Defective & Dangerous Products

• Supreme Court Rejects Tobacco Industry Appeal

  Chrissie Cole | October 07, 2007 11:27 PM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  The tobacco industry appealed a ruling from last year by the Florida Supreme court that jury findings, including deception and negligence by the tobacco companies, could now be used in individual lawsuits by former class action members.In the other issue appealed to the nation's highest court, the industry said the generalized jury findings rested on evidence, arguments and theories of liability...

• NIH to Fund New Study Regarding Exposure to Cigarette Smoke

  Brenda Fulmer | October 05, 2007 9:11 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania recently received a $2.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health for a new study focusing on the chemical changes that occur when the body is exposed to cigarette smoke.Previous research has shown that chemical changes in the body can occur after exposure to cigarette smoke and that smoking and exposure to cigarette smoke is the...

• Agreement reached by five major hip and knee manufacturers

  Brenda Fulmer | October 04, 2007 3:44 PM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  Five companies who market most of the hip and knee surgical implantation devices in the United States have been accused of making deals with orthopedic surgeons in order for their products to be used by those medical providers. Four of the companies, Zimmer Holdings, DePuy Orthopaedics, Smith & Nephew & Biomet, have reached nonprosecutory 18 month agreements which include reforms and federal...

• FDA Clamps Down on Marketing of Unapproved Hydrocodone Products

  Joe Saunders | October 03, 2007 9:53 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  The FDA plans to take enforcement action against companies that continue to market drug products containing the popular but addictive hydrocodone. The move is intended to target those drugs marketed especially to children to suppress coughs. "Companies marketing these unapproved products have not demonstrated the safety and efficacy of these drugs," said Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H.,...

• Topps Meat Expands Burger Recall

  Joe Saunders | October 01, 2007 10:15 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  Topps Meat Co. has expanded its initial recall of beef patties to 21.7 million pounds. The recall involves beef that may be contaminated with the E coli bacteria that has sickened dozens of people. The recall represents all Topps products with either a "sell by date" or a "best if used by date" between Sept. 25 this year and Sept. 25, 2008. The US Department of Agriculture has suspended the...

• Children's Spinning Wheel Necklaces Recalled for Excessive Lead

  Chrissie Cole | September 27, 2007 11:59 PM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Rhode Island Novelty announced a recall of its children's spinning wheel metal necklaces due to excessive amounts of lead.The clasp of the necklaces contains excessive levels of lead. If ingested by young children, lead can be toxic and cause adverse health effects.The recalled necklaces are 30-inches-long with a spinning...

• E coli Beef Patty Recall Announced

  Joe Saunders | September 27, 2007 11:41 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  A NJ meat producer is recalling 300,000 pounds of frozen ground beef patties because they may be contaminated with the potentially deadly E coli O157:H7. Affected brands include: Butcher's Best, Kohler Foods, Sand Castle, Topps, and Westside. E coli is most lethal in the young, elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. Symptoms include diarrhea and abdominal cramps. For afull list...

• Smokers at Increased Risk for Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia

  Brenda Fulmer | September 26, 2007 10:56 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  A study published in the September 4th issue of Neurology indicates that smokers are 50% more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease or dementia than non-smokers or those who used to smoke. The Rotterdam Study, a large population-based, cohort study from the Netherlands which was designed to investigate the incidence and causes of cardiovascular, neurologic, endocrine, and ophthalmologic...

• More Thomas & Friends Toy Trains Recalled for Lead Hazard

  Chrissie Cole | September 26, 2007 12:12 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), RC2 Corp., announced additional recalls of Thomas & Friends Wooden Railroad Toys due to a violation of federal lead paint standards.The newest recall includes approximately 200,000 toys. 1.5 million Thomas & Friends Toys were recalled in June 2007.The toy recall includes five toys from the Thomas and Friends Wooden Railroad...

• Lung cancer patients may benefit from new tumor staging process

  Brenda Fulmer | September 25, 2007 10:51 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths around the world, claiming 1.3 million lives each year. Statistics show that nearly 60% of people die within one year of diagnosis. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/home/index.asp A new system that classifies many tumors as more treatable than in year's past will provide thousands of lung cancer patients...