risk of Death
-AboutLawsuits
12/04/2008- A class action lawsuit has been filed in Canada against Bayer involving their heart bypass surgery injection Trasylol. The lawsuit was filed the day after a new study was released confirming that individuals who are given the injection face an increased risk of death. More>>>

GSK diabetes drug to carry risk warning
-TheEconomicTimes
12/04/2008- NEW DELHI: The country's drug quality regulator, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), has asked companies selling diabetes drug rosiglitazone under various brand names to carry a warning on their labels cautioning against its potential risk to heart patients. More>>>

Medtronic sued over off-label use
-MinneapolisStarTribune
12/04/2008- The family of a California woman who died after neck surgery has filed a lawsuit against Fridley-based Medtronic Inc., claiming the company's controversial bone-growth product caused her death. More>>>

Kugel Mesh Patch "A Crazy Ordeal"
-LawyersandSettlements
12/04/2008- Elaine H. (not her real name) has had a terrible time since a Kugel Mesh hernia patch was used to repair her hernia. She has suffered through serious infections and repeated surgeries to try to repair all the problems she has encountered. Even now, after so many surgeries, she still has serious pain and still has some of the Kugel Mesh patch in her abdomen. More>>>

Trasylol Class Action Lawsuit Filed in Canada After Another Study Confirms Increased Risk of Death
-AboutLawsuits
12/04/2008- A class action lawsuit has been filed in Canada against Bayer involving their heart bypass surgery injection Trasylol. The lawsuit was filed the day after a new study was released confirming that individuals who are given the injection face an increased risk of death. More>>>

Side Effect Watch: Femur Fractures in Fosamax Patients
-WSJ
12/03/2008- A study in the June issue of the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma links Merck’s osteoporosis drug Fosamax to a rare type of fracture in the femur. The small, observational study looked at 70 patients who experienced low-energy femur fractures, which occur when someone falls from a standing height or less. Twenty-five patients (36%) were taking Fosamax on average for four years or more. More>>>

Justice Department Probing Medtronic Infuse Bone Graft Marketing
-AboutLawsuits
12/03/2008- The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the actions of Medtronic, Inc., and whether they actively promoted and marketed their Infuse bone graft for un-approved uses. When the spinal bone growth implant is used for off-label, such as during cervical spine fusions, it has been associated with a number of serious and potentially life-threatening complications. More >>>

Medtronic Is Sued Over Bone Product
-WSJ
12/03/2008- The family of a California woman who went into respiratory arrest and died after neck surgery filed a lawsuit blaming her death on the use of a fast-selling bone-growth protein made by Medtronic Inc. More >>>

Another Study Warns of Risk From Cardiac Surgery Drug:
Patients given Trasylol have a higher death risk, data review finds
-Forbes
12/02/2008- A new study casts more doubt on the safety of the drug Trasylol (aprotinin), used to limit bleeding in patients undergoing surgery. Trasylol is already the subject of controversy in the United States, where it was removed from the market in 2007. In the new study, Canadian and Australian researchers reviewed findings from 49 randomized clinical trials. They concluded that Trasylol posed a higher risk of death for patients than other anti-bleeding drugs, called lysine analogues. More>>>

HeartMate II Heart Pump Recalled After 5 Deaths
-InjuryBoard
12/2/2008- The HeartMate II, a medical heart pump implant manufactured by Thoratec Corp., is being recalled after five people died while using the device. In five years of clinical studies with 1,972 implants, wear and fatigue to an electrical wire have been reported in 27 cases, requiring the implants to be replaced. Five deaths occurred when the implant could not be replaced. More>>>

Chantix "A Nasty, Nasty Pill"
-LawyersandSettlements
11/30/2008- Patients who have a history of depression might be at risk for Chantix suicide when they attempt to quit smoking using the anti-smoking medication. More>>>

Months of Pain Following Zimmer Hip Implant
-LawyersandSettlements
11/28/2008- Don. K knows first-hand the pain of a Zimmer Hip replacement gone wrong. He had a Zimmer Durom Cup implanted in his hip that required replacing shortly after his original surgery. More>>>

J&J To Pay $16.6M For Duragesic Patch Death
-Pharmalot
11/28/2008- A jury in an Illinois state court awarded the money to the family of Janice DiCosolo, 38, who died in February 2004, because the patch she was wearing delivered a fatal dose of the fentanyl narcotice, which is the main ingredient in Duragesic, Bloomberg News reports. More>>>

FDA Safety Changes: Heparin Sodium Injection, Photofrin, Noroxin
-Medscape
11/28/2008- The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved safety labeling revisions to warn of the risk for medication errors and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in patients receiving heparin sodium injection, an increased duration of photosensitivity in patients with renal or hepatic impairment receiving porfimer sodium injection, and the risk for rare but fatal reactions in patients receiving norfloxacin and other quinolone antibiotics. More>>>

Avandia Death Risk Higher Even When Compared with Actos
-AboutLawsuits
11/28/2008- New data suggests that even when Avandia is compared with Actos, another diabetes drug in the same class of medications, it carries an increased risk of congestive heart failure and death. More>>>

Animas battery caps on insulin pumps recalled
-EndocrineToday
11/28/2008- The FDA has announced a Class 1 nationwide recall of Animas Corporation battery caps used with the Animas 2020, IR1200 and IR1250 insulin pumps and OneTouch Ping System. The recall notice describes intermittent loss of contact between the battery cap and battery compartment in the insulin pump that may result in the device resetting, potentially leading to hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. More>>>

Dextroamphetamine Recall
-US Recall News
11/28/2008- There has been a Dextroamphetamine recall by the ETHEX Corporation because the pills may have been oversized, which could result in an overdose. More>>>

Propafenone Recall
-US Recall News
11/28/2008- As first reported on November 11th, there has been a Propafenone recall by the ETHEX Corporation because the pills may have been oversized, which could result in overdose of the drug Propafenone HCI. More>>>

Susan Lark, MD Speaks Out Against the Newest Osteoporosis Drug, Reclast
-PRWeb
11/28/2008- Susan Lark, MD, noted medical researcher and women's health practitioner, has spoken out against the newest prescription osteoporosis medication on the market, Reclast, as well as other oral bisphosphonates such as Boniva, Actonel, and Fosamax. More>>>

What Doctors Are Saying About Chondrolysis, Pain Pumps and Intra-articular Anesthesia
-InjuryBoard
11/28/2008- Doctors have been associating catheter delivered intra-articular pain pump anesthesia with cartilage cell toxicity. It has now become increasingly evident that pain pump infused anesthesia is detrimental to all cartilage found in articular joints. More>>>

Skin Blisters and Bleeding for Some Asian Patients on Epilepsy Drug
-MedIndia
11/28/2008- Epileptic medications such as Dilantin, Phenytek and Cerebyx have reportedly caused skin blisters and bleeding for some Asian patients. Following such reports, The FDA has begun to keenly monitor these drugs. More>>>

Spiriva Linked to Increased Heart Attacks and Strokes
-InjuryBoard
11/27/2008- Last week, a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine found a 34% increased risk of dying from a heart attack or irregular heartbeat in COPD patients using ipratropium, which is in the same class as Spiriva, compared with those using albuterol, another COPD drug, or using nothing. The study focused on veterans diagnosed before Spiriva was approved in 2004. More>>>

