A Tamiflu-resistant strain of Swine Flu—the 2009 H1N1 pandemic virus—has emerged in Denmark. According to Bloomberg.com, Tamiflu drug maker Roche Holding AG said a patient treated with the Tamiflu in Denmark exhibited drug resistance, the first time this has occurred in this outbreak.

Bloomberg.com said the swine flu patient received a low and preventative dose of Tamiflu after coming in contact with someone infected with the virus, said David Reddy, Roche’s influenza task force head. Speaking on a conference call, Reddy said that the patient developed flu symptoms and was diagnosed with a virus mutation that showed resistance to Tamiflu, reported Bloomberg.com. (more…)

We recently wrote that Bausch & Lomb, maker of ReNu with MoistureLoc, settled around 600 lawsuits involving the recalled contact lens solution. Now, Bausch & Lomb is focusing on ReNu marketing. According to a prior report in the Associated Press (AP), the settled ReNu with MoistureLoc claims have cost the company about $250 million, to date.

WXXI Center for Public Affairs reports that Bausch & Lomb announced a massive marketing and re-branding campaign that is expected to cost several million dollars and is geared to helping consumers understand its ReNu products. (more…)

Another Tysabri patient has developed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy or PML. Ten cases of the often-fatal brain infection have now been associated with Tysabri since it was reintroduced in 2006. Of those patients, at least 3 have died. According to a report in the Boston Business Journal, Biogen Idec disclosed the latest case on Friday, and a total of three have been reported this month alone.

In the U.S. Tysabri was taken off the market in 2005 after three patients in clinical trials developed PML. But the drug was reapproved in 2006, although it was subject to restrictions. Tysabri is now available only to patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) or Crohn’s disease (CD) who are enrolled in the risk minimization plan called the TOUCH Prescribing Program. Under the TOUCH Prescribing Program, every Tysabri-treated patient is closely monitored and followed for the occurrence of PML and other serious opportunistic infections. (more…)

Dr. Gary D. Kao, the doctor linked to scores of potentially shoddy medical procedures conducted at the Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center in Philadelphia admitted to making mistakes when administering radiation seed implantation—brachytherapy—to prostate cancer patients. It seems 92 veterans allegedly received incorrect radiation doses.

But, Kao, who admitted to “missing his target” when performing brachytherapy, claimed this type of error is not unusual and something for which he refused to be singled out, reported the Associated Press (AP). “Contrary to the allegations that I was a ’rogue’ physician, … I always acted in the best interest of the patients in delivering this important treatment,” said Kao, quoted the AP. Kao, a radiation oncologist, was quoted when testifying at a Senate field hearing at the hospital, said the AP, noting that Kao worked at the VA center from 2002 to 2008. (more…)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just announced it found E. coli O157:H7 in a sample of prepackaged Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough currently under recall by the manufacturer and marketer, Nestlé USA. The contaminated sample was collected at Nestlé’s facility in Danville, Virginia on June 25, 2009.

On June 19, the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned consumers not to eat any varieties of prepackaged Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough due to the risk of contamination with E. coli O157:H7. The warning was based on an epidemiological study conducted by the CDC and several state and local health departments. As of June 25, the CDC reported that 69 peopled from 29 states had been infected with the outbreak strain; 34 people were hospitalized, nine with a severe complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). To date, there have been no reports of death associated with the outbreak, the FDA said. (more…)

After months of waiting, media outlets worldwide report that disgraced financier and Ponzi scheme mastermind, Bernard Madoff, has been sentenced to 150 years in prison for swindling scores of investors out of about $65 billion. Lev L. Dassin, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Joseph M. Demarest, Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced that Madoff was sentenced in Manhattan federal court.

U.S. District Judge Denny Chin, in sentencing Madoff, stated, “Objectively speaking, the fraud was staggering”; “the breach of trust was massive.” Chin described Madoff’s crimes as “extraordinarily evil” and said Madoff’s was “not merely a bloodless crime that takes place on paper but one that takes a staggering human toll. No other white collar case is comparable in terms of the scope, duration and enormity of the fraud and the degree of the betrayal.” (more…)

Chang Farm has issued a voluntary recall of some of its Bean and Soy Sprouts, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just announced. Chang Farm of River Road, Whatley, Massachusetts, issued the recall, with specific expired date codes, because of the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes (L. Monocytogenes) contamination.

The affected product is packaged in 10-pound bags (bulk) and 12-ounce plastic bags (retail), labeled under the Chang Farm Brand as Soy Sprouts and have a “Sell By” date of May 23, 2009 or May 24, 2009 and Bean Sprouts with “Use By” date of May 23, 2009 or May 24, 2009. The product has been distributed to retail stores and restaurants throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. (more…)

A new report says four main causes led to the catastrophic Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) fly ash spill that dumped a devastating 5.4 million cubic yards—over one billion gallons—of toxic coal sludge into Tennessee’s Emory and Clinch rivers and the 300 acres surrounding the TVA Kingston plant. According to KnoxNews, William Walton, AECOM engineer, and TVA’s Chief Operating Officer, Bill McCullum, recently discussed the report.

In addition to a layer of unstable ash sludge—“slimes”—that went undetected, the “construction of retaining walls on top of the ash,” “saturation of the stored ash,” and “pressure exerted by rising stacks,” led “to this problem,” said Walton, who added that, “It’s almost a perfect storm,” quoted KnoxNews. Walton said the slimes were “comprised of fine particles of fly ash, water, and sediments underneath the ash stacked in one area of the pond,” explained KnoxNews, which noted that Walton compared the consistency to that of yogurt. (more…)

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced that Outdoor Play Sets sold exclusively at Toys“R”Us and Patio Umbrellas sold by The Home Depot have been recalled for fall and impact hazards.

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Outdoor Play Sets
About 4,300 Outdoor Play Sets sold exclusively at Toys“R”Us have been recalled by Step2® due to fall hazard. The Step2 Play Up Gym Play Sets were recalled by the Step2 Company LLC, of Streetsboro, Ohio because the swings can break. The triangular hangers that attach the swing’s ropes to the upper rail of the play set can break, posing a fall hazard to children. To date, Step2 has received 17 reports of hangers breaking. (more…)

A group of officials from China have arrived in the U.S. to investigate problems with drywall made in that country. According to a report on heraldtribune.com, regulators from the General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (ASIQ) arrived in this country the week of June 15. They have met with U.S. regulators, and have visited at least two states to examine homes built with Chinese drywall.

As of last week, the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) had received more than 500 complaints from people in 19 states, as well of the District of Columbia, involving Chinese drywall. Homeowners living with the material have reported that it fills homes with a putrid, “rotten-eggs” odor and cause metals to corrode. Some have complained of sinus and respiratory problems that occur while they are in their homes. Many families have had to leave their homes, and in most instances, buildings must be gutted and the drywall replaced to fix the problem. (more…)