For decades, people in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, have lived with the possible health hazards from oil spills in their industrial waterfront. Up to 30 million gallons of petroleum — almost three times the amount dumped off the Alaskan coast by the Exxon Valdez in 1989 — made their way into Newtown Creek and surrounding neighborhoods from dozens of refineries over more than a century. Now residents have a new anxiety: Toxic gases may be rising into their homes from below, the legacy of dry-cleaning plants, foundries and other manufacturers that once operated in this hub, which has long been home to immigrants and, more recently, artists and young professionals.Such vapor intrusion — chemicals from contaminated soil and groundwater that become airborne, entering buildings through pores and cracks — has become a growing public health concern around the country in recent years. Contaminants that spread from industrial activity, or that were mistakenly believed to have been contained or eliminated in environmental cleanups, have been discovered wafting into basements.
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WASHINGTON — Two federal drug officials have concluded that asthma sufferers risk death if they continue to use four hugely popular asthma drugs — Advair, Symbicort, Serevent and Foradil. But the officials’ views are not universally shared within the government. The two officials, who work in the safety division of the Food and Drug Administration, wrote in an assessment on the agency’s Web site on Friday that asthma sufferers of all ages should no longer take the medicines. A third drug-safety official concluded that Advair and Symbicort could be used by adults but that all four drugs should no longer be used by people age 17 and under. Dr. Badrul A. Chowdhury, director of the division of pulmonary and allergy products at the agency, cautioned in his own assessment that the risk of death associated with the drugs was small and that banning their use “would be an extreme approach” that could lead asthmatics to rely on other risky medications.
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Back in 2007, the Big Dig Tunnel ceiling collapsed causing millions of tons of concrete to crash on Milena Del Valle of Boston, killing her instantly while her husband managed to escape with minor injuries. The Big Dig Tunnel’s ceiling was said to collapse due to a "colossal failure of oversight by past administrations and said it's working to make sure a similar accident never happens again.” The companies that faced the lawsuit were those who worked on the construction and oversight of the Big Dig Tunnel including, Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, Modern Continental Co., Gannett Fleming Inc. and the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. The $28M dollar sum also stemmed from Powers Fasteners Inc. and bolt distributor Newman Associates who were also included in the lawsuit. Milena Del Valle had 3 children that were fortunately not in the car at the time of the accident.
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Medical Tourism, known as the practice of allowing patients from one country receive medical care from another while still under their home country’s insurance policy. Medical tourism has been gaining some steam in a small amount of insurance companies in the U.S. allowing their patients to receive medical care in countries such as Singapore and Costa Rica. The benefits of allowing patients to receive medical care abroad are namely due to cost reductions. Surgeries that go from $100,000 in the U.S. can only cost around $10,000 in other countries. It seems as though many U.S. doctors have found their way to international hospitals, in which people from the U.S. could possibly receive medical care in a foreign country by a U.S. doctor. However the risks the medical tourism presents is not having the quality of care received and perceived. Many U.S. officials are skeptical to the credentials of foreign hospitals as well as their doctors. Medical tourism has been gaining some popularity, but for the system to spread further investigation must be done in order for the big insurance companies to participate.
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The Federal Aviation Administration has banned popular anti-smoking drug, Chantix, for Airline Pilots because use of the drug has been shown to cause auto accidents. A study has proven that operating machinery such as an automobile or airplane while using Chantix could cause seizures and loss of consciousness. Other side effects issued with taking Chantix include sever mood swings and garish visions also called “Chantix dreams”. The FDA approved Chantix back in 2006, but there have been many complaints about the negative side effects caused by Chantix. As of a study conducted in 2007, “Chantix has led to 173 accidents including 77 falls and 28 traffic accidents.”
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In early 2004, Claudia Avila was driving on a Florida Freeway when a 34-pound metal plate flew into the windshield of the car, causing severe trauma to the head. Avila died a couple of weeks later from the collision in which the source of the metal plate had not been determined. It turned out that Avila’s family found the source of the metal plate coming from EM Transfer trucking company. The source of the metal plate had come from Tarmac America, which loaded the concrete blocks onto the tractor-trailers who sold the plates to IGM, which essentially hired EM Transfer to transport the metal plates. The Avila family sued all three companies in a wrongful death suit that went on for four years. The Avilia finally got the verdict and a settlement of $6 million dollars in September of 2008.
