August, 2011Rural ERs Behind in Electronic Prescribing

Emergency departments in rural hospitals are lagging in switching to electronic drug prescriptions, which may mean increased medication errors, a new study finds. Although health providers will eventually face steep penalties if they don’t change their systems, the study uncovered a large gap between urban and rural hospitals’ prescribing methods. The study, reported in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, also found wide variation among the four states — Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts and Oregon. While Massachusetts was in the lead with …

Dining Tables Recalled by EQ3 Due to Collapse and Impact Hazards

The wooden table base can split and/or collapse, causing the glass table top to fall. This poses collapse and impact hazards to consumers.

CPSC Renews Memorandum of Understanding With Brazilian Government to Improve Product Safety

Chairman Inez Tenenbaum traveled to Brazil June 10 to renew the MOU between CPSC and the National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality (Inmetro).

LexisNexis® Legal News Podcast for Aug 12, 2011

A pharmaceutical maker says it will plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge for Risperdal marketing, and, a Virginia federal judge says an insurance policy’s pollution exclusion bars Chinese drywall claims. Hear these and other stories from LexisNexis®…

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J&J Settle Charge Over Risperdal

Johnson & Johnson reached an agreement in principle to settle a misdemeanor criminal charge related to the marketing of antipsychotic drug Risperdal, the company said this past week. The Justice Department and the United States attorney in Philadelphia will continue to pursue criminal and civil actions against J&J. According to the agreement in principle, J&J is guilty of a single misdemeanor violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The company’s Risperdal sales practices have been under investigation since 2004, …

LexisNexis® Legal News Podcast for Aug 11, 2011

The New York comptroller announces a $168 million settlement with National City Corp. to settle misrepresentation claims over the quality of mortgages and home equity loans, and, sources say companies involved will appeal a $320 million punitive damage…

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Philips Lighting Recalls EnergySaver and Marathon Compact Fluorescent Dimmable Reflector Flood Lamps Due to Laceration Hazard

The glue that attaches the glass outer envelope or globe to the body of the lamp can fail allowing the glass outer envelope to fall and strike persons and objects below, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.

Perfect Fitness to Pay $425,000 Civil Penalty for Failing to Report Fall Injury Hazard with Exercise Equipment

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Perfect Fitness, of Sausalito, Calif., has agreed to pay a $425,000 civil penalty. The settlement agreement has been provisionally accepted by the Commission (5-0).

LexisNexis® Legal News Podcast for Aug 10, 2011

The 2nd Circuit finds an insurer’s use of retained asset accounts is not a fiduciary breach, and, the 3rd Circuit affirms a ruling of no false advertising in a dispute over a rum label. Hear these and other stories from LexisNexis® Mealey’s™ Public…

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Black & Decker Fined $960,000 by CPSC for Defective Weed Trimmer

Black & Decker of Maryland will pay $960,000 to the CPSC after failing to alert the agency about a defective weed trimmer. The company allegedly failed to report safety hazards relating to its Grasshog XP model, and withheld information even as the CPSC tried to investigate injury reports. The electric Grasshog trimmer was defective by May 2006, a fact that Black & Decker knew. They didn’t provide sufficient information about “mounting numbers of incidents and injuries” until October 2006, according …