All news posts from June 01, 2001 to June 30, 2001

Men living in areas of high unemployment and those with low-paying jobs are more likely to die of heart disease according to a new study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study found that men living in prosperous areas such as Utah, Hawaii, and Colorado were less likely to die of heart di

Deaths caused by cancer and heart disease, the two leading causes of American fatalities, declined in 1999 according to figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, deaths from diabetes and high blood pressure increased. Heart disease , cancer , stroke , chronic lower resp

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the latest Alzheimer's fatality numbers. The results were alarming. However, CDC officials note that a change in the reporting criteria for Alzheimer's was to blame for much of the increase. By changing the Alzheimer's disease classification to inc

Fruits, vegetables and other low-fat foods are the keys to a healthy heart according to studies recently published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The first study, which included male and female healthcare workers, found that diets high in vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables protected against coronary heart diseas

A panel of health experts called together by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued "Principles for Appropriate Antibiotic Use" for treatment of adult upper respiratory infections. The panel was formed because of CDC's growing concern over the misuse of antibiotics . According to the guideli

URGENT NOTICE: In many instances, if you have not filed a complaint you may lose your rights to bring a claim or receive compensation for any valvular heart damage that you sustained from Fen-Phen diet drugs. While there are some exceptions available to class members who timely requested a free echocardiogram under

The State of Florida will no longer pay for Medicaid recipients' OxyContin prescriptions that exceed 120 pills per month. In addition, Florida will only pay for one dosage level per patient per month. Both of these new policies may be waived with prior approval from Medicaid. Florida is reacting to heightened con

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a division of the National Institutes of Health, found that few eligible stroke patients are receiving potentially life-saving treatments. NINDS director Gerald Fischback, MD is disappointed that almost five years after one of the organization's clini

Today, the Senate continues its debate on the patients' bill of rights, the shorthand term for Washington's effort to reform America's healthcare system. The legislation was originally proposed during Bill Clinton's first administration. However, today's proposal is a far cry from the one offered in the early 1990s.

GOP leaders continue their attempts to alter the patients' bill of rights legislation currently being debated in the Nation's capital. While Republican leaders agree with Democrats on the merits of permitting lawsuits against health insurers, Republicans remain concerned that the legislation as currently written may i

Due to new advancements in prosthetics, amputees can live a more active and enjoyable life. Advancements in computing, electronics and material engineering have all opened the door to prosthetics progress. Researchers are excited, as the ability to fuse smarter electronic parts with engineered human tissue is becomin

A procedure that has long been used to regrow leg and arm bones is finding a new use in smaller bones. Doctors are beginning to employ the Ilizarov Method to stretch the stump of partially missing fingers. David Metcalfe was one of the first patients to undergo this new treatment, and he is thrilled with the results.

A Land Rover used in Busch Gardens' highly promoted Rhino Rally attraction overturned in the middle of the ride, stranding its 17 passengers in the midst of wild animal habitat. The ride has been closed indefinitely. Passengers Saul Soto, a 23-year-old Orlando man, and 16-year-old Deidre Shellman of Tampa required med

A recent survey found that fifty percent of parents monitor their child's daily dental hygiene habits. Forty-five percent of the respondents use reward systems including threats of taking away the child's television privileges for not brushing. Sadly, five percent do not monitor their child's daily dental care. E

Pediatric health experts analyzing the use of dental health services in the U.S. found that only 40% of children under the age of 18 receive proper dental care. The findings did not surprise the researchers as children are often uninsured and the out of pocket costs for normal dental maintenance averages $385 annually

WaterWorld USA officially reopened today, two weeks after a waterslide collapsed, killing 1 and injuring 32. The accident occurred when high school students, on their senior class trip, tried to set a school record for the most people on the slide at the same time. Tragically, the attraction buckled and fell nearly 40

The Millennium Force in Sandusky, Ohio was the world's tallest roller coaster when it opened in May 2000. Its first incline stretches 310 feet above the ground and the coaster can exceed 90 miles per hour. Its nearest competitor at the time was Japan's Fujiyama coaster, which was five stories shorter . Why do p

