An interesting new piece of evidence recently came to light at a trial against Pfizer in Philadelphia. Internal memos suggest that Pfizer actually believed that Zoloft caused birth defects in pregnant women for years, perhaps providing the smoking gun that was missing in previous Zoloft cases. The News A jury…
Nearly 2,000 HeartWare Ventricular Assist Systems (VAS) are being recalled because of potentially faulty power supply connectors. The defect could lead to serious injury or death in the event that power failure causes the entire system to stop working. The Recall The FDA issued a Class I recall for certain…
I recently heard that if we all keep taking antibiotics we will be responsible for creating the “superbug.” The theory is that since the advent of antibiotics nearly a century ago, we have caused bacteria to become so resilient that normal antibiotics will be ineffective in the not so far future.…
Recently, we told you that new studies are reporting that men who have used Viagra for ED had a significantly elevated risk of melanoma. New studies prove there’s yet a new concern. One of the most well-recognized brand-name medications, Viagra is used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) by relaxing muscles…
If you want an erection, Viagra seems to work. Over 23 million men a year can’t be wrong. It is easy to joke about, but it is obviously a great thing for many men. But for the last 16 years since Viagra received FDA approval in 1998, we have been…
New research may indicate a bit of good news for the Da Vinci Surgical System. A study published by the Journal of Endourology indicates that surgeons may reduce the risk of a ureteral injury during robotic prostatectomies. Good news for Da Vinci? Through proper preoperative evaluations and planning, surgeons may identify…
The concerns over the anti-seizure drug Potiga were given new weight by a new black box warning. The problem is concerns of possible vision loss and blue discoloration of the skin that can be permanent. The FDA says that anyone who considers this drug should get an eye examination both…
Plaintiffs’ counsel in the Aredia/Zometa MDL are asking the judge overseeing the coordinated litigation to remand the over 300 consolidated cases. Why? Discovery is not over. Some people may not live to get their day in court The fear is that the plaintiffs are dying. Quickly. These cases have been…
Promoted as an alternative to traditional spinal surgery, Medtronic Infuse is a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) that is designed to encourage bone growth and fuse the gaps between vertebrae. Infuse Bone Graft Side Effects When Medtronic first initiated studies in 1999 on BMP, researchers discovered that 70 percent of patients…
The promise of robotic surgery is exciting. A recent study has raised additional questions about the need for robotic-assisted surgery in many cases. The research suggests that the da Vinci surgical robot should be reserved for much more complicated procedures that cannot be easily handled by laparoscopic surgery. At the…