The life of a 47 year old Portland, Oregon woman was horribly transformed when she suffered catastrophic injuries to her nearly severed legs after being crushed between two parked cars while loading the trunk of hers. A young man of 25 was driving a pickup truck while under the influence of drugs when he veered off the road and struck the parked cars. Her legs had to be amputated. According to witnesses at the scene, the young man decided to get back in his truck and light a cigarette rather than help his victim. In an instant this woman’s life is terrifyingly altered because of the irresponsibility and heinous lack of judgment of one man.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

http://www.burgsimpson.com/nsf.htmlNephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), a new fibrotic skin disease was first recognized in 1997 in 15 patients receiving hemodialysis for kidney failure. The early reports noted that it closely resembled scleromyxedema, but was different enough for further study. People with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), account for 90% of the patients. Peritoneal dialysis appears to be associated with a greater risk for NSF compared to hemodialysis. The age range is from 8 years to 87 years old and does not discriminate against gender or race. Many countries have reported cases of NSF. NSF has been linked to gadolinium exposure which is contained in contrast agents used in MRIs. The initial observation that vascular surgery and thrombotic episodes were common before symptoms occurred prompted speculation that NSF may be triggered by an imaging contrast agent. The time it takes for symptoms to appear is anywhere from 2 to 75 days of which 25 days is the median. As NSF progresses, patients may experience significant decrease in the function of their hands and feet, with the development of joint contracting and stiffening. Some ultimately are confined to a wheelchair and need assistance with daily activities. Severe disability and even death mortality have been reported in patients with NSF. In May of this year the manufacturers of gadolinium contrast agents issued a “Dear Healthcare Professional” letter to inform them of the newly added “Black Box” warning added in the prescribing information for patients with renal failure.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As a child, Lee Anne Barry suffered a traumatic brain injury after being hit by a car and spent several months in a coma and underwent brain surgery. This was a lot for a little girl to survive let alone an adult. On Sunday, Oct 21st she was again struck by a van, at the age of 43, but this time it killed her. She was riding in a two month bicycle charity tour across the country to raise awareness for the very injury she suffered as a child, traumatic brain injury. She was killed during the final leg of the ride into South Carolina. The charity group is know as B.I.G. which stands for Brain Injury’s Greatest Journey that she founded in 2001 to raise awareness of TBI and bicycle safety. The tour began August 28th in Seattle, went through 21 states and covered more than 6000 miles before ending in Charlotte, N.C.

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In 2006 Rene’ Lopez of Phoenix was biking to his job as a firefighter when his bicycle wheel got stuck in a 1 inch gap in an overpass causing him to be launched into a concrete barrier and sustaining brain trauma, a perforated ear canal, as well as shoulder, neck, back and knee injuries. He is holding the city of Tempe, Maricopa County, the Arizona Department of Transportation and the state of Arizona responsible by filing a lawsuit in the Maricopa County Superior Court. Only the city of Tempe has responded to the complaint and denies any responsibility for the accident and has asked the judge to dismiss the case. The city says that it had not heard any other complaints about the purported road defect. Currently, jurisdiction needs to be established before any one of the agencies is named in the lawsuit as the primary defendant, said the county attorney spokesman.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A tugboat towing a barge tried to warn the passengers of a 24 foot yacht to halt or change coarse while navigating through the Ambrose Channel the night of Saturday Oct. 20th. The failure of communication eventually caused the yacht to run into the tow line, capsizing it and throwing the passengers in the water. A 61 year old man was rescued by a nearby fishing vessel while a 46 year old man was pulled from under the boat by police scuba divers. The remaining two were pronounced dead at the scene and the hospital. The collision is still under investigation by the Coast Guard. The question remains, were current rules being followed in regards to nautical laws.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 06:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Vermont Senator Edward Flanagan suffered a traumatic brain injury two years ago when he was in a near-fatal car crash that put him in a coma for two months. Once out of the coma he had to endure intense physical therapy for 18 months. Through his experience he is now bringing attention to the difficulties that victims of TBIs suffer. Everywhere from having to learn how to swallow again to the walls he came up against with his health insurance company while trying to gain access to the services he needed. He faced mounting challenges while learning to walk, talk and brush his teeth again. "You wake up slowly (from a coma) and you realize something's not right," Flanagan said during a news conference. "You're struggling to use all the facilities you're used to having, and most of us use it without even thinking, walking, drinking." Flanagan said he had a health insurance policy that he thought was "very generous" that was to provide 360 sessions to cover all four kinds of therapy he needed to treat his brain injury. The truth was after 100 sessions the insurance company telephone operators were trained to say no and that’s what they did. Fortunately, his family and friends worked on his behalf to get him the services he needed. "My question is how many others are just plain alone. How many of them can deal with the insurance companies?" Flanagan reflects.

