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FDA WARNS MAKERS OF 'BIO-IDENTICAL' HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY
2008-01-14 15:37:00
Advertising may be false and deceptive, agency claimsThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning seven pharmacies that the claims they make about the safety and effectiveness of their so-called "bio-identical hormone replacement therapy" or "BHRT" products are unsupported by medical evidence, and are considered false and misleading.In warning letters sent to the seven, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expressed its concern that such unfounded claims mislead women and health care professionals.The pharmacy operations improperly claim that their drugs, which contain hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and estriol (which is not a component of an FDA-approved drug and has not been proven safe and effective for any use), are superior to FDA-approved menopausal hormone therapy drugs and prevent or treat serious diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and various forms of cancer.Compounded drugs are not reviewed by the FDA for safety and effectiveness, and FDA en...
More About: Makers , Therapy , Hormone Replacement Therapy , Thera

UCLA RESEARCHERS FIND AUTISM GENE
2008-01-14 15:27:00
Evidence comes from families with autistic boysUCLA scientists have used language onset -- the age when a child speaks his first word -- as a tool for identifying a new gene linked to autism. The team also discovered that the gene is most active in brain regions involved with language and thought.Interestingly, evidence for the genetic link came from the DNA of families with autistic boys, not those with autistic girls. The discovery does not offer any immediate treatment but offers clues for future research.About one in 150 children under the age of three is diagnosed with autism. Symptoms range from mild to profound, and include impaired social interaction, problems speaking or communicating, and unusual or repetitive behaviors.The findings, published in the American Journal of Human Gene tics, feature two studies from research teams at Yale and Johns Hopkins that used different methods that pinpointed the same gene. The coincidence suggests that the gene, called contactin-associat...
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FIRST NATIONAL CARD: TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE?
2008-01-14 15:07:00
Skipping the fine print can get expensiveWhile junk e-mail keeps us busy hitting the delete button, unsolicited advertisements and offers through old-fashioned "snail mail" can also sow the seeds of confusion.Not many companies do this better than a Nevada-based credit offer called First National Card .First National Card -- offered by both Consumer Credit Services, Inc. (CCS) and Capital Credit Alliance, Inc. (CCA) -- is one of the most confusing and complained-about credit offers anywhere.Both companies -- CCS and CCA -- reside in the same Las Vegas office building and offer the same products but are owned by two different people. They generate numerous consumer complaints annually to consumer protection agencies, Web sites and just about anyone else willing to listen.Despite the volume of complaints, both companies have largely steered clear of trouble with the law.CCS had a spot of legal trouble in 1998, when the Federal Trade Commission charged that CCS “defrauded consumers na...
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PEOPLEPC SETTLES DECEPTIVE MARKETING CASE
2008-01-14 14:57:00
Earthlink subsidiary will refund hidden chargesIn a settlement with New York, PeoplePC, a subsidiary of Earthlink, has agreed to halt the deceptive marketing of its dial-up Internet service and make refunds to New York subscribers who were billed excessive amounts in undisclosed charges. The company has approximately 1.6 million subscribers nationwide."This settlement with PeoplePC provides relief to consumers misled into making purchases with false statements and deceptive advertising,” said New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo. “Consumers should not be misled into making purchases they would otherwise steer clear of."This settlement sends a message to companies large and small - delivering a product is simply not enough, the promises must be delivered as well,” Cuomo said.The investigation found that while PeoplePC prominently advertised its dial-up Internet service as unlimited and low-cost, offering local telephone connections to access the Internet at prices as low a...
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FOOD PRICES EXPECTED TO SURGE IN 2008
2008-01-14 14:48:00
Think gas is expensive? Just waitConsumers have felt pinched at the gas pump for the last two years, but it may be nothing compared to the squeeze they'll feel at the grocery checkout counter later this year.The warning comes not from government officials or consumer advocates, but a stock market analyst.Donald Coxe, who follows global market trends for Canada's BMO Financial Group, says a surge in commodity prices in 2007 will translate into a similar surge in food prices in 2008 . He told Toronto's Empire Club last week it's going to hit hard, and it's going to hit this year.After years of price stability, why are food prices set to soar? Two reasons.• Growing demandThe first is the same reason that has pushed gasoline prices higher. Growing economies in formerly undeveloped nations have increased demand for food products. The growing middle classes in Bombay and Shanghi want to eat as well as the middle class in Chicago and San Diego.• Ethanol Aggravating the problem is A...