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After yesterday’s shock of Lehman Brothers filing for bankruptcy, there may be some hope at the end of the tunnel. Barclays is in talks with Lehman Brothers Inc. to buy a large percentage of their holdings. One of the main issues with this deal is that Barclays, UK’s third largest bank, could not receive support from the U.S. Government in trying to back Lehman’s $85 Billion dollar asset management nor receiving support to back their financial statements. Barclays may leave Lehman’s plummeting assets, while instead focusing on their brokerage sector in the U.S. If Barclay’s does in fact acquire Lehman, it will be a huge step in a different direction from what they have strategized in the past.
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With the 2008 November Presidential election drawing near, labor unions are hoping that their favored party, democratic, will prevail. If the Democrats become the winner, they will most likely pass the Employee Free Choice Act, which will discontinue the secret ballot if more than 50% of labor unions sign employee union positions. Formerly, only 30% of employee needed to vote yes for a union election to occur. If the union position is granted, it also gives the authority to the government to step in if a company and its employees cannot reach an agreement. This act was passed when the democratic position held title in the office, but with Republicans holding the ticket the act was denied and restricted and use. In order for this act to be reinstated, Obama needs to prevail in the 2008 presidential election. If not, the Employee Free Choice Act goes back on the shelf.
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During a 2004 Raid, Detective Todd Fatta was pierced by a hunting rifle causing his death. The hunting rifle came from Kenneth Wilk, who was the subject of this raid and wanted for child pornography. Wilk shot at Fatta in which the bullet tore through his protective vest. Broward Sheriff's Office’s reached the agreement and also acknowledged their presence in the death of Detective Todd Fatta. Fatta’s family argued that if a SWAT team had done the raid, Fatta would still be alive today. Since this instance occurred, Broward Sheriff’s office has revised their SWAT protocol making it necessary for SWAT to cover these types of instances. A wrongful death case like this is especially discouraging because it could have been preventable if the proper safety precautions were taken.
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A list of drugs that have been linked to cause suicidal thoughts and tendencies has been issued. These drugs include antidepressants and anticonvulsives are prescription drugs that have been brought up by the FDA to be investigated. Antidepressants such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil must have mandatory warnings on the product labels to warn consumers that these products may cause this negative effect. Anticonvulsives such as Depakote, Lyrica and Neurontin have been linked to cause suicidal tendencies, however the FDA denied to require these drugs to have the same type of label warning as the antidepressants. Other drugs such as Chantix, Singulair, and Accutane have all been linked to cause these suicidal behaviors in those taking the drug. This list is one step to bringing light to the subject of drugs that cause severe complications.
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Last year manufacturer of well-known children’s products, Simplicity, had a baby die in one of their bassinets calling for a recall of hundreds of cribs. After the occurrence happened they were in dire straits for financing in which they were in talks to be bought out. However on August 21 a second baby died in one of their bassinets calling for the federal safety regulators to recall over 40,000 cribs citing that the instructions given for assembling the crib were faulty. If the crib were put together upside down it would create a gap enabling a baby to suffocate. Simplicity agreed to send out kits so that consumers could fix their recalled crib. This issued the largest recall in history with over 1 million bassinets recalled. And when this second baby dies in August, the CPSC asked the company to recall the products they declined. Therefore the CPSC was forced to issue a warning to consumers to no longer use the products and could issue for a refund.
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Baby Sleepsafe Monitors manufactured by Axminster Electronics Ltd, are being subjected to further testing. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is warning parents that if the Baby Sleepsafe monitor was ever dropped it could fail to regulate the breathing of the baby. Where the issue lies is in the compartment where the batteries are secured. The batteries should be inserted where there are metal coils, however in some batches the coils were not holding when dropped. Therefore a new version has been made in which the coils are stronger and hold up better. People are being asked to return their monitor if it was made from batches 001360 and 001660 to receive an upgrade. These batches were issued a couple of years ago so the fear is placed if people have reused the device on another sibling or have given it to someone else.
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Mayor Bloomberg has announced that local Queens’s man, Robert LiMandri is going to lead New York City as it’s building commissioner. One of the main reasons why LiMandri was chosen was because of his architectural background. LiMandri is highly qualified for the position because not only does he have a background in architecture, but in construction, real estate, and engineering as well. LiMandri has also stood in place for the commissioner since April, as well as working with the department for over six years. LiMandri is going to launch new and improved efforts to make the city’s buildings safer, which includes an all-inclusive analysis of all things construction. He is also going to keep promoting the department’s strategic plan to keep the level of simplicity and responsibility at a high.