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A complaint has been filed in the San Francisco Superior Court against Bayer Corp., General Electric Co., McKesson Corp. and other companies involved in the manufacturing and distribution of the contrast agent gadolinium used in MRIs. In this circumstance however, the firm is taking a case by case approach rather than a federal multi-district litigation (MDL) one. The plaintiff is a man with kidney disease who had the agent injected prior to an MRI and contracted the incurable disease Nephrogenic System Fibrosis. The victims’ lawyer says his client doesn’t have the kind of time it would take to fight in the MDL process and in fact hopes to invoke a California rule that puts cases involving a severely ill plaintiff on a track faster than normal. Further saying, that if his client is able to stay alive for the next 10 years, his treatment for NSF can be upwards of $10M in medical expenses.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 06:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Dr. Marilyn Kraus, associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at the University of Illinois at Chicago along with colleagues examined a number of patients with traumatic brain injury ranging from mild to severe. The study used diffusion tensor imaging, a new technology of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) that measures the diffusion of water molecules in the brain. The technology measures diffusion in multiple directions and aids researchers in mapping the direction of connectivity in white matter fibers located in different regions of the brain. What they found was that patients with traumatic brain injury have structural changes in the white matter of their brains that account for the cognitive impairments they experience despite how mild the injury is. Thirty-seven TBI patients were in the study for 6 months post injury. Twenty of which had mild TBI and 17 with moderate to severe TBI. Each patient was considered high functioning because they were working or in school. As part of the study 18 non-TBI people were given the diffusion tensor imaging screenings and were tested to evaluate their memory, attention spans and their cognitive functions that control and regulate behaviors.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 06:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the holiday season gearing up so are the numbers of drivers on the road. Every year there are millions of accidents and every year during the holiday season the freeways are full of travelers. The discouraging facts according to car-accidents.com are roughly 115 fatalities a day are a result of traffic accidents in the United States. That is one death every 13 minutes. Experts say driving safely requires constant attention, alertness and defensive activity. “We are inattentive drivers,” said Bob Schaller who is the author of the online defensive driving manual, “Drive Safe with Uncle Bob” and a driving instructor in Phoenix. “Almost all collisions are preventable, if drivers were paying attention to the driving task. We are distracted by dozens of non-driving activities, plus, by nature, we are mental multi-taskers.” He gives some tips. Make sure to be well-rested for long trips. Give your mind a break once in a while. Avoid distractions such as eating, cellphones, and radio and CD adjustments. Be aware of the drivers around you. Never drive under the influence of alcohol. Stay buckled into the car when driving. Drive the speed limit and stay calm and courteous in traffic situations. Before an extended trip, ensure that your car has been serviced. Carry basic supplies just in case the car breaks down, such as water, flashlights, spare tires and blankets. Avoid the heaviest traffic times so the drive is not rushed. Finally, if driving to an unfamiliar destination have maps available and directions on hand.