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ANOTHER YEAR OF RECORD PROFITS FOR INSURERS
2008-01-14 14:33:00
Overpricing policies, underpaying claims pays off bigState and national consumer organizations have released a new study concluding that the property/casualty insurance industry continued in 2007 to systematically overcharge consumers and reduce the value of home and automobile insurance policies, leading to profits, reserves, and surplus that are at or near record levels.The study estimates that insurer overcharges over the last four years amount to an average of $870 per household.The report provides data demonstrating that property/casualty insurance companies are paying out lower claims in relationship to the premiums they charge consumers than at any time in decades.The pure loss ratio, the actual amount of each premium dollar insurers pay back to policyholders in benefits, was only 54.6 cents in 2007.Over the past 20 years, the amount paid back as benefits has dramatically declined from over 70 cents per premium dollar, indicating a huge loss in the value of insurance to consu...
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ESCAPE, TRIBUTE CONTINUE FORD FIRE TRADITION
2008-01-14 14:13:00
The little SUVs can go up in flames with no warningA Beaverdam, Virginia home is the latest casualty in the familiar story of a trusted family vehicle erupting into a blazing inferno. This fire occurred just a week before Christmas.The home belonged to a ConsumerAffairs.Com reader named Janet who told us that “we lost everything. I hope enough folks hear about this so that it doesn't happen to anyone else.”Two of Janet's family cats perished in the fire and a third was badly burned and is recovering at an animal hospital. A child was injured by the smoke that filled the house and most of the home's contents were burned as the structure crumbled into ashes.The Beaverdam homeowner blames the fire on her 2002 Mazda Tribute . The small SUV was recalled in May 2007 because of a faulty ABS system. The ABS “module may overheat resulting in burning odor, smoke or fire,” according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall notice. An electrical short, NHTS...
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CAR WARRANTY SCAMS TARGET SENIORS
2008-01-13 13:19:00
High-pressure tactics used to sign up unwary seniorsYou pick up the mail and there’s a postcard warning your car’s warranty is about to expire. It urges you to call a toll-free number to renew it. But be careful – these warnings are often just a clever scam.“These offers target seniors and other car owners with post cards and phone calls that sound urgent,” said North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, whose office is investigating the post cards and calls. “They want to pressure you into buying an expensive car warranty. Don’t let a high-pressure sales pitch talk you into something you don’t want or need.”In the past month, Cooper’s office has averaged around thirty calls a week from consumers who’ve received these post cards in the mail or calls on the phone urging them to renew their car warranties before they expire.Link to complete story: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/200 7/12/warranty_scams.html~Sandy G.
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FAST-ACTING ALZHEIMER'S THERAPY EXCITES RESEARCHERS
2008-01-12 18:33:00
New therapy gets results within minutes, study claimsIt is one of those claims that immediately sounds too good to be true. But researchers say a new therapy, currently used to treat arthritis, appears to reverse the effects of Alzheimer's disease within minutes.The study, published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation, details an Alzheimer's treatment based on administering a therapeutic molecule. It highlights the importance of certain soluble proteins, called cytokines, in Alzheimer's disease."It is unprecedented that we can see cognitive and behavioral improvement in a patient with established dementia within minutes of therapeutic intervention," said Sue Griffin, Ph.D., editor-in-chief of the journal. "It is imperative that the medical and scientific communities immediately undertake to further investigate and characterize the physiologic mechanisms involved.Link to complete story: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/200 8/01/alzheimer_tnf.html~Sandy G.
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FOLLOW-UP TO GEORGIA QUARANTINES PETSMART STORES
2008-01-12 01:58:00
I received the following information from Shana Costarella, PetSmart Corporate Communications:"It is correct that the confirmed cases in our stores in Georgia are confirmed cases in birds, not humans. We know of no confirmed cases of infection in humans associated with any of our stores – customers or associates – from this situation.Additionally, only the birds have been quarantined. The birds have been removed from the sales floor for treatment and the stores are open, safe and doing business."Thank you Shana.~Sandy G.