The Federal government fined Processors Unlimited Operating Co. $500,000 after it determined that the company transported and sold over 75,000 pounds of meat products that were contaminated by rodents. The fine followed an investigation by officials from FSIS and the Texas Department of Health. FSIS is a Federal agen

The Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry of Japan recalled a large shipment of United States processed meats after the agency learned that the shipment might be contaminated with Listeria, a bacteria that causes listeriosis. Although listeriosis cases are rare, they can be fatal. Listeriosis is characterized by high f

Over the past few months, the Federal government has fined several companies for violating the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act.First, Heringer Meats, Inc. and its president, Raymond F. Niemeyer, were found guilty of preparing meat products with the intent to defraud. A United States

Investigators hired by the owner of the Riverside Amusement Park have concluded that an accident which injured eight park patrons was the result of a bizarre coincidence. Attorneys representing those injured question the impartiality of the investigation. Park officials determined that the raft overturned about

A safety expert determined that several people riding a waterslide at the same time caused the California attraction to collapse, injuring thirty-two park patrons and killing one. WaterWorld USA hired the safety expert to investigate the accident. As of yet, no engineering defects in the structure have been identified

A two-year-old boy drowned Wednesday when he fell into a closed community pool in a Jacksonville, Florida apartment complex. Jimmy D. Willis was visiting his grandmother at the time. According to Jacksonville police, Jimmy's father left him at his grandmother's apartment. When the father returned, he could not find t

Attention is once again focused on pool accidents following the recent drowning of a 4-year-old boy at rock star Tommy Lee's California mansion. The little boy's death at the Father's Day birthday party has reinforced the importance of both water safety and resucitation techniques such as CPR and "mouth-to-mouth."

Supervision is the key to preventing child drowning accidents, according to the medical director of an Ohio children's emergency department. Most children drown as a result of inadequate supervision according to Dr. Thomas Krzmarzick. Krzmarzick is not just addressing adult supervision. He often sees cases where an o

According to food experts, one in every 20,000 eggs is contaminated with salmonella bacteria. Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, a condition characterized by diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, headaches, nausea, and vomiting. For young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems, salmonellosis ca

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warning letters to three companies who routinely use botanicals in their consumer products. Hansen Beverage Company, US Mills, and Fresh Samantha, all use ginkgo biloba, Siberian ginseng, or Echinacea in their food or beverage products. The FDA issued the three w

Even though fresh produce causes approximately ten percent of all food borne illnesses, the Federal government has no safety requirements for such food products. Instead, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set out voluntary guidelines for produce suppliers to follow. Not surprisingly, many retailers do not fo

Is OxyContin a sinner or a saint? The answer largely depends on whom you ask. For those who have lost loved ones to the lure of the euphoric OxyContin high, the drug is a menace that should be banned. However, there are just as many, if not more, chronic pain sufferers for whom OxyContin has been a godsend. The bat

The study volunteer who died during research at the Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center was an otherwise healthy woman. Ellen Roche was employed at the Center and volunteered to participate in a study in which she was required to inhale a blood pressure medication known as hexamethonium. Roche died one month afte

Ophthalmologists have begun diagnosing a new disorder, "Computer Vision Syndrome." Computer Vision Syndrome occurs when a person stares from a particular distance for a prolonged period of time, giving the eyes little or no rest. To date, long-term computer use has not been connected to serious eye damage. Ophthalmo

Boaters out for an afternoon of sun and fun on Indiana's White River experienced more than they bargained for when their boat fell backward down a small waterfall. After going over the falls, the boat became stuck at a 45-degree angle for more than two hours. The boat's passengers, four adults and one infant, we

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently warned parents about the combination of children and lawnmowers. Citing the inherent danger of lawn care machinery, the Academy recommends that children under 12 years of age not use any kind of lawnmower and children younger than 16 not use riding lawnmowers. The Academy's

Walt Disney Co. officials say they will comply with a judge's order to reveal the names of patrons who suffered brain injuries caused by Disney rides. The judge previously sanctioned the company $2,500 for failing to comply with a similar order. Judge Madeline Flier fined the company for "willful bad faith" in faili

Climbing 235 feet into the air and rocketing down at speeds reaching 85 miles per hour, Six Flag's thrill ride Goliath recently proved deadly for one rider. Twenty-eight-year-old Pearl Santos, a California resident, rode Goliath on June 2, 2001. When the ride ended, Santos was unconscious and slumped over in her seat.

