April, 2011Benicar (olmesartan): Ongoing Safety Review

Audience: Cardiology, Internal Medicine [UPDATED 04/14/2011] After reviewing the results of the ROADMAP and ORIENT trials, FDA has determined that the benefits of Benicar continue to outweigh its potential risks when used for the treatment of…

Study Suggests Medical Errors in Hospitals Go Undetected

A study published in the April issue of the journal Health Affairs suggests that the number of injuries caused by medical error might be 10 times greater than previously measured. The news comes a dozen years after a study from the Institute of Medicine reported that avoidable medical errors lead to thousands of deaths in U.S. hospitals each year. Researchers reviewed the medical records for 795 patients at three large U.S. hospitals to determine whether patient safety programs were well-established …

Cub Cadet Recalls Riding Lawn Mowers Due to Fire Hazard

A fuel leak can occur near the rear mounting screws on the bottom of the fuel tank, posing a fire hazard.

LexisNexis® Legal News Podcast for April 13, 2011

Johnson & Johnson and a subsidiary will pay close to $77 million to settle foreign bribery claims, and, a New Jersey jury awards $2 million in an Accutane case but finds for the defense in two others. Hear these and other stories from LexisNexis® Me…

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Girl’s Clothing Recalled by My Michelle Due to Risk of Lead Exposure

The jewelry and decorative trim attached to the girl’s garments contain high levels of lead. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

Redken 5th Avenue NYC Recalls Guts Spray Mousse Foam Due to Risk of Rupture

The aerosol container’s liner can corrode over time, posing a risk of the cans rupturing and expelling its contents.

Rogue Fitness Barbell Brackets Recalled by Coulter Ventures Due to Injury Hazard

The weld between the bracket and the pin that holds the barbell bracket in place on a weightlifting rack can break, causing the weights to fall, and posing an injury hazard to consumers.

LexisNexis® Legal News Podcast for April 12, 2011

The 9th Circuit remands an infected eye fluid case after a Mexican court rejects jurisdiction, and the 5th Circuit finds that even with an error, former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling would have been found guilty. Hear these and other stories from LexisNe…

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Pfizer Contributes Assets to Pay Asbestos Claims

Pfizer Inc. will contribute assets to help its bankrupt, nonoperating Quigley unit pay asbestos claims. Quigley, acquired by Pfizer in 1968, made three products for the steel industry from the 1940s to the 1970s that included asbestos. Pfizer still maintains that it never made or sold any Quigley products, but some claimants haven’t released the world’s largest drug manufacturer from alleged “derivative liability.” Included in the assets Pfizer will contribute is a 281,581-square- foot building leased to a brewery. The …

Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline Disclose Fees Paid to Doctors

Pfizer Inc. paid $177 million and GlaxoSmithKline PLC paid $85 million during 2010 to U.S. doctors and medical institutions for their work on clinical trials and other serives, the companies disclosed Thursday. The drug makers have been criticized in the past for using payments to doctors to influence prescribing patterns or promote the unauthorized use of drugs. While other pharmaceutical companies have disclosed payments to doctors, Pfizer is the first to disclose payments for the clinical trials. The disclosure is …