Defective & Dangerous Products

• Mattel Recalls Toys

  Rick Patterson | August 18, 2007 7:36 PM | 0 CommentsLancaster, CA

  Mattel recalled nine million toys on Tuesday. It appears that the concern is a magnet that could be ingested by children. Of particular concern, according to Dr. Robert J. Geller, associate professor of pediatrics at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta and director of the Georgia Poison Center, is the fact that if more than one magnet is swallowed it may cause severe intestinal...

• Nokia BL-5C Battery Recalled

  Greg Owen | August 18, 2007 6:54 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  Nokia-branded BL-5C battery manufactured by Matsushita Battery Industrial Co. Ltd. of Japan between December 2005 and November 2006 is the subject of an advisory by Nokia. The manufacturer has stated that the affected batteries could over heat and short circuit. More than 300 million BL-5C batteries have been produced by several suppliers. This particular advisory applies to 46 million batteries...

• 46 Million Cell Phone Batteries Recalled by Nokia

  Chrissie Cole | August 17, 2007 11:41 PM | 0 CommentsWichita, KS

  Nokia announced a recall of more than 46 million of its BL-5C cell phone batteries, because they can potentially overheat while recharging. The defective batteries can be found in as many as 52 different phone models, manufactured by Matsushita, between December 2005 and November 2006.Nokia advises consumers to check the front label on their cell battery for "Nokia" and "BL-5C." The battery...

• Black Box Warnings For Diabetes Drugs Avandia and Actos - FDA Cracking Down

  Mike Ferrara | August 17, 2007 11:16 PM | 0 CommentsCherry Hill, NJ

  After years of criticism that they were not doing enough about drug safety because of links to the drug companies, the Food and Drug Administration is changing its tune. First, the FDA refused to grant Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) approval of its pain medication Arcoxia because it was too similar to the withdrawn drug Vioxx. This, even though Arcoxia is sold in 63 foreign countries. The...

• Lead Paint in Dangerous Toys

  David Rowell | August 17, 2007 9:03 PM | 0 CommentsFresno, CA

  Mattel, which manufactures Barbie dolls and Hot Wheel cars, on Tuesday recalled almost 500,000 die-cast toy cars with "impermissible levels of lead." This is Mattel's second recall in a month; on August 2 Mattel recalled almost 1,000,000 toys, of various product lines, also because the toys were "covered in lead paint." Despite Mattel's efforts to stop distribution of the toys, almost 300,000 of...

• Over the Counter Laxative Causes Kidney Damage, Death

  Gary Shipman | August 17, 2007 4:07 PM | 0 CommentsWilmington, NC

  Lawsuits filed across the United States allege that a popular, over-the-counter laxative, Fleet Phospho-soda, used to flush out a patient's bowels prior to undergoing colonoscopies, has caused kidney damage and even death.The laxative, manufactured by C.B. Fleet Company, is the subject matter of at least 50 lawsuits currently pending in 20 states. The laxative has been on the market for over...

• Commentator Erin Burnett Says China is Our Greatest Friend for Poisoning Our Food and Making Toxic Toys

  Michael Phelan | August 17, 2007 11:08 AM | 0 CommentsRichmond, VA

  It's high time the American public speaks up and let's the media know that we will no longer stand for programming that contains outrageous, shock commentary that is devoid of reason and simply designed to draw attention to the commentator. Ann Coulter is a perfect example. The more outrageous her statements, the more attention she gets. Recently, a CNBC bimbo commentator said that China "is...

• Food Safety and Defective Products

  David Rowell | August 16, 2007 8:20 PM | 0 CommentsFresno, CA

  Massive amounts of food, about $65 billion, are imported into the US annually, and the number is growing each year. The recent discovery of tainted pet food ingredients that sickened or killed some 39,000 American pets, illustrates how important the issue is. And yet, in the face of increasing consumer concern, the government is about to implement rules that will replicate and lock-in the...

• Warning: Do Not Give Cold or Cough Medicine to Kids Under 2

  Mike Ferrara | August 16, 2007 6:26 PM | 0 CommentsCherry Hill, NJ

  The Center for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration have issued strong warnings about giving over the counter cold and cough medications to children under the age of 2. An estimated 1,519 children under 2 years old were treated for adverse events from such medications during 2004--2005. Infant deaths, although rare, also have been reported. For more information on this...

• Mattel Recalls Magnetic Toys Due to Hazard

  Shannon Weidemann | August 16, 2007 1:09 PM | 0 CommentsGreenville, OBX & Rocky Mount, NC

  Magnetic toys were recalled by Mattel because they pose a risk to children who may swallow them. The product recall is for over 9 million toys in the United States. They include some Polly Pocket toys, Batman toys, Barbie toys, and Doggie Day Care toys. "Very powerful magnets, when more than one is swallowed, may stick to each other and cause more severe problems with the intestines," said...