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A 20-year-old man’s life was changed drastically when his leg was cut off at the knee after a construction accident at a residential construction site. He was installing an irrigation system using a boring unit. The machine was left idling while he worked in front of it when the unit caught hold of his jeans severely cutting his leg. The hospital surgeons unsuccessfully attempted to save his leg.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Following concerns within the United States Army that up to 20% of its soldiers are suffering from a TBI, the British government has decided to conduct a survey of its own troops posted in Iraq and Afghanistan to determine if any of them have suffered a traumatic brain injury. The questionnaires are being distributed as part of a self-assessment program to see if any of them are suffering memory loss, depression and anxiety. A spokesman for Britain's Ministry of Defense said that it was working along with a U.S. investigation team to determine how extensive these injuries have occurred. “It is a very, very complex area. We have no way of knowing whether that (the U.S. assessment) is accurate because there is a level of dispute as to what constitutes mTBI," the spokesman said with the condition of anonymity in keeping with ministry regulations.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 06:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In response to the growing number of veterans returning from war with traumatic brain injuries, the Idaho State University Institute of Rural Health is presenting its 7th annual telecast of “Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury VGR Series” It will be free for public viewing at selected sites statewide from Nov. 1st through Dec. 13th. The series will cover topics on model programs, long-term planning and program advocacy in relation to the treatment of TBI. The telecast series is targeted toward health care providers, state agency personnel, family members and the general public. It is estimated that more than 25,000 people are living with a TBI in the state of Idaho with the number increasing significantly due to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 06:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Recent head injuries among professional football players have brought concussions into the spotlight. The same neuropsychological testing being used by pro teams to detect brain injuries is making its way into high schools. Thirty-two schools in the Philadelphia area have signed up to use the Immediate Postconcussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT). The license costs $1,500 dollars and is being funded by booster clubs and state grants. The schools are using the tests for football, soccer and lacrosse. At the beginning of the season the athletes take a computerized baseline test that measures verbal and visual memory, reaction time, impulse control and information processing speed. An athlete will retake the test when they suffer a head injury and again when they seem to be healed. Recent studies have shown that young athletes are more at risk of brain injuries because their brains are not fully developed until 18 years old and recovery can take longer for high school athletes than for older athletes. According to a study to be reported in the December Journal of Athletic Training, female players are particularly vulnerable. In sports such as soccer that is played by both males and females, the girls suffered from more concussions, possibly due to weaker head and neck muscles. Having the test results can often help coaches, players and parents accept that a key player has to sit out a game. Although, the schools involved who have signed up for ImPACT have voluntarily done so, the area coaches believe the testing will become mandatory.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 02:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The FDA has issued an alert to warn physicians about the hazards of drugs called "micro-bubble contrast agents" used to enhance ultrasound images for the diagnosis of heart problems. The main drug at issue is Definity, made by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., but a second drug known as Optison by General Electric Co. is also expected to receive warnings.

The drugs are expected to carry black box warnings, the strongest warning the FDA can mandate, telling doctors not to use the medicines in patients with unstable angina, acute heart attacks, respiratory failure, unstable cardiopulmonary disease or recent worsening congestive heart failure. The FDA has received reports of death and serious cardiopulmonary reactions following the administration of ultrasound micro-bubble contrast agents. Four of the 11 reported deaths were caused by cardiac arrest occurring either during infusion or within 30 minutes following the administration of the contrast agent; most of the serious but non-fatal reactions also occurred in this time frame.

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Sanofi-Aventis, the maker of antibiotic Ketek, received a stern warning letter from the FDA which cited numerous serious violations in the drugmaker's safety study. Referring to the study known as "Study 3014," the FDA wrote, ". . . we conclude that Aventis did not adhere to the applicable statutory requirements and FDA regulations governing the conduct of clinical investigations."

Although the problems with Study 3014 were numerous and serious, the FDA's letter focuses on the study site run by Dr. Maria Anne Kirkman Campbell, "a solo practitioner in rural Alabama who had never previously conducted an FDA-regulated study, but randomized 407 subjects into Study 3014 over a 3 months time period (i.e., November 2001-January 2002.)" When the FDA reviewed Dr. Kirkman Campbell's records, they "found that she falsified Case Report Forms (CRFs) that were submitted to the sponsor and falsified documentation to support the existence of a fictitious subject. Dr. Kirkman subsequently pled guilty to one count of mail fraud in connection with this fictitious subject and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison."

In addition to fictitious patients, other problems cited by the FDA include: 1) lack of valid informed consent by patients enrolled in the study; 2) failure to properly diagnose the condition being studied, i.e. bronchitis, before enrolling the patient and dispensing the drug; 3) failure to inquire whether the patient had sensitivities to certain substances which would have disqualified them from taking the drug being studied; 4) enrolling large numbers of patients in a short period of time during which, in fact, the doctor's office was "closed for lunch and not seeing patients" . . . and the list goes on.

