The popular smoking cessation drug Chantix was prescribed to 13 million people alone in 2010. Now, a new study published in the Canadian Medical Journal says the anti smoking drug leads to an increased risk for heart problems. Researchers pooled data on 14 studies of Chantix and found smokers who take the drug have a 72% increased chance of serious heart problems. “We had smokers without any evidence of heart disease, and that is where we found substantial increase risk of cardiac events,” says Dr. Sonal Singh of Johns Hopkins School of … [Read more...]
Man Stung by Scorpion on Commercial Flight
July 5, 2011 By
Imagine feeling a slight pinch and a lot of pain while being 30,000 feet in the air. That’s exactly what one Oregon man got when he was stung by a scorpion during a commercial flight from Seattle to Alaska. The man told KPTV in Portland he was trying to sleep on a red Alaska Airlines flight when he felt something in his sleeve. He tried to brush it away, but that’s when he felt the crawling sensation again. He looked down and saw the creepy-crawler. "I picked my hand up and said, `Oh, my God. That's a scorpion.'" The passenger … [Read more...]
Actos banned in France after Drug Linked to Bladder Cancer
June 27, 2011 By
Are Americans in Danger? Actos has been pulled from the shelves in France and Germany after the popular diabetes drug was linked to bladder cancer. The prescription drug is typically used in the U.S. along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar levels in treating type 2 diabetics. It was suspended because of concerns saying it gave patients an increased risk of developing bladder cancer. CBS News reported the French Medicines Agency pulled Actos in addition to the pill Competact - a drug that combines Actos and the popular diabetes drug … [Read more...]
Auto Safety Group calls for Recall for Jeep Grand Cherokee
June 24, 2011 By
A consumer protection organization is calling for a recall of Jeep Grand Cherokees made from 1993 through 2004. The group says the vehicles can catch on fire when hit from behind. According to the New York Times, the Center for Auto Safety claims the Grand Cherokee’s fuel system is more dangerous in such a collision compared to competing vehicles built at the same time. The Center for Auto Safety petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to recall the dangerous vehicles back in 2009. Clarence Ditlow of the … [Read more...]
Yaz Birth Control Claims Continue
June 23, 2011 By
A distraught mother is suing the maker of Yaz birth control claiming her daughter died from a fatal blod clot she received after taking the birth control pill. , the 18-year-old a freshman at Elon University in North Carolina, collapsed on her way to class last September. The autopsy discovered that she had a fatal blood clot that lodged in her lung and caused her to suffer a heart attack. Her mother says she believes that her daughter would be alive today if she had not been taking the birth control pill Yaz. She said that the prescription … [Read more...]
$55M Award for Chinese Drywall
June 16, 2011 By
Approximately 500 million pounds of potentially toxic Chinese drywall were imported into the United States between 2004 and 2008. That’s enough to build nearly 100,000 homes! Homes built with faulty Chinese Drywall have a distinct “rotten egg” type odor which is emitted from the drywall and can corrode and damage your air conditioner, appliances, and cause health problems. According to court documents and a statement, a Florida-based drywall supplier and its insurers have reached a preliminary $55 million verdict with hundreds of Florida … [Read more...]
CPSC Investigating Burn Accidents and Citronella Gel Fuel Firepots
June 15, 2011 By
NAPA Home and Garden Inc., Firepot Under CPSC investigation The Consumer Product and Safety Commission started an investigation last week into serious burn incidents connected to gel fuel that is used in firepots. While the investigation is still ongoing, consumers should be aware of the potential hazards including severe burn injuries can occur from using illuminating fuels in firepots, tiki torches, and other products. Given the number of serious burn injuries reported over the past couple of weeks, you should strongly consider not … [Read more...]
Charla Nash Face Transplant a Success
June 10, 2011 By
Charla Nash, who was mauled by Travis the chimpanzee back in 2009 recently received a rare facial transplant. The surgery provided Nash with a new forehead, nasal area, lips, facial skin, facial-animation muscles and nerves from a deceased donor. (The exact date wasn’t disclosed to protect the privacy of the donor.) Although Nash is still recovering from the surgery, her daughter told the Today show that she looks “fantastic.” Over time, the transplanted tissues will take on the shape of Nash's underlying bones and muscles. While Nash … [Read more...]
Rapper Flo Rida arrested on DUI Charge
June 10, 2011 By
Another celebrity has been charged with driving under the influence. This time it was Rapper Flo Rida. Fortunately, no one was injured. Police say Tramar Dillard, better known by his stage name, Flo Rida, was spotted driving his Bugatti erratically in Miami early Friday morning on June 10, 2011. According to the police report, when pulled over, Dillard was slurring his speech and had blood-shot eyes. Police say the rapper told them he’d had a few drinks and did not believe he could walk a straight line. The report then says … [Read more...]
