Cherry Hill, New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyer - CDC

Nestle Toll House Cookies May Contain E-Coli – Protect Your Kids

Mike Ferrara — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:21:40 GMT

After getting reports of food-borne illnesses in 28 states that seem to have been caused by its cookie dough, Nestle is recalling 300,000 cases of it as a precaution, suspecting that it may be contaminated with E-coli bacteria.

E. coli is a dangerous bacterium which can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and kidney failure, especially in young children, the elderly, and those with weak immune systems. It was recently found in contaminated beef from Illinois producer Valley Meats. Hundreds of consumers became sick from the E-coli in these products.

The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are urging any consumers with pre-packaged, refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products to throw them away immediately. They are also asking that restaurants and retailers stop serving Nestle Toll House products, for the sake of their customers’ health.

According to the CDC, 66 people have become sick and twenty five have been hospitalized after eating raw cookie dough since March.

Nestle issued a statement saying, "While the E. coli strain implicated in this investigation has not been detected in our product, the health and safety of our consumers is paramount, so we are initiating this voluntary recall."

"We really want to remind consumers that raw cookie dough should not be eaten," she said. -CNN

Anyone who becomes sick after eating Nestle Toll House cookie dough should contact his or her doctor to check for the presence of E-coli.

If you have been sickened by these or other contaminated consumer products, contact The Ferrara Law Firm to find out more about your right to compensation.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Ferrara

Husband of Swine Flu Victim Sues US Pig Farmer Smithfield Foods for Wrongful Death

Camryn Hansen — Wed, 13 May 2009 20:12:31 GMT

The husband of 33 year-old Judy Trunnell, the first US resident to die from the swine flu, or H1N1 virus, has filed a lawsuit against the Smithfield Foods, the American owner of the Mexican pig farm thought to be the virus’ birthplace.

Contradicting health officials’ reports that Trunnell had “chronic” health problems which contributed to her death, Trunnell’s husband Steven claims she was always in excellent health. She had delivered a baby girl by C-section only a few days before her May 5 death, after being admitted to the hospital with flu symptoms and slipping into a coma shortly afterward.

The petition filed Monday in state district court in Cameron County seeks permission to conduct depositions for a possible wrongful death claim against the $12 billion company.

“Take a million pigs and put them into a relatively small area and it creates a breeding ground for certain things,” [Steven Trunnell’s attorney Marc] Rosenthal said. “We believe that the evidence may show that it was ground zero for swine flu.” - Lynn Brezosky, Express News

Smithfield Foods, who shares ownership in the world’s largest pig farm in Veracruz, Mexico, has made no comment on the lawsuit.

Steven Trunnell said he first approached a lawyer about health officials telling news media his wife had “chronic” underlying respiratory problems. The CDC later said Trunnell “had a history of psoriasis and mild asthma.”

Trunnell said his wife did not have asthma, though she was prescribed an inhaler, which he said was her first ever, for a recent cold.

“I wanted to get to the bottom of them misinforming the press as well as violating any privacy issues,” Trunnell said. “The first time I read it I was appalled. I can't even express the words. I'm not blaming the press as much as I'm blaming whoever's giving them the information.” -EN

According to the CDC, about 20 swine flu cases in the US are pregnant women, whose health it is closely monitoring.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Camryn Hansen

A Little Late, FDA Issues New Safety Guidelines for Companies Using Peanuts

Mike Ferrara — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:59:24 GMT

In the wake of a salmonella outbreak in peanut products from the now bankrupt Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), which, according the CDC, sickened at least 683 people and killed 9, the FDA issued safety guidelines this week to all companies using peanut products. It said that it may begin to seize whose products which test positive for salmonella bacteria.

The FDA advises that although salmonella bacteria are generally heat-sensitive, they can become heat-resistant in high-fat environments such as peanut butter. Salmonella can also survive in products like peanut butter or peanut paste when the peanuts used to make them are not roasted properly. Baking peanut butter into cookies and crackers can be insufficient to kill the bacteria if the temperature is too low, or is not kept constant. And products like ice cream, which are both frozen and high in fat, actually protect salmonella bacteria.

In light of these facts, the FDA is urging food manufacturers to buy peanut products “only from suppliers with validated processes in place to adequately reduce the presence of Salmonella species.” It’s also urging companies to check for salmonella in the products they manufacture.

