February, 2009Company Accused of Shipping Unsterilized Syringes, Killing Five and Infecting Hundreds
A North Carolina medical device maker is accused of shipping unsterilized syringes used to deliver the blood-thinner Heparin and saline, causing at least five patient deaths and hundreds of life-threatening bacterial infections.
Continue →New Skin Disorder Linked To Too Much Video Gaming
Keeping a tight grip on a video game controller and feverishly pushing the buttons can cause painful lumps to form on the palms as part of a newly recognized skin disorder, according to a new report from Swiss researchers. The condition, dubbed “PlayStation palmar hidradentitis,” can cause painful patches on the hands, similar to lesions which may form on the soles of feet following heavy physical activity, said researchers from University Hospitals and Medical School of Geneva. The research findings …
Continue →U.S. Health Care Spending Will Soar to $2.5 Trillion in 2009; More Than a Band-Aid is Needed To Stop the Bleeding
New estimates indicate that health care spending in the United States will reach $2.5 trillion in 2009, costing each American about $8,000 and consuming 17.6 of the economy in the largest one-year increase in the costs in at least 49 years.
Continue →Medtronic Heart Devices May Fail Faster Than Previously Known, New Study Finds
Medtronic Sprint Fidelis heart defibrillator leads, the controversial medical devices recalled in 2007 after being linked to at least five patient deaths and scores of injuries, may be failing to work faster than researchers previously believed, according to a new report.
Continue →Air Venturi Recalls Air Rifles That Can Unexpectedly Fire, Posing Serious Injury Hazard
The safety can fail, causing the rifle to unexpectedly fire. This poses a serious injury hazard to consumers.
Continue →Springsteen Fans Show Ticketmaster Who’s Boss
Nationwide ticket vendor Ticketmaster has agreed to change how it sells tickets online after a run in with New Jersey fans of rocker Bruce Springsteen. Ticketmaster and the attorney general’s office in New Jersey, Springsteen’s home state, have reached a voluntary agreement settling allegations about higher-than-normal processing fees charged for a pair of recent Springsteen concerts held in that state. When Springsteen fans went on line to buy tickets to the concerts, held May 21 and May 23, 2008 at …
Continue →I Can See Clearly Now: B Vitamins May Prevent Vision Loss in Older Women, New Study Finds
Age-related macular degeneration, a disease which affects about two million people in the United States, is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in older women. But there may be a glimmer of hope for a people suffering from the condition for which there is no cure.
Continue →Epilepsy Drug Zonegran Linked to Blood Imbalance, Heart Problems
Zonegran, an anti-seizure pill used to treat epilepsy in adults, can cause dangerous chemical dangerous imbalances in the blood and result in life-threatening heart problems, among other serious problems, the Food and Drug Administration said. Recent FDA data shows that Zonegran can cause metabolic acidosis, a condition which involves high acid levels in the blood and has been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, hyperventilation, irregular heart rhythms, fatigue, and difficulty breathing. If not detected and treated properly, …
Continue →Regulators Hustle to Find and Seize Billionaire Banker Stanford’s Caribbean Assets
Officials hot on the trail of Allen Stanford, the Texas billionaire and banker accused of orchestrating an elaborate $8 billion investment scam, are working to track down and seize millions of dollars worth of assets belonging to the disgraced financial advisor.
Continue →Shortage of State Food Inspectors Allowed Tainted Peanut Butter to Spread
The nation’s deepening economic crisis may be to blame for forcing states to cut the number of food-safety inspections and allowing the massive outbreak of salmonella contamination linked to contaminated peanut products to occur. A recent news analysis by the Associated Press finds that budget cuts in states including Georgia, where the food-processing plant blamed for the peanut outbreak was located, have forced officials to slash the frequency and substance of inspections by food-safety officials. The Peanut Corp. of America …
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