Patients who say they were injured by wealthy corporations must possess great fortitude as they seek justice in the civil system, as has been reaffirmed by the courts in California and Oklahoma that rejected separate cases involving the harms of prescription painkillers. All the parties in the two matters agreed that Big Pharma’s opioid drugs….
Continue ReadingPain
Biden nominates Robert Califf to reprise his Obama-era role as FDA chief
Robert Califf, a cardiologist and President Biden’s “new” nominee to head the federal Food and Drug Administration, is a familiar face around the agency and Washington, D.C. Califf served as the FDA commissioner before — winning U.S. Senate confirmation and holding the important post for the last year of the Obama presidency. He is 70….
Continue ReadingFirst six months of ’21 set U.S. record for road deaths
2021 has become a torment for the safety of the nation’s roads, as the country between January and June hit its largest six-month percentage increase in fatalities in the half-century U.S. officials have kept such records. In the first half of ‘21, 20,160 people died in vehicle wrecks — an 18.4% increase over the comparable….
Continue ReadingWomen will receive more disclosures about risks of breast implants
Federal regulators have toughened the requirements for surgeons and medical device makers to inform women in detail about rising risks associated with breast implants, which also now will carry the government’s sternest warning — a “black box” label cautioning about the products’ potential harms. The implant alarms, announced after years of complaints by patients, include….
Continue ReadingHealth experts offer anti-drug strategy and fret over cigarette sales spike
Americans have gotten stark reminders of the nation’s struggles with harmful substances and how the coronavirus pandemic has worsened these problems, with the Biden Administration outlining its strategy to combat the opioid abuse and drug overdose crisis and Big Tobacco reporting a rare spike in cigarette sales. The opioid crisis — which is sending the….
Continue ReadingNothing to see here? Consultant advises drug makers — and their regulators
When Big Pharma gets jammed up by federal regulators overseeing what may be risky prescription drugs, what to do? How about hiring the help of a powerful, secretive business consulting company — which also happens to be advising the feds on how best to regulate drug companies? That’s the gist of yet more disturbing findings….
Continue ReadingFake pills, laced with lethal fentanyl, are circulating widely, U.S. warns consumers
Federal officials have sharply escalated their battle with opioid painkiller abuse and overdoses, issuing an urgent public warning that street drugs of many different varieties may be tainted with tiny but lethal doses of the synthetic painkiller fentanyl. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Justice Department also provided stark evidence of the risks involved,….
Continue ReadingWith $ billions but no apologies or remorse, notorious opioid bankruptcy settles
In a landmark opioid painkiller case, a federal bankruptcy judge has approved what potentially may be a $10-billion settlement. It included a plutocratic clan winning sweeping protections from further civil lawsuits by pledging to fork over $4.5 billion from their family fortunes. Despite the seeming bounty in this case, the Purdue Pharmaceutical payout also may….
Continue ReadingWorse than feared: Drug overdoses rose 30% to record levels during pandemic
“It’s huge, it’s historic, it’s unheard of, unprecedented, and a real shame. It’s a complete shame” That quote, reported by the New York Times and made by Daniel Ciccarone, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, tragically summarizes the latest federal data on the opioid abuse and drug overdose crisis. As….
Continue ReadingSharp reminders of the need to watch out for dangerous doctors
Patients, politicians, and regulators may find it tough to believe, so they need sharp periodic reminders: While there are many terrific, dedicated doctors working today, there also are some truly terrible ones. And dealing with the harms of medical malpractice by the incompetent and abusive can require courage and vigilance. Perhaps a new, streamed Hollywood….
Continue Reading