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SENSITIVITY TO CAFFEINE INCREASES WITH AGE
2008-01-11 14:44:00
Sensitivity to caffeine—the pick-me-up in coffee—tends to increase as you get older. Children metabolize caffeine quicker than adults.About 90 percent of Americans consume caffeine daily. More than half of all American adults consume more than 300 milligrams of caffeine every day, making it America's most popular drug.Caffeine occurs naturally in many plants, including coffee beans, tea leaves and cocoa nuts. It is therefore found in a wide range of food products. Caffeine is added artificially to many others, including a variety of beverages.The most common sources of caffeine for Americans are coffee, tea, colas, chocolate and some over-the-counter medications.Here are some useful numbers to help you determine how much caffeine you take in:• A 6-ounce cup of coffee—100 mg • A 6-ounce cup of tea—70 mg • A 12-ounce can of cola—50 mg • An ounce of chocolate—6 mg • One tablet of Extra Strength Excedrin—65mg • One tablet of Anacin—32 mg • One tablet of Ma...

RECALLS
2008-01-11 03:01:00
Tinker Bell Lamps RecalledKash N' Gold Ltd. is recalling about 60,000 Tinker Bell lamps. The surface paint on the lamps contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.The recalled Tinker Bell lamp has 'Tinker Bell Lamp' printed on the bottom of the lamp. The lamp has a sculpted Tinker Bell in a flower garden with an animation of Tinker Bell swaying back and forth while music plays when the light switch or demo button is depressed.The lamps were sold at electronic and appliance retailers nationwide, including Lowe's from January 2007 through October 2007 for about $40. They were made in Hong Kong.Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled lamps and return them to the store where purchased for a refund or contact the firm to receive a Kash N' Gold merchandise credit.http://www.consumeraffairs.com/rec alls04/2008/tinker_bell.htmlBaby Town Pacifiers RecalledShims Bargain Inc. is recalling about 45,000 Baby Town pacifiers.These pacifiers fail t...

FREECREDITREPORT.COM CAN GET EXPENSIVE
2008-01-11 00:53:00
Opt-out credit reports can run up big bills quicklyAt the beginning of a new year, many consumers check their credit reports, taking advantage of the federal law that allows them once a year to access reports from all three credit reporting agencies at no charge, using www.annualcreditreport.com.However, it's not always all that easy.Many consumers seeking their free credit report apparently go instead to a commercial service -- FreeCreditReport.com, which is currently advertising on TV with youth-oriented commercials.Despite its name, the credit monitoring service which comes with the credit report is not actually free, as Martin, of Hollywood, Florida, discovered late last year."I went to check out the freecreditreport.com site," Martin told ConsumerAffairs.com. There was supposed to be no charge; I am still being charged by Freecreditreport. My bank account is totally screwed up and overdrawn."Link to complete story: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/200 8/01/freecredit.html...

CHILDREN BECOMING PRIME IDENTITY THEFT TARGETS
2008-01-10 12:36:00
Victims are often under six years oldIdentity theft is growing at the rate of an epidemic. Consumers whose identities are compromised can face financial loss and years of frustrating bureaucratic red tape as they try to straighten out their credit histories.When the victims are children, the consequences can be even more damaging. And increasingly, children are becoming targets of identity thieves.Of the more than 255,000 identity theft complaints received in 2005 by the Federal Trade Commission, five percent involved people 18 or younger, an increase from three percent in 2003.According to a recent study by the Identity Theft Resource Center, based in San Diego, the theft usually takes place early in the child’s life. The researchers found that, in 54 percent of the cases, the theft took place before the child was six years old.The study also found that, while parents or other relatives were the most likely perpetrators, other identity thieves increasingly target children for one...
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CHRONIC SINUS PROBLEMS REQUIRE TREATMENT
2008-01-10 12:27:00
JAMA study got it wrong and patients could be the losersAntibiotics and steroid nose sprays don’t work for sinusitis. That’s the take-home message of an article published in JAMA on Dec 5.Well, don’t believe everything you read or hear.In the study published in JAMA, researchers studied 240 people with acute sinusitis, a bacterial infection in the air-filled holes in your head called the sinuses. They treated some with an antibiotic called Amoxicillin, some with a nasal steroid spray, some with both and some with placebo.According to the authors, it is tough to tell a sinus infection from a cold -- which can be true -- and antibiotics and sprays don’t help much, which is only occasionally true.Where did they go wrong?Well, for starters, they used amoxicillin. Somewhere between 20 and 60 per cent of bacteria are resistant to it, so of course it did not work. Perhaps they should have tried a more effective antibiotic, and treated people longer.They only gave antibiotics for 7 ...