The focus of the FDA's ire is that Aventis, via reports from its agent, PPD Development, was fully aware of the violations, yet "failed to promptly secure compliance from Dr. Kirkman." Since Study 3014 was designed to provide safety data relied upon by the FDA in approving the drug, fraudulent reporting is particularly egregious. Sanofi-Aventis has 15 days to tell the FDA its plan for ensuring that such violations do not happen in future studies, and its response will be followed up by a meeting between the FDA and the drug maker.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In an effort to further educate EMS responders during accidents, the city of Minot hosted Trinity’s 14th annual EMS Trauma Conference. The subjects discussed were mainly sport related injuries, but car accidents were covered as well. Statistics show that around 100,000 people in the United States every year suffer such a trauma, the majority attributed to car accidents. The EMS workers are typically the first to arrive on the scene of an accident and educating them with as much information as possible was the main goal of the conference. The Trauma Program Manager, Karen Zimmerman says "These are the people who are the first responders. These are the people that are going to be first to come up on us on the scene of an accident, a crash, an incident. They're the people climbing down the embankments, climbing in to cars you can barely fit into, stabalizing these people trying to get them boarded safely so that there isn't an aggravation or more injury caused."

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 08:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Medtronic, a company that makes pacemakers and other heart devices, has had a class action lawsuit filed against it by a man who claims to have received 47 unnecessary shocks from his implanted defibrillator. Medtronic has acknowledged some of the wires, made under the name Sprint Fidelis, in the devices have broken more often than expected and has since recalled them. The company has further added that five deaths may be linked to the faulty wires and that 235,000 people may have the faulty wires in their heart devices. The man who received the unnecessary shocks has since had his defibrillator replaced with a new set of Sprint Fidelis wires.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 06:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Journal of the American Medical Association wrote in an editorial recently that deaths from staph infections may have exceeded deaths associated with AIDS. The report further explains that more that 90,000 Americans contract the deadly infection each year. The staph infection is drug-resistant, thus called a “superbug”. The rate of infections was reported to be 32 invasive infections per 100,000 people. The staph germ has gone beyond its usual haunts from the traditional hospital setting and expanded into the general health care system. An invasive infection involves those that enter the bloodstream, destroy flesh and can eventually become deadly. Samplings of victims of this “superbug” are people who recently had surgery, were on kidney dialysis, had open wounds or were exposed to medical equipment infected with the germ. The staph bug has recently been found to spread through prisons, gyms and locker rooms and poor urban areas.

This new report underscores the importance of responsible and effective sterilization procedures and quite simply, better hand washing. Staph can be carried by healthy people, living on their skin or in their noses. Since the staph germ is resistant to penicillin based drugs, the health care system is stressing the importance of responsible and thoughtful prescription methodologies as well as better hygiene practiced by the health care system. Health officials say there are other drugs to fight off the infection, but worry that their overuse could cause the germ to become resistant to those as well. Dr. Buddy Creech, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University, said the JAMA stud y emph asizes the need for a vaccine, which he called "the holy grail of staphylococcal research."

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 04:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett made a statement Wednesday saying he feels lucky to be alive. This was his first public statement since he suffered a catastrophic neck injury on September 9th against the Denver, Broncos. His statement was delivered by Houston’s Memorial Hermann Hospital where he is currently being rehabilitated. He announced that he was able to take a few steps with a walker and has been able to move in his wheelchair. Each is a triumph for such an injury. Most victims of catastrophic inj uries are not so fortunate. Often years of rehabilitation and huge sums of money are dedicated to the support and medical provisioning of the affected person. Although the news is positive for Everett, most catastrophic injury patients’ outcomes are not.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 02:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The state of Illinois is deciding whether action should be taken against Dr. Jose Veizaga-Mendez. He was a surgeon at Marion VA Medical Center when the number of deaths after surgery increased dramatically under his care. He resigned from the hospital in August following the death of another one of his patients’ post gallbladder surgery. The disciplinary actions that could be made against him can range from a simple reprimand to losing his license. However, this would not be the first time he has lost his state license to practice. The state decided to investigate further when Dr. Veizaga-Mendez failed to notify the licensing officials in Illinois that he had lost his medical license and had malpractice cases against him from his tenure in Massachusetts. The same negligent behavior from Massachusetts followed him to Illinois as patients under his care there resulted in a number of deaths and medical complications. To add insult to injury after the problems at the VA medical center in Illinois he jumped borders over the summer and applied for a license in North Dakota. Fortunately, according to the North Dakota State Board of Medical Examiners, no action has been taken on his applications sent in June and August because they were missing required documentation. According to Dr. James Thompson, president and CEO of the Federation of State Medical Boards, it is not unusual for disciplined doctors to depart and apply for licens ing in another state. He further elucidates that almost 85 percent of doctors who had disciplinary action taken against them in 2005 were licensed in multiple states. VA officials have now found that Veizaga-Mendez was involved in at least a few of the nine deaths that occurred during a six-month period during his tenure at Marion. In response to these deaths the hospital director, chief of surgery and two others have resigned or been placed on administrative leave. Now his negligence has gone beyond the patients and has affected others livelihood.

