Glendale Personal Injury Lawyer - Defective & Dangerous Products

Class I Recall On Pediatric Tracheal Tubes

Greg Owen — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:33:00 GMT

Smiths Medical and FDA notified healthcare professionals about a nationwide voluntary recall of Portex Uncuffed Pediatric-Sized Tracheal Tubes (sizes 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 mm). A small number of tubes were manufactured with internal diameters slightly smaller than indicated on the labeling, which may create the potential for the clinician to experience difficulty passing through or withdrawing the suction catheter.

The health consequences that may result from use of the defective device include the inability to remove secretions from the device and from the patient's airway, which may result in partial or complete obstruction of the airway and an inability to ventilate the patient. In addition, this defect may increase airway resistance and compromise the ability to ventilate the patient. There is a reasonable probability of serious injury and/or death.

Smiths Medical is instructing customers to return all unused Tracheal Tubes and in their press release has provided recommendations for management of recalled product that is currently in use.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

FDA Warns Against Use of Some Hand Sanitizers

Greg Owen — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Clarcon, a Utah-based company, has issued a voluntary recall of various products as a precautionary measure.

An FDA inspection recently found high levels of disease causing bacteria in some Clarcon products.

The products include; Citrushield Lotion, Dermassentials, DermaBarrier Dermassentials by Clarcon, Antimicrobial Hand Sanitizer, and Iron Fist Barrier Hand Treatment.

These findings are particularly concerning because the products are promoted as antimicrobial agents that claim to treat open wounds, damaged skin, and protect against various infectious diseases. FDA is warning consumers to not use any Clarcon products and should throw these products away in household refuse.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

Recall on JumpStart External Defribillators

Greg Owen — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:42:45 GMT

Welch Allen is recalling 14,054 AED 10 and MRL JumpStart exteral defribrillators made between Oct. 3 2002, and Jan 25, 2007. The announcement comes after 39 reported incidents, including two that involved patient deaths.

According to the company the device, available through prescription, may produce low-energy shock, shutdown unexpectedly or be susceptible to electromagnetic noise interference. The issues might prevent defibrillation of a patient in cardiac arrest and could lead to death.

The company had received 20 instances of low-energy shock, eight instances of electromagnetic noise interference, and 11 instances of the device unexpectedly shutting down.

To the company's knowledge, the defects of the device did not contribute to the two deaths, said spokesman Jamie Arnold. "Human factors played a role in each incident: damaged device in one and failure to follow directions in the other," he said in an e-mail.

The company said customers should keep AED 10 or MRL JumpStart units in use until they receive replacements because the chance of malfunction is low.

For more information, consumers can contact the company at 888-345-5356 or visit http://www.welchallyn.com/AED10Recall.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

Company Pleads No Contest to CA Health and Safety Code Violation After Selling Poisonous Toothpaste

Greg Owen — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Selective Imports Corp. of Vernon pleaded no contest on Thursday to a misdemeanor health code violation of selling an adulterated drug product. The company is said to have sold nearly 80,000 tubes of Chinese toothpaste containing a poisonous ingredient.

In addition to a $33,000 donation to a local charity, the company will be placed on three years of probation and must follow U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines for recalling the toothpaste.

Charges against the company as well as four additional charges against its president and vice president were dropped.

Between December 2005 and May 2007, Selective Imports sold to distributors nationwide about 78,300 tubes of a Chinese-made toothpaste called "Cooldent." The toothpaste contained diethylene glycol, DEG, a thickening agent used in products ranging from cough syrup to antifreeze. DEG can be toxic if ingested in sufficient quantities. In fact, DEG-tainted cough syrup was blamed for the deaths of at least 94 people in Panama in recent years.

Although the U.S. bars its use in all but trace amounts in toothpaste, the imported Cooldent tubes had DEG levels that were twice the amount permitted under U.S. law.

No illnesses have been traced to the toothpaste, but most of the tubes remain unaccounted for and a recall continues.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

FDA Issues Advisory on Infant Formula

Greg Owen — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 23:03:35 GMT

On September 12, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a health advisory relative to contaminated milk-based formula for infants. The contaminated product is manufactured in China.

The advisory was issued by the FDA to assure the American public that no known contaminant has been found in the baby formula sold here in the United States. In fact, no Chinese company has met the requirements to be allowed to sell baby formula in the United States. Although, there are concerns that this formula may have been sold to Asian specialty markets here in the United States.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

Got Fish?