Consumer demand, as well as radical advances in technology, have pushed the amusement park industry into a new frontier. Rides are now faster, longer, taller and full of more safety equipment than ever before. Yet, deaths and injuries continue to occur. Some roller coasters reach speeds exceeding 100 miles per ho

Walt Disney Co. reached an undisclosed settlement in a lawsuit filed by a woman blaming Disneyland's controversial Indiana Jones Adventure ride for her brain hemorrhage. The company reached the confidential settlement with the 46-year-old woman after doctors diagnosed her with brain hemorrhage that required surgery.

Sunset Fireworks , located 40 miles southwest of St. Louis, recently experienced its third explosion in two years. According to a St. John's Mercy Medical Center spokeswoman, three women who were employed at the factory were admitted after suffering from burns , shrapnel wounds , and smoke inhalation. One victim w

During the summer, parents worry about children and fireworks . Countless numbers of children are injured each year while playing with fireworks, many of them experiencing severe burns . However, parents now have another cause for concern, as more evidence has surfaced regarding asthmatic children and fireworks.

A Virginia attorney has filed a class action lawsuit against Purdue Pharma, the makers of the embattled pain killer OxyContin. The suit claims that the company intentionally created the powerful and addictive drug and failed to properly warn consumers of the medication's dangers. As a result, throngs of OxyContin use

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a report yesterday detailing the increasing number of runway incursions at U.S. airports. The report focused on the reason for the increase and possible remedies. According to FAA spokespeople, Los Angeles International and Chicago' O'Hare have the worse ground colli

Ford announced that it would begin testing replacement tires it has provided to Ford owners since the company's May 22 recall of millions of Firestone tires. This comes after Congressman Billy Tauzin (R-LA) suggested that Ford was replacing faulty Firestone tires with even more dangerous Goodyear Wrangler HT and Gener

Ford Motor Company's annual filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealed that the automaker is facing several lawsuits over deaths and injuries stemming from rollovers of its Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle (SUV). The annual report specifically listed four pending safety-related lawsuits. The

The Chrysler Group is asking a North Carolina appellate judge to reconsider his ruling ordering the company to make public documents detailing the automaker's practice of recycling "lemon" cars. Between 1993 and 2000, Chrysler repurchased over 50,000 vehicles that the company was unable to fix. Dealers resold approxim

Ford Motor Company officials have accused Indecu, the Venezuelan consumer protection agency, with using inaccurate accident data in its evaluation of the Ford Explorer . The agency recently announced that design defects in Explorers were the probable cause of 50 accidents in that country since the company replaced

When a CSX engineer climbed off a locomotive to adjust a switch, he thought he had activated all three brake systems. He was wrong. Two of the three brake systems were set correctly, but the engineer mistakenly pulled the throttle lever instead of the brake for the third system. Unmanned, the 47-car train traveled mo

The Royal Caribbean cruise ship Nordic Empress was forced to shut off its engines for several hours after an engine room fire erupted. The 692-foot vessel, which set sail from New York on June 10th, had traveled to Bermuda and was on its way back to the United States. Over 2,000 passengers were aboard the Nordic

The Doubletree Hotel in the Old Town section of Pasadena, California was in for a surprise when a Metropolitan Transit Authority bus jumped the curb, struck the side of the building and destroyed a support column of the hotel. At least eight people were listed in critical condition after the accident, and firefighters

