There have been three deaths and fifty illnesses requiring hospitalization nationwide in a listeria outbreak tied to Boar’s Head deli meats that started in May. In response to reports that health officials had tested Boar’s Head liverwurst samples and confirmed that the same strain of listeria existed in both, on…
Sentinel events are significant medical mistakes that affect patient safety and result in severe temporary harm, permanent harm, or death. The data compiled by the Joint Commission for 2023 found that sentinel events were close to 2022’s record high. In 2023, there were 1411 reported and reviewed events. Of these,…
The Illinois Attorney General’s Office has released a 2023 report on clergy abuse. In his introduction to the report, AG Kwame Raoul laid out the numbers. The Catholic diocese in the state had publicly listed only 103 substantiated child sex abusers prior to the initiation of the Office’s investigation in…
The average person who menstruates spends around five years of their lifespan using around 11,000 menstrual products, including tampons. A new study led by Jenni A. Shearston a postdoctoral scholar from UC Berkeley found that tampons from several brands that millions use can be contaminated with the toxic metals lead,…
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a warning that airborne beach umbrellas can kill explaining that incidents with these umbrellas have become “all too common.” Wind gusts have pulled up beach umbrellas on crowded beaches and sent them hurtling towards people. The results have been deaths and serious injuries…
Recently, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals recalled 114 batches of 750 mg. potassium chloride extended-release capsules USP 10 mEq because of dissolution failure. The failed dissolution of these capsules can result in high potassium levels, a condition called hyperkalemia. This can lead to a patient’s cardiac arrest. Normal potassium levels are essential to…
Plaintiffs sued Hetero, the manufacturer of valsartan, a generic blood pressure medication, because it was contaminated with carcinogens, and they alleged it caused cancer. The lawsuits were consolidated in 2019. These cases are coming closer to settlement. Recently, the United States District Judge Renée M. Bumb who is presiding over…
On May 30, 2024, the manufacturer Black & Decker recalled its CRAFTSMAN® V20 Cordless Tillers/Cultivators because the instructions for its assembly could result in consumers incorrectly putting in the bottom part of the tiller upside-down. This can cause tines to rotate towards the person operating the tiller and present the…
Bard PowerPort devices have been linked to serious injuries and deaths. As of May 2024, the Bard PowerPort Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) has increased by 189 cases. These lawsuits are consolidated in MDL 3081, or In re: Bard Implanted Port Catheter Products Liability Litigation before Judge G. Campbell. These lawsuits request…
Off-highway vehicle use typically increases during the summer months. Recently, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued its annual report about rising off-highway deaths and injuries. Among other things, the report revealed that minors under age 16, as well as adults between the ages of 45 and 54 have higher death…