Following published reports and extensive media coverage regarding egregious behaviors in the medical profession, public awareness of physician and hospital errors has increased. Despite that increased attention, data suggests that the rate of reporting by physicians is lower than it should be. In the JAMA July 14 issue, one […]
A well-site leader and BP employee testified before the US Coast Guard investigatory committee that there was a problem with a safety device on the drilling rig; he reported the problem; but drilling presumably continued in a complete disregard for any attention to the problem. Ronald Sepulvado testified that he […]
Utility vehicles are used in many rural and suburban areas for transportation and recreation, with families trusting manufacturers to keep their loved ones safe while riding on these devices. However, there are currently several hundred individual lawsuits pending against manufacturer Yamaha for their Rhino ATV product that is the “poster […]
Do we have the perfect storm for an environmental catastrophe leading to an economic disaster? As the oil spill continues to grab headlines, Gulf coast leaders worry about the jobs and economic stimulus provided by the oil and gas industry. Although releasing their fury on BP over the spill and […]
Hearings have been occurring in connection with the investigation of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and the Gulf Oil Disaster. Hearings have been held in New Orleans jointly by the Coast Guard and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Many of the revelations coming out of the testimony at the hearings […]
New studies show that hospital deaths increase sharply in July causing a “July Effect”. The study illustrates the need for patients to practice caution while accepting medical care in that month or over the weekend days. A recent study by the University of California at San Diego demonstrates that fatal […]
The FDA announced yesterday, July 15, 2010, that a class of drugs known as ARBs (Angiotensin-receptor blockers) is being reviewed after a recent study found an increased risk of cancer associated with their use. ARBs (Angiotensin-receptor blockers) are regularly prescribed for the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetic nephropathy […]
The FDA panel of 33 medical experts recommended that Avandia remain on the market. This decision was made even though Avandia and the clinical trials conducted about the drug are shrouded in suspicion and doubts about the impartiality of results. The FDA panel, however, was anything but unanimous. Only 17 […]
Internal documents obtained by the New York Times reveal that not only did GSK know of the cardiac risks associated with its drug as soon as Avandia was introduced in 1999, but that it fought intensively to keep those risks from becoming public. According to the Times, in the fall […]
At least two medical studies on the anti-diabetic drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) suggest that the drug is related to an increased risk of death or disability from heart attack or stroke. In fact, days ago an FDA physician and a leader in the FDA’s cardiovascular division, Dr. Thomas Marciniak, blasted one […]
