How a Small, Independent Pharmacy in Connecticut is Alerting Americans to Dangerous Prescription Drugs
Like other pharmacies, Valisure
is in operation to turn a profit. It purchases medications from wholesale
operations, adds a modest markup, then resells them to retail outlets and
health care institutions. There is one major difference that sets Valisure apart:
they test every product that comes through their lab. As a...
What Has Caused the Shortage of Shingrix – the Shingles Vaccine?
Shortly after the FDA granted
approval for Shingrix in 2017, the Centers for Disease Control recommended it
over the older shingles vaccine, Zostavax. Reports of serious side effects from
Zostavax have also resulted in a growing demand for Shingrix – and now,
patients looking to receive a shingles vaccine are finding...
Popular Antidepressant Recalled Over Contamination Fears
The FDA recently reported a recall for the anti-anxiety medication
alprazolam due to concerns about the “potential of foreign substance.” The
drug's manufacturer, Mylan Pharmaceuticals, issued a recall for one lot of the
medication, which is better known by its brand name Xanax.The product...
Knee Replacement Surgery Doesn’t Help in 20 Percent of Cases – Why is it Being Done so Often?
Between 1999 and 2008, the number
of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for patients with arthritis went up by 100
percent. As Americans get older and continue to pack on the pounds, it is
expected that the annual number of knee replacements will hit 3.5 million
within the next decade. Yet one...
After Decades of Denial, J&J Recalls Baby Powder Because of Asbestos
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently discovered asbestos
fibers after testing a sample of Johnson & Johnson's Baby Powder that had
been purchased from an online retailer. This has led to the recall of a
single lot of the product – and the news could not have come at...
Talc Cancer Risk Spreads to Popular Cosmetics
As Johnson & Johnson continues to fight allegations that the
talc in its Baby Powder contains cancer-causing asbestos, two cosmetics manufacturers
have issued voluntary recalls of popular products in which recent FDA testing
revealed asbestos contamination.According to a recent FDA notification, the products in question...
“It’s Deja Vu All Over Again” – Is the History of Big Tobacco Repeating With e-Cigarettes?
According to the Centers for Disease Control, “vaping” among teenagers nearly doubled
between 2017 and 2018. Today, more than 20 percent of high school students
admit to having used e-cigarette products. That translates into 3 million
underage youth who have been drawn into the practice of “vaping,” allegedly due
to aggressive,...
FDA Orders Flavored “Vape Juices” Pulled From the Market
As part of its efforts to prevent underage youth from using e-cigarette products, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has ordered four manufacturers to stop sales of over 40 different flavored vape liquids. The agency cites violations of regulations that were instituted in 2016, although enforcement has...
The (Literally) Dirty Little Secret About Duodenoscopes
The duodenoscope is a very handy
invention which allows physicians to see “inside” a patient’s digestive tract and
makes it easier to diagnose pancreatic diseases and gall bladder issues.
However, there is one major problem. They are virtually impossible to sterilize.Because of this, thousands of
patients...
Florida Pharmacy Faces Federal Lawsuit Involving Abilify
A US Attorney in Florida has
filed federal lawsuits against a Jacksonville pharmacy and its parent company over
allegations that the anti-psychotic medication Abilify (aripiprazole)
was improperly added as an ingredient to a proprietary topical pain relief
compound. The situation was brought to the government's attention by an
employee. The lawsuits were...