Lilly Loses Appeal to Limit Damages in Zyprexa Suit
-Bloomberg
11/27/2008- Eli Lilly & Co. lost its bid at Ontario's highest court to limit potential damages in a lawsuit filed by Canadian patients who claimed they developed diabetes after using its Zyprexa schizophrenia drug. More>>>

Animas Insulin Pumps: Battery Caps - Class 1 recall due to inadvertent device resetting, risk of hyperglycemia
-FDA MedWatch
11/26/2008- Animas Corporation and FDA informed consumers and healthcare professionals of a nationwide recall of battery caps used with the OneTouch Ping System, Animas 2020 Insulin Pump, Animas IR1200 Insulin Pump, and Animas IR1250 Insulin Pump. More>>>

Stevens Johnson Syndrome Linked to Dilantin, Phenytek and Cerebyx
-AboutLawsuits
11/25/2008- The FDA warned Monday that some Asians who carry a certain gene, could face an increased risk of suffering from a severe skin reaction known as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), after taking the epilepsy drugs Dilantin, Phenytek or Cerebyx. More>>>

Chantix Suicide a Real Possibility
-LawyersandSettlements
11/25/2008- Amy M. can tell you that the possibility of a Chantix suicide is very real, especially for people who already experience depression. She was on Chantix for just over a week when she began suffering serious side effects. More>>>

Johnson & Johnson Begins Paying for Ortho-Evra Harm
-InjuryBoard
11/25/2008- Financial sources are reporting that Johnson & Johnson paid nearly $69 million in confidential settlement payments to resolve several hundred Ortho Evra claims in the first quarter of 2008. Further efforts to settle the remaining lawsuits are also purportedly underway. More>>>

Safety risks higher with Avandia than Actos -study
-Reuters
11/25/2008- Older diabetics who took GlaxoSmithKline's Avandia to control their blood sugar had a higher risk of death and heart failure while on the drug than those who took Takeda Pharmaceutical's Actos, a drug in the same class, U.S. researchers said on Monday. More>>>

FDA Investigates Genetic Link to Phenytoin Skin Reactions
-Medscape
11/25/2008- Patients positive for the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allele HLA-B*1502 may be at increased risk for phenytoin-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN), the US Food and Drug Administration announced today. More>>>

FDA Warns of Skin Reactions from Phenytoin Use in Patients with HLA Allele
-MedPageToday
11/24/2008- Using the antiepileptic drug phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek) to treat Asian patients with a particular human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allele could increase the risk of serious skin reactions, according to the FDA. More>>>

Pain Pump Lawsuits Continue to be filed over Shoulder Chondrolysis
-AboutLawsuits
11/23/2008- Individuals who have developed shoulder chondrolysis after arthroscopic surgery continue to file pain pump lawsuits against the manufacturers of the infusion pumps used to deliver medication after surgery. The lawsuits claim that the intra-articular use of the pain pumps causes permanent shoulder cartilage damage. More>>>

"I Blame Byetta for My Husband's Death"
-LawyersandSettlements
11/23/2008- "My husband was prescribed Byetta in late 2005 to replace insulin," says Julie W. "Although Charles had type 2 diabetes he was healthy and his diabetes was controlled by a good diet, but Byetta made him lose his appetite and he went downhill from there." Julie knows about the association between Byetta and acute pancreatitis, but Charles died from pancreatic cancer. "I'll blame his death on Byetta for the rest of my life." More>>>

Concerns About Byetta Deaths Lead Amylin to Cut Work Force
-AboutLawsuits
11/23/2008- Amylin Pharmaceuticals announced yesterday that they are cutting their work force by 25 percent following unexpectedly slumping sales for their once promising diabetes drug Byetta, which has recently been associated with 6 deaths caused by severe cases of pancreatitis. More>>>

Is Byetta the Next Rezulin or Avandia – Yet Another Promising Drug That Faces Demise
-InjuryBoard
11/23/2008- Those of us who have personally seen the devastating impact of diabetes in our own lives and those of our loved ones are always looking for the next great drug that might provide hope to our diabetic family members. More>>>

Recall Alert: ReliOn Insulin Syringe Recall
- NBC15.com
11/12/2008 - State heath official are urging people with diabetes and health care professionals to carefully check their insulin syringes. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recalled one lot of ReliOn sterile, single-use, disposable, hypodermic syringes with permanently affixed hypodermic needles due to possible mislabeling. The use of these syringes may lead to patients receiving an overdose of as much as 2.5 times the intended dose, which may lead to hypoglycemia, serious health consequences, and even death. More >>>

Recalled ReliOn Syringes May Cause Overdose
Needles have incorrect dosage marking on them
- WPRI.com
11/11/2008 - Some possibly mislabled hypodermic needles are being recalled by Tyco Healthcare Group, LP. According to the Rhode Island Health Department , it's possible that people with these defective needles could get an overdose of as much as 2.5 times the intended insulin dose.
More >>>


ROHVA Announces Safety Rules for Safe and Responsible Use of Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles
11/11/2008 -- Formed by the major manufacturers and distributors to promote the safe and responsible use of a new and emerging category of recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs), the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA) received ANSI accreditation on November 3, 2008 to develop a standard for the equipment, configuration and performance requirements of ROVs. In addition, ROHVA has published Safety Rules for these increasingly popular off-road vehicles. More>>>

Urgent Voluntary Recall of ReliOn Insulin Syringes
- Healthnews.com
11/08/2008 - An urgent voluntary Medical Device Recall for a single lot of ReliOn 31 gauge 1 cc syringes has been announced. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also been informed of the recall and reports that the manufacturer has already received one adverse report related to a defective syringe. More >>>

ReliOn Diabetes Syringe Recall
- FoxNews
11/07/2008 - We're on your side with a warning for people with diabetes. Certain insulin syringes sold at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores are being recalled because they could put your health at serious risk. More >>>

FDA Seizes Contaminated Heparin from a Cincinnati Manufacturer
- FDA News
11/06/2008 - As part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's ongoing efforts to ensure that heparin for patients remains safe, the government today seized 11 lots of heparin from Celsus Laboratories Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio. More>>>

Covidien recalls syringes posing risk to diabetics
- Reuters
11/05/2008 - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health officials warned doctors and patients on Wednesday that Covidien Ltd was recalling nearly half a million single-use syringes that could pose a serious risk to diabetics. More >>>

Glaxo Dismisses Avandia Liver Failure Risk
11/03/2008 - Following a petition filed last week by the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, which called for an Avandia recall due to a risk of liver failure and other life-threatening injuries, GlaxoSmithKline has issued a statement dismissing the claim that there are liver safety issue caused by side effects of Avandia. More>>>

Public Citizen Petitions FDA to Ban Avandia, Cites Life-Threatening Toxicity as Top Diabetes Associations Advise Against Use
- Public Citizen
10/30/2008 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should immediately ban the dangerous diabetes drug Avandia because it can cause death from liver failure and has many other life-threatening risks that far outweigh its benefits, Public Citizen said in a petition filed today with the agency. More>>>

Bisphosphonates May Increase Risk of Atrial Fibrillation
-MedPage Today
10/28/2008 - For patients who have osteoporosis, the use of bisphosphonates appears to increase the risk of serious atrial fibrillation, according to a meta-analysis. More>>>

