Recently a very well know actor passed away from a prescription overdose.  I became curious as to  how can anyone be so foolish.  I was very surprised and frightened when I found out that it’s a very likely event for just about anyone.  The example given was that anyone may take something for pain, where the usual dosage may be once every 12 hours.  Then they take another dosage in 3 hours because they have not yet gotten any relief and are impatient.  This will have  the combined effect of 2 to 3 doses.  Then you may add an additional medication, of perhaps a common cold medicine or even a glass of wine and WHAM! the effects can be lethal.  Typically, the drug interaction depresses respiration, meaning that the person falls asleep, stops breathing and never wakes up.  That was what happened to the actor.   Scary? You bet!  We do this everyday….. without ever given it a second thought…….. because of the amount of drugs accessible to us for every conceivable malady and the ever growing ad campaigns from the different drug companies for their drugs that play our ever growing paranoia on being unwell.  Perhaps it’s time we stopped for a minute …………and just think……………

In February, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in the Riegel v. Medtronic that FDA approval of certain medical devices prevents lawsuits against manufacturers for product liability. The decision applies to medical devices that have pre-market approval by the FDA. It does not include medications.

In response, congressmen have said that they will draft legislation to have the decision overturned. Similar legislation is being drafted by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

The law that the Supreme Court used to reach their decision pre-empts any safety requirements imposed by a state in addition. The congressmen working to overturn the decision have said that the court misinterpreted the law.

Those drafting the legislation fear that the decision will give manufacturers immunity for any defects that arise after approval has been given by the FDA.

Lawsuits are expected to focus on whether or not a manufacturer correctly handled the product and adhered to the approved safety regulations.

If you or a loved one has been seriously or fatally injured by a defective medical product, contact a defective drug attorney at Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP at 1-800-460-0606. An experienced defective drug lawyer will be able to evaluate if you are eligible to seek compensation.

          Last month Baxter recalled thousands of bottles of the blood thinner drug heparin. The recall was issued after some of the drugs were linked to four deaths and countless allergic reactions. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is inspecting the Baxter facility in New Jersey, a Scientific Protein Laboratories facility in Wisconsin, and a factory in Changzhou, China for signs of contamination. There is a lot of suspicion focused on the Chinese factory, which is being inspected both independently and jointly with the United States by the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA). Apparently, the factory in Changzhou was not inspected by the FDA because of a mix-up with names and was not inspected by the SFDA because it is currently classified as a chemical manufacturer, not pharmaceutical.
          Though the SFDA is cooperating with the United States’ inquiry into the contamination, the cause of the bad reactions has still not been determined.

The FDA announced a Class I recall of Cordis balloon catheters on January 18, 2008 due to the risk that the balloon may either slowly deflate, or not deflate at all after insertion for angioplasty.

If the angioplasty balloon does not properly deflate, it may result in a total blockage of the artery. A blocked artery may cause:

• A change in heart rate
• A change in heart rhythm
• Injury to the artery
• Heart attack

A faulty angioplasty balloon may require surgery, or result in death. The lots affected by the recall are all Dura Star™ and Fire Star™ 13173912 through 13315455. In addition, 52 lots above 13315455 are affected. No lots above 13329055 are affected. The Cordis balloon catheters are used during angioplasty, when a balloon is inserted in order to open a narrowed or blocked artery in the heart.

The Cordis balloon catheters were recalled by the FDA as a Class I. A Class I recall is the most serious type of recall, as it pertains to situations where there is a probability that the product may cause serious injury or death.

If you or a loved one has sustained serious or fatal injuries due to Cordis Dura Star™ RX, Fire Star™ RX PTCA balloon catheters, contact a Cordis balloon catheter attorney at Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP at 1-800-460-0606. An experienced Cordis balloon catheter lawyer will be able to evaluate if you are eligible to seek compensation.

          The dietary supplements Aspire36 and Aspire Lite have been recalled. This is a voluntary recall issued by the company Palo Alto Labs after representatives from the FDA informed them that lab analysis of the products showed traces of several unwanted chemicals. These chemicals were very close to those used to treat Erectile Dysfuction, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease, and caused users’ blood pressure to drop to dangerous levels. 
          If you are taking Aspire36 or Aspire Lite, stop using it immediately. If you have noticed any adverse side effects while taking either of these pills, talk to a doctor. You can report your side effects to the FDA’s MedWatch Program by phone at 1-800-FDA-1088, by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, or by mail at MedWatch, HF-2, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787.
          You can get a full refund for any unused bottles of these supplements by returning them to the store where you bought them. If you purchased them directly from Palo Alto Labs you can call 1-(877)240-3340 to find out how to get your refund.  If you have suffered serious side effects as a result of using these products, call the attorneys at Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP today at 1-800-460-0606.