Posted by Scott J. Eldredge at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's likely that Wyoming and the rest of the country are headed for another medical malpractice issue, said Wyoming Sen. Charlie Scott, R-Casper. However, he and others in the state are looking for alternatives to the current system to improve patient safety while still controlling insurance premiums. "It's entirely predictable," Scott said in response to the issue. "We are looking for something that is different than caps. They are not an effective solution." Scott was one of more than 50 people who met in Cheyenne to discuss ways to reduce medical errors by looking at the medical malpractice system. The Wyoming Healthcare Commission brought in several experts from across the country to talk about what other states and countries are doing and where the nation should be headed in malpractice reform. Some speakers said the state could look at an administrative approach to malpractice, taking the blame away from doctors and looking at the entire hospital or health care system. They said this would encourage more reporting of errors and address system breakdowns. In many cases the error is not one person's mistake, they said. There has been little done with patient safety, said Dr. Larry Kirven, a physician at Buffalo Family Medical Center. He said the system does not help prevent future errors. It instills fear in physicians and causes them to create adversarial relationships with their patients or practice defensive medicine. He said there needs to be a culture shift that puts the trust back in the patient-doctor relationship.

The proposed solutions suggested that the state might look at a system that improves compensation to patients. This gives patients the incentive to report errors instead of waiting for the hospital or physician to. It was also suggested to form a panel of medical experts to assess each case and offer compensation as opposed to the legal system. It would be helpful to create a database of all judgments to improve consistency among decisions. Instead of blaming a specific physician for the mistake, the panel would look at all factors, assess trends and work with the health care institution to prevent similar errors in the future. What to do with those few "bad apples" in the medical community; it was suggested that filing a separate case against the doctor by the patient or health care facility. Sen. Scott said a system like this could work in Wyoming. He said the state already has a similar system in place for the worker's compensation system and he would like to see some kind of pilot project that works with some of these ideas. Kirven said he wants to see patients get more compensation, feedback on every error and better use of technology to prevent errors. "We definitely need to change the system on both sides of the fence, on the medical side and the legal side," Kirven said. "Medicine is not the same as it was 20 years ago and malpractice law probably hasn't changed in 40 or 50 years."

Posted by William L. Simpson at 06:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A family’s boy is brain-damaged and will never walk or talk because of a bad delivery at a Boston teaching hospital. The family says they now have the answers they sought after a $26.5 million jury verdict in their favor. “It’s a relief. We finally found out what happened to Jose,” said Jose Bejarano Sr., whose 10-year-old son, Jose Jr., has cerebral palsy and requires around-the-clock care. “We asked questions before and we never had an answer.” A Suffolk County jury issued the verdict Thursday Oct. 11th. The damages against two doctors are believed to be the largest medical malpractice award this year and one of the biggest in state history, Bejarano’s attorney said. Bejarano and his wife, Maria, said the money allows them to continue to care for Jose at home. Jose uses a wheelchair, eats through a feeding tube and cannot care for himself. He communicates with his eyes. One of the Bejaranos’ attorneys said the doctors during the delivery did not recognize the signs of fetal distress and didn’t perform a Caesarean section fast enough the morning of March 14, 1997.

Posted by Scott J. Eldredge at 02:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The National Academy of Neuropsychology based in Colorado in cooperation with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) have developed a series of educational DVDs to be delivered at the start of 2008 targeted at amateur and professional players, their parents, physicians and coaches covering information on how to recognize concussions, seek proper evaluation and when it is safe to return to the game. The NFL and the NHL have agreed to sponsor the program. These educational DVDs will increase awareness of concussion and promote scientific guidelines that will help minimize the effects of traumatic brain injury. There is excellent medical care and resources for the professional level but most high school and college programs lack them. The goal of the DVDs is to prove the importance of quick recognition and treatment of concussions and to safeguard the athlete until his brain has healed enough to play. The DVDs will be di stribu ted through leagues, sports organizations and the medical establishment who treat them. Organizations interested in securing a copy should contact the NAN office at (303) 691-3694. The DVDs are slated to be ready by January 2008.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A two-year-old New Hampshire law that was supposed to speed up the processing of medical malpractice lawsuits has slowed things down instead. The law created special screening panels designed to encourage people to settle or drop their suits. In a report last month, Superior Court Chief Justice Robert Lynn said only eight of the 131 cases filed since the law was enacted had been screened. Another 34 of the cases were settled before they could be screened. The panels were supposed to cipher weak or losing cases, encourage more people to settle and ultimately lower malpractice insurance rates. The panel hearings were to be held within six months in most cases. Parallel court dockets were to be opened, but no trial could be held until after a screening hearing. Critics say the results to date show the law adds to the time and cost of resolving malpractice cases, the exact opposite of what it is supposed to do.