Pfizer Settles Celebrex, Bextra Lawsuits - At Cost of $894 Million
- Examiner.com
10/17/2008 - Pfizer for years has fought a battle over two of its prescription pain relievers, Celebrex and Bextra. And the world's largest drugmaker finally is putting most of that battle to rest. More>>>

Bayer Withdraws Heart Surgery Drug from U.S. Market Following New Study Results Revealing Harm
-NaturalNews
10/09/2008- Drug maker Bayer AG has recalled all remaining stocks of the anti-bleeding medication Trasylol (aprotinin) from the U.S. market after a New England Journal of Medicine Study demonstrated that the drug increased heart surgery patients' risk of death by 53 percent. More>>>

Accutane not to be taken lightly
-TheCollegian
10/08/2008- I would bet that no one at TU is making it through the college experience without encountering an occasional blemish or two on his or her sleep-deprived visage. More>>>

Gardasil vaccine - good or dangerous?
-TheMillsCampanil
10/08/2008- "We chose to help protect ourselves against cervical cancer and other HPV diseases. Now the choice is yours." Recognize that line? It comes from an ad for Gardasil, the vaccine reported to offer protection against cervical cancer and Human Papillomavirus, or HPV, for women ages 11 through 26 years old. More>>>

Dialysis Lawsuit Filed in Illinois Over Heart Surgery Injection Trasylol
-AboutLawsuits.com
10/08/2008- A new lawsuit has been filed on behalf of two heart surgery patients who received an injection known as Trasylol before their operations to control bleeding. The suit seeks damages for acute renal failure requiring dialysis caused by the injection. More>>>

Mother questions HPV vaccine
Daughter faints after receiving shot; health official says program safe
-The StarPhoenix
10/07/2008- A concerned mother is warning parents about the HPV vaccine after her daughter lost consciousness following her first shot last week. More>>>

Digitek Double Dose led to A-fib
-LawyersandSettlements
10/07/2008- - Lenoir, NC: Fran has been taking Digitek to control heart palpitations since 1980. She says they were manageable but right after the Digitek recall Fran didn't "feel right" and she was diagnosed with Atrial fibrillation. Fran believes she took the double dose Digitek heart drug. More>>>

Ortho Evra Patch Victim thankful to be Alive
-LawyersandSettlements
10/06/2008- Newport News, VA: Lacrecia had 12 days leave from the army and she was scheduled to visit her husband in Germany. But they had an argument and she visited her mum in Virginia instead. That argument likely saved her life. "My doctor said I wouldn't be alive today if I got on that plane," says Lacrecia, "and I can only blame it on the Ortho Evra Patch". More>>>

Kugel Mesh Patch: "People Who Get Shot Feel Better than I Do"
-LawyersandSettlements
10/05/2008- Phoenix, AZ: John H has suffered though a lot of pain, and many surgeries due to a hernia repair where a hernia patch was used to repair one of his herniated areas. Many of his symptoms and health problems following his hernia repair surgeries are consistent with those experienced by people who have had Kugel Mesh Patches implanted. More>>>

Champix, a Slow-ticking Time Bomb
-The Healthier Life
10/03/2008- It’s not just the smokers who are suffering but also those supporting them in their effort. Here is a quote from one of our female readers: “... our relationship is at risk. All the symptoms of depression, suicide, upset stomach, fatigue, muscle pain, paranoia, lack of sex drive, etc...has taken a huge toll...” More>>>

Zimmer Lawsuit Filed Over Failed Durom Cup Hip Replacement
-AboutLawsuits.com
10/03/2008- A lawsuit was filed last week in Florida by a man whose Zimmer Durom Cup failed only a few months after his hip replacement surgery. The complaint alleges that Zimmer manufactured and sold a defective hip resurfacing component, which was unreasonably dangerous and prone to loosen or fail. More>>>

Why I won't let my girls have these cancer jabs
-The Argus
10/03/2008- As thousands of young girls across Sussex undergo a series of jabs to protect them against cervical cancer, one mother has urged parents to educate themselves about the risks involved. More>>>

"Kugel Mesh Patch Really Affected My Life"
-LawyersandSettlements
10/02/2008- Huntsville, AL: Patients who have the Kugel Mesh Patch implanted to repair their hernia may have to undergo another surgery to have the hernia patch taken out. That's because the patch may be defective, causing serious injury to some patients. More>>>

ADRAC : bisphosphonates and osteonecrosis of the jaw
-Xagena Medicine
10/01/2008- Bisphosphonates are drugs commonly used to prevent and treat osteoporosis in post-menopausal women. They are widely used in the management of advanced cancers that have metastasized to the bone, where the disease often causes bone pain and possibly even fractures. More>>>

Merck sued, misleading drug marketing
-FOX News
10/01/2008- TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Attorney General Bill McCollum sued Merck and Company, Inc. on Tuesday, on behalf of Florida state agencies damaged by the company’s allegedly deceptive marketing and promotion of one of its prescription drugs. More>>>

Gardasil Requirement for Immigrants Stirs Backlash
-WSJ
10/01/2008- Even as the medical community debates the widespread use of Gardasil, a vaccine that helps prevent cervical cancer, the government has made it a mandatory treatment for young women seeking to immigrate to the U.S. More>>>

Warning on Tendon Injuries with Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics
-FDA Medwatch
10/01/2008- FDA has asked that a boxed warning be added to the prescribing information for fluoroquinolone antibiotics. The warning will remind healthcare professionals that patients taking these drugs may experience an increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture. More>>>

Chantix Linked to Suicide Risk?
-InjuryBoard.com
10/01/2008- In early 2008, the FDA issued a Public Health Advisory on the smoking cessation drug Chantix. Chantix, also known as varenicline, is manufactured by Pfizer. More>>>

FDA Bans 28 Drugs Made By Indian Drug Manufacturer
-InjuryBoard.com
09/30/2008- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is halting the importation of twenty-eight drugs made by Ranbaxy Laboratories, a giant Indian generic drugmaker, due to deficiencies in manufacturing at two of the company’s plants. More>>>

Medtronic Pain Pumps Recalled
-InjuryBoard.com
09/30/2008- The FDA has issued a recall for Medtronic drug pumps. The recall notice came Friday. The pumps involved are the Indura 1P Intrathecal Catheter, model 8709SC; Intrathecal Catheter, model 8731SC; Sutureless Pump Connector Revision Kit, model 8578, and Intrathecal Catheter Pump Segment Revision Kit, model 8596SC. More>>>

Government Warns Of Potential Fire Hazard In Recalled Ford Vehicles
-InjuryBoard.com
09/30/2008- The government is asking owners of five million recalled Ford vehicles to bring their automobile to a local dealership to have a cruise control switch system repaired since the problem is tied to engine fires. More>>>

Avandia – A Slow Killer
-LawyersandSettlements
09/30/2008- Cottage Grove, OR: Robert has lived his whole life without any serious illnesses. And until recently, he considered himself to be a pretty healthy man. Unfortunately, Avandia took that away from him, made him sick, and likely caused the need for triple by-pass surgery. More>>>

Mother warns daughter Never to Use the Ortho Evra Patch
-LawyersandSettlements
09/29/2008- Chandler, AZ: Tania used the Ortho Evra birth control patch for 9 months without incident—the only complaint she had was "unusual bleeding" but her doctor said that was normal. But then her knee started to hurt and during the next few months, Tania saw 3 doctors, none of whom made the link between the Ortho Evra patch and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). More>>>

