On Wednesday, January 20, 2010, Newell Rubbermaid announced that it is recalling 1.5 million baby strollers after receiving 7 reports of amputations or lacerations to children’s' fingers. The products' canopy hinges are to blame for the injuries, which occurred when children got their fingers stuck in the canopy as it was being opened or closed.
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Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested that drug manufacturer Abbott Laboratories strengthen the product labeling for its weight-loss drug Meridia (sibutramine) to disclose an increased risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease.
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Last week, drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson announced an expansive recall of a variety of products, including Tylenol, Motrin, and Benadryl, after complaints of an “unusual moldy, musty or mildew-like” odor accompanying the products.
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In October, we alerted readers that the FDA became aware of numerous radiation overexposures during CT scans at a particular facility, with patients receiving radiation doses that were approximately eight times the expected level. The article noted that this situation may reflect more widespread problems with CT quality assurance programs and may not be isolated to this particular facility - putting patients at increased risk for long-term radiation effects.
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Recently, the safety warnings were strengthened for the diabetes drug Byetta relating to the risks of pancreatitis and the medicine’s use by patients with severe kidney disease. Specifically, the US Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") notified healthcare professionals of revisions to the prescribing information for Byetta (exenatide) to include information on post-marketing reports of altered kidney function, including acute renal failure and insufficiency.
Continue reading "New Safety Warnings About Diabetes Drug and Kidney Functions" »
Consumers have paid upwards of $100 for cables whose performance is equal to a standard $10 six-foot HDMI cable. Many electronic stores and manufacturers have made claims that these “premium” cables outperform standard cables. However, many well respected third party reviewers, such as cnet.com contend that this isn’t necessarily the case. “Do you really need to spend that much money on a single HDMI cable? Absolutely not – those cables are a rip-off” says CNET. “And despite what salesman and manufacturers might tell you, there’s no meaningful difference between the $10 cable and the $50 cable.”
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According to a recently released Danish study, pregnant women taking an SSRI were twice as likely to have pre-term delivery as other women, and their babies were also more likely to be admitted to an intensive care unit after delivery. Specifically, women taking an SSRI delivered their baby an average of five days earlier and babies exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy were far more likely to have a five-minute Apgar score -- a measure of a newborn's health scored between 0 and 10 -- of seven or below. Any score below seven is generally regarded as low.
Additionally, the study found that women who take more than one SSRI quadrupled the risk of their babies experiencing a septal heart defect, which is a defect in the wall that divides the heart’s left and right sides. For those women taking only one SSRI, the study revealed that use of Celexa and Zoloft early in pregnancy doubled and tripled the risk for the heart defect, respectively. While the association between SSRIs and birth defects has been reported for several years, this is the first study to specifically highlight the increased risk with Celexa and Zoloft.
Continue reading "Even More Dangers of Taking SSRIs When Pregnant Revealed" »
Have you looked at your cable bill and found that you are paying $5, $6, and even $10 a month to rent a cable box from your service provider? Ever wonder why you cannot simply purchase your cable box or rent a cheaper box from another company? Many consumers are limited in subscribing to certain cable companies; however, numerous cable companies take advantage of consumers by charging $60 or more EACH year to rent a set-top box that should cost no more than a DVD player to buy.
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In August 2009, Medtronic began informing physicians for the first time that, contrary to the labeling, its Sutureless Connector (SC) intrathecal catheters were incompatible with IsoMed Infusion Pump Model 8472, a drug delivery system for which the catheters were not designed. On September 14, 2009, the US Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") notified Medtronic that it considers the notification a Class I medical device recall, the strongest notice that the FDA can issue, because accidental use of the catheters with the wrong pump may lead to disruptions of therapy and revision surgery, which pose a risk of serious injury or death. This incompatibility is a design defect and not a result of how the pump is implanted. In fact, it may appear to be connected and secured, but a physical interference between the catheter and the infusion pump may lead to fluids leaking into surrounding tissues and the proper dose of drugs not being delivered.
Continue reading "Another Medtronic Recall For Infusion Pumps" »
Any printer or all-in one (print-copy-fax) machine purchased within the last few years comes with its own software to install on your computer. This software includes updates regarding the amount of ink or toner remaining in the cartridge and provides reminders and warnings to replace your ink or toner cartridge as soon as a certain level is reached. However, recent tests have found that these indicators are requiring consumers to change or replace their cartridges before it is truly necessary, thereby wasting ink, toner, and consumers' money.
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As we reported here in May, the NY Attorney General filed suit against two debt consolidation firms in New York alleging fraudulent and deceptive business practices. Namely, the companies reportedly charge exorbitant consolidation fees while failing to ever eliminate any of the customer's debt. The result for the customer is greater debt and a damaged credit score. Following up on this growing trend last night, ABC News attempted to get answers to the questions that many consumers would like to know. However, the VP of operations for Credit Solutation of America claimed to be ignorant on many issues.
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On July 16, 2009, the FDA announced that it has begun a safety review of Genentech's asthma drug Xolair (omalizumab) after reports of an increased risk of heart attack, abnormal heart rhythm, heart failure, and stroke. The Xolair safety review was prompted by interim results from an ongoing study of 5,000 patients with allergic asthma, in which half of the patients took Xolair and half did not. The early results showed a "disproportionate increase" in certain cardiovascular and cerebrovascular problems in patients treated with Xolair.
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