Defective & Dangerous Products

• How Safe Is Maine's Meat Supply?

  Alison Mynick, RN, Esq. | February 19, 2008 1:40 PM | 0 CommentsBangor & Augusta, ME

  Some things we know for sure.We know for sure that on February 17, 2008, the USDA ordered the recall of 143 million pounds of beef that had been processed at California's Westland/ Hallmark Meat Co., dating back to February 1, 2006.We can be sure, thanks to videotape evidence given to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service by the Humane Society of the United States, that some cattle at...

• More Pain Patches Recalled

  Jean Martin | February 19, 2008 12:11 PM | 0 CommentsWilmington, NC

  On Monday, manufacturer Actavis announced a nationwide recall of its painkiller patches containing fentanyl due to a product defect that could result in drug overdose among patients and caregivers. The recall includes patches with an Abrika or Actavis label delivering 25, 50, 75 and 100 micrograms per hour with expiration dates of May through August 2009. This recall comes a week after a...

• 143 Million Pounds of Frozen Beef Recalled

  Jenny Albano | February 17, 2008 8:57 PM | 0 CommentsLos Angeles, CA

  On Sunday, February 17, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture recalled 143 million pounds of frozen beef form a slaughterhouse in Southern California that is being investigated for mistreating the cattle. This recall is the largest beef recall in the U.S. since 1999.The recall affects beef from Chino-based Westland/Hallmark Agency dating to February 1, 2006. This company supplies meat for the federal...

• Lead Based Childrens Bracelets Recalled

  Sandy Grinnell | February 16, 2008 6:07 AM | 0 CommentsOrlando, FL

  The Consumer Products Safety Commission has issued a recall of llittle girls "Life of Faith Charm Bracelets" that have excessive amounts of lead in them. The bracelets, manufactured in China of course, have the following religious symbols;Bible, angel, cross, heart, and praying hands, as well as white painted beads. The bracelets were sold in a set that included a child's bracelet as well as...

• Possible Problems Found In Blood Thinning Drug Heparin Highlight FDA's Inability to Protect You

  Michael Eyerly | February 15, 2008 6:08 PM | 0 CommentsLos Angeles, CA

  In a previous blog entry I lamented the steady decline of our public agencies' ability to protect particularly vulnerable segments of our society, as well as Big Business's ability to use its influence and power to further stifle meaningful consumer protection. For example, California's budget crisis has resulted in across the board budget reductions for state agencies charged with protecting...

• Johnson & Johnson & Sandoz Recall Pain Patches

  Greg Owen | February 15, 2008 5:50 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  Johnson & Johnson and Novartis AG's Sandoz unit recalled pain patches that are leaking the painkiller fentanyl. Fear of overdoses of the painkiller fueled the recent recall. This is the fifth (count them) recall of several versions of the patches since 1994. The problem is that the pain patch delivers an opiod known as fentanyl, which is highly addictive. In fact, it is 80 times more potent...

• Nevada Equitable and Legal Claims at Trial

  Steve Klearman | February 15, 2008 10:10 AM | 0 CommentsReno, NV

  On December 27, 2007 the Nevada Supreme Court clarified in Awada v. Shuffle Master, Inc., 123 Nev. Adv. Op. No. 57, the manner in which a Nevada District Court may handle mixed claims for legal and equitable relief at trial and found as follows:In this appeal, we consider the primary issue of whether a district court has the authority to bifurcate the legal and equitable claims presented in a...

• FDA Inaction Leads to 22,0000 Patient Deaths From Trasylol, Drug Researcher Claims

  David Lowe | February 15, 2008 12:11 AM | 0 CommentsMilwaukee, WI

  Stay tuned this Sunday for another FDA failure story on 60 Minutes in which Dr. Dennis Mangano, a respected drug researcher, asserts that 22,000 Trasylol deaths could have been avoided if the Food and Drug Administration had paid heed to his published research about Trasylol's dangers, and removed the heart surgery drug from the market two years ago, when his study revealed its widespread...

• Consumer Product Safety Commission: Understaffed, Underfunded

  Greg Webb | February 14, 2008 9:52 PM | 0 CommentsCharlottesville, VA

  The year 2007 was full of nerve-racking recalls for American consumers. Millions of lead intoxicated toys littered the consumer market. Even babies' cribs were being recalled after three children were strangled by one particular model due to defective side rails. It has become apparent that the slow-moving Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is part of the problem at hand. The CPSC, for...

• New Study Warns Of Dangerous Chemicals In Baby Products

  Greg Webb | February 14, 2008 9:41 PM | 0 CommentsCharlottesville, VA

  A new study suggests chemicals found in some baby powders, shampoos, and lotions expose infants to dangerous toxins that could later affect their reproductive capabilities. Phthalates, the chemicals in question, are commonly used to make plastics flexible and to also stabilize fragrances. They are commonly found in many products such as toys, cosmetics, vinyl flooring, and medical supplies. The...