Daniel Lawson, a member of the Oklahoma State basketball team, was killed on January 27th, in a plane crash in Colorado. Nine other people associated with the team also lost their lives when the Beechcraft Super King Air 200 crashed into a field just 20 minutes after takeoff from Jefferson County Airport. On June 7

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., the world's largest manufacturer of helicopters, has been found responsible for the death of U.S. Forest Service pilot Floyd Hiser. An Orange County jury determined that the company was liable for installing a faulty fuel system in the Bell 206L-1 "Long Ranger" helicopter. The Bell

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) held a public hearing on June 18, 2001 regarding the contamination of the former Stauffer Chemical plant in Tarpon Springs, Florida. ATSDR had been urged to further investigate the site after an independent agency ombudsman issued a scathing report on the Su

After years of debate and political wrangling on capital hill, lawmakers appear to be making significant progress on passing the so-called "patients' bill of rights." The exact form of the legislation remains to be seen. The battle has pit powerful special interest groups against one another. As the law currently

The stock price of Sulzer Medica AG declined today as concern mounted that the hip and knee implant maker may be liable for over $560 million in costs associated with replacing Sulzer's defective hip and knee implant devices. In December 2000 the company announced the recall of over 17,000 hip implants after it discov

Results from a study of teenage driving habits and accident-related fatalities indicate that teens driving with their friends as passengers are more likely than those driving alone to be involved in a fatal accident. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland condu

A Federal judge approved the $2.45 million settlement proposed in a product liability suit brought by the family of a man who had both of his arms severed by a hay baling machine. The Avis family of Henrietta, Texas filed suit against AGCO Corporation of Kansas after James Avis was severely injured on July 1, 1998 wh

A 25-year-old woman injured a week ago in an all-terrain vehicle accident died yesterday from her injuries. Lori Dixon was riding her 4-wheel ATV around her family's property when she ran into a wire fence, severely injuring her trachea. The week following the accident Dixon was in critical condition, and her fathe

Today, a Florida attorney announced the filing of a $1 billion lawsuit against Firestone Tires on behalf of the Herrera family. Two members of the family were killed and three others seriously injured when their Firestone equipped Ford Explorer rolled over on the Florida Turnpike after a tire failure. The family w

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are cracking down on Internet sales of colloidal silver products. Sites on the web market these products as cures for illnesses ranging from herpes to AIDS to yeast infections. However, the FDA issued a final ruling in late 1999 prohibiting

Pediatric health experts analyzing the use of dental health services in the U.S. found that only 40% of children under the age of 18 receive adequate dental care. The findings did not surprise the researchers because children are generally uninsured and the out of pocket costs for normal dental maintenance can be up t

When Ford Motor Company announced on May 22, 2001 that it intended to replace all Firestone AT tires installed on Ford vehicles, many safety advocates applauded the move. However, during hearings held on Capital Hill yesterday, U.S. Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-LA) raised the possibility that the tires Ford was using to rep

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced today that it was considering launching an investigation into the design and safety of the Ford Explorer . Ford Motor Company CEO Jacques Nasser stated that Ford would "welcome and encourage" such a review of its top selling Explorer SUV. Th

Today, the Congressional Joint Committee for Commerce, Trade & Consumer Protection and Oversight Investigation held a hearing on the Ford - Firestone recall debate. The first such hearing was held in September 2000 after it came to light that Firestone tires had been experiencing dangerous tread separations. Six mi

According to the United States Marine Corp, the V-22 Osprey will revolutionize troop deployment and allow the Corp to retire its aging fleet of troop transport helicopters. However, critics of the Boeing tilt-rotor hybrid call the Osprey a death trap. Twenty-three marines have died in Osprey crashes since 2000. C

Recent reports reveal that school children are abusing Ritalin at an alarming rate. According to one Drug Enforcement Agent, children "use it as a party drug, they crush it up and snort it. Some of them refer to it as kiddy cocaine." Ritalin is a drug used to treat Attention Deficit - Hyperactivity Disorder, or "ADHD