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In a California lawsuit it is being alleged that a Virginia man that was being administered Byretta, has developed Pancreatitis. This personal injury lawsuit held in San Diego is suing the manufacturers Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc and co-marketer, Eli Lilly and Company. The suit has alleged that the manufacturers did not correctly and responsibly give warning of the effects of Byretta, which included an increased risk for Pancreatitis. Also, it has been held true that over a half of a dozen other people being administered Byretta have started to show signs of Pancreatitis. Obviously this is a problem, in which the FDA has said that it is "working with the maker of Byetta®" to add "stronger and more prominent warnings" to the product's label. One of the main stances that the lawsuit brings is that Amylin failed to properly warn those taking the drug about increased risk of Pancreatitis.
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The new drug for arthritis, called Actemra, has been recommended for approval by a government advisory panel. Actemra would be sold to combat rheumatoid arthritis, a type of arthritis that causes swelling in the joints that calls for a prescription medication. Actemra, manufactured by Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc, is already being sold in Japan and now the FDA has to decide whether to approve Actemra or not. The drawbacks to Actemra are that it can suppress the immune system causing such serious side effects such as liver and digestive organ damages. Another draw back to the drug is that it is a type of biologic drug, which tends to be more expensive. The FDA has some decision making to do in which we will have to wait to find out what happens.
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Despite allegations about overweight people being risk to all sorts of complications, a recent study has shown that about half of overweight adults produce healthy cholesterol levels. In this same study it was shown that the same amount of slimmer people are experiencing the negative side effects associated with being overweight. What this study suggests goes against everything we have known to be true about the health benefits of living a healthier lifestyle. What this study suggests is that you can be overweight, yet have good health. One reason for this is that the way a person is calculated to be overweight has been under scrutiny for many years. Other factors that affect the study are age and the amount of exercise.
For the full article click hereRead More About Tuesday, August 12th - Half of Overweight Adults Prove to be Heart Healthy...
Global Teen Tracking is a device made by Carmel-based Global Tracking Technologies that combines a Global Positioning System (GPS) with also monitoring and tracking capabilities. Auto accidents are the cause for the most amounts of deaths among teenagers ranging from the age of sixteen to nineteen. Speeding has been cited for being the number one reason for these fatal car accidents. Therefore Carmel Co. has come up with a teen tracking device to allow parents to see where there teens are driving, how fast they are going, receive alerts when speeding, and set up boundaries. Also all of the driving information can be seen on a web page and administered by the parents. This device is seen as to help teen drivers learn to drive and instill safety procedures into their everyday driving habits.
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An Anti-Snoring device called Pure Sleep has been marketed as strongly as a machine that can help you to stop snoring for less that $75 dollars. To obtain Pure Sleep no prescription is needed from either a physician or dentist. All you need to do is answer some questions regarding your sleeping habits. The fact that no over the counter anti snoring device has been approved by the FDA without a prescription caused doctors to wonder how a person would obtain a prescription without getting checked up by a doctor or dentist. The reason why the FDA does not approve these types of devices is because they want to make sure that patients needing the devices in the first place are being seen by a doctor. The makers of Pure Sleep say their questionnaire approves proximately 75% of all applicants in which they say their needs are met. However one of the main risks is that patients with snoring issues often have other problems that are oral in nature.
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Cigna and Express Scrip have agreed to pay $27 million dollars in a settlement dating back to 2004 for convincing physicians to use prescription drugs that would earn them larger rebates without notifying consumers of the change. New York State hired Cigna to insure their plan and Express Script to manage the coverage of government workers that were held under the plan. Express Script was supposed to negotiate the lowest price from drug manufacturers and give the state back the rebates; however they kept odds and ends that amounted up to a large amount of money. The two companies settled with New York State to avoid further litigation but committed to saying that they thought they did no wrong.
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Senate Republicans for some time now have been putting together a campaign to fight against the occurrences of Medicare fraud. They have made the issue of Medicare Fraud of high importance to be brought up at the next health care reform debate in the next Congress. Senate republicans have found that about 20% of all fraud incidents are Medicare related which amounts up to 60 billion dollars of the budget. Senate Republicans’ campaign is going to aim towards recognition and prevention of Medicare fraud. Another issue that will be brought up by the Senate Republicans is zero tolerance to increase the consequences of committing Medicare fraud. The campaign is also of bigger issue to bring to light that senate republicans should focus on fiscal responsibility and its importance.
For the full article click hereRead More About Tuesday, July 29th - Senate Republicans to Campaign against Medicare Fraud...
