Fire Risk Prompts Honda Recall

Honda Motors Co. has begun a large-scale recall due to a defective part that could cause serious injuries or death to occupants. The recall invloves 646,000 units of the Fit/Jazz and City models globally, including 140,000 in the United States.

The cause: a defective master window switch could cause a fire.

One child burned to death after a fire broke out. Other cases have been reported.

For more, read Chang-Ran Kim, The New York Times 01/29/2010 Read Article: The New York Times

How partisan has the U.S. Court become? Very partisan!

During Pres. Obama’s recent State of the Union address, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, a standard bearer for insurance companies and corporations, stooped to the tactics of Republican S.C. Rep. Joe Wilson by mouthing "not true" when Pres. Obama said that the Supreme Court had wiped away "a century of law" that "will open the floodgates for special interests, including foreign corporations, to spend without limit in our elections." Take a look:

Before assuming office, Pres. Obama was a professor of constitutional law. Pres. Obama's criticism hit the proverbial nail on the head, which prompted Justice Alito's "Joe Wilson moment."

Plea Entered For Faking Drug Research

On March 11, 2009, Scott S. Reuben, a Massachusetts anesthesiologist and former chief of acute pain at Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, Mass., admiteed he faked data for 21 studies for the efficacy of various drugs. At the time, Reuben was also a former "paid spokesperson" for Pfizer.

Recetnly, Reuben agreed to plead guilty to healthcare fraud in connection with research involving Vioxx, Bextra and Celebrex. Reuben could serve a 10-year prison sentence and pay a $250,000 fine.

James A. White, WSJ Blogs 01/25/2010 Read Article: WSJ Blogs

Toddler Death Sparks Crib Recall in U.S.

Another tragedy that could've been prevented.

The recent death of a six-month-old child has prompted the recall of about 635,000 Dorel Asia cribs. The cribs are manufactured by Dorel Asia SRL.

The cause: The cribs have a drop-side that can detach from the frame, thus trapping and suffocating a child.

For more read: Andrea Chang, LA Times 01/20/2010 LA Times

Toyota Issues Massive Vehicle Recall

Often, single car accidents are presumptively blamed on driver error. But, as is clear from the recent Toyota recall, driver neglect isn't always the cause.

Recently, Toyota Motors issued a 2.3 million automobile recall when it was discovered that accelerator pads may stick, causing the vehicle to unintentionally speed up. It's the second large recall in two months.

The recall stemmed from an accident in December where four people died when an Avalon sped off the road into a pond.

The recall covers car and truck models 2005 to 2010. This recall includes the 2005-10 Avalon; 2007-10 Camry and Tundra; 2008-10 Sequoia; 2009-10 RAV4, Corolla and Matrix; and 2010 Highlander. It also covers the 2009-10 Pontiac Vibe.

For details, read NY Times, The New York Times 01/21/2010 The New York Times

Fingertip Amputations Prompt Graco Stroller Recall

Next time you take your child out for a stroll, pay attention to the stroller. 1.5 million Graco strollers have been recalled because several children’s fingertips were amputated or severely injured. Wow, amputated!

The strollers, which are manufactured by Graco Children's Products Inc., involve certain model numbers of Graco Passage, Alano and Spree Strollers and Travel Systems.

The strollers were made in China by Graco and sold at AAFES, Burlington Coat Factory, Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Kmart, Fred Meyer, Meijer, Navy Exchange, Sears, Target, Wal-Mart and other retailers nationwide from October 2004 to December 2009.

The cause: The stroller’s hinges pose a danger to children when opening or closing the stroller’s canopy.

These tragic, avoidable injuries underscore the need for a new “decade of corporate accountability,” leveling the playing field that today tilts too in favor of powerful corporate interests. There needs to be stronger oversight and the accountability of wrongdoers.

To read more, see Fingertip Amputations Prompt Graco Stroller Recall

Settlement and Policy Change Reached In Train Deaths

Too often railroads, and the public bodies who regulate them, turn a deaf-ear to the physical condition of the thousands of miles of railroad track that lace local communities. In this case, it was more than a deaf-ear, the railroad and public body simply closed their eyes. And, because they did, tragedy struck.