Insurance companies around the country are anxiously watching Farmers Insurance Group defend itself in a suit filed by a family claiming that toxic mold in their home caused serious health problems. The lawsuit alleges that a subsidiary of Farmers Insurance did not cover all of the costs of repairing water damage, all

A Taiwanese food manufacturer is ready to go to trial after getting hit with a $25 million non-binding arbitration judgment. The negligence suit brought by the family of an 11-year-old girl claims that she choked on the company's candy, causing permanent brain damage and putting her in a vegetative state. Dozens o

Suits involving toxic molds are rapidly flooding court systems around the country. Due to recent publicity from movies like Erin Brockovich , people have become more aware of the problems associated with toxic mold. Lawyers are hearing from potential plaintiffs in record numbers. Some plaintiffs' lawyers are being f

Toxic mold has shut down a high school in Virginia's Bedford County. Officials decided in late April to close the school for the rest of the year because a fungus growing in the facility has caused respiratory illnesses among students and faculty. The students finished a shortened school year by attending classes at

Researchers in Finland report that individuals who live in houses damp enough to allow mold and mildew to grow are likely to have more respiratory ailments such as asthma and colds. The study, conducted by scientists at the University of Danka, included a survey of 10,000 students regarding the conditions of their home

URGENT NOTICE: In many instances, if you have not filed a complaint you may lose your rights to bring a claim or receive compensation for any valvular heart damage that you sustained from Fen-Phen diet drugs. While there are some exceptions available to class members who timely requested a free echocardiogram under

The White House announced today that it was making plans to pull the U.S. Navy from the Puerto Rican island of Vieques. A spokesman for President Bush said that all naval activities on Vieques will be suspended by May 2003. The Navy has used the island as a bombing range for over sixty years, the last several of which

A recent study uncovered a gene crucial to the development of nerve connections between the brain and the eye. Scientists hope that this discovery will lead them to new treatments for some rare eye disorders. The study involved zebrafish, as lower vertebrates like the zebrafish, frogs and some other insects have genet

The adenovirus, the virus responsible for the common cold and pinkeye, may be responsible for the majority of heart transplant rejections in children, according to a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Doctors have long suspected that viruses caused problems with many kinds of transplants. M

A new surgical technique, the Ilizarov Method, taught to British plastic surgeons by a Russian doctor, is helping to "re-grow" fingers damaged or lost in industrial accidents or affected by congenital deformities. Previously only used on the larger bones of the legs and arms, the technique requires that the bones in th

New guidelines issued by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) are designed to inform people about COPD. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the world. Only heart disease, cancer and stroke cause more deaths worldwide. GOLD's report includes information and guidelines on ass

The Consumer Product Safety Commission encourages you to buy products with child-resistant packaging. The Commission also reminds you to store medicine and dangerous household chemicals in areas that children cannot access, preferably a locked cabinet or other safe compartment. As part of National Poison Preventi

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials have revised their findings regarding the Colorado crash of a United Airlines Boeing 737. The 1991 crash killed all 25 people aboard, but the NTSB could not identify its cause in its initial report. The initial report on United Flight 585 was released in 1993. In

A Northwest Airlines jet carrying 295 passengers and crew made an emergency landing at Tokyo's Narita International Airport after indicator lights suggested the plane had an engine problem. Northwest Flight 2 was bound for Los Angeles, flying over the Pacific Ocean when pilots decided to return to Tokyo because of a pr

Northwest Airlines Flight 28 from Manila to Tokyo made an emergency landing in Tokyo when one set of its landing gear descended but did not lock into place. None of the 410 people aboard was injured. The emergency landing caused Tokyo's Narita Airport to close its only runway for nearly an hour and a half. It w

Two separate international flights were forced to land at Bangor International Airport in Maine to unload disruptive passengers. A British Airways flight from England to Mexico City and a Britannia Air flight from England to Cancun, Mexico were both forced to land in Bangor. The British Airways flight stopped in

A recent KLM flight from Amsterdam to Newark, NJ was full of surprises. A passenger endangered all of the passengers on the flight when he tried to open an emergency door in the middle of the flight almost 6 miles above the Atlantic Ocean. When the passenger first got on the plane, he showed a coach ticket but then sa

Zoe Campbell, 27, was sentenced to nine months in jail after admitting to assaulting three flight attendants on her flight from Orlando, Florida to Manchester, England. The assault occurred after Campbell was told that she could not smoke during the flight.

