BPA Replacement Suspect Too

So you breathed a great sigh of relief when you found out the major bottled water manufacturers and others had replaced the scary Bisphenol A (BPA) used for bottles and other products with Bisphenol S (BPS). The replacement was touted as protection to the consumer against BPA’s dangers of obesity, cancer, childhood, hyperactivity, and childhood anxiety. BPA free labels were proudly placed on millions of plastic bottles and the tap water wary rejoiced they could keep on drinking bottled water. As if often the case in modern manufacturing, there has been a study putting a damper on the belief that BPS is safe for all.

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Teen Drivers and Older, Smaller Cars

Are you in the market for an economically advantageous car for your teenager to kick around town in? Are you thinking a smaller, older car might be just the ticket? You might want to rethink that after a study found that more teenagers die in older cars, especially those smaller in size. It would stand to reason that such cars would be the least likely to excel in crashes given the older protective technologies, or lack thereof, and smaller area of the vehicle. In fact, researchers found that four out of five teens killed over a five year span were driving cars at least six years old; that nearly half of teens killed in the same five year span were driving cars that were at least eleven years old; and that a third of these teens were driving small or mini cars.

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GM Deadly Ignition Switch Defect

Attention owners of General Motors (GM) vehicles: GM defects have fallen through the cracks to the detriment of consumers. A major defect causes GM ignition switches to power off and prevents airbags from deploying during vehicle crashes. Unfortunately, the safety regulating powers that be in the federal government have not put a halt to the involved ignition switches and the legal system has also failed to bring attention to the defect that has caused at least 42 GM vehicle crash related deaths. The legal system has failed in this particular defect due to the extremely high cost of litigating such cases. It is a sad fact that many attorneys simply cannot afford to take on these cases, and others that are similar, for precisely the reason of cost versus recovery in a system where tort reform and lawsuit costs are making negative impacts. When such cases are litigated individually a great impact is not realized in fighting against product defects as proper attention is not brought to consumers as is the case when victims and attorneys come together in class action lawsuits.

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Antipsychotic Drugs and Fatal Skin Reaction

Yet another drug warning is being put out there by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)! It seems that the anti-psychotic prescription drug, Geodon (generic ziprasidone) from Pfizer has a new drug label warning: Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS). This condition can begin with a rash that spreads all over the body, but can also give the sufferer symptoms such as fever, swollen lymph nodes, and organ inflammation!

Geodon was doled out in the amount of two and a half million last year, prescribed for schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder. It is supposed to help patients experience less psychotic symptoms, delusions, and hallucinations. Whether it has or has not been helpful for such symptoms, the drug has caused DRESS for eleven to thirty days in some patients. The FDA has advised that physicians halt treatment with Geodon immediately if they suspect their patient is suffering from DRESS.

If you or someone you love takes Pfizer’s Geodon and suffers from the symptoms of a rash and/or swollen lymph nodes, seek medical attention immediately. DRESS has the potential to be fatal. You may also consult with the attorneys who strive to protect you from bad drug reactions, Inserra & Kelley, to see what your rights might be.

Caffeine Powder FDA Warning

Another warning from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is imploring consumers to avoid use of pure caffeine powders after being linked officially to two deaths of young males. These caffeine powders are often used to enhance athletic performance, to work longer, to study longer, to lose weight, and to have increased energy. A single teaspoon of these powders, widely available online for purchase, equals twenty-five cups of coffee!

The parents of the two young men who died as a result of these caffeine powders are urging the FDA to go further than warning against the product and instead banning them. Logan Stiner was only eighteen years old and a high school senior when he died from pure caffeine powder ingestion. James Wade Sweatt was only 24 years old when he went into a coma and eventually died after using the caffeine powder in hopes that it would replace depending too much upon energy drinks and soda. Both of these young men were said to be healthy young men, who were both conscientious and smart about what they put in their bodies.

