Mars Recall of Candy Bars Internationally

Mars, a well-known United States based candy making company, has announced they are recalling candy bars internationally in 55 countries.  The candy bars include Mars, Milky Way, Snickers, Celebrations, and Mini Mix.  The recall is the result of plastic being found in a Mars product, which could cause choking in the unsuspecting chocolate loving candy eater. 

So far it appears the recall is limited to European countries, although the company is based in the United States in McLean, Virginia.  Inserra & Kelley Law Offices will alert its readership if the recall expands.  If you or a loved one has become sick or injured due to a defective product, do not hesitate to contact our caring professionals to see whether you may potentially be entitled to compensation.    

Talcum Powder Linked to Ovarian Cancer Risk

 

As an update to our previously run blog regarding the use of talcum powder being linked to ovarian cancer in women, there is news of a ruling ordering Johnson & Johnson to pay 72 million dollars out for an ovarian cancer death.  On February 22, 2016 a St. Louis jury ordered the company to pay this money to the family of Jacqueline Fox, who passed away at the age of 62 after the trial had already begun against Johnson & Johnson.  She died from ovarian cancer after using the company’s talc containing products that was linked to her ovarian cancer.  In fact, Ms. Fox had been using Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower body powder for feminine hygiene for over 35 years as the company encouraged via their marketing of the products. 

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Takata Air Bag Additional Recalls

We previously warned our readers that Honda was recalling Takata air bag systems and since then there were also recalls involving vehicle made by GM, Ford, BMW, Volkswagen, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, and Daimler trucks.  In all about 24.4 million vehicles have been affected in the recalls.  Now we are reporting the latest news that General Motors has announced its recall of about two hundred thousand Saab and Saturn models with the Takata’s air bag inflators.  This recall impacts the United States and Canada and includes the Saab 9-3 from 2003 to 2011, the Saab 9-5 from 2010 to 2011, and the Saturn Astra from 2008 to 2009. 

The problem with the Takata inflators is that in the force of a crash they can explode and send metal shrapnel flying into the occupants of the vehicle.  To date 139 people have been injured and 10 killed due to this defect.  If you possibly have one of these inflators call your dealer immediately and they will replace it. 

If you or a loved one has already been injured by the Takata air bag system, please contact the professionals at Inserra & Kelley Law Offices to see if you may be entitled to compensation. 

Heartburn Drugs Can Equal Dementia

German researches have determined that there is a group of medications for heartburn, called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) that are possibly responsible for raising the risk for dementia in older adults, especially those 75 years of age and older.  The risky drugs include the commonly used brands, Nexium, Prevacid, and Prilosec.  Previous studies have linked H2 blockers, another class of antacids, to dementia risks and from there medical providers started steering patients away from those antacids (Tagamet, Pepcid, and Zantac) and to the PPIs.  It is feared that many in the United States have been treating minor problems with acid reflux or heartburn symptoms with overuse of the PPIs and that medical providers have been over prescribing them.  In addition to the latest possibility of the medications being linked to dementia, it is suspected they mess with an individual’s ability to reason and also are associated with a higher risk of chronic kidney disease. 

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Green Tea Extract Overuse Possibly Linked to Liver Failure

Green tea extract has been touted all over the place in recent years for its claimed health benefits, including weight loss.  However, it has now come to light that as the old adage goes, too much of anything can be a bad thing.  A young male Australian recently found out the hard way that the weight loss product he purchased in a quest to get healthy with supposedly natural, healthful ingredients contained green tea extract that became toxic for his liver.  Green tea contains catechins and too many of these polyphenols can keep the human body from metabolizing food for use for energy.  When this happens the results can be jaundice, hepatitis, or even liver failure, as was the case for the Australian man.

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Medicating Anxiety and Overdose Risks

In the United States, consumers are taking more prescription drugs for anxiety issues and are overdoing on anxiety drugs more than ever before.  Benzodiazepines (“benzos”) make up the class of prescribed drugs that are seeing markedly increased overdoses than before 1996.  From 1996 to 2013 the prescriptions for these drugs, including Valium and Xanax, tripled and deaths from overdose quadrupled.  These drugs are prescribed for anxiety, insomnia, and mood disorders and are also highly addictive.  Over five percent of U.S. adults are part of the population prescribed benzos and the medical community warns that many people begin to overuse them or take them with opioid medications or alcohol and magnify their lethality.  By 2013 the number of adults filling benzo prescriptions was 13.5 million and there was also a large increase in the number of pills prescribed per U.S. adult. 

It is important to know that drug prescribing and use should be a very serious discussion between patients and trusted medical providers to assure the risks have been considered in addition to the possible benefits.  Inserra & Kelley Law Offices want all their readers safe and healthy in 2016 and will bring all the latest drug news as it is released.    

 

Texting and Walking Danger

Our firm has brought you articles in the past about the dangers of distracted driving, which certainly includes texting and driving.  Now, in this culture of being constantly on the phone, there is a new danger out there….. distracted walking!  You did not just read that wrong and this has truly become a serious enough issue that parking garages have hired security to, in essence, save distracted pedestrians from themselves.  It is alarming that in our current culture we have become increasingly dependent upon, or addicted to, our cellphones to the point that this is not just something silly to see on YouTube anymore but a real problem with real injuries and Emergency Room visits. 

Researchers have gotten in on this phenomenon and Australian researchers found that when utilizing a cell phone while walking, the walking gait changes significantly to be less balanced and not really in a straight line.  Those doing experiments such as having someone dressed up like Chewbacca walking down the street or putting a clown on a unicycle near pedestrians, see that many using cell phones do not notice anything unusual, no matter how silly.  There are cities and colleges now trying to be proactive in preventing distracted walker accidents and even fatalities.  The largest city in our nation reduced its speed limits for cars, while a California city has been making more pedestrian only corridors and paths, and some cities and college campuses have placed signs around cautioning pedestrians to look up (or warning motorists that pedestrians will not be looking up).  If distracted walkers do not notice Chewbacca walking down the street or clowns on unicycles, are they going to notice signs?  And are posted speed limits going to assure cars will not be speeding on city streets? 

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