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FINDING SAFE TOYS TO GIVE YOUR PET
2008-01-10 12:11:00
Lack of federal oversight leaves consumers on their ownWorried about what toys are safe to give your pets this holiday season?You're not alone.In the wake of ConsumerAffairs.com's investigation that revealed some Chinese-made pet toys contained what a forensic toxicologist called elevated levels of lead and other toxins, dog and cat owners continue to search for safe alternatives."When I was in Petco yesterday I noticed how just about all the toys and all ropes are made in China," wrote pet owner Linda of North Carolina. "My question is . . . do they carry the same risks with lead, chromium, and cadmium?"Many of the dog toys I had purchased from Petco are ropes, and stuffed toys that look like slippers, canes, other holiday designs, and a teething ball. I don't have any plastic toys with a coating except for the teething ball has some kind of coating. But the stuffed toys do have colors in them. I want to know if there are any risks?" she wrote.The American Pet Products Manufactu...
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THIS IS A LITTLE LATE, BUT HERE IT IS ANY WAY
2008-01-10 11:47:00
THE 12 DUDS OF CHRISTMAS 2007 - NO PIPERS PIPING, JUST THE WORST PRODUCTS OF THE YEARSome items under the tree bring joy and satisfaction. Others produce a heartfelt “Bah, humbug!”In the latter category you'll find “The 12 Duds of Christmas,” our annual round-up of the year's worst consumer products. Some are good products poorly produced. Some were simply ill-conceived to begin with. And for some reason, China seemed to play a recurring role in this year’s list.Oh, by the way, we consider only U.S.-based consumer products and services for the Duds dishonor. And no, government agencies and elected officials are not eligible. Good thing too.Here, then, are our picks for “The 12 Duds of Christmas 2007.” 1. Tainted Pet Food 2. Peter Pan & Great Value Peanut Butter 3. Simplicity Cribs 4. Aqua Dots 5. Ford Trucks 6. Subprime Mortgages 7. Whirlpool Water Heaters 8. Compass, Westlake, & YKS Tires 9. Fisher Price, et al 10. Comc...
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FEDS SHARE COUPONS TO HELP TV TRANSITION
2008-01-10 11:20:00
Millions of $40 government coupons became available Tuesday to help low-tech television owners buy special converter boxes for older TVs that might not work after the switch to digital broadcasting.Beginning Feb. 18, 2009, anyone who does not own a digital set and still gets their programming via over-the-air antennas will no longer receive a picture.That's the day the television industry completes its transition from old-style analog broadcasting to digital.The converter boxes are expected to cost between $50 and $70 and will be available at most major electronics retail stores. Starting Tuesday, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration will begin accepting requests for two $40 coupons per household to be used toward the purchase of the boxes.Viewers who have satellite or cable service will not need a box.To request a coupon, consumers can apply online at starting Tuesday. The government also has set up a 24-hour hotline to take requests, 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-88...
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GEORGIA QUARANTINES PETSMART STORES
2008-01-10 11:11:00
Outbreak of bird disease a threat to humansThe Georgia Department of Agriculture is quarantining all PetSmart stores in the state and a Superpetz store in Martinez, Georgia, after psittacosis, a bird disease that can be transferred to humans, showed up in birds at two stores.The disease primarily affects parrots, parakeets and other members of the parrot family. It is treatable but can be fatal to the birds. Only in rare cases does it infect poultry.The disease produces flu-like symptoms in humans, but it does not respond to treatments for the flu. The disease is especially dangerous to the young, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems such as persons with chronic disease, AIDS or HIV infection or those taking chemotherapy for cancer.Link to complete story: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/200 7/12/ga_petsmart.html~Sandy G.