It only takes a very small amount of pure caffeine powder to experience a rapid heartbeat, seizures, and death. Symptoms of high caffeine intake of these powders, as well as other sources, can yield unpleasant side effects such as insomnia, restlessness, heart palpitations, irritability, nervousness, and anxiety. Energy drinks, more and more popular, also contain high levels of caffeine that can lead to unhealthy side effects. Parents should assure their children and adolescents are not using caffeine powders and other caffeine products. Pregnant women should never use them. Adults should take heed and stay away from them as well, as they are simply more risky than beneficial.

Be a smart consumer and stay away from pure caffeine powders! Consult your medical provider whenever considering the use of such a product to enhance energy or performance. We at Inserra & Kelley want health and happiness for all of you out there throughout this holiday season and in 2015!

Foodborne Illness – Tips for the Holidays

It is assumed you have not invited an unwelcome guest to your holiday celebrations this week, namely food-borne illnesses (aka food poisoning). This pesky guest tries to ruin your party via bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Do you know that 1 in 6 Americans, or 48 million, succumb every year to a variety of 250 foodborne illnesses that are not only miserable but infectious?! These statistics are sad given the fact that such illnesses are highly preventable, as are the awful symptoms of abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, and Montezuma’s revenge.

Do not let yourself or your loved ones become part of the statistics this year. Instead, be proactive in preventing needless misery by taking some safe food handling tips from the experts. They first stress cleanliness (i.e. hand washing, clean food contact surfaces/tools, produce rinsing/brushing) and cannot stress soap and water enough. They say, however, not to rinse raw meat prior to cooking as that just promotes the spreading of dangerous bacteria. Second, experts warn against cross-contamination through mixing raw bacteria prone foods (i.e. raw meat, raw eggs, meat juices) with foods that will not be cooked (i.e. fruits and vegetables). Third, experts recommend that cooking thermometers be used in cooking all foods to assure they are done and safe to eat. Do not forget that things like using unpasteurized eggs in egg nog or eating that yummy cookie dough, with raw eggs, are raw food dangers as well! Finally, experts beg people to refrigerate their foods as fast as possible so that bacteria are not given the chance to grow in room temperatures. The refrigerator should be at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer should be at 0 degree Fahrenheit, and food should be defrosted in the refrigerator, with cold water, or in the microwave, taking care to cook the food immediately if thawed via the latter two ways. Do not forget pumpkin pie and related items are included and leftovers need to be eaten up or thrown away in about 3 to 4 days.

When it comes to consuming food, the old adage is good to remember, ‘when in doubt throw it out!’ Inserra & Kelley wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season spent enjoying loved ones fondly, and safely.

 

Baby Wipe Recall

In looking through new parent forums on the web, one can see parents informing new parents and parents to be they go through approximately 15 baby wipes with diaper changes per day, or 3 packages of baby wipes per month. That’s a lot of baby wipes going on the sensitive skin of babes everywhere. They are used by parents to assure their babies are clean, whether it is with diaper changes, on hands, on faces, or wherever the need may arise. The last thing a parent is going to think is that the wipe being used to rid their babies of bacteria actually is contaminated with bacteria! Not to mention, baby wipes are popular among a whole host of consumers these day as a means of disposable cleaning cloths, so they’re not just for babies any more. That is actually a problem that happens and the latest recall involves a company called Nutek Disposables out of McElhattan, Pennsylvania. In case you do not live in Pennsylvania and you don’t think you’ve ever heard of Nutek baby wipes, think again. The wipes are sold by the brand names, Cuties, Diapers.com, Femtex, Fred’s, Kidgets, Member’s Mark, Simply Right, Sunny Smiles, Tender Touch, and Well Beginnings. Those all sound like healthy, positive names for a baby product, right? The wipes are sold at popular stores, Sam’s Club, Family Dollar, Walgreens, Fred’s, and Diapers.com. The wipes have been tested and found to contain a bacteria called Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia), which can harm those who have compromised immune systems, especially those with the disease cystic fibrosis or chronic lung disease.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put out an immediate voluntary recall on October 25, 2014 for the wipes distributed by Nutek before October 21, 2014. They cite complaints of symptoms such as rash, irritation, infections, fever, gastrointestinal problems, and respiratory problems by users of the wipes. They state these symptoms have not been definitively linked to the subject wipes, but to err on the side of caution the recall was made public. Nutek, itself, has put out statements that no baby wipes are being shipped out of their manufacturing plant until the cause of the bacterial contamination has been found because the company is very serious about its product quality and safety. The FDA and Nutek are working in conjunction with one another and recommend seeing a doctor if a compromised person exposed to the wipes. The products themselves can be taken back to the store where purchased for a full refund and Nutek can be contacted with questions at 1-855-646-4351. Be careful out there consumers. A lesson can be learned here once again that if a product of any kind does not look right, be cautious in use and do not hesitate to report the possible problem to the product’s company to help stay safe in this big world of product recall and liability issues.