After the FDA requested SEI Pharmaceuticals to recall their Xiadafil VIP tablets with no luck, the FDA was forced to bring in authorities to seize over $70,000 of product. Xiadafil VIP tablets are sold as dietary supplements to treat ED and for sexual enhancement; however certain marked lots of the drug contain an illegally marketed drug that contains an unknown ingredient. The FDA did a chemical investigation of the drug and found that the product contains traces of hydroxyhomosildenafil, which is similar to an ingredient found in Viagra. ED is a frequent condition in men who have diabetes and high blood pressure, in which the unknown ingredients found in Xiadafil can cause adverse events.
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The blood thinner, Heparin is used to aid with cardiac surgery, kidney dialysis, and other serious medical conditions. It is administered over a million times per year, in which half is manufactured by Baxter. Serious side effects have arisen from the use of Heparin including oral swelling, nausea, vomiting, and cases of severe hypotension requiring treatment. The FDA issued the warning after another baby died linking the death to heparin. The FDA recommended that when the need for heparin is a must; try to use a different manufacturer than Baxter. If Baxter is the only heparin on site, and administration is necessary, use the lowest dose possible. The FDA has received over 350 reports with negative side effects when taken Baxter’s Heparin, in which 40% of the reported cases were marked serious. The FDA is researching along with scientists that are working to discover the cause of negative effects.
For the full article click hereRead More About Monday, July 14th - FDA issues warning: Heparin Sodium Injection (Baxter)...
W.R. Grace & Co.’s appeal was rejected be the Supreme Court, allowing the government’s case to go to trial. Federal prosecutors charged W.R. Grace & Co. violating the Clean Air Act by releasing asbestos from a vermiculite mine in Libby, Mont. The Asbestos have sickened about 2,000 of the town's residents and caused up to 225 deaths. W.R. Grace & Co. agreed to pay a $3 million settlement in April that would allow them to come out from bankruptcy without further asbestos liability. W.R. Grace also agreed earlier this year to pay the U.S. government $250 million to reimburse it for the investigation and cleanup of asbestos contamination in Libby. The Supreme Court also rejected a separate appeal by W.R. Grace's executives, who could face prison sentences of up to 15 years if found guilty.
Read More About Tuesday, June 24th - Supreme Court Rejects W.R. Grace Asbestos Appeal...
The Mississippi Supreme Court affirmed judgment not withstanding a $2 million verdict, finding that an epidemiologist should not have been permitted to testify that a mechanic’s exposure to benzene in Liquid Wrench caused his lymphoma. Milton C. Watts was diagnosed in 1999 with small-cell lymphocytic lymphoma blaming his condition on his work environment. Dr. Barry Levy opined that benzene can and did cause Watts’ disease, However of the studies cited, only half showed a statistically significant increase in risk due to benzene exposure, the high court said. None specifically looked at the possible risks associated with use of Liquid Wrench or the risks of development of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in mechanics.
The FDA announced the approval of NeuRx DPS RA/4 Respiratory Stimulation System, an implantable electronic device which stimulates the diaphragm. This device will allow people with spinal cord injuries, namely paralysis, to be able to breath on their own for up to four hours unattached from am mechanical ventilator. NeuRx is manufactured by Synapse Biomedical of Cleveland, Ohio.
Read More About Wednesday, June 18th - FDA Approves Diaphragm-Pacing Device...
Nursing homes are making it mandatory upon admittance to agree to arbitration rather than trial if a legal dispute arises. Most people that sign away their right to go to court are unaware due to the stress they are enduring. Nursing homes say that using arbitration leads to resolutions that are fairer than a trial. However, lawmakers say people should not give away their right to sue for poor care. More than 100 lawsuits have been filed in the past five years challenging these binding arbitration agreements. Arbitration has become a shield for large corporations to hide behind and decrease the quality of care.
Read More About Tuesday, June 17th - Patients signing away right to sue nursing homes...
When the interstate 35W bridge in Minnesota collapsed in August, it left 145 injured and 13 dead. Personal injury lawyer, Susan Holden now has the overwhelming task of splitting the 34.5 million between the victims. The problem is that Minnesota, under state law is liable for $1 million for the entire incident. Another tradegy that has similar circumstances was the federal Sept. 11 compensation fund that distributed more than $7 billion among more than 5,500 victims. Ken Feinberg, the attorney who ran the Sept. 11 fund, stated that unlike the Minnesota finite funds the 911 fund was infinite, thus making it easier to divvy up.
Read More About Tuesday, June 17th - Attorneys to decide bridge victims compensation...