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FEDS PROBE AIRBAG FAILURES IN BMWS
2008-01-10 00:32:00
Inquiry could lead to a recallFederal safety regulators are investigating reports of front passenger seat airbag failures in roughly 330,000 BMW cars and SUVs.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defect Investigation reports that “the passenger frontal airbag may malfunction and render the passenger airbag inoperative.”The models that are part of the NHTSA investigation include 2004 to 2006 BMW 5 and 7 series sedans, Z4 convertibles and X3 SUVs, as well as 2006 BMW 3 and 6 series cars and X5 SUVs.NHTSA said there have been “729 non-duplicating owner reports and 23,739 non-duplicating warranty claims” for faulty airbags in BMW vehicles.The air bag warning light and the status light for the passenger air bag may come on, indicating an open circuit in a seat sensor, according to the agency. When both lights are on, the air bag will not deploy, NHTSA said.Link to complete story: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/200 8/01/nhtsa_bmw_airbags.html...
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RECALLS
2008-01-10 00:11:00
Intermatic Recalls Digital TimersIntermatic is recalling about 8,500 DT27 Digital Self-Adjusting Timers. The recalled timers could have been wired incorrectly, which poses an electrical shock hazard to consumers.This recall involves the Intermatic DT27 digital self-adjusting timer with a date code of “04B.” This product is a lamp and appliance timer and is packaged as either the “DT27C Heavy Duty Digital Timer” or the “DT27CL Time All® Digital Lamp and Appliance Self-Adjusting Timer.”The timer is white with a rounded top, and measures 3 7/8” tall by 2 3/4” wide by 1 5/8” deep. The brand name “Intermatic” is molded on the front of the timer, and the model number (“DT27”) and date code (“04B”) are printed on the back of the timer.The times were sold at retailers nationwide, including Home Depot and Lowe’s, from February 2007 through December 2007 for between $15 and $25. They were made in China.Consumers should stop using the recalled timer immediately...

CAT'S DEATH BLAMED ON CONTAMINATED FOOD
2008-01-09 14:56:00
Disputed lab tests found acetaminophen in Menu Food s' Special KittyConsumerAffairs.com has -- over the past several months -- told you about this Rhode Island feline who waged a medical comeback last year after eating Special Kitty food that a private laboratory said contained acetaminophen.Jessica's owners made the difficult decision on December 26 to euthanize their beloved feline."She started having her lungs fill with fluid," said owner Carol V. "She couldn't tolerate the thyroid medicine as it put her back in renal failure. ... After fighting 10 months to keep her alive, it is so hard to let her go."As we reported earlier, 15-year-old Jessica nearly died last year after eating Special Kitty cat food made by Menu Foods of Canada.Carol's second cat, Smudge, also became seriously ill after eating the tainted food."To say the food made them sick is an understatement," she said. "It nearly killed them."Link to complete story: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/200 8/01/pet_fo...
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FACEBOOK'S "SECRET CRUSH" MALICIOUS WIDGET TRICKS USERS
2008-01-09 14:29:00
Facebook users faked into downloading adware, security firm saysA "widget" application used on the Facebook social network site promises to tell you who has a secret crush on you, but instead tries to trick you into downloading spyware.That's according to security firm Fortinet, which says it discovered the sneaky Secret Crush malicious code in the last few days, which appears so far to have infected about three million Facebook users."Nobody knows who designed this, but this 'Secret Crush' malicious-code widget tells you someone has a 'Secret Crush' on you, and if you want to find out who it is, you first have to invite five friends to use it by using the Facebook invitation process," says Guillaume Lovet, Fortinet's manager for its threat-response team in Europe. Link to complete story: http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/010 308-facebook-secret-crush.html~Sandy G.
More About: Widget , Tricks , Users

HTML TUTORIALS
2008-01-08 17:31:00
The following are links to free HTML tutorials:HTML Code TutorialW3 SchoolsIntroduction To HTMLThe Bare Bones Guide To HTML~Sandy G.
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RUSSIAN COMPUTER PROGRAM FAKES CHATROOM FLIRTING
2008-01-08 08:13:00
Internet chatroom romantics beware: your next chat may be with a clinical computer, not a passionate person, trying to win your personal data and not your heart, an online security firm says.A Russian website called CyberLover.ru is advertising a software tool that, it says, can simulate flirtatious chatroom exchanges. It boasts that it can chat up as many as 10 women at the same time and persuade them to hand over phone numbers.An Australian anti-virus software firm, PC Tools, has warned that the software could be abused by identity fraudsters trying to harvest people's personal details online. The Russian site denied it was intended for identity fraud.The program, so far available only in Russian, will go on sale around February 15, just after St Valentine's Day, said the CyberLover.ru website.Link to complete story: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=russi an-computer-program~Sandy G.