5 things to consider before getting HPV vaccine
-DailyHerold
09/29/2008- How should you decide whether the human papillomavirus vaccine, sold as Gardasil, is right for you or your daughter? Here are five things to consider: More>>>

Digitek caused friend's Blindness
-LawyersandSettlements
09/29/2008- Albany, NY: At first, Jack thought he was suffering from pneumonia but he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and started taking Digitek in hospital. Luckily for Jack, his cardiologist took him off the medication months before the Digitek recall but his friend suffered loss of vision in one eye—permanently. More>>>

Unbranded Ads Also Unpopular
-BRANDWEEK.com
09/28/2008- The money pharmaceutical companies are spending on ads is in decline for the first time ever. This has caused a dramatic collapse in an area that companies have always proudly backed: unbranded health education campaigns. Spend in the first half of the year for such ads, which describe an ailment but don't plug the branded solution, fell 3% to $2.4 billion, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus. More>>>

Despite fire risk, 5 million recalled cars still on the road, unrepaired
-Miami Herald
09/27/2008- If your Ford, Lincoln or Mercury was part of the cruise-control switch recalls and you haven't done anything about it, don't delay. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, of the 12 million vehicles recalled, five million still haven't been brought to a dealership for a corrective repair. More>>>

Medtronic catheter faces class 1 recall : Drug-pump part linked to one death
-TwinCities.com
09/27/2008- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has determined problems with a Medtronic catheter used in many of the company's implantable drug pumps should be considered a class 1 recall — the most serious type. More>>>

Mother suspects Gardasil as reason for her daughter's serious reaction
-Caledon Enterprise
09/27/2008- Megan Battilana is a healthy teenage girl, so healthy in fact that to her mother's knowledge she hadn't ever received antibiotics in her life. But that all changed when the 15-year-old girl was rushed to Headwaters Health Care Centre after having what her family suspects was an anaphylactic reaction to the widely-promoted cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil. More>>>

FDA Updates Health Information Advisory on Melamine Contamination
-FDA
09/26/2008- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting consumers that seven Mr. Brown instant coffee and milk tea products are being recalled by the Taiwanese company, King Car Food Industrial Co. Ltd., due to possible contamination with melamine. More>>>

"Levaquin has ruined my life in so many ways"
-LawyersandSettlements
09/26/2008- Therese was prescribed the antibioitic Levaquin in 2001 when she experienced shortness of breath, but just 3 days after taking Levaquin, she couldn't bend her wrists, knees or ankles. Luckily, Therese had the wherewithal to stop taking the drug; others have not been so fortunate. More>>>

Potential Problems With Gardasil Reported: Is Cervical Cancer Vaccine Safe?
-TheBostonChannel.com
09/26/2008- It has been on the market two years. In that time, the government has received almost 10,000 complaints about Gardasil, the controversial cervical cancer vaccine. More>>>

FDA Approved Drug brings Some to Suicide!
-JusticeNewsFlash.com
09/26/2008- Pfizer, the drug manufacturer of Chantix, faces numerous lawsuits which state that this specific drug has caused many of its users to have serious side effects, even that of suicide. Approved by the FDA, Chantix is taken to help individuals quit smoking, but at what cost? More>>>

Digitek: "This Pill is Too Thick"
-LawyersandSettlements
09/25/2008- Tucson, AZ: Sue took Digitek for about 10 years to control her irregular heart beat and palpitations and she was doing OK until last fall, when Sue believes she was given pills that were on the Digitek recall." I got my prescription by mail from Medco and right away, I felt that the pills were too thick," says Sue. More>>>

Anti-Smoking Drug Chantix Causes Potentially Deadly Traffic Accidents
-NaturalNews
09/25/2008- Pfizer's bestselling anti-smoking drug Chantix has been responsible for more than two dozen traffic accidents, due to side effects such as seizures and loss of consciousness, according to a study conducted by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices. More>>>

1.6 Million Ford Windstars Investigated for Fire Hazard
-Consumeraffairs.com
09/25/2008- Federal safety regulators have expanded their investigations of Ford Motor Company vehicles that are in danger of erupting into flames to include the 1995 to 2003 Windstar minivan. More>>>

Hernia Repair Patches: "Sick of Feeling Sick"
-LawyersandSettlements
09/25/2008- Keyport, NJ: If you thought you were safe from hernia repair problems because you do not have a Kugel Mesh patch implanted, you may want to think again. More>>>

Bisphosphonates Cause Rare Eye Inflammation:
Finding just latest in list of potential adverse events for bone-saving medications
-U.S.News
09/25/2008- Doctors can now add inflammatory eye disease to the list of potential side effects from the bone medications known as bisphosphonates. More>>>

Guest commentary: Bone-building drugs pose risks
-Sacbee.com
09/25/2008- Every year, 23 million women take Fosamax or other bone-building drugs for osteoporosis and osteopenia – brittle bones and bone-thinning. While these medications do protect the bones, they carry hidden risks that few women know about. More>>>

Act Quickly to Signs & Symptoms of Acute Kidney Failure
-Best Syndication News
09/25/2008- Have you recently experienced a lack of being able to urinate, or excessive urination, swelling, nausea, or drastic mood changes. If so you might be suffering from acute Kidney failure, in which your kidneys have suddenly lost the ability to dispose of waste. More>>>

EDITORIAL: Required HPV vaccination is sick
-The Michigan Journal
09/24/2008- Since Gardasil, the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine came on the market, its maker Merck & Co. has been pushing for a mandatory vaccination for all women in the United States. Their efforts were fruitful, at least among immigrant women. More>>>

Gadolinium Litigation Involves 391 Lawsuits in State and Federal Court
-AboutLawsuits.com
09/24/2008- According to documents filed in federal court, the makers of gadolinium-based contrast agents currently face 391 lawsuits filed by individuals who allege that they developed a rare condition known as NSF, or nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, after an enhanced MRI. More>>>

First MDL Levaquin Tendon Rupture Lawsuits Could be “Trial-Ready” by Jan 2010
-AboutLawsuits.com
09/23/2008- A status conference was held earlier this month before U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim, who is overseeing the federal Levaquin litigation consolidated in Minnesota. At that time, lawyers for Johnson & Johnson and lawyers for plaintiffs who have filed Levaquin lawsuits alleging tendon damage caused by the popular antibiotic, indicated that they expect the first MDL cases to be “trial-ready” by January 2010. More>>>

Bisphosphonates for Osteoporosis Treatment Linked to Jawbone Damage
-InjuryBoard.com
09/23/2008- Osteoporosis drugs are not without possible adverse effects, including a condition in which jawbone tissue dies. “Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw is a mouthful, pun intended,” says Dr. Thomas B. Dodson, an expert on oral and maxillofacial surgery a Massachusetts General Hospital. More>>>

Researchers reconsider Gardasil vaccine
-TheBeacon
09/22/2008- Each year in the United States 3,700 women die from cervical cancer and 9,710 more women develop cervical cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More>>>

Anti-Smoking Drug Banned for Airline Pilots After Link to Auto Accidents
-NaturalNews
09/22/2008- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has banned the use of the popular anti-smoking drug Chantix by pilots and air traffic controllers, due to a study's conclusions that it could cause seizures and loss of consciousness that may have contributed to car accidents. More>>>