In July of 2008, two boys were hit and killed by a Maryland light rail train. The boys were struck by a northbound train that was on southbound tracks. The cause of the tragedy: vandalism on the northbound tracks and the train operator took his eyes off the track at a critical moment and could not explain why.

Recently, the families of two boys received a $1.5 million settlement from the state of Maryland. Along with the settlement, the Maryland Transit Authority has agreed to create new policies regarding trespassing and single-track operations.

To read more, see Michael Dresser and Julie Bykowicz, Baltimore Sun 01/21/2010, Baltimore Sun

Johnson and Johnson Recalls Medicines

McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a division of Johnson & Johnson, recalled several hundred batches of Benadryl, Motrin, Rolaids, Simply Sleep, St. Joseph Aspirin and Tylenol because of a moldy smell upon opening. The recall came 20 months after numerous complaints were logged.

Once the FDA got involved, the plot thickened.

Last week, the FDA sent a warning letter to the company, noting that consumers not only complained about the moldy smell, but also complained about digestive problems like nausea, vomiting and stomach pain.

Coming clean, McNeil released a statement saying, chemicals used to treat wood pallets that transport and store product packaging were the source of the problem.

For more, read Natasha Singer, The New York Times 01/17/2010 The New York Times

Pendleton Memorial Methodist Hospital CEO Says Not Aware of Emergency Power Concerns

During Hurricane Katrina, 73-year-old Althea LaCoste, whose ventilator depended on electricity, survived the initial power outage thanks to manual breathing assistance from hospital staff. But a medical expert for Ms. LaCoste said that she died some time later because of the strain suffered during that time.

The CEO of Pendleton Memorial Methodist Hospital, who was sued because of the death, said under cross examination that he didn't know previous executives documented concerns that the power generator system could fail if a first-floor fuel pump flooded in an emergency. That's exactly what happened during Hurricane Katrina. Ms. LaCoste died in the hospital after the storm.

The LaCoste case could establish a new standard of liability for hospitals in wrongful death due to disaster planning decisions. Pendleton's CEO should have known of the documented pervious concerns.

For more, read Bill Barrow, New Orleans Times-Picayune 01/16/2010 Read Article: New Orleans Times-Picayune

Study Finds Alarming Rate of Medication Overdoses Among Kids

The American Journal of Preventative Medicine reports that more than 70,000 children are poisoned each year by prescription or over-the-counter medicines. This figure is more than twice as many children as are poisoned by other products.

According to the study, most children are poisoned by acetaminophen, which is used in Tylenol, or opioid painkillers and benzodiazepine antianxiety drugs.

Tragically about 75 % of overdoses occur in children under 5, the study found.

See, Nicholas Bakalar, The New York Times 08/13/2009 Read Article: The New York Times

MDs peddling BS: Shedding Light on Doctors’ Conflict of Interest

The Washington Post reports that determining doctors’ ties with pharmaceutical companies and any related conflict of interest are often hard, if not impossible, tasks for patients.

The Physician Payments Sunshine Act, introduced by Sens. Chuck Grassley and Herb Kohl, seeks to relieve some of that burden by requiring all payments more than $100 made by a drug or medical device company to a doctor be reported.

Doctors justify the “pharmaceutical pay-off” saying that the "doctor/industry partnership" is often needed to help develop beneficial new drugs.

But, the “doctor/industry partnership" is circular reasoning. Here’s the effect: Doctors argue that, with the help of doctors, the pharmaceutical companies develop so-called "new drugs," which the doctors then prescribes to patients, who then pay "big bucks" for the "new-drugs," so that the pharmaceutical company can make "big bucks" to “pay-off” the doctors.

It appears that the “MDs” are peddling “BS.” See, Ibby Caputo, The Washington Post 08/18/2009 Read Article: The Washington Post

CPSC Recalls Toy Workshops and Trucks

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of five “Little Tikes” toys, after an infant choked on a plastic nail included in the sets.

The affected toys sets are the Electronic Project Workshop, the Little Handiworker Workhorse, the Home Improvements Two-sided Workshop, the Swirlin' Sawdust Workshop and the Black Pickup Truck with Tools.

Although the toys are intended for toddlers and not infants, the company said it is aware other children in a household may have access to the toys.

