Posted on March 11, 2016 in Food Poisoning

By Timothy Tomsik

Norovirus, an extremely contagious virus, is generally caused by poor hygiene and then spread through food or drink sources. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 50 percent of the approximately two million cases each year are contracted through food. This and other possible factors are thought to be responsible for the recent outbreak at Michigan State University’s Kellogg Center.

Norovirus Illness

Anyone who is diagnosed with norovirus (or suspects they may have it) should be extremely careful to practice good hygiene and self-isolate whenever possible, even after the symptoms of nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pains disappear. This is because, even though no symptoms may be present, norovirus continues to remain in the stool for up to two weeks, creating a risk for self-re-exposure and continued spreading of the virus before, during, and after the actual symptoms appear or disappear.

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 Posted on February 29, 2016 in Medical Malpractice

Most patients check into a hospital expecting to get better. Sadly, this is not always the case; doctors, surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, and other healthcare professionals sometimes make critical mistakes that end up doing more harm than good. Even more disturbing is that, according to recent data, the prevalence of these medical errors has increased over the years at an alarming rate.

Medical Mistakes: Then and Now

It was 1999 when the Institute of Medicine (IOM) published their report, “To Err is Human.” A proverbial bombshell for the medical community, the report claimed that as many as 98,000 people died each year from preventable mistakes made by hospital personnel. Many disputed those figures, saying they were largely exaggerated, but it is now one of the most widely used and quoted research documents on medical errors.

A 2010 statement from the Office of Inspector General for Health, which claimed that bad hospital care contributed to the deaths of 180,000 Medicare patients alone in just a short year, hinted that the problem was growing. Then came the recently published Journal of Patient Safety study, which found that the figures have more than doubled since 1999.

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 Posted on February 22, 2016 in Medical Malpractice

By Timothy Tomasik

According to a recent study, medical malpractice is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Many can be attributed to hospital errors, which can make them immediate and especially critical. However, medical errors with fatal or life-altering consequences do not just occur in hospitals; they can happen in doctor’s offices and clinics as well. Wherever the error happens, the mistakes are often the same, and even the best of doctors can make them.

Misdiagnosis

Of all the medical mistakes, misdiagnosis is, by far, the most common. In fact, according to research studies, some 15 percent of conditions are initially misdiagnosed, with urinary tract infections, cancer, congestive heart failure, and acute renal failure being the most common. And, based on a survey from Consumer Reports, these misdiagnoses occur twice as often in doctor’s offices than in hospitals.

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 Posted on February 12, 2016 in Product Liability

By Shawn Kasserman

Intravenous (IV) solutions are intended to hydrate or rehydrate patients while under the care of a physician, surgeon, or other applicable healthcare professional. Administration of the solution is handled by licensed professionals, and the patient has no say or knowledge regarding any potential adverse events from a contaminated bag. This makes the recent recall of Baxter IV solutions highly concerning for anyone that has recently visited the hospital, undergone surgery, or otherwise received IV solutions.

About the Recall

Comprised of water and electrolytes, the IV solutions were distributed to hospitals and other end users throughout the United States. A customer complaint led to the identification of particulate matter, which was later determined to be an insect. Baxter International Inc. voluntarily recalled all affected lots of the IV solution, but no one knows how many were administered to patients.

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 Posted on February 05, 2016 in Product Liability

By Shawn Kasserman

Consumers trust that the items they find on a store shelf are safe, but this is not always the case. A widespread recall of several male enhancement dietary supplements, all marketed and sold by R Thomas Marketing LLC, highlights the risks and dangers of this all too common issue. The voluntary recall of this dangerous and defective drug has not come too late for some.

About the Recall

Sold and marketed as male enhancement drugs, the tainted dietary supplements (Black Ant, Herb Viagra, Real Skill, Street Overlord, Weekend Prince, and African Black Ant) all contain undisclosed sildenafil, a PDE-5 inhibitor. Although this is the same FDA-approved ingredient found in popular erectile dysfunction drug, Viagra, its lack of disclosure and the potential side effects of the drug (including the potential for bad drug interactions) put users at risk.