Consumers v. Huge Corporations: The Medical Device Debate
-InjuryBoard.com
09/21/2008- Last February in Riegel v. Medtronic, the Supreme Court ruled that a severely injured person was barred or pre-empted from filing a lawsuit against Medtronic Corporation because the medcial device manufactured by Medtronic had been previously approved by a federal regulatory agency, namely the FDA, even though the medical device caused severe injuries to the patient. More>>>

Doctor Blamed Ortho Evra Patch for Aneurysm
-LawyersandSettlements
09/20/2008- Queensbury, NY: Brenda S. started using the Ortho Evra patch in March 2005 and she had an aneurysm in January 2007. Now she wants to know how the manufacturer--Johnson and Johnson subsidiary Ortho McNeil-- can say that Ortho Evra's benefits outweigh the dangers? "Why would anything be marketed that could possibly be a risk to someone's health, or even kill them," says Brenda, "and where is the FDA? More>>>

Report: VA failed to safeguard veterans
-The Washington Times
09/20/2008- The Veterans Affairs Department is responsible for numerous "unacceptable failures" in ensuring safeguards for soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder who were enrolled in a medical experiment to help them stop smoking, an internal review found Friday. More>>>

Gadolinium is linked to a New Man Made Disease with No Known Treatment
-InjuryBoard.com
09/18/2008- The relatively new medical device is gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA or gadolinium) used during certain MRI or similar procedures. The new kidney related disease that is little more than a decade old is called Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF). More>>>

Avandia –Two Weeks to Near Death
-LawyersandSettlements
09/18/2008- Canfield, OH: Dennis is just 40 years old. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and was put on Avandia. But after only two weeks on the drug, Dennis experienced shortness of breath and chest pains. He had a heart attack and he thinks Avandia could have been the cause. More>>>

FDA steps up Cipro warnings
-courier-journal.com
09/18/2008- After the anthrax attacks of 2001 Cipro became a household word when it was identified as a drug that could fight that deadly bacteria. Recently, Cipro was in the spotlight again as federal regulators imposed their most urgent safety warning on Cipro and similar antibiotics because of increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture. More>>>

GARDASIL IS NOT FULLY EVALUATED FOR SAFETY
-Sault Star
09/18/2008- Analysis of four sets of documents released by the US FDA, including patent and licensing memoranda, test reports for the vaccine, and the final briefing document, 8,864 official adverse reaction reports and a transcript of Merck's May 18, 2006, meeting with the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee where the vaccine received a unanimous vote -- obtained under the US Freedom and Information Act -- shows the following: More>>>

"Avandia Changed My Life Forever"
-LawyersandSettlements
09/17/2008- Pacific Junction, Iowa: Donita has type 2 diabetes, and was on Avandia for over seven years. One heart attack and a triple bypass later, her life has changed forever. More>>>

Too soon to make Gardasil mandatory
-LoHud.com
09/17/2008- Why on earth is Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, in a Sept. 10 Community View, "Mandatory vaccination best way to prevent cervical cancer," encouraging legislation to make the Gardasil vaccine mandatory in New York state? Even Dr. Diane Harper, a specialist on human papillomavirus who helped to develop the Gardasil vaccine, has said that mandating any vaccine without first testing its effectiveness, safety and long-term side effects is "unacceptable." More>>>

Fewer deaths with drug stents than bare metal: study
-Reuters
09/16/2008- Drug-coated stents implanted into clogged heart arteries are associated with a significantly lower risk of death than bare-metal versions, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic said on Monday. More>>>

What’s the Story with FOSAMAX
-InjuryBoard.com
09/16/2008- That is a complex question for which there is no easy answer. However, it might help for us to gain a basic understanding of Fosamax’s composition; the specialized way that it works; and how the body eliminates Fosamax. It would also be interesting to address any specialized concerns about how Fosamax reacts with the specialized bone that makes up the jaw. More>>>

FDA Issues Warning Letters to Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd., and an Import Alert for Drugs from Two Ranbaxy Plants in India: Actions affect over 30 different generic drugs; cites serious manufacturing deficiencies
-FDA
09/16/2008- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued two Warning Letters to Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd., of the Republic of India, and an Import Alert for generic drugs produced by Ranbaxy's Dewas and Paonta Sahib plants in India. More>>>

Lilly, J&J Antipsychotics Don't Top Old Drugs in Kids (Update2)
-Bloomberg.com
09/15/2008- Best-selling antipsychotic medicines by Eli Lilly & Co. and Johnson & Johnson caused more side effects and were less effective for children with schizophrenia than a little-used 30-year-old generic drug costing one-fourth as much. More>>>

TV Ads for Smoking Drug Chantix Resume Despite Suicide Side Effects
-AboutLawsuits.com
09/15/2008- After pulling all advertisements for Chantix earlier this year amid concerns about increased suicide risks, Pfizer has re-launched a national TV campaign for their stop smoking drug. More>>>

11 more lawsuits for Medtronic on Sprint Fidelis leads
-Finance and Commerce
09/14/2008- Lawsuits involving the recalled implantable Sprint Fidelis leads are piling up for Fridley-based Medtronic. Just in the last five days, 11 separate lawsuits have been filed in district courts in Texas and Tennessee, pushing the total number of similar lawsuits against Medtronic beyond 300 since the company recalled the leads in October 2007. More>>>

1 in 3 SA girls have refused cervical cancer vaccine
09/14/2008- ALMOST a third of girls are shunning the free cervical cancer vaccine being offered in South Australian schools. Health Department figures show about 50,000 girls in Years 8 to 12 were offered the Gardasil vaccine last year but about 16,000 - or 32 per cent - opted out. More>>>

Double Dose Digitek Caused A-Fib
-LawyersandSettlements
09/14/2008- New York, NY:In 1990, attorney and former marathon runner Michael Rikon developed a heart problem and he started taking Digitek. He had a cardiac arrest in 1998 and had a defibrillator implanted; it didn't fire for nine years until this January and Rikon believes it happened because he took the double-dose Digitek. More>>>

Judge Unseals Confidential Zyprexa Documents
-InjuryBoard.com
09/12/2008- A federal district court judge granted a motion to unseal hundreds of confidential documents about Zyprexa, Eli Lilly’s popular antipsychotic drug. More>>>

Feds Re-Issue Massive Recall Over Ford, Lincoln, Mercury Engine Fires
-U.S.News
09/12/2008- The federal government ordered one of the largest recalls in history earlier this year, recalling up to 12 million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury SUVs, pickup trucks, cars and vans due to a defective cruise control switch that could cause an engine fire at any time -- even when a vehicle had been parked and turned off for hours.    Today, the government is taking the rare step of reissuing the recall. More>>>

Putting sales over safety
-NJ.com
09/12/2008- In the early days of its wonder drug, Vioxx, Merck scored a trifecta, getting research reports reviewed and accepted by three of the most important scientific journals in the country -- the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association and the Annals of Internal Medicine. More>>>

CONSUMER ADVISORY: Five Million Unrepaired Fords, Lincolns and Mercurys Could Pose Serious Fire Hazard to Vehicles and Dwellings
-NHTSA
09/12/2008- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is urging owners of certain Ford, Lincoln and Mercury SUVs, pickup trucks, vans, and passenger cars to take their vehicles to a local dealership for a corrective repair. More>>>

