Consumer Alerts

10 things that can kill you in the hospital
- Consumer Alerts
- May 24, 2013
Dr. Leana Wen outlines the 10 most common medical errors that can occur in the hospital. Wen stresses that it's very important to look out for these things if you or a loved one will be receiving medical care. Huffington Post, 4/3/2013
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Doctors’ Lucrative Industry Ties
- Consumer Alerts
- May 19, 2013
New reporting laws are shining a light on the widespread extent of payments and gifts from drug and device companies to physicians, a practice which has been rampant for decades. Companies often treat doctors to dinner, pay them to attend lectures, and underwrite conferences and continuing medical education courses. This all begs a serious question
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Diagnostic Errors Are the Most Common Medical Mistake
- Consumer Alerts
- May 8, 2013
Concerned about the countless medical misdiagnoses he witnessed as a medical resident at a Boston hospital, Dr. David Newman-Toker has been working to address the problem. He and his colleagues reviewed 25 years of medical malpractice claim payout data from the National Practitioner Data Bank and reported their findings in the journal BMJ Quality and Safety.
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FDA warns of ‘Z-Pack’ dangers
- Consumer Alerts
- March 22, 2013
The FDA has issued a health warning for the most widely prescribed antibiotic for bacterial infections (including bronchitis and pneumonia). The drug is sold as Zithromax or Zmax, but it is commonly known as 'Z-Pack.' The FDA says it could trigger potentially irregular heart rhythms and could be deadly for some patients with heart problems. wtnh.com, 3/14/2013
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Nationwide study casts a wide net over seafood fraud
- Consumer Alerts
- February 24, 2013
A new study reveals that seafood sold in the U.S. is often mislabeled; this seafood has been swapped for species that are cheaper, overfished, or dangerous to eat. Consumers can avoid falling victim to seafood fraud by buying whole fish, which are easier to identify, and not trusting prices that seem too good to be
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Energy Drinks’ Health Hazards For Adolescents
- Consumer Alerts
- February 12, 2013
Many energy drinks have ingredients which can have a harmful effect on adolescent health, especially when mixed with alcohol, says a news report published in Pediatrics in Review. Medical News Today, 2/6/2013
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Rossen Reports: Metal water bottles can endanger kids
- Consumer Alerts
- January 18, 2013
Popular metal water bottles are posing a surprising danger as kids are getting their tongues stuck inside and undergoing serious procedures to be freed. Today Health, 1/9/2013
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Acetaminophen overdose a danger during flu season
- Consumer Alerts
- January 18, 2013
Acetaminophen is found in many drugs taken for the flu that, when overused, can lead to liver damage, major health problems or even death. Dr. Donald Gardenier, an assistant professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, says of acetaminophen, "It's easy to take extra because its hidden in so many medications." The Acetaminophen Awareness Coalition's
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Deaths from Prescription Drug Overdoses Skyrocket
- Consumer Alerts
- January 9, 2013
Overdoses on prescription drugs are at an all-time high and are becoming a very serious issue. The Today Show, 12/31/2012
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General Motors recalls various 2013 Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC vehicles
- Consumer Alerts
- January 9, 2013
GM is recalling 54,686 model year 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, and Tahoe; and GMC Savana, Sierra HD, Sierra LD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. Manufactured between November 7, 2012, through December 18, 2012, the vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal
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Subaru recalls a variety of vehicles including Legacies and Outbacks
- Consumer Alerts
- January 9, 2013
Subaru is recalling nearly 634,000 vehicles as follows: model year 2010 and 2011 Legacy and Outback vehicles; model year 2006 through 2012 Tribeca vehicles sold before January 2012; and certain models year 2009 through 2012 Forester vehicles sold before January 2012. It has been found that these models may have a potential electrical problem that
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Many patients unaware of radiation risks from CT scans
- Consumer Alerts
- January 9, 2013
Researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine's radiology department in Seattle surveyed 235 patients who had undergone non-urgent computed tomography (CT) or single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) cardiac scans from February through December of 2011. About a third of the patients said they did not know that the scans exposed them to
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Maryland bans arsenic in poultry — first state to do so
- Consumer Alerts
- January 9, 2013
As of Jan. 1st, Maryland has become the first state to ban arsenic in poultry. Arsenic has been known to cause an array of health issues, including heart disease, diabetes and neurological problems in children, if too much of it is consumed. Arsenic was approved initially by the FDA before the government agency learned of
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Food labels sometimes wrong, cause allergic reaction
- Consumer Alerts
- December 24, 2012
The Food and Drug Administration and manufacturers have issued 20 recalls in the last 60 days for undeclared allergens in food products, including Chicken of the Sea tuna, which had undeclared soy; two kinds of Wegmans brownie mix with undeclared milk; and two kinds of ice cream with undeclared pecans, according to FDA records. An ABC
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Ladder Safety: Don’t Get Decked While Decking the Halls
- Consumer Alerts
- December 24, 2012
It's not rare for homeowners to fall when attempting to hang holiday lights and decorate their home. Falls off ladders, roofs or pieces of furniture not meant to support weight sent more than 13,000 people to the emergency room at the end of 2010. Half were hospitalized. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has developed ladder
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