Drug & Medical Devices

Johnson & Johnson Considers $3 Billion Settlement

Healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson is reportedly contemplating a massive settlement agreement with patients injured by their DuPuy unit’s ASR Hip Implant. Bloomberg News reports that “five people familiar with the matter” revealed that J&J may be willing to pay more than $300,000 per case, pushing the total settlement amount over $3 billion if...

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Differences Between Criminal Cases and Civil Trials

Criminal and civil cases differ in many ways. As the table at the bottom of this page illustrates, the legal proceedings can vary widely. Procedural rules affect everything from the parties involved to the types of evidence which may be admitted. Generally, because a defendant faces far greater consequences in a criminal trial, the...

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Patient Crushed by Medical Equipment

A patient was killed in a shocking accident in New York at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center. The 66-year-old veteran was crushed when a gamma camera fell on him during a routine diagnostic procedure on June 5th. The massive Infinia Hawkeye 4 gamma camera involved in the fatal accident weighs more than...

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Children’s Medical Devices May Pose Safety Issues

When it comes to medical devices, one size does not fit all. Parents and other caregivers who experience problems with pediatric medical devices are being encouraged to report any issues with the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA wants this information to help them assess any safety issues and conduct any needed follow-up investigations....

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Decongestants May Cause Birth Defects

A new study reveals that using over-the-counter decongestants during pregnancy may increase the risk of a child being born with birth defects. Scientists at the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University interviewed nearly 20,000 mothers to find out what drugs they had taken while they were pregnant. What they found was a link between...

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China Charges Drug Company with Bribery

Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline has been accused of bribing government officials and doctors to boost its drug sales in China. According to Chinese officials, the British drugmaker was involved in a conspiracy involving hundreds of millions of dollars that has spanned several years. Chinese authorities claim that senior Glaxo executives used travel agencies to launder...

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First Non-hormonal Drug Approved by FDA for Hot Flashes

If you've been suffering from hot flashes and night sweats, but were reluctant to take medications with hormones, you now have an alternative. The FDA announced that it has approved Brisdelle, the first non-hormonal drug to treat moderate to severe hot flashes. That’s great news, right? Well, sort of. It turns out the drug...

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FDA stops Antibiotic-Tainted Cattle

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) entered a consent decree of permanent injunction against a Vermont dairy farm for selling cows and bull calves, containing illegal amounts of antibiotics, for food. According to an FDA press release, the decree prevents Lawson Farm from purchasing or selling any animals for use as food unless...

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What is off-label drug use?

In the United States before a drug is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it must undergo extensive testing. These tests, known as clinical trials, are used to determine if a drug safely works the way it is expected, to treat a specific medical condition. Once the FDA is satisfied that the...

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Illegal Online Pharmacies Shut Down

Faced with mounting medical bills, American consumers have flocked to the internet in search of “Canadian Pharmacies” selling bargain-priced prescription drugs. What they may not know is that the drugs may actually come from overseas and many of the websites are illegal, selling dangerous unapproved medications. The FDA released a statement yesterday stating that...

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