The FDA, under the FDA amendments act of 2007, now requires manufacturers of "conventional" antipsychotic drugs to make safety changes related to prescribing information or labeling. The Boxed Warning will now be added to an older class of drugs known as "conventional" antipsychotics. The warning for both classes of drugs will say that clinical studies indicate that antipsychotic drugs of both types are associated with an increased risk of death when used in elderly patients treated for dementia-related psychosis. People taking antipsychotic drugs should not abruptly stop taking them. Caregivers and patients should talk to the patient's health care professionals about any concerns.
The father of one of the victims of the NYC crane accident, has inside information about the crane that killed his son. Donald Leo Sr. filled in for his son just days before the accident, in which he said the machine was a piece of junk. Leo asked the court to keep the crane as evidence for a planned lawsuit. Leo said that the owner of the crane bought the crane at a steep discount because it was 12-15 yrs old & discontinued. The Leo family is suing because they don’t want anything to ever happen like this again.
Read More About Saturday, June 14th - CRANE A CUT-RATE HEAP: PA...
Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. is being sued by a trio of West Virginia law because of the recalled drug Digitek. It was reported that five to ten deaths resulted from taking Digitek in West Virginia alone. Those who took the medication suffered death or congestive heart failure at worst. According to the voluntary recall initiated by Actavis, some of the Digitek pills had double the appropriate thickness, and possibly had twice the approved level of the active ingredient.
Read More About Thursday, June 12th - Families Suing Mylan For Medication Mistake...
A warning about Chantix, Pfizers drug to quit smoking, was issued over a year ago that brought to light the dangerous side effects from longer-term use. The report has prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to ban the drug's use among commercial pilots. Some of the negative affects while taking the drug include severe depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Yet, to date, the FDA has demanded no such study. Pfizer has not yet sought FDA approval to change its label to allow long-term use.
Read More About Thursday, June 12th - FDA, Pfizer Told of Chantix Safety Concerns a Year Ago...
McDonald's stopped serving sliced tomatoes in its U.S. restaurants over concerns about salmonella food poisoning linked to some uncooked varieties. McDonald's will continue serving grape tomatoes in its salads because no problems have been linked to that variety. The FDA is investigating the source of the outbreak, in which The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said at least 23 people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
Read More About Monday, June 9th - McDonald's, others pull tomatoes over salmonella concerns...
The Administration is amending its budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2009 to include an additional $275 million for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This increase will allow FDA to continue to transform its regulatory strategies to meet the challenges of the evolving global marketplace. The budget amendment proposes the following increases for core FDA programs: Protecting America’s Food Supply (+$125 million), Safer Drugs, Devices, and Biologics (+$100 million), and Modernizing FDA Science and Workforce (+$50 million).
The FDA announced the addition of a boxed warning to the label of Regranex Gel 0.01% (becaplermin) to address the increased risk of cancer mortality in patients who use 3 or more tubes of the product. "In announcing this label change, FDA still cautions health care professionals to carefully weigh the risks and benefits of treating patients with Regranex," said Susan Walker, M.D., director of the Division of Dermatological and Dental Products. "Regranex is not recommended for patients with known malignancies."
Read More About Friday, June 6th - FDA Announces New Labeling Changes for Regranex...
The FDA announced a limited return of a reformulated heartworm prevention drug for dogs. ProHeart 6 (moxidectin) Sustained Release Injectable for Dogs, NADA 141-189, is an approved injectable sustained-release heartworm prevention product for dogs. The return of ProHeart 6 to the market is based on results of additional toxicological and pharmacologic studies by Fort Dodge Animal Health coupled with the low adverse reaction frequency in international markets. Dog owners who suspect their dog is experiencing an adverse reaction to ProHeart 6 should immediately contact their veterinarian to initiate appropriate veterinary care.
The California state Senate rejected a $7 billion borrowing plan to provide better health care for prison inmates. The alternative would be to take the money directly from the state treasury. Doing so would cut into other state services at a time the state is facing a $15.2 billion budget deficit. Lawsuits on behalf of inmates have prompted federal courts to step in to oversee several some parts of the state prison system. If the parties fail to reach a settlement, the judges could order a trial that would potentially cap the inmate population or allow tens of thousands of inmates to be released early
Read More About Thursday, May 29th - California Senate rejects $7 billion bond for inmate health...
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Marc Bern discusses the Diet Drug FenPhen on Geraldo
Marc Bern on CourtTV discussing Fen-Phen
Marc Bern is on Geraldo discussing the diet drug Fen-Phen
Trial Attorney Marc Bern discusses Breast Implants on Court TV
Marc Bern on CourtTV discussing breast implant litigation
Nancy Grace with Marc Bern about Jenny Jones Trial
New York Trial Attorney Marc Bern on Court TV
