Monthly Archives: May 2015
Study Suggests Hormonal Contraceptives Linked to Increased Brain Tumor Risk
A study of Danish women of reproductive age suggests that long-term use of hormonal contraceptives is associated with an increased risk of brain tumors.
Fracking Should be Kept 600m From Aquifers, Study Says
New research on the safety of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) suggests new wells should not be dug within 600 meters of a water aquifer because underground fractures can extend about that far from a dug well. According to a report from UK’s The Guardian newspaper, researchers and geologists at Durham University have ...
Medtronic Plans Layoffs, as Infuse Bone Graft Controversy Continues to Weigh on Spinal Business
Medtronic’s spinal division continues to take a huge hit thanks to the controversy surrounding its Infuse Bone Graft product. According to a report from MassDevice.com, the company’s latest earnings report stated that the division saw Infuse sales decline 26% in the first quarter of 2012, and now Medtronic is talking ...
Bayer Yaz, Yasmin Blood Clot Lawsuit Settlements Stand at $147 Million
Bayer AG reported yesterday that it continues to settle Yaz and Yasmin birth control pill lawsuits. According to a report from Bloomberg News, the company said in its latest Stockholder Newsletter that it has settled 651 Yaz and Yasmin blood clot lawsuits for a total of $147 million. The average ...
Lawsuits over DePuy ASR Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants Continue to Mount
DePuy Orthopaedics and its parent, Johnson & Johnson, continue to be hit with lawsuits over recalled metal-on-metal DePuy ASR hip implants. Just yesterday, the national law firm of Parker Waichman LLP announced it had filed yet another DePuy ASR hip implant lawsuit, this time on behalf of a Virginia resident ...
Study Finds Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants Associated with High Incidence of Pseudotumors
Yet another study is adding to concerns about the potential dangers associated with metal-on-metal hip implants. The study, published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, found that large diameter metal-on-metal total hip replacement may be associated with a substantially higher incidence of pseudotumor formation.
Long Island Car Crash Kills 1 Person, Injures 2 More
A car accident on LI left one person dead & two more critically injured. The crash occurred Monday in Deer Park on Straight Path, south of Sagamore Lane.
Study Linking Z-Pak to Increased Death Risk Being Reviewed by FDA
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is reviewing a new study that reported an increased risk of sudden, heart-related deaths among people using the antibiotic Zithromax (azithromycin), known popularly as Z-Pak. In a statement issued late yesterday, the FDA said patients being treated with Zithromax should not stop taking ...
U.K. Regulators Issue Additional Guidance for Metal-on-Metal Hip Implant Recipients
Regulators in the U.K. are once again issuing advice to doctors and other healthcare professionals involved in the follow-up of patients with metal-on-metal hip replacement devices. In an alert issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), guidance is provided for four groups of metal-on-metal hip implant ...FDA Inspection Results in Warning Letter to Smith & Nephew
A March inspection of the Andover, Massachusetts manufacturing facilities of medical device maker Smith & Nephew has resulted in a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning letter to the company based on problems uncovered the inspection. The inspection took place … Continue reading
Update on CareFusion Recall of AVEA Ventilators
This week, medical device maker CareFusion provided an update on a global voluntary recall that was initiated on April 21, 2015 to address an issue with certain units of AVEA ventilators. The AVEA ventilator is used in hospitals and health … Continue reading
$15 Million in Damages Awarded to Child for Birth Defects Linked to Depakote
This week a St. Louis jury found that a Minnesota girl’s birth defects were caused by the epilepsy medication Depakote her mother took during pregnancy and the jury awarded the child $15 million in damages. The jury returned the unanimous … Continue reading
Research Links Tylenol Use during Pregnancy to Increased Risk of Male Sterility
New research suggests that males may have a higher risk of infertility if their mothers took Tylenol for extended periods during pregnancy. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Edinburgh and published in the journal Science Translational Medicine … Continue reading
UMass Epidemiologist to Lead Study of Possible Link Between Phthalates and Breast Cancer Risk
An epidemiologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has received a $1.5 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to study whether phthalates affect human breast cancer risk. Prof. Katherine Reeves of the UMass School of Public … Continue reading
Health Authorities Investigate Multistate Salmonella Outbreak Possibly Linked to Raw Tuna in Sushi
The Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local health officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Paratyphi B variant L(+) tartrate(+) infections, possibly linked to sushi made from raw tuna. … Continue reading
Acetaminophen Use in Pregnancy Could Affect Son’s Fertility
New research in mice suggests that long-term exposure to acetaminophen during pregnancy could lower a male’s production of testosterone, possibly affecting his fertility. The results suggest that if a pregnant woman takes acetaminophen for several days it could affect her … Continue reading
Emails Show FDA Was Warned of Duodenoscope Infection Risks Six Years Ago
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received warnings nearly six years ago about the risk of “superbug” infection from specialized medical scopes. The devices have been tied to a series of deadly superbug outbreaks. In 2009, after duodenoscopes were linked … Continue reading
Lumber Liquidators CEO Unexpectedly Resigns Amid Product Safety Concerns
Lumber Liquidators CEO Robert Lynch unexpectedly resigned Thursday following weeks of struggles over safety concerns related to its flooring products. The Toano, Va.-based company will search nationally for a replacement, the company said. Thomas Sullivan, Lumber Liquidators founder, will serve … Continue reading
Indian Food Inspectors Order Instant Noodle Recall over Dangerous Levels of Lead
Food inspectors in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have ordered Nestle India to recall a batch of Maggi instant noodles from stores across the country because the product contained dangerous levels of lead. India’s Food Safety and Drug … Continue reading