Ford vehicles recalled for fire risk
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warns that a defective cruise control switch can cause fire in some Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars and trucks.
-CNN
09/12/2008- WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has put out another recall warning the owners of some Ford (F, Fortune 500), Lincoln and Mercury SUV's, pickup trucks, vans and cars that their vehicles have a defect that could cause them to catch fire at any time. More>>>

Discovered Avandia Problems Just in Time
-LawyersandSettlements
09/11/2008- Donita has type 2 diabetes, and was on Avandia for over seven years. One heart attack and a triple bypass later, her life has changed forever, but she's grateful she discovered potential problems with the drug, and got off it before it was too late. More>>>

Get the facts about Gardasil
-jacksonsun.com
09/11/2008- Do health officials really know what's best for our children? If so, then why are some of them campaigning for a vaccine, mostly geared toward 11- and 12-year-old girls, that's supposed to protect them against a sexually transmitted disease? More>>>

The Tequin Mystery
-InjuryBoard.com
09/11/2008- Tequin (gatifloxacin) is an antibiotic used to treat adults with lung, sinus, or urinary tract infections and also to treat certain bacterially generated, sexually transmitted diseases.
In recent years, reports have surfaced, concerning disturbances in glucose homeostasis that usually occurred within 3 days of initiating Tequin therapy. Most of these events were reversible although some resulted in fatal outcomes. More>>>

Judge OKs Zyprexa Class Action, Unseals Documents
-NewsInferno.com
09/10/2008- A federal judge has granted class action status to a Zyprexa lawsuit that claimed Eli Lilly hid the drug’s serious side effects. The decision by Judge Jack B. Weinstein of Federal District Court in Brooklyn also unseals confidential documents relating to the antipsychotic medication. More>>>

Feds warn Ford drivers on cruise control recall
-Bloomberg News
09/10/2008- Ford vehicle owners should return about 5 million autos to dealers to fix a faulty cruise- control switch that may cause a fire "at any time," a U.S. regulatory agency said. More>>>

Health Decline Sparks Open Heart Surgery Leading to Kidney Complications
-Best Syndication News
09/10/2008- In the recent decade a push for dietary health has seen a big increase in importance as the obesity rate has increased tremendously over the entire world. Whether it is because our fast pace world promotes fast eating, our society has expanded its waste line tremendously. More>>>

Mama took a quinolone and her what popped off?
-MinnPost.com
09/09/2008- Remember the lyric you sang as a kid while you decapitated yet another dandelion? "Mama had a baby and her HEAD popped off!"
Well, mama took a quinolone and her Achilles tendon popped off. More>>>

FDA lists 20 drugs for their potential risks
-foodconsumer.org
09/08/2008- The FDA on Sep. 5, 2008 announced that it will publish quarterly a list of drugs that are being evaluated by the agency for its potential risks that have not been known earlier. More>>>

Kugel Mesh Patch: "Painful, Painful, Painful"
-LawyersandSettlements
09/08/2008- Isaac S. had a hernia repair 2003, during which Kugel Mesh was used. Since that time, he has had two more surgeries to repair problems caused by the mesh. He says he does not want anyone else to go through what he has been through. More>>>

Medtronic Whistleblower Case Could Change Back Surgeries
-InjuryBoard.com
09/08/2008- A federal whistleblowers case and a couple of legislative investigations are looking at the connection between Medtronic and the surgeons that uses their products for back surgeries. The question at the heart of each action is : Are surgeons being paid to use and recommend these products? Initial payment information suggests that this could be happening. More>>>

Vioxx role in heart attack
-Corsavoo.com
09/08/2008- Vioxx is a medicine that may be associated to other serious side effects such as stomach problems, allergic reactions, serious kidney problems or liver problems. More>>>

"Digitek is Killing Me," said Mother
-LawyersandSettlements.com
09/08/2008- "It blows my mind that the FDA knew about Actavis Totowa, the maker of Digitek and its quality control problems back in 2006," says Carol M. "Why wasn't it shut down two years ago? More>>>

Gardasil Linked to More Allergic Reactions
-NewsInferno.com
09/08/2008- Gardasil, the Merck and Co. vaccine approved to target the human papillomavirus (HPV), is again at the epicenter of controversy. Australian researchers are reporting that young women in Australia who received Gardasil to prevent cervical cancer were five to 20 times more likely to suffer rare and severe allergic reaction versus other girls who received other vaccines in comparable school-based vaccination programs.  More>>>

Former FDA Official Testifies that Eli Lilly Lied about Drug Side Effects
-Natural News
09/07/2008-Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly concealed the risks of its schizophrenia drug Zyprexa from U.S. regulators in order to increase its profits, a former FDA official has testified in Alaska court. More>>>

Lilly Faces Zyprexa Class Action By 3rd-Party Payors
-Pharmalot
09/07/2008- Insurers, labor unions and pension funds can proceed with a class-action suit that claims they were overcharged by the drugmaker, which allegedly withheld information and disseminated misinformation about the safety and effectiveness of the antipsychotic, according to a hefty, 295-page opinion by US District Court Judge Jack Weinstein. His decision comes two months after he urged Lilly to settle. More>>>

Regular ibuprofen for arthritis linked to heart attacks
-OnMedica
09/06/2008- Ibuprofen may increase the risk of heart attacks and subsequent fatal events when elderly people take it daily for arthritis, US researchers have warned. They found the over-the-counter pain reliever was the only drug in its class, which includes aspirin and other analgesics to raise the risk of serious heart disease, along with the now withdrawn COX-2 inhibitor Vioxx. More>>>

FDA to List Drugs Being Investigated
-WashingtonPost.com
09/06/2008- The Food and Drug Administration will begin posting every three months a list of drugs whose safety is under investigation because of complaints brought to the agency's attention by drug companies, physicians and patients. More>>>

Schoolgirls hit by reaction to Gardasil jab
-TheWestAustralian
09/06/2008- Schoolgirls are suffering severe allergic reactions to the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil at a far greater rate than for other common vaccines, an Australian study has found. More>>>

Son Blames Digitek on Dad's Deteriorating Health
-LawyersandSettlements
09/06/2008- Mike's Dad turned 87 this month and was in pretty good shape until last November; Mike says his health deteriorated rapidly and he can't help but wonder if Digitek is to blame. More>>>

AstraZeneca's Seroquel on FDA warning list
-Delaware Online
09/06/2008- AstraZeneca's antipsychotic drug Seroquel is one of 20 medications being investigated for potential safety problems, federal regulators said Friday. More>>>

FDA Inspection Prompts Recall of 55 Products
-FDA News
09/05/2008- Actavis Totowa, a U.S. subsidiary of Icelandic generic drug firm Actavis, recalled all drug products manufactured at its plant in Little Falls, N.J., after an FDA inspection revealed the products were not made according to GMP standards. More>>>

Seroquel Litigation: 8,787 Lawsuits Filed against AstraZeneca
-AboutLawsuits.com
09/05/2008- According to court documents filed last week, AstraZeneca currently faces 8,787 Seroquel lawsuits that have been filed in federal and state courts, which allege that their antipsychotic medication led to personal injuries, such as pancreatitis and diabetes. More>>>