A study published recently in the journal Nature Neuroscience found that fliers who regularly pass through multiple time zones may experience a decline in brain processing capabilities. Jetlag, normally thought of as a nuisance associated with long flights, occurs when long haul airline travel upsets the body's normal

Extended flights can lead to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a serious condition where blood clots form in the major arteries of the body. Researchers have found that elastic compression stockings can decrease the risk of DVT, also known as "Economy Class Syndrome." The major risk factor for deep vein thrombosis is

Health officials in Walnut Creek, CA have linked a recent outbreak of bacterial meningitis to "Doc's," a small local pharmacy . Exposure to a steroid contaminated with serratia bacteria is the suspected cause of four cases of meningitis that have resulted in at least one death. Approximately 40 patients at the S

Tropical storm Allison has caused many problems for Americans over the past few days, especially in Texas. Houston's Memorial Herman Hospital experienced a severe power outage last weekend, causing the loss of electricity throughout the hospital. This created many safety concerns for the hospital , as patients on

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials are concerned about the number of people undergoing CT or "CAT" scans hoping for early detection of diseases. The concern is that otherwise healthy people are unnecessarily subjecting themselves to dangerous levels of radiation. The FDA is especially concerned about t

The University of Colorado football team has been hit with a string of shoulder injuries. Coaches and team medical staff members are concerned. In the last five years, 46 Colorado players have had shoulder surgery. Earlier this year, 8 of the 23 players still recuperating from spring practice injuries had undergone s

While the total number of cancer deaths declined during the 1990's, diagnoses of certain types of cancer increased according to a yearly cancer report funded by the Federal government. According to researchers, the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer increased. However, this increase may be attributable to edu

The Journal of the National Cancer Institute recently published a report that disputes the belief that high levels of exposure to industrial chemicals such as DDT and PCBs led to an increased rate of breast cancer in the Northeast. Both chemicals were banned in the 1970s. DDT was primarily used as a pesticide and PCB

The American Cancer Society estimates that over 553,000 Americans will succumb to cancer this year. The majority of these deaths will be attributable to lung and bronchial cancer (157,400). Cancers of the reproductive system (58,500), colon (48,100), and breast (40,600) will kill nearly 150,000. Pancreatic cancer (2

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued a new set of guidelines to prevent pediatric medical errors. The guidelines were issued following the release of a study that found children and infants to be at a higher risk of medical errors than adults. That study found that children and infants are nearly th

The majority of injury-related child deaths occur from May through August when kids are out of school and generally unsupervised. For that reason, the National Safe Kids Campaign, launched in 1988, is working to publicize unintentional childhood injuries. Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop is the chairman

A report in the Journal of Public Health reveals that women who choose to have a medically unnecessary amniocentesis performed are motivated by anxiety and other emotions. Even though their pregnancies may be considered low-risk and the mothers are very well educated on the risks associated with this procedure, the ov

Baby Trend Inc. of Ontario, Calif., is repeating its announcement of the 1995 recall of "Home and Roam" and "Baby Express" portable cribs/play yards. These cribs/play yards can collapse and entrap an infant. In January 2001, a 9-month-old baby in Longview, Wash., died of asphyxiation when her neck was caught

Dodge first introduced its Caravan minivan in 1983. The 2001 Dodge Caravan was named a Consumer Reports "Best Buy" in 2000 and was also named a Readers' Choice All Star for Best Minivan by Automobile Magazine's readers. The Plymouth Voyager, the Caravan's sister car, was also introduced in 1983. Since then, over eig

An 18-year-old freshman at the University of Florida died in his sleep after taking the painkiller Oxycontin. One of Matthew Kaminer's fraternity brothers in the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity handed him a pill at a birthday party he attended after a Passover seder, where he had some wine. Kaminer died in his sleep that