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 Posted on February 05, 2016 in General

By Robert Geimer

For many years physicians in training, called residents, worked brutally long shifts, barely sleeping over the course of days.  As the workhorses of medical care in hospitals, this justifiably led to concerns over errors due to the dangerous combination of inexperience and sleep deprivation.  This resulted in rule changes limiting residents to no more than 28 straight hours at the hospital, and 14 hours off after working a 24 hour shift.  However, a study in this week’s New England Journal of Medicine has concluded that the reduced resident hours have not impacted patient safety, and is therefore recommending returning to the brutally long shifts of the past.  Groups such as the American Medical Student Association are opposing such a rollback, pointing to the “overwhelming” evidence of the dangers of sleep deprivation.  In the middle of all of this are hospital patients who expect – and pay for – medical professionals to be at their best.

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 Posted on January 31, 2016 in Product Liability

By Shawn Kasserman

Cough syrup can contain a myriad of ingredients to help alleviate pain, cough, or general discomfort; morphine is not typically one of those ingredients, but it was found in Ma Ying Long Pharmaceutical Group’s over-the-counter Licorice Coughing Liquid. Even more concerning is that the ingredient was never listed on the product’s packaging. As such, the retailer in conjunction with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recalling the drug.

About the Recall

Manufactured in China and distributed in the United States by Master Herbs USA, Inc., Licorice Coughing Liquid is an over-the-counter cough syrup with labeling written in both English and Chinese. The product was found to contain morphine, which was not identified on the label in English. While every person taking this medication could be at risk for adverse effects, individuals who are sensitive to morphine and those that are in addiction recovery are at the highest level of risk for a severe consequence.

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 Posted on January 25, 2016 in Product Liability

By Shawn Kasserman

Though helpful in alleviating the symptoms of a common cold, infection, or allergies, an overdose of Guaifenesin can lead to serious and potentially fatal side effects. Children with certain health conditions are especially susceptible. This makes a recent drug recall for children’s Guaifenesin grape liquid and Guaifenesin DM cherry liquid, all made by Perrigo Company, of serious concern for parents, particularly for those with children that poorly metabolize dextromethorphan.

Why the Recall was Issued

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), several generic brands of children’s Guaifenesin grape liquid (100mg/5 mL) and Guaifenesin DM cherry liquid (100mg Guaifenesin and 5mg dextromethorphan HBr/ 5 mL) were voluntarily recalled by the manufacturer Perrigo Company because of improperly marked dosing cups. This presents the potential risk of overdose in those taking the recalled medications. All children are at risk, but those that are poor metabolizers of dextromethorphan are especially at risk for serious adverse effects of an overdose.

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 Posted on January 18, 2016 in General

By Robert Geimer

As more women choose to deliver their babies at home, many to wonder whether delivering at home is as safe as delivering in the hospital.  We now have some data.  According to a special article in the New England Journal of Medicine, the risk of a baby dying was 3.9 per 1,000 births for deliveries at home or at birth centers, versus 1.8 deaths per 1,000 births in hospitals.  These data would seem to confirm the idea that when complications occur, it takes trained medical personnel and the best equipment to promptly address such complications.  However, hospital personnel still need to be vigilant and responsive to avoid the mistakes and delays that can cause devastating outcomes.  A good obstetrician with a well-trained labor and delivery staff and the best equipment seems to provide the best chance of delivering a healthy baby.

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 Posted on January 10, 2016 in Food Poisoning

By Timothy Tomasik

Chipotle, well-known for their fresh, often locally sourced foods, is one of the most popular fast food chains in the United States. Unfortunately, the restaurants have started making headlines for a completely different reason; now associated with nearly 500 food poisoning incidents, they are currently in the midst of their second official outbreak, and officials are still uncertain of the cause.

First Wave of Incidents

Food poisoning incidents began back in August, with 234 customers and employees becoming sick from norovirus at a Chipotle in Simi Valley, California. Next came the salmonella-tainted tomatoes at 22 different Minnesota locations that caused 64 illnesses and nine hospitalizations in August and September. Dozens more were sickened by norovirus in Boston, where multiple safety violations were later uncovered. But the most widespread outbreak—one that has yet to be resolved—occurred in the Northwestern region of the United States.

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