See, Ronald D. White, LA Times 08/14/2009 Read Article: LA Times

Medial Malpractice: Doctor Operated on Wrong Leg

It was a patient’s worst nightmare.

In a sense, it added insult to injury.

Here’s the injury: An Oklahoma man has sued a surgeon of operating on the wrong knee. The patient even “marked” the correct knee with a “black marker.” Yet, the surgeon operated on the unmarked knee!

Now the insult: The suit claims that staff at the Bailey Medical Center in Tulsa tried to get him to consent to surgery to correct the error while he was still under the effects of anesthesia!

As a consequence, the patient may have to undergo a knee replacement surgery to correct damage caused by the botched surgery.

Next time you here “frivolous lawsuit” ask, which leg was marked, and which leg was cut off?

See: Matt Barnard, Tulsa World 08/14/2009 Read Article: Tulsa World($)

Bank of America Announced It Will Halt Forced Arbitration

Finally, working families get some justice!

On August 13, the Bank of America Corp. (BOA) announced that it would no longer force arbitration of consumer debt. Recently, BOA settled a lawsuit brought by the Minnesota Attorney General to halt the unfair system that amounts to little more than "rigged justice," rigged in favor of credit card companies. In the past, BOA teamed-up with the National Arbitration Forum (NAF) in what amounted to "rigged justice" in debt collection cases. NAF and the American Arbitration Association (AAA) also agreed to stop forcing consumers to arbitrate in debt collection cases, a process that consumers rarely won.

The American Association for Justice Associate Director of Federal Relations, Julia Duncan said:

“While the decision by Bank of America to no longer rely on forced arbitration in consumer disputes is a positive step, it’s clear that Congress must intervene to protect consumers. Forced arbitration clauses are buried in the fine print of everything from credit card and cell phone contracts to employee handbooks and nursing home agreements. These clauses eliminate Americans’ access to the courts, forcing them instead into a private system set up by corporations to favor corporations. That is why Congress must pass the Arbitration Fairness Act and prohibit this abusive practice.”

To learn more about abusive forced arbitration clauses, see The Devil is In the Details - Forced Arbitration

New Louisiana Seat Belt Law in Effect Today, August 15, 2009

Get ready! Today, August 15, 2009, a new Louisiana law goes into effect requiring "everyone" in a motor vehicle to wear a seat belt.

Louisiana State Police say they'll issue warnings until Oct. 1 to give the public time to get used to the new law.

Baton Rouge police say they'll give warnings for about two weeks before they start issuing tickets. Other new traffic laws go into effect on Saturday, too.

I'm for personal freedom, but it makes no sense for anyone to be in a moving vehicle without wearing a seat belt. So, although there's a "grace-period," everyone should "buckle-up."

Marsha Shuler, The Advocate 08/14/2009 Read Article: The Advocate

Judge OKs Testimony by State Farm Whistleblowers

Two sisters, Cori Rigsby and Kerri Rigsby, claim that State Farm defrauded the government in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. U.S. District Judge L.T. Senter Jr. ruled that the Rigsbt sisters will be allowed to testify in their lawsuit against State Farm.

Monday, U.S. District Judge L.T. Senter Jr. ruled that Cori and Kerri Rigsby’s work as insurance adjusters gave them "relevant knowledge of the allegations at hand" and that the two should be permitted to testify.

The Rigsby sisters allege that State Farm wrongly denied claims arising from Katrina, shifting costs onto the National Flood Insurance Program.

Michael Newsom, Biloxi Sun Herald 08/10/2009 Read Article: Biloxi Sun Herald

New Study Finds Hospital Medical Errors Go Unreported

In a series of articles, the Hearst Newspapers reports that many hospitals still don't report medical errors, even after a 1999 report called for reform! The report, authored by 22 doctors, demanded improvements in patient safety and a nationwide system to track hospital errors. But hospitals have been non-responsive.

The Hearst Newspapers found that, ten years after the report, many hospitals have been slow to institute change. Why the delay?

Lobbyist are one cause of the the problem. Lobbyist have fought against a national registry for hospital errors.

Cathleen F. Crowley and Eric Nalder, San Francisco Chronicle 08/09/2009 Read Article: San Francisco Chronicle

More On: Judicial Secrecy And Seroquel, Shrouded In Controversy.

