Ventura Personal Injury Lawyer - Defective Drugs

AIDS Drug Contains Carcinogen

Shannon Weidemann — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:16:08 GMT

An AIDS drug manufactured by Pfizer contains a human carcinogen due to an effect of the manufacturing process. Viracept is not being recalled but a warning letter is being issued to doctors. A similar drug manufactured in Europe by Roche Ltd. was recalled.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said, however, that some patients might already have been exposed to EMS levels higher than what the FDA considers to be an acceptable limit.
Still, the FDA has decided against a recall of Viracept manufactured by Pfizer because of the lower levels of EMS in the drug when compared to the levels found in Europe.

The FDA feels the risk of not taking the protease inhibitor is far lower than the risk of taking the drug. The carcinogen is ethyl methanesulfonate.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to the section on Drugs, Medical Devices, and Implants.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Infusion Drug Pump Recall Expanded

Shannon Weidemann — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 18:08:07 GMT

In April Baxter announced it was recalling infusion drug pumps that were not working properly. The defective drug pumps could possibly shut down and stop delivering medication to a patient. All of the recalled pumps were reported to be fixed. Baxter announced this week that some of the pumps may not have been properly serviced.

The company last month recalled 534 of the pumps after it discovered some devices sent to its Phoenix service center for repair or maintenance may have been returned to customers without work being performed on them. Three employees involved in falsifying electrical safety data were dismissed, Baxter said.
No serious injuries or patient deaths have been linked to the recall, the Deerfield, Illinois-based company said.
Customers should return affected pumps for repeat inspection and servicing and will receive loaner pumps free of charge, Baxter said. Only pumps distributed in the United States are affected.

The recalled pumps are the Collegue and Flo-Gard drug infusion pumps. Baxter is not currently selling any new pumps while it is working on the recall.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to the section on Drugs, Medical Devices & Implants.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Toothpaste Made in China Recalled

Shannon Weidemann — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 18:47:43 GMT

The FDA has issued a warning and recall for toothpaste made in China. The recalled products may contain diethylene glycol, which is an ingredient found in antifreeze. It may cause kidney or liver damage if consumed in large quantities. 5 ounce tubes of Colgate that were made in China or Africa have now been added to the recall list.

Miller says the Colgate recalled was made in Africa or China and things could've gotten lost in translation.
"There are substances along the same lines have the same names or close to the same names. Someone or the manufacturer may have accidentally placed that in the toothpaste."

If your toothpaste has been recalled you should throw it out. It is believed the diethylene glycol was used in the place of a more expensive sweetner.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Device Used for Sleep Apnea Recalled

Shannon Weidemann — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 13:06:21 GMT

A type of flow generators used for Sleep Apnea have been recalled by the FDA. Over 300,000 units manufactured by ResMed Inc. have been recalled. The device could short circuit at the power supply connector.

ResMed said patients can continue to use S8 flow generators until they receive a replacement unit but should immediately discontinue using the device if there are any signs of electrical failure such as intermittent power, cracking sounds, sparking or a charred odor.
ResMed's S8 flow generators are distributed worldwide through medical equipment suppliers. Affected products can be identified by the serial number on the bottom of each device. A list of the recall's serial numbers is available at resmed.com/en-us/s8program/s8program.html. Patients in the U.S. and Canada may also contact the company at 888-899-8991.

The devices are used worldwide. Patients outside of the U.S. and Canada can find contact information here resmed.com/s8program.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

New Depo Provera Recommendations From Canada

Staff Writer — Wed, 17 May 2006 12:42:48 GMT

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada recommended last week a new set of guidelines for physicians prescribing the birth-control injection Depo Provera. The recommendations include asking that doctors weigh heavily the benefits and potential risks of the drug before writing prescriptions.

Research has confirmed that use of [Depo Provera] is associated with a decrease in bone-mineral density, though this decrease has not been shown to result in adverse outcomes such as osteoporosis or fractures. There is also evidence that the majority of this bone-loss is temporary, as bone-mineral density is regained once the contraceptive is stopped.
A similar loss and recovery of bone-mineral density is experienced by women who breastfeed their children, who may lose 4% - 5% of their bone-mineral density after breastfeeding over six months. This density is then recovered once breastfeeding is discontinued.

Along with weighing risks and benefits, Canadian authorities recommend medical professionals also inform women of potential bone loss while on the drug and counsel patients about maintaining bone health with the use of supplements such as Vitamin D and calcium.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer