Maine Personal Injury Blog - Toxic Substances

Tests Confirm Toxic Substances In Chinese Drywall

Chrissie Cole — Wed, 20 May 2009 22:10:00 GMT

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released test results on May 21 that confirmed toxic materials in Chinese drywall.

Strontium, a highly reactive chemical, was also detected at levels ten times as high as U.S. drywall, as well as two other organic compounds that are generally found in acrylic paint, , according to a press release by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL).

As of May 19, there have been 379 complaints received by The Florida Department of Health. Homeowners with Chinese-made drywall problems have a host of medical problems including headaches, dizziness, bronchitis and irritated eyes. Many of the affected houses have a rotten-egg like smell as well.

Overall, between 60,000 and 100,000 homes nationwide may contain tainted drywall. The EPA will continue testing.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Parents continue insisting on link between vaccinations and autism

Alison McKellar — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:07:00 GMT

This week, the United States Court of Federal Claims began the second hearing in a series of three to determine whether thimerosal, a vaccine additive containing mercury, led to autism in thousands of children.

The New York Times reports that the link between vaccinations and autism has been ruled out by every major study and scientific organization to examine the issue. The most recent of these studies found that removing thimerosal from vaccines did not reduce the number of autism cases in California. Still, parents and other groups, like the National Autism Association, have continued to insist on a connection between the two, and thus, claims are being heard in a special court set up 20 years by Congress to deal with a series of vaccine scares.

Front and center in the case are two boys, William Mead and Jordan King, from Portland, Oregon. According to their attorney, Thomas Powers, the two boys were developing normally until receiving vaccines containing thimerosal, which they contend lead to a buildup of mercury in their brains and subsequent autism.

Those who believe that vaccinations lead to autism argue, like Powers, that certain people may have genes that predispose them to the disease, making them especially vulnerable to the mercury found in thimerosal. The additive has since been removed from the vaccines and over 5000 cases have been brought forward by parents who believe their child’s autism may have been brought on by thimerosal.

A ruling from the court will not be expected until next year.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Alison McKellar

Heparin contamination may have been deliberate: were Mainers affected?

Alison McKellar — Fri, 02 May 2008 18:34:48 GMT

Heparin, a blood thinner produced by Baxter International Inc. has now been linked to 81 deaths in the United States and has caused hundreds of severe reactions in patients worldwide. Senate and House Subcommittees have spent the last several weeks collecting evidence and hearing testimony from victims, doctors, and Baxter International representatives on the issue. According to the FDA and others, it now appears that the deaths were caused by severe allergic reactions due to intentional contamination of the drug’s active ingredient.

The controversy over the contaminated material and the resulting deaths has intensified with news that it was a Chinese company, a subsidiary of Scientific Protein Laboratories that appears to be the source, according to the FDA.

Why would someone intentionally contaminate a life saving drug with a potentially deadly substance? Although still unconfirmed and unproven, the motive appears to be economic fraud. The contaminant, oversulfated chondroitin sulfate costs about one hundredth the value of pure Heparin. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA, told the New York Times that, “a third of the material in some batches of the thinner were contaminants… and it does strain ones credulity to suggest that might have been done accidentally.”

Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Rockport, Maine, unanimously voted to suspend use of the blood thinner near the end of February, and many other hospitals did the same. However, it's still too early to tell how many people could have been hurt by the contaminant and if Mainers were among them.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Alison McKellar