Blog
Second Opinion for Skin Cancer Goes High-Tech
by Justin Browne
on November 10, 2011
The FDA has approved the first-ever high-tech device to help doctors decide if a suspicious mole should be removed and checked for cancer. That’s good news for people prone to skin cancer who, along with their doctors, worry that a visual examination may not be enough. The device, called MelaFind, takes detailed, digital images of skin [...]
Drug Companies want “Snake Oil” Pedaling to be Protected
by Rob Jenner
on November 7, 2011
Drug companies promoting off-label uses of their drugs are the modern day equivalent of “snake oil” peddlers. And now they want legal protection for their actions.
Not So Fast! Chantix NOT Safe, New Study Tells FDA
by Rob Jenner
on November 4, 2011
The smoking cessation drug Chantix is eight times more likely to be linked with suicidal behavior and depression than nicotine patches, reports a new study published by researchers in North Carolina. Because of these risks, the drug should only be used after other forms of treatment have failed, said the study published by Wake Forest University [...]
Toxic Baby Shampoo Report Stings Johnson & Johnson
by Elisha Hawk
on November 1, 2011
The eyes of Johnson & Johnson executives must be stinging from today’s disclosure that its Baby Shampoo sold in the United States still contains a chemical that releases formaldehyde—a known carcinogen—even though the ingredient has been removed from shampoos sold in other countries. A report issued by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a coalition of some [...]
Yaz and Other Newer Birth Control Options Carry Serious Risk, FDA Reports
by Rob Jenner
on October 31, 2011
Important news for women: just because a birth-control drug is newer does not mean it’s better and in fact it may be more dangerous than older drugs, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Women taking Yaz birth control pills, a so-called “next generation” medication that contains the synthetic hormone drospirenone, are 75% more likely [...]
Symptoms of Vaginal Mesh Failure
by Rob Jenner
on October 26, 2011
An estimated 75,000 women have undergone surgery for bladder leakage and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) using various vaginal mesh products that are now under federal scrutiny for causing serious complications.
New Medtronic Heart Catheter Flagged for Side Effects
by Rob Jenner
on October 26, 2011
Medtronic Inc., already under fire for marketing a shoddy defibrillator, has been red-flagged by the FDA for proposing approval of a new catheter with an extremely high rate of serious side effects. An FDA review committee reported that nearly 20% of all the patients treated with the catheter experienced a serious complication shortly after the [...]
Vaginal Mesh Products Failing at an Alarming Rate
by Rob Jenner
on October 21, 2011
Vaginal mesh surgical products are failing at an alarming rate and the government is being urged to recall all these products immediately. The U.S. Food and Drug administration reports it has received 2,800 complaints about serious complications developing after the products were used to surgically repair urinary tract leaks and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in [...]
Colds, Flu Not Linked to CP, Study Finds
by Howard Janet
on October 18, 2011
If an expectant mother gets a cold or the flu, it does not raise her baby’s risk of developing cerebral palsy, although other more serious infections are a factor, according to a new study published in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Australian researchers studied the medical histories of mothers of 587 people with cerebral palsy and 1,514 people [...]
Listeriosis Deaths and Injuries Linked to Cantaloupes on the Rise
by Hal Kleinman
on October 14, 2011
This week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that 23 people from 12 states have died; 116 persons from 25 states have been infected due to Listeria monocytogenes linked to Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Colorado. The illnesses began to appear on or after July 31, 2011. Listeriosis is a [...]
