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Nearly two million baby monitors recalled after infant deaths

The AP (2/11, Kerr) reported Rhode Island-based Summer Infant issued a recall of approximately 1.7 million video baby monitors Friday, “after being linked to the strangulation deaths of two infants.” Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Inez Tenenbaum said, “I urge all parents and caregivers to put at least three feet between any video or audio … Read more

FDA recalls lead contaminated candies

  I guess they had the name right on this one… The AP reported the US distributor of Pakistan-imported candy chew bars is recalling them “because of lead contamination,” the Food and Drug Administration announced. Indianapolis-based Candy Dynamics distributed the bars, which are called Toxic Waste Nuclear Sludge. The FDA said no one has fallen … Read more

Circle Lenses Considered Bad for Eyes

The Los Angeles Times (1/19, Forgione) “Booster Shots” blog reported that eye “doctors aren’t crazy” about nonprescription “circle lenses,” contacts “that create a big-eye look made popular by Lady Gaga and Japanese anime characters.” The blog entry referred to an article in the Chicago Tribune (1/13, Stein) that explained that the lenses may cause allergic … Read more

HCG diet products fraudulent and illegal

The USA Today (1/24, Hellmich) reported, “There is no evidence” to support HCG weight-loss product claims says the head of the Food and Drug Administration’s “Internet and health fraud” division, Elizabeth Miller. Miller also said that although HCG products “claim to be homeopathic,” they are not recognized in the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia. Therefore, these products “are … Read more

FDA to curb consumption of acetaminophen in prescription painkillers

  You may have heard about the FDA’s crackdown on the overuse of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol and many over the counter pain killers on ABC World News last week. Here are some very interesting additions to that story. Bloomberg News (1/14, Larkin) reports, “Prescription pain pills may contain no more than 325 … Read more

Unforeseen hazards contribute to toy-related injuries

  I’d say that this is a good support for our last article about why easing safety standards for child-oriented products is a bad idea.The American Association for Justice (12/2) reports, Unforeseen hazards are still finding their way into toys despite recently improved safety standards, illustrating the need for a strong civil justice system that … Read more

FDA announces crackdown on chelation therapy

If you’ve purchased any “chelation” products, read this… The Washington Post (10/15, Stein) reports that on Oct. 14, officials from the Food and Drug Administration “announced a crackdown on” chelation, “a controversial therapy widely hawked on the Internet and elsewhere as an alternative treatment for conditions such as autism, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease by … Read more

Dietary Supplement Risk Prompts Investigation By U.S. Health Regulators

  The Associated Press (9/14, Perrone) reports that “Almost a year after studies showed the diet pill Meridia [sibutramine] increases heart attack and stroke risk, US health regulators announced they will consider pulling the Abbott Laboratories’ drug off the market.” Do you use this dietary supplement? If so data “released in November showed patients with … Read more

Shire to pull blood-pressure drug from market

If you use ProAmatine for blood pressure, Shire is taking it off the market.   The AP (8/18, Perrone) reports, “Shire PLC said Tuesday it will pull” its blood-pressure drug ProAmatine (midodrine hydrochloride) “off the market” by the end of September “following warnings from federal regulators who said the drug has not been proven effective.” … Read more