We have long been writing about a series of problems with K-V Pharmaceutical Company. In December, K-V Pharmaceutical said that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted its work plan to address the issues. Now, KV Pharmaceutical said it will be closing down its ETHEX generic drug unit, wrote The Associated Press (AP). The drug maker will also plead guilty to criminal charges that allege ETHEX neglected to appropriately advise regulators about significant manufacturing problems that posed dangers to consumers, wrote the AP.

Last March, we wrote that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that a Consent Decree of permanent injunction was filed enjoining KV Pharmaceutical Company, its subsidiaries ETHEX Corporation and Ther-Rx Corporation, and its principal officers, from making and distributing adulterated and unapproved drugs. That move followed an extensive series of incidents regarding KV Pharmaceuticals and its subsidiaries. More KV Pleads Guilty, Agrees to Close ETHEX Generic Drug Plant

Nearly 20 years after the conclusion of the Gulf War, the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) will be reviewing the disability claims of veterans who reported illnesses they blame on their service, said The Associated Press (AP). This review could be a preliminary step in arranging veteran compensation, the AP added.

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki called the agency’s decision a “fresh, bold look” his department is taking to assist veterans suffering from so-called “Gulf War illness,” explained the AP. According to the VA, it will initiate plans to improve medical staff training for those working with Gulf War veterans; for instance ensuring staff do not tell veterans their symptoms are in their imagination, wrote the AP. “I’m hoping they’ll be enthused by the fact that this … challenges all the assumptions that have been there for 20 years,” Shinseki told the AP in its exclusive interview. More VA to Take Another Look at Gulf War Disability Claims

The ongoing debacle regarding defective Toyotas and related recalls has revealed another issue. The Associated Press (AP) is reporting that one man involved in a fatal crash that landed him in prison is seeking a change of venue.

Koua Fong Lee was involved in a fatal accident with his 1996 Toyota Camry when it sped up an interstate ramp and crashed into an Oldsmobile, killing three people, said the AP. Lee maintains that he did all he could to stop the vehicle; however, the jury did not believe him and he was sentenced to eight years in prison, wrote the AP. More Toyota Recalls Could Free Jailed Man

About 1,000 Fellowes Climate Control Footrests, which were imported by Fellowes, Inc., of Itasca, Illinois, have been recalled, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced.

The Fellowes Climate Control Footrest’s fan can become blocked and overheat when used in the upright position, posing a fire hazard. To date, no injuries or incidents have been reported. More Footrests Recalled for Fire Hazard

About 580 BigBox Hockey Sets, which were imported by Sportime of Norcross, Georgia, have been recalled, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced.

The surface coating on the boards, which are assembled together to form the floor hockey playing field, contain excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard. To date, no incidents or injuries have been reported; however, the effects of lead exposure and lead poisoning are not always immediately apparent. More Lead Paint Hazard Prompts Recall of Children’s Floor Hockey Sets

We recently wrote that Trader Joe’s Co., located in Monrovia, California, issued a recall of select lot codes of its 7.4-ounce boxes of Chocolate Chip Chewy Coated Granola Bars over concerns that the product could be tainted with the Salmonella pathogen. Now, Trader Joe’s is expanding its recall over concerns the product could be contaminated with the dangerous, sometimes deadly, Salmonella pathogen.

Now, the Associated Press (AP) is reporting that Trader Joe’s voluntarily expanded its recall of its Chocolate Chip Chewy Coated Granola Bars (SKU 82818) to include all code dates manufactured by Bloomfield Bakery. Bloomfield Bakery is a subsidiary of Ralcorp Holdings Inc., and manufacturer of the recalled bars, said the Daily News. The AP said that customers with questions may contact the firm’s customer relations department Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Eastern Time, at 1-626-599-3817. More Trader Joe’s Recalls More Granola Bars for Salmonella

Wholesome Spice of Brooklyn, New York is recalling all lots of its 25-pound boxes of Crushed Red Pepper sold between April 6, 2009 and January 20, 2010, due to a potential Salmonella contamination, announced the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). The 25-pound boxes of Crushed Red Pepper were distributed in the Northeastern United States; the product was not sold to consumers at the retail level.

The Crushed Red Pepper product is packaged in a clear plastic bag, which is placed inside of a cardboard box with an adhesive white label with a blue border and blue and black lettering. The brand name on the product labels is WHOLESOME SPICES. The product name is listed as CRUSHED RED PEPPER. More Red Pepper Recalled, May Be Associated With Multi-State Salmonella Outbreak

Last month we wrote that Kristen Diane Parker, the hospital surgical technician whose shoddy practices and drug addiction put countless patients at risk for dangerous and deadly blood borne diseases, was scheduled to be to be sentenced to 20 years prison time for infecting three dozen patients in Colorado. Now, Parker, 27, who exposed thousands of other patients in New York and Colorado to hepatitis C, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison, said The Washington Post.

Hepatitis C is spread by contact with infected body fluids, especially blood. The disease attacks the liver, and can lead to cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C and the incurable disease can be fatal and is considered the leading cause of liver transplants. Parker, who is infected with hepatitis C, previously agreed to a plea agreement on charges stemming from her alleged theft of Fentanyl syringes. Parker allegedly stole the syringes for her own use, replacing them with saline after injecting herself and potentially infecting countless others. More 30 Years For Surgical Tech In Hepatitis C Outbreak

Bisphenol a—commonly known as BPA—was developed in the 1930s as an estrogenic mimicker and is used in the industrial manufacture of plastics. Countless established and emerging reports continue to confirm that the ubiquitous chemical appears to cause significant disruption to the body’s endocrine system and has been linked to cardiovascular disease, intestinal problems, and brain cell connection interference.

BPA has also been connected to increased risks of reproductive and immune system diseases and disorders; problems with liver function testing; interruptions in chemotherapy treatment; links with serious health problems; and erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems in males. In urine tests, BPA is found in the overwhelming majority of Americans, more than 93 percent and, significantly, the chemical is found in 90 percent of all newborns. More You Can Reduce BPA Exposure

New Jersey has become the latest venue where Yaz and Yasmin lawsuits have been consolidated as a mass tort. The consolidation was ordered on February 18 by New Jersey’s Administrative Office of the Courts. The Yaz and Yasmin lawsuits have been assigned to Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Bergen County Superior Court.

Yaz and Yasmin are both made with a type of progestin called drospirenone, making them different from many other oral contraceptives. Drospirenone can elevate the body’s potassium levels, which can lead to a condition called hyperkalemia in certain patients. Hyperkalemia may result in potentially serious heart and health problems. Adverse Events reported to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) involving Yaz and Yasmin include heart arrhythmias, electrolyte imbalance, hyponatremis, hyperkalemia, hyperkalemic arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, tachycardia, bradycardia, myocardial infarction, stroke, transient ischemic attack, blood clots, embolisms, and sudden death. More More Yaz, Yasmin Lawsuits Consolidated