Fireball Whiskey May Have More Than You Bargained For

There’s a good chance that many readers are mourning the red flags being risen in regards to the product, Fireball whiskey, manufactured by Louisiana located Sazerac Co. The drink has often been popular given the proclivity of wedding photos showing the beverage being consumed straight from the bottle, as well as sales of the product going from $1.9 million in 2011 to $61 million in 2013. The red flags being raised are a problem for the company, however, even if the company is claiming otherwise at present. European countries are doing a recall of the batches of Fireball whiskey that contain too high of levels for their standards of the chemical, propylene glycol (the same chemical found in antifreeze).

Apparently there are three different recipes for Fireball whiskey, each containing different levels of the propylene glycol. Europe has the strictest regulations on how much of the chemical can be included. The two other recipes are for the United States and Canada. Fireball whiskey’s manufacturer is touting the safety of its whiskey and maintaining it will not be recalled in the United States and Europe is only recalling the batches made from the North American formulas. The FDA in the United States claims propylene glycol is “generally recognized as safe’ and found in many food colorings and flavors made in the United States. In fact, the chemical manufactured by Dow Chemical Company is in frozen dairy products, seasonings, frostings, confections, nuts and nut products, other various foods, and e-cigarettes. Dow claims the chemical is safe for human ingestion and different than ethylene glycol. Does Dow’s claims, as well as FDA approval make most feel safer ingesting this chemical? If so, the high consumption of Fireball and other products containing propylene glycol shall go on with abandon. Many, however, may question whether an agent used in antifreeze for automobiles and diesel trucks, as a deicing agent for airport runways, and paint and plastics manufacturing, should also be in products heavily consumed by humans. This may well wind up being another of those products approved by the FDA, and touted safe by their makers (the same makers who make lots and lots of money by their sales) that could be found to cause health issues in the future. It might be wise to abstain from products containing propylene glycol that are not a real necessity in one’s life…unless one is ready to state that those Europeans just have two high of health standards.

Low T – Be Careful What You Wish For

One cannot escape an AndroGel commercial while listening to the radio or watching television these days it seems. AndroGel and other low testosterone product marketers practically shout out questions to the listener as to whether they suffer from the horrible, bad, very awful condition of low testosterone. Even the most viral consumer might begin doubting their own testosterone levels and long for the better life touted in the commercials for those who use Androgel. It may seem funny to imagine some poor guy trying to watch sports but being sucked in instead to believing he has low testosterone that must explain his partner’s dissatisfaction or his lack of a partner. Low testosterone (aka low T) products, however, are no joke as it is dangerous to its users and the subject of lawsuits for users who have suffered heart attacks, strokes, and other heart problems while using low testosterone products. Lawsuits were initiated after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated in January of 2014 that they were looking into such heart related risks with the use of low T products. The FDA had previously decided, in September, 2013, that low T product manufacturers would be required to state clearly on the product labels that they have not been proven or shown to actually lessen low libido, fatigue, muscle loss and other age-related symptoms and also manufacturers be forced to do research as to the relation of their products and cardiovascular issues.