Posted by Scott J. Eldredge at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Andrew Flusche graduated with a J.D. from the University Of Virginia School Of Law. He works for American Life League as a public policy analyst and legal researcher. Here is an excerpt of a document he recently wrote:

“Hormonal birth control drugs are well-known causes of breast, cervical and liver cancer. The hormones increase the risk of breast cancer 20 to 30 percent for up to 10 years after the woman stops taking the medication. A recent British study tried to debunk the cancer risk, but went on to show that taking hormonal birth control for over eight years does increase the risk of cancer. The International Agency on Cancer Research found that the risk of cervical cancer increases by more than 50 percent after five years of birth control use, and that the risk doubles after 10 years of use. Blood clots are another common risk of hormonal birth control and these can lead to deep vein thrombosis, heart attack or stroke. Studies generally agree that hormonal birth control users face a blood clot risk three to six times greater than women not on birth control. Furthermore, the risk for smokers and women over 35 is significantly greater. Finally, birth control drugs that contain desogestrel ("third-generation" pills) double the risk of blood clots, on top of the already-increased risk of other hormonal birth control. What many women may not know is that hormonal birth control also harms their bones. A Women's Health Initiative study concluded that there is a statistically significant increased risk of fractures among birth control users. Also, a 2007 study of female military cadets found that hormonal contraceptives negatively impact skeletal formation. These same studies point out that peak bone density is reached by age 25, so the birth control risk is acute among young women whose bones are still forming.

Birth control drugs create two primary targets for lawsuits: manufacturers and healthcare providers. The risks and side effects of hormonal birth control open up both of these groups to potential liability, so they must be examined each in turn. Manufacturers bear liability for their products when they fail to warn consumers about the product's hidden risks. Standards vary among the states, but plaintiffs typically prevail by showing that the manufacturer knew (or should have known) about the risk and did not warn the plaintiff. The plaintiff's injury from the product must also be within the undisclosed risk category. Healthcare providers can also be liable for injuries to a patient from a drug they prescribed. Providers must obtain the informed consent of a patient for any treatment or medication. The provider must explain the medication to the patient, along with possible risks and side effects. Failure to properly explain the risks of a drug can render the provider liable if the drug harms the patient. Both these types of suits certainly depend on a variety of factors. Laws vary by state, including the standard of care that providers must meet and the standard that manufacturers are judged against. Also, the specific injuries caused by hormonal birth control differ among affected patients. However, the key point for this discussion is that women can sue for health detriments caused by birth control.

What should you do? If you have suffered an injury that might be linked to hormonal birth control, you should contact an attorney. Your potential claim might expire with the passage of time, so be vigilant. Perhaps more significantly, awareness is vitally important. Women and young girls simply do not understand the harm that these "liberating" drugs can do to their bodies. They do not comprehend their legal rights. To find out more about the risks of specific birth control products, consult brochures available from American Life League. Spread the message that companies like Ortho McNeil and Planned Parenthood can be taken to court for harm to women from birth control drugs. Spread the message to help save lives.”

Posted by Seth A. Katz at 04:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Children and adolescents injured in bicycle accidents are more of a concern for their health than previously thought. The cost of bicycle related injuries to children and adolescents are nearly $200 million in hospital inpatient charges every year. Researchers estimate that of the 85 million bicycle riders, approximately half of them are children or adolescents under 20 years old. The researches Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital found that more than a third of those children who are hospitalized have received a traumatic brain injury. Bicyclists can usually avoid this type of brain injurie by wearing a bicycle helmet at all times. Researchers want to promote strategies to lessen both the number and the severity of bicycle accidents and deaths. The researches go on to say that helmets could reduce the risk of injuring the brain by as much as 85 percent. Yet, everyday there are children in American who are riding bicycles without wearing any type of helmet or other protective device. Bicycle accidents send more children to hospital emergency rooms than any other recreational sport in the United States. Nearly 10,700 children are hospitalized every year because of the injuries they suffered while riding their bicycles.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 01:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The following home-related products represent the categories contributing to the highest number of estimated head injuries treated in 2006. These figures were tabulated utilizing the NEISS 2006 Head Injuries report. The top 10 home products causing the highest number of head injuries are: Floors or Flooring Materials, Stairs or Steps, Beds or Bed frames, Tables, Ceilings and Walls, Chairs, Bathtubs or Showers, Doors, Sofas and ladders. Taking a few minutes to make simple changes around the home can help prevent falls and potentially life-altering or fatal head injuries. The AANS offers these fall/head injury prevention tips:

Inside the Home

•Secure loose electrical cords and put away toys and any other items that are lying around.
•Use safety gates and install window guards.
•Buy bath mats and rugs with slip-resistant backing.
•Secure rugs and lift them periodically to inspect the backing for wear.
•Do not walk on slippery, freshly washed floors and avoid floor waxes.
•Install grab bars and handrails if you are frail or elderly.
•Improve the lighting in your home; dim lighting can increase the risk of falls.
•Install night lights in halls and bathrooms, and keep a flashlight near your bed.
•Store products in easy-to-reach places; use stepstools/ladders only when absolutely necessary.
•Check all stair railings and steps.
•Do not wear any clothing that can interfere with your vision.
•Wear proper shoes with slip-resistant soles.

Outside the Home

•Remove ice and snow from trafficked areas.
•Inspect and remove debris from walkways, driveways, porches, and yards.
•Inspect and remove debris from lawns before mowing or gardening.
•Store outdoor equipment properly.
•Make sure that ladders are stable and secure before using them.

The AANS has more information on injury prevention online at http://www.NeurosurgeryToday.org, under Patient Safety Tips.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

According to the American Association Neurological Surgeons, 2006 national statistics indicate that there were an estimated 1.1 million people treated at U.S. hospital emergency rooms for head injuries related to common products found around the home. Many of these injuries are caused by falls, especially among older adults age 65 and older and children age 4 and younger. The AANS offers tips on how to help prevent falls and potentially life-threatening head injuries. According to the AANS, the number of actual head injuries is probably higher. Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI), with TBI accounting for 46 percent of fatal falls among older adults. Children age 4 and younger are also at high risk of falling. TBI is the primary cause of death and severe injury in children who suffer falls. The following are just a few of the true-life scenarios reported in 2006, from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), an entity within the CPSC:

•An 18-month-old toddler fell off a barstool at home and fractured his skull.
•A 2-year-old toddler had a television fall on her head and she was dead on arrival at the hospital.
•A 27-year-old man fell down 7-8 concrete steps in his home, injured his head, and died in the emergency room.
•A 45-year-old woman fell out of the shower, injured her head, and died in the emergency room.
•A 54-year-old woman fell down 10 stairs in his home and died from anoxic brain injury.
•A 66-year-old man fell out of his recliner chair, became unresponsive three hours later, and died from intracranial bleeding.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 04:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As an active duty soldier returning home from Iraqi in 2004, Joel Patrick Leger faced an experience shared by many veterans. He felt isolated, in need of someone to help him make the transition back to civilian life. Leger spoke about his isolation while in the company of fellow veterans and mental health providers at an all-day summit held Friday Oct 12th at Central Connecticut State University. The Summit for Returning Veterans was convened by Gov. M. Jodi Rell and co-sponsored by the state Department of Veterans' Affairs and CCSU's Center for Public Policy and Social Research. Its goal was to identify the needs of state veterans returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as the needs of veterans from the Persian Gulf War. More than 200 recently returned veterans, family members, service providers and state policy-makers participated in the summit. Participants were broken up into eight focus groups to discuss issues and find recommendations to common problems. The areas covered were health care, mental health and substance abuse, employability training, education and benefits, family issues, the issues of women veterans and traumatic brain and head injuries. At the end of the day, each focus group presented their recommendations. Participants found that heath care access differs in each branch of service, that a traumatic brain injury is often confused with post traumatic stress syndrome, that families of veterans need outside help and support, and that educational benefits are lacking for certain branches of the service.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 12:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The FDA has reviewed 30 postmarketing reports of acute pancreatitis in patients taking Byetta (exenatide), a drug used to treat adults with type 2 diabetes. An association between Byetta and acute pancreatitis is suspected in some of these cases. Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the maker of Byetta, has agreed to include information about acute pancreatitis in the "Precautions" section of the product label.

Patients and their doctors should be alert to the signs and symptoms of acute pancreatitis, including unexplained persistent, severe abdominal pain which may or may not be accompanied by vomiting. If pancreatitis is suspected, the FDA suggests that Byetta should be discontinued, and not restarted until an alternate explanation for the symptoms is identified.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Drug makers pulled cold medicines targeted for babies and toddlers off the market Oct 11th. The decision represented a pre-emptive strike by over-the-counter drug manufacturers prior to government advisers debate over the medicines' fate. It doesn't end concern about the safety of these drugs for children. The withdrawal includes medicines aimed at children under age 2. The Food and Drug Administration and other health groups reported deaths linked to the remedies in recent years, primarily from unintentional overdoses. A remaining question is whether children under 6 should ever take these nonprescription drugs. Baltimore city officials, the Maryland chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and prominent pediatricians around the country filed a petition with the FDA arguing that oral cough and cold medicines don't work in children so young and pose health risks not just for babies but for preschoolers, too. "Pediatricians are taught these products don't work and may not be safe. Yet almost every parent uses them," said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, Baltimore's health commissioner and a pediatrician, who blames ads that over promise relief. The challenge will be to convince parents to try old-fashioned methods, like suctioning out infants' noses or using salt-water nose drops.

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association announced that manufacturers were voluntarily ending sales of over-the-counter oral cough and cold products aimed at infants. The list includes infant drop brands Dimetapp, Pediacare, Robitussin, Triaminic, Little Colds and versions of Tylenol that contain cough and cold ingredients. CVS Caremark Corp. added that it would also end sales of CVS-brand equivalents. The FDA is bringing its scientific advisers together Oct. 18-19 to debate the issues, but its own preliminary review concluded that very young children shouldn't take some of these commonly used medicines. While the FDA's main focus is on children under 6, it also will ask if there's evidence that these drugs work in children up to age 12. FDA praised the drugmakers' withdrawals as important for protecting babies. Health groups say that while low doses of cold medicine don't usually endanger an individual child, the bigger risk is unintentional overdose. For example, the same decongestants, cough suppressants and antihistamines are in multiple products, so using more than one to address different symptoms, or having multiple caregivers administer doses, can quickly add up. Also, children's medicines are supposed to be measured with the dropper or measuring cap that comes with each product, not an inaccurate kitchen teaspoon. Since "the medicine isn't doing what the family wants, instead of giving as directed every six hours they give every four hours or every two hours," says Dr. Basil Zitelli of the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, who sees such children in the emergency room. "What they in effect are doing is poisoning their child."

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 04:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Lipsticks tested by a U.S. consumer rights group found that more than half contained lead and some popular brands including Cover Girl, L'Oreal and Christian Dior had more lead than others, the group said on Oct 11th. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics said tests on 33 brand-name red lipsticks by the Bodycote Testing Group in Santa Fe Spring, California, found that 61 percent had detectable lead levels of 0.03 to 0.65 parts per million (ppm). Lipstick, like food, is ingested. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a coalition of public health, environmental and women's groups, said the FDA has not set a limit for lead in lipstick. One-third of the lipsticks tested contained an amount of lead that exceeded the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's 0.1 ppm limit for lead in candy, a standard established to protect children from ingesting lead. Lead can cause learning, language and behavioral problems such as reduced school performance and increased aggression. Pregnant women and young children are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure. Lead has also been linked to infertility and miscarriage. The FDA has set strict limits for lead levels allowed in the colors used in lipsticks and analyzes most of these to ensure they are followed. The products identified in the (CSC) report meet these standards.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

An opinion piece written in the Washington Times opinion section claims that legislation to reauthorize the Prescription Drug User Fee Act signed last month could be a death sentence for patients with life-threatening illnesses who depend on new drugs making it to market quickly. All because of prescription drug safety provisions that could delay the approval of new medications. Lawmakers from both parties have accused the FDA of recklessly speeding drugs to market for the sake of corporate profits at the expense of patients in the wake of recent drug safety scares. That attitude prompted many of the changes in the new legislation. However, the authors write, studies conducted by FDA show the rate of drug withdrawals has remained essentially unchanged over the last 25 years, despite rising and falling approval times during that period. The health benefits of faster approval decisions far outweigh the risks associated with the small number of drugs that are eventually withdrawn.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 12:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)