We have to ask ourselves: why only now is the FDA recommending that manufacturers pay attention to where their products come from and whether or not they’re tainted with life-threatening bacteria? They should have been doing this already. We trust them (with our lives—literally) to do it. Because they did not, a total of 3,235 products have been recalled, and a full two months after the discovery of salmonella in PCA’s products, consumers are still reporting serious illness from salmonella complications. It’s unconscionable that it should take these kinds of events for the FDA to “urge” companies to take responsibility for the safety of their products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Ferrara

Everyone Over 13 Should Be Routinely Tested for HIV - American College of Physicians Urges Doctors to Practice Early Detection

Camryn Hansen — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:50:38 GMT

When it comes to routine screening for HIV, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommend that all patients under 64 be routinely tested for HIV, except in rare cases where the patient’s population carries the virus at rates less than 0.1 percent. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends routine HIV testing for any patient who engages in behaviors that put them at risk for contracting the virus.

Taking a slightly more comprehensive approach to prevention, the American College of Physicians is now urging doctors to routinely screen all of their patients age 13 and up for HIV, whether or not their population is at risk, and whether or not they admit to engaging in risky behavior.

[M]ost patients don’t tell their doctors about their risky behaviors, said Dr. Amir Qaseem, senior medical associate with the American College of Physicians, a professional group that represents internists. Moreover, it is almost impossible for a physician to know what the H.I.V. prevalence rate is among certain patients, Dr. Qaseem added.

“Right now it’s estimated 1 million to 1.2 million Americans have H.I.V., but 24 to 27 percent are undiagnosed or unaware of their infection,” Dr. Qaseem said. “We’re recommending clinicians just adopt routine screening in their patients.”

The college set no upper age limit on testing because 20 percent of people with H.I.V. are over 50 years of age, Dr. Qaseem said. He said clinicians should decide whether repeat screening is required on a case-by-case basis. –Roni Caryn Rabin, NY Times

Though the CDC implemented its recommendations two years ago, today still only 1 to 2 percent of US emergency rooms routinely test for HIV, partly due to a lack of funding, since many states have no system for reimbursement.

Here’s hoping that doctors all over the country will take the new recommendations from the American College of Physicians to heart, and test more patients for HIV. Out of an estimated 1 to 1.2 million Americans living with HIV, roughly 25% are unaware that they are infected. Early detection not only increases a patient’s survival rate by allowing effective treatments to be promptly administered, but sharply decreases the inadvertent spread of the HIV virus.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Camryn Hansen

More Salmonella Outbreaks Tied to Dry Dog Food from PA Plant – Simple Steps to Protect Yourself

Mike Ferrara — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:02:02 GMT

According to US health officials, eight more cases of people infected with salmonella have been traced to dry dog food.

As of October 31, 79 cases of infection from a specific strain of salmonella, salmonella Schwarzengrund, had been reported across 21 states, with most of the cases involving children 2 or younger.

According to epidemiologist Dr. Casey Barton Behravesh, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has linked the outbreak of this very specific strain of bacteria to pet food produced at a single Mars Petcare U.S. plant in Everson, PA. In September, the plant recalled over 23,000 tons of dry dog and cat food sold under 105 brand names for being tainted with salmonella, and on October 1, it permanently closed.

Despite the plant’s closing, Barton Behravesh says, the threat salmonella infection still exists because “since dry pet food has a one-year shelf life, it is possible that contaminated products…could still be in the homes of ill persons and could lead to additional illness.”

Pet owners should check their dry pet food to see if it was manufactured by Mars Petcare U.S. If so, they should check the company's website to see if it was included in the September recall.

Young children are particularly vulnerable to salmonella because they're smaller, and thus more likely to get sick from small doses. According to the CDC, most infections were caused by simply feeding a pet.

So far, no animals have been reported infected by the outbreak.

Some very simple steps can be taken to protect yourself and your family against pet food borne salmonella. These include regularly washing your pet feeding bowls to prevent the growth of bacteria; thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or more after handling dry pet food, including treats; and being careful to keep dry pet food from touching your food preparation surfaces.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Ferrara

Bug Bombs Outlawed in New York State for Causing Illness and Explosions - Be Careful About Spraying Any Chemical in Your Home

Mike Ferrara — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 09:30:00 GMT

The state of New York has decided to make “bug bombs” unavailable for public store purchase after a federal report revealed that misusing the indoor foggers can cause illness as well as devastating explosions.

Last week, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis said that the agency will begin classifying the foggers “restricted-use” when their pesticide registrations come up for periodic review in the next few months.

Under the new law, only certified pesticide applicators will be able to obtain the indoor foggers in New York State.

One can’t help but conjure up images of disgruntled New Yorkers smuggling bug bombs in their cars across the New Jersey border. Don't do it, guys! They were banned for a good reason.

