The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that Abbott Laboratories has agreed to voluntarily withdraw its obesity drug Meridia (sibutramine) because scientific research has shown that the drug increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. According to John Jenkins, MD, director of the Office of New Drugs in the FDA’s Center for …
Women who exercised had fewer overall fractures and no hip fractures. They also had better balance, faster walking speed, and improved ability to do daily chores.
For years, new parents have been advised about how to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): keep cribs free of quilts, comforters, pillows, and stuffed toys…and always place an infant on his or her back at night or during nap time. Some companies have been selling “infant sleep positioners,” which they claim …
Deaths Prompt Warning About Infant Sleep Positioners Read More »
Avandia has been banned in Europe, and restricted (but not banned) in the United States. Thousands of innocent people hurt or even killed by the drug’s side effects. We all weigh risks and benefits daily, but it is a tragedy to be harmed by a medication known to be dangerous, especially if those dangers aren’t clearly, completely, and loudly disclosed.
On August 24, DePuy Orthopaedics, a division of Johnson & Johnson, sent a letter to doctors announcing a recall of two of their hip replacement systems, the ASR XL Acetabular System, and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System. Why? Because they have a higher-than-usual failure rates, causing people to have to have second surgeries to replace …
DePuy Hip Replacement Recall Raises More Questions Read More »
This one is not only dangerous, it’s just plain disgusting. Abbott has issued a recall for certain Similac brand powder infant formulas due to contamination with—take a deep breath—beetles, beetle parts, and beetle larvae. Infants who consume the contaminated formula could experience gastrointestinal discomfort and may refuse to eat. Abbott recommends that if the stomach …
I had to read these articles several times before I figured out what gave me that queasy feeling, like I just ate something slimy. Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) is a master of spin. Maybe that’s what caused the queasy feeling–too much spin. Without retracing too much history, I’d like to start …
If you follow our blogs, then you know that HensonFuerst is a bike-friendly place to work. The HensonFuerst Cycling Team participates in several fundraising and community rides each year, and it’s not unusual to find helmets, jerseys, and other gear in our offices. That’s why we are thrilled to learn that Raleigh is working to …
Distracted driving–driving while talking on a phone, texting, applying make up, reading a newspaper, etc.–accounted for 16% of all traffic fatalities in 2009. The actual number of people who died on the road fell from the previous year, but the proportion of cases caused by driving while distracted (DWD) remained the same. According to an …
Despite Small Decline, Distracted Driving Remains Epidemic Read More »
Allstate Insurance to Make Refunds After Investigation