Triple Bypass Surgery Linked to Kidney Failure Resulting in Death
-Best Syndication News
09/04/2008- Open heart surgery is the most common surgery in the United States. This might sound alarming and might pose certain questions as to why this is occurring. The need for a bypass surgery is because there is a blockage in your arteries that is cutting off the circulation of blood. More>>>

Defibrillator Shocks Signal Increased Death Risk, Study Finds
-Bloomberg
09/04/2008- Heart failure patients who get a lifesaving shock from implanted cardiac defibrillators are five times as likely to die in the coming months and years, typically from progression of the disease, researchers said. More>>>

Effectiveness of Heart Bypass Surpasses Drug Stents: Study
-TheMedGuru
09/04/2008- While, an open heart surgery or a heart bypass (as it is commonly called) is an invasive procedure that reroutes blood vessels to detour around blockages, angioplasty, a relatively new, non-invasive technique of mechanically widening the blocked arteries involves a tightly folded balloon being pushed into the blocked blood vessels. More>>>

Antipsychotics more than triple stroke risk in dementia
-Pharma Times
09/03/2008- A new analysis of patient records in the UK confirms that prescribing antipsychotics to people with dementia is not only ethically dubious but carries a serious risk of stroke, particularly when the newer atypical antipsychotics are used. More>>>

Pain Patch Recall
-InjuryBoard.com
09/03/2008- There has been a voluntary recall of one lot of Fentanyl Transdermal System patches. The Fentanyl Transdermal patch transmits a continuous opiod dose for an extended time, and it is used to treat persistent chronic pain. More>>>

Swiss Drug Manufacturer Ordered to Pay Damages for Accutane Claim
-NewYork Injury News.com
09/03/2008- Swiss drug manufacturer, Roche Holding AG, was recently ordered to pay damages in the amount of $2.5 million to 36-year old Andrew McCarrell, who was injured as a result of taking the drug Accutane. More>>>

Avandia Manufacturers Under Scrutiny From the African American Community
-NewYork Injury News.com
09/03/2008- Avandia has been the subject of widespread speculation that has brought drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline under fire for product liability claims. The drug, used to treat Type 2 diabetes, has been linked to cardiovascular deaths and serious health conditions. More>>>

Chantix Makers Use “Unbranded” Ads to Reduce Side-Effect Talk
-InjuryBoard.com
09/03/2008- As many may have heard over the past several months Pfizer’s anti-smoking drug Chantix has been linked to serious side effects including suicidal thought and suicidal behavior. When evidence of links began to grow stronger Pfizer began to move away from its multi-billion dollar direct to consumer advertising campaign and began to move toward more subtle “unbranded” advertisements. More>>>

Levaquin—"The Big Gun"—Shoots the User
-LawyersandSettlements
09/02/2008- Fairview, KS: For the past five years Alice has suffered from bronchitis and breathing problems; she was prescribed numerous antibiotics but nothing worked until her doctor gave her Levaquin, that he referred to as "the big gun." More>>>

Are Antiangiogenic And Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Safe?
-EmaxHealth
09/02/2008- Since Rofecoxib (Vioxx ) was withdrawn from the worldwide market based on the safety findings of the Adenomatous Polyp Prevention on Vioxx (APPROVe) study, the uncertainty around the cardiovascular safety of NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors remains and leaves practitioners with difficult management decisions for the hundreds of millions of patients worldwide who continue to require pain-relieving therapy to maintain an acceptable quality of life. More>>>

Oral Diabetes Drugs May Make Heart Failure Worse
-About.com:Drugs
09/02/2008- According to researchers at Wake Forest University, a class of oral drugs (the thiazolidinediones), which includes Avandia (rosiglitazone) and Actos (pioglitazone) may make heart failure worse in people with type 2 diabetes. More>>>

Study Links Allergic Reactions To Gardasil Vaccine
dbTechno-
09/02/2008- According to a new study, young Australian women who received the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil were more likely to have an allergic reaction. More>>>

Flint teen becomes center of debate over Gardasil cervical vaccine
-mlive.com
09/01/2008- FLINT, Michigan -- Sammie and Matia White thought they were following the law when they got their 17-year-old daughter vaccinated with Gardasil. More>>>

Controversial Ads for Chantix, Ambien Indirectly Name the Drugs
-eFluxMedia
09/01/2008- The controversial ad campaign initiated by Pfizer Inc., the world’s largest pharmaceutical company, continues despite criticism. Alarm signals were pulled as regard to its antismoking drug Chantix, after studies have showed its potential dangerous side-effects such as heart irregularities, seizures and more than 100 accidents linked to its use. More>>>

Zimmer Hip Replacement: "Too Young to Feel So Old"
-LawyersandSettlements
08/31/2008- Ozark, AR: Patients who have had Zimmer Durom hip implants can be forgiven if they believe their pain is related to their hip replacement surgery. After all, it is a major surgery and one that has an extended recovery time. Unfortunately, not everyone is fully recovering from their surgery, possibly due to problems with the Zimmer Durom cup. More>>>

Journal calls for Avandia restrictions
-FiercePharma
08/30/2008- In the hardest-hitting assessment of diabetes meds this year, two Wake Forest University researchers say regulators should restrict use of the glitazone class of drugs--which includes the long-suffering Avandia. More>>>

Avandia Class Action Lawsuit Filed in Canada
-AboutLawsuits.com
08/30/2008- A class action lawsuit filed this week against the makers of Avandia and the Canadian government alleges that the popular diabetes drug increases the risk of heart failure, heart attack and death for older users. More>>>

Avandia – A Fast Track to Death
-LawyersandSettlements
08/30/2008- Marina Del Ray, CA: Marla's mother, Vivian, died of heart failure less than a month after starting on Avandia. While Vivian was diabetic, Marla had no indication that her mother could suddenly die of heart failure. But now she wonders if Avandia played a role in her mother's death. More>>>

Acute Kidney Failure Linked to Trasylol
-Best Syndication News
08/30/2008- Acute Kidney Failure, also known as renal failure, entails the abrupt loss of the use of the kidneys to excrete waste and urine. Some of the causes of acute kidney failure are infections of the kidney, obstruction of the kidney track, decreased blood flow, and other disorders that cause clotting within the kidneys blood vessels. More>>>

Double Strength Federal Digitek Suits Consolidated to West Virginia
-Huntingtonnews.net
08/29/2008- The United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has ordered that all federal lawsuits related to defective, double strength Digitek (commonly known as Digitalis or Digoxin ) be moved to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. More>>>

Medtronic’s Sprint to the marketplace
-InjuryBoard.com
08/29/2008- Medtronic’s rapid move into the market place with the Sprint Fidelis defibrillator lead contrasts with the dead slow recall of a medical device that defies a physical recall. More>>>

 

Antipsychotic Drugs Boost Stroke Risk
-Forbes.com
08/29/2008- All antipsychotic drugs can increase the risk of stroke, but the risk is greatest among older patients with dementia, British researchers report. More>>>

Several lawsuits target prescription drug Seroquel
-Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
08/29/2008- Several people filed federal lawsuits against AstraZeneca here yesterday, claiming that the anti-psychotic drug Seroquel was marketed improperly and can lead to diabetes. More>>>

Durom Cup Problems Prompt Calls For Tracking System
-InjuryBoard.com
08/28/2008- In July the world’s largest manufacturer of hip replacement products, Zimmer, announced that they were suspending sales of the Durom Cup artificial hip replacement after concerns were raised about possible design flaws. More>>>