Greg Owen — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:20:50 GMT

Man says the 9-foot tapeworm he passed came from an undercooked salmon salad!!!

Anthony Franz just wanted a healthy lunch when he ordered the salmon salad at Shaw’s Crab House in Chicago. Unfortunitly, he got a lot more than he barganed for. It seems the fish was undercooked. As a result, Franz became very ill for days following his lunch and eventually passed a 9-foot tapeworm!!! "According to a pathologist quoted in the court papers, the mother of all tapeworms undoubtedly had its origins in "undercooked fish, such as salmon."

Franz has now filed suit against the eatery for negligence and is seeking $100,00 in damages. Bon appetit!

Additional Information Pertaining to Defective and Dangerous Products

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

Product Safety Whistleblower Protections

Greg Owen — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:07:20 GMT

On July 17, the House and Senate conference committee came to an agreement on nine major items relative to product safety and legislation to protect private employees of manufacturers who report concerns they may have regarding product safety.

The Consumer Product Safety Reform Act (H.R. 4040 and S.2663) will have a whistleblower provision. It is clear the Whistleblower Protection is the most important aspect of this legislation. As noted by Stephen M. Kohn, the President of the National Whistleblower Center, " The first line of defense against dangerous manufactured goods are the workers on the factory floor... ."

Additional Information Pertaining to Defective and Dangerous Products

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

Cancer Causing Chemicals In Potato Chips & Frozen Foods

Greg Owen — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:04:28 GMT

Potato chips in California have agreed to reduce the levels of the cancer-causing chemical acrylamide. Those companies include Frito-Lay (the largest supplier of potato chips in California), Kettle Foods, maker of Kettle Chips, and Lance Inc., maker of Cape Cod Chips. While Heinz has agreed to cut in half the acrylamide levels in Ore-Ida frozen french fries and in their tater tots.

"Procter & Gamble agreed in January to reduce acrylamide by 50 percent in Pringles potato chips. McDonald's, KFC, Wendy's and Burger King agreed last year to post warnings about acrylamide in chips and fries." The companies have also agreed to pay nearly $2 million in penalties and costs. The settlements are considered to be a victory for public health in California.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate Recall

Greg Owen — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:34:57 GMT

A voluntary recall is being conducted by Roxane Laboratories, Inc. after it was determined that there was yeast present in a sampled product. The products being recalled are Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate Suspension, and Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate Suspension.

Roxane Laboratories fear for the safety of the consumers of these products. A strain of yeast found in these defective products could affect immunocompromised consumers. It is believed that the yeast may have come from the polyethylene bottles from the supplier. Symptoms range from skin rash to blood infection. The affected lots are lots 856396A and lot 856693A,

Requests for additional information should be referred to Roxane Laboratories Technical Product Information at 800.962.8364.

Additional Information Pertaining to Defective and Dangerous Products

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

Are Your New Tires Really New?

Greg Owen — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:42:31 GMT

Many drivers may think they know the answer to the question "Are your new tires really new?" Even if you bought your tires as new, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are new. The tires may be new in the since that they are unused, but that is not what counts on the road.

The truth is "new tires" can sit for years and become dried out and consequently defective and dangerous before they even reach the store shelves. An unsuspecting customer then buys the tires from the store as new. After all, the tires have never been used and they have thread debt, so they must be okay, right? Wrong.

In England there are laws on the books to protect consumers from dangerous, dried-up tires. It is estimated that after six years of the manufacturing date, the tires have become too dry to use safely, even if they have never been on the road.

In the United States however, it is a different story. Tires have no expiration date here. They can be sold at any age. Shawn Kane’s parents found out the hard way when their son was killed while driving a vehicle that had tires that were so dry they just split apart while he was driving. Sadly, Shawn died as a result of that incident. It is one thing to have been informed about a risk and to decide to take that risk in spite of the warning. It is altogether another matter to be uninformed about product dangers, particularly when that lack of knowledge ends your life prematurly and unnecessarily.

According to the United States rubber manufacturer there is absolutely no need for drivers in the United States to be given the same warning as English drivers. In fact, they claim that there is no evidence that old dried-up tires are a hazard. You decide after you view the video, which also provides additional information about how to read the obscure codes on your tires in order to determine the date it was manufactured. Stay safe, and be aware out there.

Additional Information Pertaining to Defective and Dangerous Products

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen