Medicine.org - Recalls & Warnings

Antipsychotic Drugs Linked to Increased Stroke Risk

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 13:40:36 -0400

According to a new study published in the British Medical Journal, UK researchers have found that all antipsychotic drugs used in psychosis treatment are associated with an increased risk of stroke. The study also found that people who suffer from dementia and use antipsychotic drugs have double the risk of stroke when compared to those who do not suffer from dementia.

Pacifier Recall - It’s MY Binky Recalls Baby Pacifiers for Choking Danger

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:32:38 -0400

Approximately 115,000 personalized pacifiers sold by It's My Binky have been recalled because they pose a choking hazard to babies. Although no injuries have been reported, the pacifier button, ring handle and shield can detach and potentially choke infants.

FDA says jalapeno peppers are source of salmonella outbreak

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:59:00 -0400

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that one jalapeno pepper sample is a positive genetic match with the Salmonella Saintpaul strain causing the current Salmonella outbreak.

The positive sample was obtained during an FDA inspection at a produce distribution center in McAllen, Texas. The pepper was grown on a farm in Mexico, however, that does not mean that the pepper was contaminated in Mexico.

American Heart Association (AHA) Recommends Heart Screening For Children before taking ADHD Drugs like Ritalin

Mon, 05 May 2008 23:09:36 -0400

According to a new recommendation from the American Heart Association, children who have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), also known as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), should be screened for heart problems with an electrocardiogram (EKG) before they are prescribed drugs such as Ritalin.

Drugs used to treat ADHD are stimulants, having the potential to increase both heart rate and blood pressure. In children with heart conditions, ADHD drugs could potentially make them more vulnerable to cardiac arrest and other heart problems. A Food and Drug Administration review of its own FDA databases found reports of 19 sudden deaths in children treated with ADHD drugs and 26 reports of other problems including strokes and rapid heart rates between 1999 and 2003.

The Cleveland Clinic estimates that the annual rate of sudden cardiac deaths among the approximately 2.5 million children in the US who take medication for ADHD is approximately one to two children per 100,000.

Prior to prescribing ADHD medication, the AHA now recommends that doctors screen children for any personal or family history of heart problems, and perform a thorough heart exam including an EKG. The AHA also recommends testing for children already taking ADHD drugs. Such testing can help identify any previously undiagnosed heart issues and detect abnormal heart rhythms that may lead to a sudden heart attack.

ADHD medications now have labels to warn patients of the possible risks to individuals who have heart defects or other heart problems.

Questions your doctor should ask in a heart screening exam:

Has your child ever fainted during exercise or similar physical activity?

Baby Bottles Made With BPA May Pose Health Risks to Children - Wal-Mart and Toys R Us Stop Selling Bottles with Bisphenol A

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Bisphenol A (BPA), the chemical used to make clear plastic hard and shatterproof, is commonly used in many baby bottles and reusable water bottles. The newest information indicates that the chemical could pose health risks to humans.

The U.S. National Toxicology Program has concluded that "there is some concern for neural and behavioral effects in fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposures," and that there is "some concern for bisphenol A exposure in these populations based on effects in the prostate gland, mammary gland, and an earlier age for puberty in females."

Dozens of Different Drugs found in U.S. Drinking Water including Antibiotics, Mood Stabilizers, Sex Hormones and Pain Medicine

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:26:00 -0400

What is in your drinking water? When you think of the possible contaminants that could be in your water, you don’t usually think of pharmaceutical drugs. But an Associated Press investigation has uncovered a disturbing concoction of pharmaceuticals in the municipal drinking water of at least 41 million Americans.

Humane Society Sues USDA to Close Loophole Leading to the Largest Beef Recall in U.S. History

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:19:49 -0500

The Humane Society of the United States has filed suit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to close a dangerous loophole in the agency's regulations that contributed to the recent recall of more than 143 million pounds of beef. The recall was initiated after an HSUS undercover investigation documented shocking acts of animal cruelty to non-ambulatory or "downer" cattle at a slaughterhouse in Chino, California. Watch the undercover video now

40,000 Patients Potentially Exposed to Hepatitis, HIV due to Clinic's Re-Use of Syringes in Unsafe Injection Practices

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:42:26 -0500

About 40,000 patients of the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas are being urged to get tested for bloodborne diseases like hepatitis and HIV. It is reported that anesthesiologists exposed patients to infection by using multiple-dose vials of medications and re-using syringes between individuals.

Patients were exposed to these unsafe injections between March 2004 and January 2008. So far, doctors have found six acute cases of hepatitis C in patients from the center.

Fentanyl Patch Recall – Overdose Danger Prompts Second Recall in a Week for Patches Containing Painkiller Fentanyl

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:18:31 -0500

Patches sold by Actavis South Atlantic are being recalled because of a defect that could cause them to leak, putting patients or caregivers at risk of overdose.

The recalled patches have the company's name on the outer carton, and the company's old name, Abrika Pharmaceuticals, is printed on the pouches containing the patches. Damaged patches should not be handled.

This is the second recall involving fentanyl patches within a week. On February 12, PriCara recalled patches made by its affiliate, ALZA Corporation.

Undercover Animal Cruelty Video Prompts Largest Beef Recall in US History

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:39:32 -0500

The USDA has ordered a massive recall of 143 million pounds of beef from Westland/Hallmark Meat Co., affecting beef products dating back to Feb. 1, 2006. This is the largest beef recall to date in the United States.

Actavis Announces Recall of Pain Patches containing Fentanyl

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 09:05:57 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Morristown, NJ -- February 17, 2008 -- Actavis Inc., the United States manufacturing and marketing division of the international generic pharmaceutical company Actavis Group hf, today announced that 14 lots of Fentanyl transdermal system CII patches sold in the United States by Actavis' subsidiary Actavis South Atlantic LLC are being voluntarily recalled from wholesalers and pharmacies as a precaution.

PRICARA™ RECALLS 25 mcg/hr DURAGESIC® (fentanyl transdermal system) CII PAIN PATCHES

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:15:54 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Raritan, NJ – February 12, 2008 – PriCara, Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. said today that all lots of 25 microgram/hour (mcg/hr) DURAGESIC® (fentanyl transdermal system) CII patches sold by PriCara in the United States and all 25 mcg/hr fentanyl patches sold by Sandoz Inc. in the United States are being voluntarily recalled as a precaution from wholesalers and pharmacies. The recalled patches all have expiration dates on or before December 2009, and all are manufactured by ALZA Corporation, an affiliate of PriCara. The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. All 25 mcg/hr fentanyl patches manufactured by ALZA and sold in Canada also are being recalled.

Caffeine During Pregnancy Increases Risk of Miscarriage, New Study Says

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:21:33 -0500

High doses of daily caffeine during pregnancy -- whether from coffee, tea, caffeinated soda or hot chocolate -- cause an increased risk of miscarriage, according a new study by the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. The study controlled, for the first time, pregnancy-related symptoms of nausea, vomiting and caffeine aversion that tended to interfere with the determination of caffeine's true effect on miscarriage risk. The research appears in the current online issue of American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Veggie Booty Snack Recalled

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 21:31:14 -0400

Update on Tainted Veggie Booty Snack Food
FDA Testing Confirms Presence of Salmonella Contamination
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today confirmed that a strain of Salmonella Wandsworth bacteria found in Veggie Booty snack food is responsible for the disease outbreak that occurred between March and June 2007.

Epidemiological testing conducted by the Minnesota Agricultural Lab previously implicated Veggie Booty snack food as the source of the outbreak. The results of FDA’s own testing added confirmation.

More Contaminated Pet Foods Found – Lab Finds Lethal Doses of Acetaminophen in Pet Foods not Included in Prior Recalls

Sun, 10 Jun 2007 13:14:59 -0400

A Texas laboratory has found a new type of contamination in dog and cat food: Acetaminophen. The pain reliever can be toxic or lethal to pets, especially cats. Worried pet guardians are frustrated and angry that neither the FDA or the lab (ExperTox Inc. in Deer Park, Texas) have released the names of the pet food manufacturers involved, despite the fact that it has been over a month since the initial lab results.