Chicago-Land Personal Injury Lawyer - FDA & Prescription Drugs

Illinois Teen Killed By Amtrak Train

Chrissie Cole — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:29:00 GMT

An Amtrak train struck and killed a 14-year-old Chicago boy in suburban Lansing, Sunday night, police say.

When officers arrived at the Canadian National Railway tracks they found the boy had been struck by an eastbound train… The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office has identified the boy and his family has been notified.

According to officers, the boy had reportedly been trying to cross the tracks with friends before the train came.

The Federal Railroad Administration, in Illinois, estimates that on average there are 175 train accident each year and over 40 train related deaths annually.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Scary Halloween Treats: Keeping an Eye Out for Melamine

Nick Avgerinos — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:09:20 GMT

With the recent development of tens of thousands of Chinese infants falling ill from milk powder that contained melamine, consumers might find it wise to keep an eye on candy products produced in China this Halloween.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has recalled Sherwood Brand’s Pirate’s Gold Milk Chocolate Coins, which were made in China, because they tested positive for melamine. The FDA maintains that the product was only distributed in Canada, but that they are still keeping an eye on the situation.

According to the Akron Beacon Journal, FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Kwisnek said the FDA has taken aggressive action since the melamine scare began in September to ensure the safety of all food, including candy, including additional inspections and testing of imports. She noted that few products containing melamine have been detected and no illnesses have been reported.

Many American candy companies have issued statements that their products are not produced in China, or do not contain any milk.

At this point, the best solution is for candy companies to continue diligent testing to make sure the products are safe. Despite such precautions, the fact that many American companies have candy imported from China is enough of a red flag to play it safe this Halloween and take candy labeled “Made in China” from their children.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Nick Avgerinos

Get Your Fix on the Internet: The New Drug Dealer

Nick Avgerinos — Thu, 22 May 2008 17:43:07 GMT

These days you can find most anything online. It is becoming commonplace to wear a shirt and slacks purchased online from Brooks Brothers, while preparing your meal with food from Peapod, for your newfound flame introduced by Match.com. The newest online frontier? Digital drugs.

Innocently arriving via FedEx, such drugs caused the sudden death of one Kansas man, as his wife divulged to CNN, on the condition of anonymity. She was under the mistaken impression that he was taking Soma at the direction of a physician as treatment for unbearable back pain resulting from a car accident. The reality: he had become addicted to an online fix.

Spotty pharmaceutical regulation has led to a surge in online drug sales. The lucrative market offers many perks to its dedicated base: discounted drugs, quick service, and anonymous ordering. According to Rusty Payne of the DEA, approximately $39 million in cash, bank accounts, property and computers were seized in 2007 pursuant to Internet drug investigations. This figure has more than tripled in the last 3 years. In fact, the DEA has formed an initiative with Google, Yahoo! and AOL to warn people about buying drugs online. Between 2005 and 2007, Payne said the official warning popped up nearly 80 million times.

Here, consumers will do well to follow the old adage: “nothing worth having ever comes easy.” Go to the doctor, get the proper prescription, and, for heaven’s sake, read the label. Although the law may be slow in catching up to common sense, a smart consumer will know better than to cut corners when it comes to her health. Keep in mind that while flesh-and-blood doctors know that they can be held liable for any looming malpractice claims, the Internet, with its often alluring veil of anonymity, offers little incentive for proper treatment.

Perhaps the Kansas widow said it best: “These pharmacy people that are doing this and these doctors that are doing this, they don't give a dadgummit about people. It's just the almighty dollar; that's all it is."

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Nick Avgerinos

Chicagoans: How Safe Is Your Lake Michigan Drinking Water?

Nick Avgerinos — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:41:42 GMT

Today Chicago area citizens have to be asking themselves, “Is our drinking water safe?”

In today's Chicago Tribune it was reported that "Chicago officials have never tested the city and suburban water supply for pharmaceuticals and other unregulated chemicals." For that reason, the Tribune conducted its own testing, and the results are cause for concern and further investigation.

According to the reporters, the tests revealed "tiny amounts of an anti-seizure drug, a common painkiller, caffeine and two chemicals used to make Teflon and Scotchguard" from a sampling taken from Lake Michigan, the source of drinking water for many Chicagoans.

The Tribune reported that while the tests do not show the drinking or tap water is unsafe, the results raise questions about the long-term exposure to drugs in the drinking water. The article further noted that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated that there does not exist conclusive evidence that pharmaceuticals in drinking water affect human health.

For consumers of bottled water, and bottled water companies the test results were encouraging. Tests conducted on bottled water samples from the three best-selling brands in Chicago did not contain any of the chemicals for which tests were conducted, and serve to support the claims from the bottled water industry that their water is clean and safe.

Governmental oversight of the bottled water industry is somewhat different from oversight of public drinking water. Bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration but is not subject to the Safe Drinking Water Act which requires the Environmental Protection Agency to establish national drinking water standards, called maximum contaminant levels, with respect to public drinking water.

Cities and local governments should notify their citizens of those chemicals and contaminants that are tested by their water departments, those that are not tested, the results of the testing, and what steps are being taken to ensure the safety and quality of their drinking water.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Nick Avgerinos