Alarming Surge of Medical Device and Pharmaceutical Recalls in First Quarter of 2018
Medical devices help millions of people. However, many of the devices that are created to help individuals achieve a better quality of life are plagued with poor design issues and manufacturer defects. One of the major problems is manufacturing companies failing to perform or allow the proper testing necessary, to ensure their devices and drugs…
Read MoreDelayed Detection of Excessive Lactate Levels in Sepsis Patients Makes Hospital Deaths More Likely
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) indicate that 1.5 million cases of sepsis occur each year in the U.S. Among these, about 250,000 Americans die annually as a result of this inflammatory response of the body to infection. Diagnosing sepsis in its early stages is critical to the successful recovery of…
Read MoreDangerous Nipah Virus Poses Risk Worldwide
Over the last 100+ years the world has grown smaller, mobility has accelerated, and whatever happens on the other side of the world can affect our lives within a matter of hours or even faster. This includes what happens with our health. For instance, mosquito borne diseases such as the West Nile virus have infected…
Read MoreAARP in SC Pushes for Increased Funding to Help Vulnerable Adults
In 2016 alone, according to AARP, close to 7,100 vulnerable adults were neglected, abused or exploited in South Carolina. Those statistics represent a 140% increase since 2010. The state agency responsible for providing care to these disabled and elderly adults has not received an increase in funding in almost two decades, according to the director…
Read MoreAbbot Recalls HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Assist Device Over Possible Malfunction Risk
Abbott Laboratories, a world-renowned health care medical technology company, has issued a recall for the HeartMate 3 Left Ventricle Assist Device. The heart device has been used extensively at the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals to assist patients with heart failure issues. As Abbott has informed doctors and medical professionals worldwide, the problems associated with…
Read MoreOpioid Antidote Naloxone Recalled by Manufacturer
Drug manufacturer Hospira has recalled Naloxone, the medication commonly used by first responders, medical professionals, and hospitals to quickly reverse suspected conditions of an opioid overdose. The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that Naloxone works as an opioid antagonist, attaching to opioid receptors in the brain. Therefore, when it is administered to a drug…
Read MoreVoluntary Withdrawal of Zinbryta from the Market After Concerns Arise Over Liver and Brain Damage
The drug Zinbryta has been recalled on a voluntary basis by its manufacturers according to the recommendation of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in cooperation with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Zinbryta (daclizumab) was approved by the FDA in May 2016 for the treatment of individuals suffering from various relapses of multiple sclerosis (MS).…
Read MoreUloric Whistleblower Lawsuits Allege the Manufacturer Withheld Dangerous Side Effect Information
First introduced onto the market in February 2009, Uloric (febuxostat), manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals, was the first medication formulated to treat gout in more than four decades. However, not long after its introduction, many individuals have come forward with reports of serious side effects from using the drug. Uloric and the treatment of gout Uloric…
Read MoreOcaliva Dosage Errors Prompt the FDA to Require New Black Box Warning
FDA officials have now added a boxed warning label to obeticholic acid (Ocaliva), a liver disease medicine, in order to emphasize the proper dosing patients with rare chronic liver disease should follow. The FDA announcement states that the designated daily dosage for obeticholic acid, manufactured by Intercept Pharmaceuticals, has been incorrect. Instead, the dosage has…
Read MoreNuplazid Produced Worsening Conditions for Many Users
Anti-psychotic drug Nuplazid (pimavanserin) is manufactured by Acadia pharmaceuticals and approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for treating Parkinson’s disease patients with debilitating psychosis. The process of approval used for Nuplazid allowed an expedited pharmaceutical safety review by categorizing this drug as a breakthrough therapy. Instituted by Congress in 2012, this breakthrough therapy classification…
Read More