Officials Seek Reports Of Tobacco-Related Adversity
If an individual suffers adversity related to a medical device or a drug, the Food and Drug Administration hopes that he or she or their doctor files a report on that product through the MedWatch system. This allows the agency to keep track of hazards that could be indicative of serious and widespread problems, and… read more
Registration Rule Gets Early Response From Compounders
Two years ago, compounding pharmacies were in the spotlight after an outbreak of fungal meningitis claimed the lives of 64 people and sickened hundreds more. Officials were able to trace the contamination back to the Framingham, Massachusetts-based New England Compounding Center. The issue brought to light a serious problem with compounders, pharmacies that formulate medications… read more
Heating Your Home With Safety In Mind
California is large enough that there can be numerous types of weather patterns in place throughout the state, so while some people may get to bask in the warm glow of the sun, others are struggling to cope with the cold weather tearing through their area. If you’re living in the latter type of area… read more
Crash Risk Leads to Recall of 667 Zero Motorcycles
S, FX, DS, and SU motorcycles of the 2012 and 2013 model years are being recalled by Zero Motorcycles because of an issue that could prohibit the motorcycle from being able to draw power. 667 motorcycles are thought to be affected by the recall, which was issued upon the discovery that system faults could cause… read more
An Examination Of Hot Air Balloon Safety
A new report from National Public Radio takes a look at the state of hot air balloon safety. Between 2000 and 2011, there have been 169 incidents in which such a conveyance crashed to the ground, leading to various injuries and five fatalities. One doctor interviewed for the story noted that injuries are usually fractures… read more
8,900 Coby Televisions Recalled For Possible Fire Threat
8,900 televisions from the now-defunct Coby USA are being recalled by 11 of the retailers that stocked the equipment because of safety concerns associated with the flat-screens. Affected televisions are 32 inches, have TFTV3229 as their model number, and were available across the country between August 2011 and this past November. The failure of an… read more
Pete Kaufman Examines The Ethical Implications Of Mass-Tort Claims
In this month’s issue of Advocate, Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP’s own Pete Kaufman has contributed a valuable story focused on the ethical concerns that may arise during the litigation of mass-tort claims. After giving a brief history of mass-tort, which has its genesis in relatively recent actions against the tobacco and asbestos industries,… read more
FTC Cracks Down On Deceptive Marketing of Dietary Supplements
In the modern world, officials take claims made in marketing quite seriously. Should a product make an unsubstantiated claim that seems dubious, it can get the company behind the item on the radar of the Federal Trade Commission, and enforcement actions could follow if it’s determined that what was said was unproven or patently misleading…. read more
Be Wary When Skiing Through Avalanche Territory
If you’re going to be skiing this winter, then it’s imperative you do so with the utmost caution. In addition to the hazards you’ll face navigating various obstacles on tougher treks, the biggest danger you may have to circumvent is that posed by an avalanche. Whenever you’re in an area where that is a possibility,… read more
Autonomous Vehicle Tech Not Limited To Smaller Cars
Automotive technology continues to progress at a breakneck pace. Current vehicles are already equipped with lane departure warnings and forward collision alerts, and the future holds Vehicle to Vehicle Communication that allows automobiles to interact with one another to reduce the risk of an accident. And perhaps no technology is more promising that the self-driving… read more
Ensure Safety When Pipes Burst
We’ve previously discussed what can be done by residents of cold weather locales to prevent pipes from freezing during the winter, but one thing we haven’t really focused on is what steps to take when those precautions fail and the pipes freeze over anyway. When this happens, the pipes are in danger of rupturing, flooding… read more
Pedestrian Safety Issues Continue To Plague San Francisco
Pedestrian safety continues to be an issue in San Francisco, where three fatalities have already taken place since New Year’s Eve. A new report takes a look at those tragedies and the efforts of those within the city to make improvements to cycling and pedestrian safety. The next half a decade will see $17 million… read more