Last week’s report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cited 466 fogger-based illnesses and/or injuries in eight states, including 123 in New York, between 2001 and 2006. About 80 percent of the illnesses were minor (included coughs, burning eyes, and headaches) and required no medical treatment, but 18 percent were moderate (nausea, vomiting, cramping, shortness of breath) and required medical attention, and 2 percent were severe. 21 people had to be hospitalized for a day or more, and a baby died the night after her apartment was fogged.

While many of the cases were attributable to people not following the directions on foggers and either using too many at a time or not leaving the room after igniting them, some occurred when foggers were set off in apartment buildings and the pesticides were circulated to other residents through the ventilation systems.

Perhaps more shocking, foggers can also cause explosions when their pesticide clouds are ignited by pilot lights in stoves and water heaters. Bug bombs have been blamed for between four and eight apartment explosions in New York City over the past few years. In January, bug bombs blew off the roof of one Texas resident’s house.

Though the CDC recommended instating warning campaigns about bug bomb safety rather than publicly banning their use, New York City's health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Frieden, praised the DEC for the ban, citing New Yorkers’ health as paramount.

On a tangential note, recent studies have linked pyrethrins, the pesticides that the foggers release, to the development of autism in unborn children.

If you are considering indoor foggers, please be aware of and seriously consider the risks of these pesticides, and follow all written directions exactly.

While you're at it, be careful about spraying any chemical in your home. The jury is still out on some of the harmful effects of household chemicals, but why take the risk? Avoid using nail polish removers, hair sprays and insecticides in your home. Avoid using "air fresheners" in your car. When you use these products, you are breathing in and absorbing harmful chemicals. It is time for regulatory agencies to begin studying the long term effects of these indoor pollutants on your health, but until they get around to it, play it safe and don't subject yourself to them.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Ferrara

Why is HPV Vaccine Gardasil Sweeping the Nation, and Should You be Worried? Merck’s Aggressive & Underhanded Marketing Reminds Me of Vioxx. Part I

Mike Ferrara — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:23:55 GMT

As the Center for Disease Control (CDC) announces that its the Merck vaccine Gardasil is now being used by one in four US girls ages 13 to 17, and more and more state governments and other programs are suddenly recommending the vaccine to girls as young as nine, it’s important to take a step back and ask ourselves how and why this vaccine has become so urgently popular.

Merck executives and marketing specialists say that it’s because Gardasil prevents certain strains of human papilloma virus (HPV) which can lead to cervical cancer—something every young woman simply needs to protect herself. Cervical cancer, admittedly, can be deadly. Worldwide, it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women, with 500,000 new cases developing each year.

What Merck marketing campaigns will not tell you is that almost 95 percent of cervical cancer deaths occur in developing countries, where pap smears are not standard medical practice for sexually active women. In countries like the United States, where women frequently get pap smears to detect the abnormal cells that could lead to cervical cancer, so that these cells can then be removed with techniques such as lasers, cryotherapy, and occasionally surgery, actual deaths from cervical cancer are considered rare. In the US, 3,600 women die every year from cervical cancer, and most of these women, according to Laurie Markowitz, head of the HPV working group at the CDC, do not get regular pap smears.

Of course, Merck is not marketing its HPV vaccine Gardasil to young women in countries in Africa, where the vaccine is generally too expensive for widespread (and yet no doubt effective) use; Merck is marketing it to Americans.

And Merck is marketing hard. It has aired hip, savvy-lifestyle-oriented ads for Gardasil before the film “Sex in the City,” on YouTube, and during ad breaks between “Law and Order” segments. Gardasil.com offers free “sharing tools” to “get the message out” like e-cards, desktop wallpapers, event planners and even t-shirt iron-on designs. Girls who are given their first vaccine dose (3 are needed for the best protection against HPV and genital warts) can opt for a text messaging service letting them know when they’re due for their next dose. Perhaps not surprisingly, for these efforts Merck took home all of the 2008 Pharmaceutical Advertising and Marketing Excellence awards, and Pharmaceutical Executive Magazine named Gardasil its Brand of the Year.

As Merck has gotten the public energized about Gardasil, it’s also helped to launch exciting cervical cancer awareness campaigns around the country, by arranging unpublicized financing of scientific and patient groups who’ve helped to get the word out about the threat of cervical cancer. Because vaccines, unlike other drugs, can be mandated by governments, Merck has also been aggressively lobbying politicians and legislators around the country. Already, 41 states have passed or introduced cervical cancer legislation, and 24 are working on proposals to mandate the Merck vaccine for young teenage girls.

Continued in Part II.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Ferrara