This is a follow-up to yesterday’s Judicial Secrecy And Seroquel, Shrouded In Controversy.

The Washington Post has an interesting article, “A Silenced Drug Study Creates An Uproar,” dealing with the Seroquel case. What started out simply as "Study 15" has become a serious problem for AstraZeneca, the makers of Seroquel.

Here's what happened.

Study 15, issued in 1997, the same year the FDA approved Seroquel, raised "serious concerns about an entirely new class of expensive drugs." Nothing gets the attention of a pharmaceutical manufacturer better than the manufacturer’s pocketbook. The thought that Study 15 might jeopardize an entire class of "expensive" pharmaceuticals was more than AstraZeneca could handle, so they buried the study.

AstraZeneca never shared the negative research data of Study 15 with doctors, opting instead to publish positive results for Seroquel based on "less rigorous studies.” Further, AstraZeneca minimized the metabolic problems that might lead to diabetes. In the process, AstraZeneca marketed Seroquel, collecting $12 billion over the past 3 years. That's right "$12 billion."

The details of Study 15 have emerged as a result of lawsuits filed nationwide. Taxpayer-funded research has found that new anti-psychotic drugs such as Seroquel are 10 times more expansive and did not really offer a "real advantage" over older anti-psychotic medications. In fact, they presented risks that AstraZeneca minimized.

The real problem here is more than corporate greed! Rather it's the problem of indifferent conservative judges who enter “secrecy orders” to protect corporate greed and prevent the dissemination of information such a Study 15. Judicial secrecy orders that compromise public health and safety need to stop now!

Judicial Secrecy And Seroquel, Shrouded In Controversy.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers use "judicial secrecy" to protect themselves and hide evidence of a drug’s harmful side-effects, evidence the public has a right to know. But a group of lawyers have had enough.

Here’s what happened.

AstraZeneca manufactures Seroquel, the pharmaceutical trade name for quetiapine, a potent anti-psychotic that some believe mediate through antagonist activity at dopamine and serotonin receptors. Although the FDA had only approved Seroquel for schizophrenia and bipolar disorders, AstraZeneca had been marketing the drug to patients suffering from depression and anxiety, even though all disorders are not the same.

In 2001, Ted Baker, who lives in Bastrop, LA, was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, a depressive disorder. His doctor prescribed Seroquel. Baker, like many consumers of Seroquel, experienced “drastic weight gain” in a short time period. In 2004, Mr.Baker was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. However, Mr. Baker never knew and was never warned that the Seroquel had this dangerous side effect.

Now, after the fact, AstraZeneca wants the FDA to “expand” the use of Seroquel to include patients with depression and anxiety. Mr. Baker’s lawyers and many other lawyer believe that the “judicially sealed documents” surrounding Seroquel may well shed some light on the side effects of the drug. It seems that AstraZeneca “buried” unfavorable studies on the drug, according to an internal e-mail unsealed as part of litigation over the drug. The lawyers want all of the documents released to the FDA before the drug is officially approved for expanded use.

The problem, here, arises out of "judicial secrecy," which has been on the rise since the 1980s. It reached a climax in the 1990s. Without justification, indifferent conservative judges often willingly issue broad based "secrecy orders," protecting corporate predators and hiding evidence of inferior or bad pharmaceuticals from consumers.

To partially cure the problem, judicious secrecy needs to stop! To completely cure the problem, there needs to be corporate responsibility!

Here is the full release on the AstraZeneca case: Full release on the AstraZeneca case

Also, here are a few links to stories written on the case:

Associated Press: AstraZeneca challenges witnesses in Seroquel suit

Bloomberg: AstraZeneca Seroquel Studies ‘Buried,’ Papers Show (Update3)

You Won't Believe: Unpaid Parking Tickets Lead to Man’s Death

This case is pretty amazing. Here's what happened. Police jailed Glenn Seldon for four days for driving with a license that had been suspended due to six unpaid parking tickets. Mr. Seldon, who had cancer, died nine days after being arrested. Mr. Sheldon's family claims that police officers denied him access to daily medication needed to keep infection and blood clots under control. John Marzulli, New York Daily News 01/20/2009 Read Article: New York Daily News