In July 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it will be taking enforcement action against manufacturers of unapproved, prescription ear drop products that are labeled to relieve ear pain, infections and inflammation. The drugs, which have been prescribed and used for many years to relieve ear pain and swelling have not been [...]
The right to be forgotten is on its way to becoming a statutory right in European countries that are part of the EU, but it is not a principle that is recognized in the United States – yet. However, the nonprofit consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog it working to change that. Consumer Watchdog is urging [...]
When you experience a medical emergency, like breaking a bone or suffering a traumatic brain injury in car accident, your first thought might be to seek out the ER at your local hospital. A company based in Texas, however, is attempting to change that system by launching its chain of freestanding emergency rooms throughout the [...]
St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida has been embroiled in controversy over its pediatric open heart surgery program since CNN did an investigative report about the astronomically high mortality rate for the infants in the program. As many as eight infants have died in the pediatric open heart program at St. Mary's [...]
Two inmates in Massachusetts state prisons are suing the state prison system for failing to provide Hepatitis C drugs to prisoners infected with the disease. The National Lawyers Guild and the Prisoners' Legal Services have filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Boston on behalf of Emilio Paszko and Jeffrey Fowler, who both [...]
In an increasingly connected world, consumers can feel a bit trapped between the desire to both take advantage of all of the perks of a high tech world and being secretly terrified that their private information could fall into the wrong hands. Each time a consumer signs up for a new online service they are [...]
The Washington Post recently reported on a new synthetic drug being sold over-the-counter in gas stations and liquors stores throughout D.C. The drugs, sold under the names K2, Scooby Snax, Crazy Clown, Bizzaro and Spice (to name but a few), are synthetic forms of marijuana. A public warning has been issued about the dangers of [...]
“Medical malpractice premiums have increased beyond the ability for doctors to afford them, which has resulted in higher health care costs and doctors relocating to areas with cheaper coverage. The high number of ‘frivolous’ lawsuits have caused liability payments to soar, which in turn drives up the cost of healthcare….” The previous statement, according to [...]
The concierge medicine model is becoming more and more popular. There are several different types of concierge medical practices, but what is emerging as the traditional format is where the patient pays an annual fee for direct access to a physician. The medical practice profits from the fee but then it also bills insurance companies [...]
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in two cases that the deadline for filing lawsuits against the federal government can be extended in cases where the plaintiff did their best to comply with the rules. Justice Elena Kagen wrote: "The time limits in the FTCA are just time limits, nothing more." This ruling gives judges the [...]