Unanswered Questions Put Moms Off Gardasil
-NewsInferno.com
08/28/2008- The reluctance of some mothers to allow their young daughters to receive Gardasil has more to do with concerns over the vaccine than their attitudes toward premarital sex, a small study has found. More>>>

Medical certification of truckers using Chantix not likely
-LandLine Magazine
08/28/2008- Truckers taking Chantix to help them quit smoking won’t be sailing through the medical certification process. Growing concern on the part of the Food and Drug Administration prompted the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to caution physicians against certifying the medical fitness of any trucker taking the prescription medication. More>>>

The Agony of Levaquin
-LawyersandSettlements
08/28/2008- Elkhart, IN: In April 2001 Lilly's doctor prescribed Levaquin for a bone infection and said she would have to stay on it for the rest of her life. Fortunately, Lilly saw a specialist who told her to stop taking it, immediately. Lilly believes that if she had stayed on Levaquin she would be in a wheelchair today. More>>>

MEDICATIONS YOUR OWN DOCTOR WON'T TAKE
-InjuryBoard.com
08/27/2008- I found an interesting article from MSN Health & Fitness regarding Eight Drugs Doctors Would Never Take. Most interesting to me was that two of the drugs listed were drugs I've taken in the past and never had any idea I shouldn't have taken them. More importantly -- they are still on the market and you may also be taking them. More>>>

Something Doesn’t Mesh
-InjuryBoard.com
08/27/2008- We live in an age of medical miracles where chemistry, physics, engineering, hi-tech manufacturing, and medicine blend together, allowing manufacturers to create cutting edge medical devices. Recently, physicians have been using various new devices that use space age mesh to strengthen certain areas of the body. But there has been a multitude of problems using mesh based devices. More>>>

HPV benefits need to be re-weighed against old and emerging doubts
-delaware online
08/27/2008- A healthy dose of rethinking is taking place about the lightning-fast approval and blanket promotion of cervical cancer vaccines for adolescent girls and young adult women. More>>>

Health warnings failed to curb use of antipsychotic drugs in seniors:
-CBSnews.ca
08/26/2008- Three warnings from Health Canada on the risk of death and stroke among seniors taking antipsychotic drugs failed to reduce the prescription rates of those drugs, according to researchers who suggest health warnings are ineffective at protecting patients. More>>>

Acne Drug 'May Cause More Abortions'
-OneIndia
08/26/2008- Using the controversial acne drug Roaccutane could lead to more abortions, according to specialists. Roaccutane is used for the treatment of severe, persistent acne, but it has made headlines in recent years for its unproven links with depression and suicide. More>>>

Digitek: “You Don’t Mess with Heart Meds”
-LawyersandSettlements
08/25/2008- Olympia, WA: Carl’s wife passed away in January 2008—almost one year after having taken a daily dose of Digitek. Carl is certain she died needlessly from digitalis toxicity: currently, nobody knows for how long Digitek pills were made at twice the strength; nobody knows how many defective pills were consumed by heart patients before the Digitek recall. More>>>

Acne drug changes could cause more abortions
-The Australian
08/25/2008- MORE babies will be aborted if authorities push ahead with a decision to make the controversial acne drug Roaccutane available through the family doctor, specialists warn. More>>>

Vioxx to begin Settlements
-InjuryBoard.com
08/23/2008- For those who claim Vioxx was responsible for their heart attacks, settlement packages are in the mail. Many of you may remember that Vioxx was removed from the market after it was linked to heart failure and a subsequent settlement ($4.85 billion) between Merck and Co. and plaintiffs’ lawyers was reached. More>>>

Stroke, Heart Attack, Kidney Failure – Was Avandia to Blame?
-LawyersandSettlements
08/23/2008- Reno, NV: Lisa's father was diabetic and like many diabetics, he had difficulty regulating his blood sugar. So his doctor put him on Avandia to help. He died within 18 months of starting on the drug. More>>>

How Long Has Digitek Double Dose been Going On?
-LawyersandSettlements
08/22/2008- On August 1, 2008 drug manufacturer Actavis Totowa LLC finally did the right thing and announced a voluntary recall of all drug products manufactured at its Little Falls, New Jersey facility. But countless people, Digitek patients and their loved ones in particular--are wondering why both the Digitek recall and now this complete recall took so long. More>>>

Articles in Prominent Medical Journal Doubt Worth and Benefit of HPV Vaccines
-LifeSiteNews.com
08/22/2008- The New England Journal of Medicine posted two articles this week that asked why two human papillomavirus vaccines have been so widely distributed given their unproven effectiveness and high costs. More>>>

Killing People for Profits....and Other Drug Company News
- US Politics Today
08/21/2008- Pharmaceutical companies at times learn about dangers caused by their drugs long before the FDA does, but have failed to disclose this information to the FDA. Thus, as exemplified by the cases of Pondimin/Redux, Vioxx, and Trasylol, the drug companies have withheld key information from the FDA and ardently negotiated against stricter label warnings ---- all the while continuing to market their unsafe drugs to an unsuspecting public. More>>>

Warning issued on dangers of diabetes drug Avandia
-News-Medical.net
08/21/2008- Thousands of Australians who are taking the diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) have been urged by the drug's manufacturer to see their doctors following safety issues concerning the medication. More>>>

Researchers Question If HPV Vaccine Is Worth the Risk
-ABC News
08/21/2008- Sonya Sheehan's daughters are the picture of health, and she wants to keep it that way. As a nurse, Sheehan had her older daughter inoculated with Gardasil, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. More>>>

Yamaha Rhino ATV Rollover Problems Persist
-US Recall News
08/20/2008- Since it was introduced in 2003, the Yamaha Rhino ATV has been associated with a number of rollovers and accidents where riders suffered debilitating fractures when their arms and legs were trapped under the weight of the vehicle. More>>>

Diabetes drug users urged to see doctor
-News.com.au
08/20/2008- MORE than 30,000 Australians taking the controversial diabetes drugs Avandia and Avandamet are being told to have their treatment reviewed after the medications were linked with heart failure and death. More>>>

Heart Bypass Surgery Linked To Kidney Failure
-Best Syndication Health
08/20/2008- Heart bypass surgery is one of the most invasive surgeries to date because the chest is wide open and the heart is stopped. Common symptoms that indicate needing heart bypass surgery is severe chest pain. More>>>

FDA Mandates New Boxed Warning for Fluoroquinolones
-AAFP
08/20/2008- The FDA announced last month it was requiring manufacturers of systemic fluoroquinolones to place a boxed warning on these products' package labels concerning the increased risk of tendonitis and tendon rupture associated with use of these drugs. More>>>

Constipation Drug Banned in United States Because of Health Risks
-RedOrbit
08/19/2008- Dear Dr. Gott: I took Zelnorm over a year ago, until my doctor said the Food and Drug Administration had taken it off the market and it was no longer available. More>>>

Merck Vioxx Trial Was Strategy to Boost Drug's Sales
-Bloomberg.com
08/19/2008- A Merck & Co. study of Vioxx that the company said showed whether the painkiller was easier on the stomach than an older drug was actually a marketing tool to boost sales, according to researchers. More>>>

Tendinitis and Tendon Rupture Lead to Black Box
-InjuryBoard.com
08/19/2008- An increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture has lead the FDA to seek a black box warning for fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drugs.