All Topics

• Tampa Teacher Accused of Having Sex with Student

  Joe Saunders | October 24, 2007 10:56 AM | 0 CommentsSarasota, FL

  A female special education teacher has been accused of having sex with a 15 year old male student. She was released from the Orient Road jail on $7,500 bail. This most recent arrest comes on the heels of a report citing the alarming prevalence of sexual abuse among teachers and their students. The study and the arrest highlight the fact that children are often abused by authority figures...

• Congressman Questions FDA About Sprint Fidelis Leads

  Joe Saunders | October 23, 2007 9:46 AM | 0 CommentsSarasota, FL

  Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA), Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, has written a letter to the FDA requesting documents about their monitoring and evaluation of Medtronic's Sprint Fidelis defibrillator. The Sprint Fidelis was voluntarily recalled after Medtronic disclosed that the Sprint Fidelis leads were prone to fracture causing defective operation of the...

• 5 Orthopedic Implant Makers Receive SEC Letter

  Joe Saunders | October 22, 2007 11:11 AM | 0 CommentsSarasota, FL

  Five orthopedic implant makers, including embattled Medtronic, have received letters from the Securities and Exchange Commission indicating the SEC intends to investigate claims that the companies may have made improper payments to foreign officials. The companies who've received the letters are Medtronic, Zimmer, Biomet, Smith & Nephew, and Stryker. Medtronic, known for its cardiac...

• More Food Products Recalled

  Joe Saunders | October 21, 2007 10:53 AM | 0 CommentsSarasota, FL

  In the last two weeks, the FDA has issued press releases concerning food products that did not disclose ingredients that could cause harm to consumers. Lochmead Dairy has recalled half gallons of Lochmead Farms Country Fresh Chocolate Premium Ice Cream with code date June 22, 2008 because these products may contain undisclosed almonds. This past week, Shain's of Maine Ice Cream has recalled...

• Sprint Fidelis Defibrillator May Pose More Risk to Young

  Joe Saunders | October 19, 2007 10:44 AM | 0 CommentsSarasota, FL

  According to a Wall St. Journal article, the Medtronic Sprint Fidelis defibrillator may pose more risk to the young than previously thought. The Sprint Fidelis has had problems with its lead wire breaking causing erratic jolts of electricity to the heart. The wire connects the defibrillator to the heart and is supposed to jolt the heart rhythm back into a normal rhythm. However, the device...

• MRSA Infections Surge in Hospitals and Nursing Homes

  Joe Saunders | October 17, 2007 4:29 PM | 0 CommentsSarasota, FL

  In a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, MRSA infections cause more deaths each year than AIDS, emphysema, Parkinson's and homicide! MRSA, also known as Staphylococcus aureus, is a virulent drug-resistant bacteria prevalent in hospitals in nursing homes. The bacteria can be transported from infected patients to other patients through unsterilized equipment and...

• Rise in Contaminated Foods Gives FDA an Opportunity

  Joe Saunders | October 16, 2007 10:47 AM | 0 CommentsSarasota, FL

  While most companies don't like more federal control over their industry, the Grocery Manufacturers Associaton and the National Fisheries Institute are lobbying the FDA to get more involved in the regulation of their industries. Both trade groups want the FDA to more closely monitor and regulate foods coming in from other countries, citing the fact that food preparation processes in foreign...

• Now it's Lipstick Being Scrutinized for Lead Levels

  Joe Saunders | October 15, 2007 6:10 AM | 0 CommentsSarasota, FL

  The FDA has agreed to investigate claims by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, an advocacy group, that certain lipsticks contain high levels of lead. Among the top brands testing positive for lead were:• L'Oréal Colour Riche "True Red": 0.65 ppm• L'Oréal Colour Riche "Classic Wine": 0.58 ppm• Cover Girl Incredifull Lipcolor "Maximum Red": 0.56 ppm• Dior Addict "Positive Red": 0.21...

• FDA Approves New Medtronic Stent in Spite of Report

  Joe Saunders | October 11, 2007 5:31 AM | 0 CommentsSarasota, FL

  In spite of a recent scientific report citing certain health risks, the FDA voted to approve Medtronic's new cardiac stent, Endeavor. Data published a few days before the vote raised questions about the risk of blood clots linked to use of the drug coated stent. However, the FDA panel did suggest the FDA require that Medtronic conduct a 5 year post-approval study to assess the risks...

• ConAgra Foods Has More Food Contamination Issues

  Joe Saunders | October 10, 2007 12:16 PM | 0 CommentsSarasota, FL

  Last time ConAgra was in the news it was for contaminated peanut butter. This time ConAgra is in the news because of a salmonella scare with its pot pies made in its Missouri plant. So far, there have been more than 30 food poisoning incidents reported in 37 states. Federal investigators are busy trying to determine the extent and nature of the salmonella contamination.For more information on...