Defects and Recalls

Product recalls happen all the time—and we hear about them for food or baby products on television and in the news whenever they happen. They also make it easy for us to tell if we have one of the affected products by the barcode, expiration date, or lot number. Similarly, drugs and medical devices get…

Every motor vehicle has the potential to be involved in deadly collisions. We accept these risks every time we get behind the wheel or even in the passenger seat, and we have developed safety methods and preventative practices to help avoid as many accidents as possible. Aside from teaching new drivers the ways of the…

When a patient undergoes surgery, either in a hospital or a surgical center, the surgeon may use electricity to cut through the tissue. Electrosurgery has a number of benefits, but one dangerous and significant drawback: the risk of an operating room fire. Though OR fires are rare – there are about 650 a year, and…

When we have a baby, we do everything in our power to ensure that they are well taken care of; they get the clothes that they need, the toys that they want, and the food that is best for them. There is only so much we can do, only so much we can prepare for.…

How much time would you guess goes into developing a medical device for the marketplace? It does not take as long as some people would think. All it requires for a medical device to be introduced to the marketplace is a period of three months. If that concerns you, it should. There are definitely some…

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for ensuring that medicine distributed on the market is effectively tested before being consumed by anyone. Even after a form of medicine is distributed on the market, the FDA still has an obligation to American consumers to continue to monitor the medicine for…

A new study has revealed that an experimental stimulant drug, phenpromethamine, which was never approved for oral use, is part of weight loss and sports supplements being sold today. The stimulant, also called Vonedrine, dates back to World War II, when it was sold as a nasal inhaler. It was later withdrawn from the market.…

Technology produces some pretty amazing devices for the medical field that enhance treatment and recovery options. Companies that design these gadgets often rush their products to market by cutting corners such as using subpar materials or not testing as thoroughly as they should to ensure safety. Streamlining medical treatment is big business, but patients shouldn’t…

New parents can so easily become overwhelmed with trying to do everything the right way for their baby. It’s certainly crucial to get the important things right when it comes to health and safety for your newborn or infant. There are so many of these areas to stay on top of that it can be…

Beyond issues surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, medical device recalls have had their fair share of headlines this year. In the second quarter of 2020, the number of medical device recalls increased by over 30 percent. Here’s what you should know. Stericycle Expert Solutions issues annual quarterly reports detailing recalls encompassing the consumer products, pharmaceutical, food…

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating incidents of severe pulmonary disease among individuals who have used e-cigarettes in a number of different states. As of this month, the state of Wisconsin has the most cases, with 16 confirmed and 15 additional under investigation. The respiratory symptoms suffered by patients as…

In 2015, a Miami woman with macular degeneration, an incurable disease leading to permanent vision loss, visited a clinic which promised the extraordinary: a treatment designed to slow down, or even stop, the progression of the disease. The treatment would use stem cells from the patient’s own belly fat. Instead of gaining her vision back,…

Most doctors and the public think that the FDA’s database on defective medical devices should be current and complete. If a product malfunctions, the reasonable expectation is that the doctor can research the device to learn what complaints have been filed and whether it is safe for future surgeries. What doctors also expect is that…

Product recalls are an unfortunately common occurrence. You’ve probably seen some lately: tainted romaine lettuce, certain model cars with defective airbags, or perhaps a child’s toy recalled for choking hazards. Typically, local or national news or authorized websites provide consumers with serial numbers to check against your product to see if it’s affected, and what…

Essure birth control went on the market in 2002, and since then the implantable permanent birth control device has been the focus of much controversy. Thousands of women, on their own or organized in support groups, have reported that the device has caused them chronic pain, internal bleeding, miscarriages, and stillbirths. This past April, the…

When medical devices that have been implanted into a human body (like a pacemaker or an IUD, for example) fail, Medicare often covers the surgery to replace them. The Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a report that said Medicare has paid at least $1.5 billion over a decade…

There have been a number of vehicle recalls in the last three years that warranted serious investigation: Takat’s exploding airbags, Jeep’s defective gear shifters, Volkswagen’s faulty emissions testers. Not since the Ford Pinto, however, have we seen something as dangerous or as serious as this. BMW cars are spontaneously combusting even while they are turned…

The fatal condition is not breast cancer, but a rare malignancy that develops in the immune system called anaplastic large-cell lymphoma. This non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a cancer that attacks the cells of the immune system and that can develop in various areas of the body. In cases linked to breast cancer, the disease develops within…

When a patient undergoes certain types of cardiothoracic surgery, they are often connected to a heater-cooler device that warms or cool patients during the procedure. These devices contain temperature-controlled water tanks that send heated or cooled water to warming or cooling blankets through a closed circuit (the water does not come into contact with the…

Tesla Motors Inc. has announced a voluntary recall of 2,700 of its Model X sport utility vehicles because of a faulty locking hinge mechanism in the third-row seats which could cause the seats to fall forward in a crash. This is the first recall for the Model X, and effects only those vehicles build before…

An 11-year-old boy who suffered brain damage in a rear-end collision was awarded a $124.5 million verdict in a products liability lawsuit against Volkswagen AG’s Audi unit. Jesse Rivera Jr’s head was injured as he sat in the back seat of his father’s 2005 Audi, which had come to a stop behind a school bus…

In March 2016 a federal jury in Dallas awarded $502 million to five plaintiffs who claimed that they suffered severe injuries from defective hip implants manufactured by DePuy Orthopedics, which is a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. According to a story in The Dallas Morning News, after 37 days of testimony and five days of…