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Heart Device Linked to More Than a Dozen Deaths
More than a dozen people implanted with internal heart defibrillators have died because of faulty wiring that connects the device to the heart, medical device maker Medtronic announced Friday. According to the company, about 2,000 legal claims have been filed in connection with the thin electrical cable, known as the Sprint Fidelis. Earlier this month, lawmakers introduced legislation that would reverse a Supreme Court decision that blocked lawsuits involving government-approved medical devices. Barry Meier, The New York Times 03/13/2009
Allstate Chief Calls for Federal Regulation
The top executive of the nation’s largest home and auto insurer called on fellow insurance companies Wednesday to submit to federal regulation. Speaking to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Allstate Corp. chief Tom Wilson said the insurance industry should be under a similar umbrella of federal regulation as other large financial industries. Reuters, Reuters 03/11/2009
Hospital: Doctor Fabricated Drug Research for Celebrex and Lyrica
A prominent medical researcher with ties to drug maker Pfizer has admitted that he made up data used in nearly two dozen studies. According to a spokeswoman for the hospital where Dr. Scott S. Reuben worked, the apparent fraud was discovered during the peer-review process. Reuben conducted trials supporting the effectiveness of the Pfizer drugs Celebrex and Lyrica in treating postsurgical pain. Gardiner Harris, The New York Times 03/10/2009
Fire Recall Prompts Refrigerator Recall
A potentially serious fire hazard has prompted Maytag Corp. to recall about 1.6 million refrigerators. The recall covers some Jenn-Air, Amana, Admiral, Magic Chef, Maytag, Performa by Maytag and Crosley side-by-side and top freezer refrigerators sold between 2001 and 2004. The electrical problem has led to 41 incidents with varying degrees of home damage. AP, San Francisco Chronicle 03/10/2009
FDA: Drug Patches Pose Burn Risk in MRIs
MRI scans could pose a safety threat to patients who use nicotine or other drug delivering patches, officials from the Food and Drug Administration warned last week. According to the FDA, tiny metal fragments in many of the patches can become heated by the devices, creating a risk for burns. The FDA has issued a number of alerts recently involving MRIs as the devices have become increasingly common and powerful. Gardiner Harris, The New York Times 03/05/2009
Nationwide Drywall Class Action Filed
A flurry of lawsuits filed over sulfur-tainted drywall installed in Florida homes may ultimately touch tens of thousands of homeowners nationwide, the Los Angeles Times reports. In the latest lawsuit, filed as a national class action, attorneys claim the Chinese manufactured wallboard is to blame for nosebleeds, headaches and other health problems among homeowners. An attorney close to the case said he believes the drywall may have been installed in as many as 65,000 homes in the U.S. Mary Umberger, LA Times 03/05/2009
Bottle Makers to Drop BPA from Products
Following urging from state attorneys general, half a dozen major baby bottle manufacturers have agreed to stop selling bottles made with the controversial chemical bisphenol A. Health advocates charge that bisphenol A, or BPA, may be especially harmful to fetuses, infants and children. Recent studies have linked BPA to a range of health problems including heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Jane Kay, San Francisco Chronicle 03/06/2009
Southwest Airlines to Pay $7.5 Million Fine
The Federal Aviation Agency announced that Southwest Airlines Co. will pay a $7.5 million fine for flying Boeing 737s during 2006 and 2007 without performing fuselage safety checks for cracks. Although that amount will be the largest penalty the FAA has received from an airline, it is less than the $10.2 million originally proposed in March of 2008. In addition to the fine, the airline also must implement personnel and procedure changes. John Hughes, Bloomberg 03/02/2009
Roe v. Wade Cited in Jail Birth Case
Wayne County jail attorneys are citing Roe v. Wade, in claiming that a child did not have any constitutional rights before it was born, and therefore, the jail is not liable for injuries received during birth. Her mother had been discharged from a hospital and returned to jail but was not checked on for more than two hours, at which point the mother was giving birth. The baby was not breathing when she was born and had to be resuscitated at the hospital. Now 10 years old, she will require constant care for the rest of her life. Ed White, Chicago Tribune 02/26/2009
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