The increasing number of class action lawsuits filed regarding the drug Ritalin has pharmaceutical industry officials worried. Some of the same plaintiffs' lawyers responsible for securing multi-million dollar settlements as part of the massive tobacco litigation have joined forces to litigate a myriad of issues surro

A Federal district court dismissed a suit against Novartis Corp., the manufacturer of the attention-deficit disorder drug Ritalin. The judge dismissed the case after ruling that the plaintiffs' claims were not stated with particularity. The lawsuit is one of many recently filed alleging that the pharmaceutical company

A new camera introduced at a meeting of the American Psychiatric Association that measures head movements of children while sitting through boring events may aid doctors in diagnosing ADHD, Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder. OPTAx, as the camera is called, allows doctors to differentiate ADHD from other illnesse

In the midst of a city investigation and FBI probe, the District of Columbia fired four local jail officials, including the warden, after reports that three middle-school children on a field trip to the jail were subjected to strip searches. The city's Corrections Department has had a "crime awareness prevention progra

The U.S. Attorney has indicted several Federal prison guards in Colorado on charges of inmate abuse. The indictment disclosed several incidents of abuse at the hands of the seven guards charged, some of who are alleged to be part of a group called the "Cowboys." The guards allegedly choked a handcuffed inmate until h

Human rights and religious groups concerned about the growing number of rapes in American prisons are pushing for Federal legislation to make State prison authorities accountable for rapes that occur under their watch. The proposed legislation would require prison authorities to appear at public hearings and make annu

A reception hall in Jerusalem collapsed during a wedding reception. At least 25 people were confirmed dead and approximately 300 people were injured in the collapse. Officials expect the death toll to increase as they sift through the remains of the building. Israeli police announced that the collapse was caused by a

A faulty electric space heater may have caused a fire in a Chicago apartment building that killed five people. The fire killed a 66-year-old grandmother who was babysitting her grandchildren. It also killed a 7-month-old boy, his uncle, and another 60-year-old resident. A fifth victim of the fire has not yet been ide

Research from the Washington University School of Medicine found that cocaine-addicted individuals are nearly two times more likely to have serious gambling problems than those who are not cocaine-dependent. The results of the study were announced recently at a meeting of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

A Court of Appeals has ruled that a civil suit against the Stateline Casino in Nevada can proceed. The suit stems from the 1995 rape of an intoxicated female guest. The woman, her husband and some friends went to the casino in April 1995. She drank complimentary mixed drinks, tequila shots, champagne and wine. She m

Ford Motor Company is again facing scrutiny, however the latest safety controversy surround's the company's Ford F-150 full size pickup truck rather than the much-maligned Explorer. In crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Ford F-150 received the watchdog group's lowest rating. T

According to a recent report issued by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), errors at blood donating clinics increased 51% last year. However, the agency and blood collection organizations such as the American Red Cross insist that the Nation's blood supply is still safe. Researchers say that much of the increase

Last week, Britain's Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) announced that tougher warnings and prescription standards were needed to protect the health of those taking the popular anti-smoking drug Zyban. CSM said that additional Zyban warnings were needed in order to better educate both doctors and patients regardin

Sulzer Orthopedics may have another problem to worry about in addition to the company's defective hip replacement device. In a recent letter to doctors, Sulzer revealed that the company has received reports of "unanticipated adverse clinical outcomes" associated with its knee replacement device. This news comes as Su

The Florida Board of Medicine recently disciplined a prominent surgeon in a well-respected Tampa hospital after he accidentally removed a woman's breast. The doctor, whose name is being withheld, is the head of the breast clinic at Moffitt Cancer Center. According to the Florida Board of medicine, this is the doctor'

A popular drug used by people suffering from hypothyroidism may be subject to Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory action. Synthroid, manufactured by Abbott Laboratories, is a hormone replacement drug which has been on the market for over 40 years. However, after four decades, Synthroid has never applied for,