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SAFETY RECALLS A SIGN OF SUCCESS?
2008-01-08 02:51:00
Recalls viewed too negatively, safety czar insistsIt's a rare day in Washington that an agency head expresses pleasure with the press. So it was no surprise when the head of the nation's consumer safety agency chastised reporters for looking on the dark side of the recent spate of product recalls.Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington, Nancy Nord, acting chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), said the press has treated product safety recalls as though they represented a failure instead of a success.Everytime there is a recall, it indicates the agency has done its job, Nord said.Nord also said she had an announcement to make. She said the agency is expanding its relationship with U. S. Customs through a new Import Surveillance Division.Link to complete story: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/200 8/01/cpsc_nord.html~Sandy G.
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'TOXIC' WATER BOTTLES TAKE TOP SPOT IN DUBIOUS DATA AWARDS
2008-01-06 18:38:00
Statisticians take on 2007's scariest headlinesConsumers are bombarded daily by stories reporting new health, environmental and product safety hazards. But many of those stories are exaggerated or just plain wrong, says the non-profit Statistical Assessment Service (STATS).In this year's "Dubious Data Awards ," STATS, which is affiliated with George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., picked stories about plastic water bottles, toxic iPhones and "killer mattresss," among others. It also questioned reports of widespread injuries from "exploding" Pyrex and other glass crockery."The annual Dubious Data Awards... highlights the top-ten abuses of science and statistics in the media," said spokesman Don Rieck. He said the awards are part of the group's attempt to "correct scientific misinformation in the media resulting from bad science, politics, or a simple lack of information or knowledge."Link to complete story: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/200 8/01/stats.html~Sandy G.
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DRIVING WHILE PHONING GUMS UP TRAFFIC, STUDY FINDS
2008-01-06 17:19:00
Distracted drivers slower to reactTalking on a cell phone while driving is not only dangerous, but a new study shows it also be to blame for traffic jams.Researchers at the University of Utah suggest motorists who talk on cell phones drive more slowly on the freeway, pass sluggish vehicles less often and take longer to complete their trips."At the end of the day, the average person's commute is longer because of that person who is on the cell phone right in front of them," said University of Utah psychology Professor Dave Strayer, leader of the research team. "That SOB on the cell phone is slowing you down and making you late.""If you talk on the phone while you're driving, it's going to take you longer to get from point A to point B, and it's going to slow down everybody else on the road," said Joel Cooper, a doctoral student in psychology.Cooper is scheduled to present the study in Washington during the Transportation Research Board's annual meeting later this month. The boar...
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ANTIBIOTIC LEADS TO TENDON RUPTURES
2008-01-06 16:14:00
Public Citizen sues FDA seeking faster actionDespite long-standing evidence that fluoroquinolone antibiotics can cause tendon ruptures, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has failed to increase its warnings to patients and physicians about the dangers of the medicines, Public Citizen told a federal court today.Public Citizen sued in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, asking the court to force the FDA to act upon a petition the consumer group filed with the agency 16 months ago.The FDA has failed to respond to the petition, which asked the agency to put a “black box” warning on fluoroquinolone antibiotics (such as Cipro, Levaquin and others) to make doctors and patients more aware of the risk of serious tendon injury before tendons actually rupture.The petition also urged the FDA to send a warning letter to physicians, as well as require an FDA-approved medication guide to be dispensed when prescriptions are filled.Public Citizen contends that the FDA is vi...
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MAN USING GPS DRIVES INTO PATH OF TRAIN
2008-01-06 14:28:00
Computer consultant escapes rental car before fiery crash A Global Positioning System can tell a driver a lot of things — but apparently not when a train is coming.A computer consultant driving a rental car drove onto train tracks Wednesday using the instructions his GPS unit gave him. A train was barreling toward him, but he escaped in time and no one was injured.The driver had turned right, as the system advised, and the car somehow got stuck on the tracks at the crossing. He jumped out and tried to warn the engineer by waving. He got out of the way just before the train slammed into the car at 60 mph, Metro-North railroad spokesman Dan Brucker said Thursday.Link to complete story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22493399/~San dy G.
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