March 23, 2018: The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) released a new warning regarding Benzocaine (also known as Orajel, Baby Orajel, Anbesol, Hurricane and other brands) which are marketed as a pain reliever in teething babies: [Benzocaine and Orajel products] carry serious risks and provide little to no benefits for treating oral pain, including sore gums in… Read More
R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company initiated a voluntary recall of Vuse Vibe power units, recalling the battery portion of all Vuse Vibe vape devices. The recall followed consumer complaints of power devices overheating which can create a risk for fire or injury. The recall covers all 2.6 million Vuse Vibe devices sold. Recall Instructions: Stop using your Vuse Vibe Unscrew… Read More
ProPublica studied five different specialties to compare the rates by which doctors who receive money from big pharma prescribe typically more expensive brand name medication, versus doctors who haven’t taken money from pharma. The analysis found that doctors who receive $5,000 or more from pharmaceutical companies in a given year all prescribe more brand name… Read More
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has labeled Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) devices as “high risk”, after thousands of injuries had been reported. The FDA noted more than 4,000 reports of adverse events or complications associated with transvaginal surgical mesh for POP or Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) repair from 2005 to 2010. The FDA previously classified POP surgical… Read More
An article published in November in BioMed Central discovered serious differences between studies funded by pharmaceutical companies selling testosterone therapy drugs, and those that were independent of pharmaceutical companies pushing the drugs. Combined with the FDA warning1 in January on the risks of testosterone therapy, including heart attacks and strokes, this paints a troubling picture… Read More