One of the lawsuits related to AndroGel, made by Abbott Laboratories, is the defendant in one particular lawsuit that alleges that Dr. John Morley of Saint Louis University’s School of Medicine has actually admitted he accepted grant money to the tune of $40,000 to write a quiz for Androgel to use in its marketing that would supposedly tell the taker they have low T and need AndroGel. The result has been AndroGel’s sales increasing to $1.4 billion in a single year and low T being over diagnosed to men it has endangered. Another highly marketed product also marketed for low T is Axiron, and has also been shown to have the same heart related side effects as AndroGel. The danger does not stop with the male patient using the low T product, however, as the products have also caused side effects in women and children unfortunate enough to be accidentally exposed to the drugs through touching. Women have experienced acne and body hair growth, while children have experienced early puberty symptoms. The low T gels are also highly flammable, as anyone can see from the product labels! Warnings advise washing the area the low T gels are applied, with soap and water, if it is expected anyone will touch the patient’s skin with their skin. They also warn users to cover areas with clothing after application, to wait five hours before taking a swim, and to never apply the gel to the penis or scrotum!

It would seem the risk would highly outweigh the benefits and not be the ticket to a wonderful, newfound love life for users. Ask your medical providers whether the benefits would indeed be appropriate, given the dangerous complications, and do not hesitate to let your provider know if you or someone close to you has already experienced side effects. Do not hesitate to contact a well-respected injury firm to see whether you may be entitled to compensation if you have been harmed by low T products.

Post Traumatic Stress

These days it is so common to hear about PTSD, in relation to veterans, that one might think that it is really only a big concern for veterans. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is actually what its name implies, a disorder occurring after trauma and that can include a variety of traumas, such as combat, bullying, disasters, terrorism, abuse, and often car accidents. Dr. Daniel G. Amen of the Amen Clinics states that the traumatic event can be experienced, witnessed in person, something that happens to someone close to you, or simply come from being exposed to graphic details over and over. Dr. Amen states that 1 in 30 people have PTSD, so does the experiencing of a traumatic manner in one of the above ways guarantee one will suffer PTSD? The answer to that is not always, but stressing that PTSD can occur right after trauma or not show up until several months later, even after a different trauma is experienced. In the best case scenario for those with PTSD symptoms, the brain eventually settles down and the symptoms diminish with time.

So what are the symptoms to look for in PTSD? Sufferers may experience flashbacks, nightmares, inability to recollect aspects of the traumatic event, inability to stop thinking about the traumatic event, significant anxiety, anger/irritability issues, depression symptoms, sleep problems, desires to isolate, and/or the desire to disassociate with anything or anyone that would remind one of a traumatic event. With modern medical technology doctors are now able to see PTSD on brain SPECT scans, which is very helpful in alleviating the stigma many individuals feel in regards to letting others know their PTSD symptoms. The SPECT scans literally spot areas of over activity in the brain (i.e. diamond plus pattern), alerting medical professionals to the possibility of the brain being in a constant state of over stimulation that ups anxiety, anger, irritability, sleep problems, and other PTSD symptoms. Not only does the patient feel fewer stigmas, but his or her family can better understand and treatments can be geared to individual brains.

Brain specialists can help those with PTSD, as can others in the fields of medicine and psychology. Cognitive behavioral therapy has been found to be a promising treatment for PTSD, as well as a treatment done by Anesthesiologists, called a stellate ganglion block (SGB). SGB is a nerve block used for years to alleviate pain symptoms and sleep problems. It involves injecting a small amount of local anesthesia into the base of the neck and has been found to be a viable long-term treatment for PTSD. It has been tested in veterans with PTSD and the alleviation of PTSD symptoms has lasted from three to six months in 75 percent of participant patients. The study on this treatment is proving the measure is effective, but researchers at the University of California-Irvine continue to look into who would best be served by the treatment.

Personal injury law firms are no strangers to clients exhibiting PTSD symptoms after traumatic events, such as motor vehicle accidents and other injury accidents. It is unfortunate that often times PTSD is not taken seriously enough by injured parties, medical providers, insurance companies, and even representing attorneys. It is very important that the victim of an injury accident not be afraid to give detailed symptom descriptions to their medical providers. PTSD is a serious condition that can have lifelong implications, and while there is no known cure for the disorder, it can be diagnosed and treated to bring some relief to the sufferer. Left untreated the condition could lead to significant to life threatening consequences to the individual with PTSD, as well as those that individual may come in contact with.