Railroad accidents, while not as common as those involving trucks and cars, are often the most gruesome. We are fascinated by television footage of flattened railroad cars, scattered belongings, and shell-shocked passengers. But when we’re in a hurry, it is tempting to ignore the flashing lights at a clearly-marked crossing […]
The New York Times reports that Pfizer – one of the biggest and most aggressive of the Big Drug Companies – has ventured off into la-la-land in its latest television commercials for Viagra. They are being aired only in Canada so far, but Americans are going to love them. And […]
A recent Maryland truck accident dramatically highlights not only the deadly consequences of poor enforcement of Federal truck safety standards, but trucking companies’ ho-hum attitudes toward compliance with these standards. It seems that an accident in Prince Georges County, Maryland that killed one man and injured two others was caused […]
At the end of April, the FDA showed signs of coming to its senses on COX-2 inhibitors and voted 20-1 to reject Merck’s application for the painkiller Arcoxia. Like its parent painkiller Vioxx, Arcoxia was associated with increased cardiac risks in randomized clinical trials. Public Citizen’s Dr. Sidney Wolfe, director […]
Warnings are everywhere about the dangers of drinking and driving, a major cause of catastrophic motor vehicle accidents that kill and maim thousands of Floridians. But far less is said about the lethal combination of alcohol and water . . . bodies of water, that is, as Floridians get their […]
The FDA has recalled several brands of toothpaste, manufactured in China, after finding a poisonous substance in them. The poisonous substance is Diethylenme glycol. The brands involved are: Manufacturer: Goldcredit International Enterprises LTD Products: • Cooldent Fluoride • Cooldent ICE • Cooldent Spearmint • Dr Cool Toothpaste • Everfresh Toohpaste […]
The recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) mandate for what is called “electronic stability control” in all vehicles sounds like great news. The Transportation Department says it could save between 5,000 and 10,000 lives and prevent nearly a quarter of a million injuries a year. In plain language, electronic […]
We’ve become accustomed to Big Tobacco upping the nicotine content in cigarettes and continuing to deceive the public. But now, Big Paint? Ohio’s Attorney General, Marc Dann, has sued 10 chemical and paint companies, accusing them of continuing to make and market lead paint – even though the U.S. government […]
Noted Miami attorney, J.B. Harris, has fired a new volley over the bow of Big Tobacco’s massive armada. We know that Big Tobacco has made a habit of targeting certain groups of people for whom they thought a marketing campaign could be advantageous. We remember the ads targeted towards women […]
The Florida Supreme Court vacated a substantial verdict totaling hundreds of billions of dollars against some of the giants of Big Tobacco. So, how is it that the Court showed courage? Could it be that they showed courage because they vacated a verdict they knew could be attacked by the […]
