DC Metro Area Medical Malpractice Law Blog

Officials from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to investigate an ongoing multi-state outbreak of a strain of salmonella known as Salmonella Saintpaul, believed to be linked to the consumption of certain types of raw tomatoes.  The Washington Post reports that investigators are looking at jalapeno peppers and ingredients used to make salsa, such as cilantro and serrano peppers as possible causes of the salmonella outbreak.  Tomatoes will continue to be investigated as well. 

Rotavirus cases in the current 2007-2008 season showed up much later than usual and have been less severe, overall, than during any previous season on record, according to an interim report issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Electronic medical record systems have been touted as the wave of the future in healthcare and research has demonstrated their value in preventing medical errors.  According to new data published in the New England Journal of Medicine, however, only 4% of physicians have extensive, fully-functioning electronic systems, and only 13% have even a basic system.

A six-fold increase in the number of liver cancer patients receiving transplants has been linked to a method of donor organ allocation which was initiated in early 2002.  The research finding was recently published in Gastroenterology, official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) utilized its new authority this month under the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (FDAAA) to require manufacturers of older or "conventional" antipsychotic drugs to make safety-related changes to prescription information and labeling.  The required changes are to warn of an increased risk of death linked to the off-label use of these drugs to treat behavioral problems in older people suffering with dementia. 

Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, has recently sued the FDA over the organization's failure to respond to a petition addressing the risks of prescribing Darvon, Darvocet, and other medications containing propoxyphene.  Public Citizen filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Washington, DC alleging the FDA's failure to respond to their petition to ban the drug within the six months mandated by law.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 23 U.S. companies and two international manufacturers have been warned to cease their production and marketing of fraudulent cancer remedies.  The agency is also warning consumers not to purchase the products, which include ingredients such as bloodroot, coral calcium, cesium, shark cartilage and Cat's Claw, among others. 

The FDA has recently issued a public heath notification alerting healthcare practitioners of the dangers associated with unretrieved device fragments (UDFs) unintentionally left behind after surgery.  The UDF is a fragment of a medical device, for example, a screw, wire, or broken needle. 

Whole milk is as effective as diluted barium when used as an oral contrast agent for patients undergoing a gastrointestinal CT scan.  It's cheaper and safer for patients, according to a new study published in a recent edition of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

The reliability of mammography results varies significantly between medical facilities, according to new research published in a recent edition of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI).  Even more importantly, certain organizational characteristics tend to predict which facilities will return a more accurate reading.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) -- a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), recently launched an educational campaign to encourage patients (particularly those 50 years of age or older) to speak openly with their primary care providers about complementary and alternative medicines.  The campaign, known as Time to Talk, focuses on medical practices and products that aren't presently considered to be conventional medicine -- items such as herbal supplements, meditation and acupuncture.

The FDA has recently settled a lawsuit with Moms Against Mercury, and has set a deadline of July 28, 2009 for the reclassification of amalgam fillings.  The reclassification would not change the product itself, but it would make the public more aware of the benefits and risks of amalgam dental work and would most likely include a warning label informing the public of the mercury content.

The Washington Post reports that restaurants are removing tomato slices from sandwiches and grocery stores are purging their produce aisles after a national alert that certain types of raw tomatoes may be responsible for the growing number of people infected with a rare form of salmonella.

The Houston Chronicle reports that more than 700,000 Americans suffer strokes each year and more than one-third will develop depression in the next two years.  Previous research indicates that stroke patients with depression recover more slowly and are more likely to die.  However, new research suggests that doctors may want to give stroke victims antidepressants right away instead of waiting until they develop depression. 

Bacterial infections such as E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus -- sometimes acquired in medical facilities -- may be responsible for many cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).  The finding is the result of new research published in a recent edition of the British medical journal The Lancet.

According to a recent article in the Washington Post, 7.6 million Americans have undergone elective LASIK eye surgery since the mid-1990s.  LASIK is a surgical procedure intended to reduce a person's dependency on glasses or contact lenses.  LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and is a process that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye.  The surgery involves cutting a small flap in the eye's cornea using a laser.  With the flap held out of the way, the surgeon can then reshape the cornea with another laser to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and select cases of astigmatism. 

While the vast majority benefit -- most see 20-20 or better -- about one in four people who seeks LASIK is not a good candidate.  A small fraction, perhaps 1 percent or less, suffer serious, life changing side-effects, such as: worse vision, severe dry eye, glare, and inability to drive at night. 

The New York Times reported on the Food and Drug Administration's announcement last week of a new system to track already-released drugs' effectiveness. Called the Sentinel Initiative, many bodies such as the Institute of Medicine have recommended such a system for years. Additionally, the Sentinel Initiative is supported by recently-released research showing fast-tracked approval of new drugs leads to problems down the road. However, there are also many criticisms regarding the system's method of collecting data and its accuracy.

Patients who suffer a heart attack often subsequently develop acute kidney injury, a complication significantly increases a patient's risk of death.  The finding is the result of new research published in a recent edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

According to statistics reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost one in three Americans will develop shingles (herpes zoster) during their lifetime.  The disease is particularly dangerous to people over age 60 and those who are immunocompromised.  Fortunately, there is a way to reduce the risk of developing shingles and the long-term pain that often follows an outbreak of the disease.

Women who quit smoking lower their risk of dying from coronary heart disease by 47% within five years of smoking their last cigarette.  The risks associated with dying from other smoking-related diseases also decreases, but after different lengths of time, depending on the disease.  The findings are the result of new research recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

In the hottest months of summer the shimmering of a clear, blue pool of water can seem like the best part of the season.  Unfortunately, swimming pools can harbor strains of bacteria that can ruin your summer vacation if you're not careful.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has designated the week of May 19 - 25, 2008 as Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week.  The event is designed to draw attention to the potential dangers posed by improperly maintained swimming pools and the importance of healthy swimming practices. 

A new study has confirmed that hospital patients given Trasylol (aprotinin), a drug used to reduce bleeding during heart surgery, are 53% more likely to die than patients who are given other anti-bleeding drugs.  The drug's manufacturer, Bayer AG, has informed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it has begun removing all remaining stock of Trasylol from all pharmacies and health care facilities in the U.S.

The latest Trasylol study was released Wednesday is slated to appear in print in the May 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The 2008 edition of the schedule of recommended immunizations for people 18 years of age and younger has been posted by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) -- a division of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The advisory committee releases new recommendations annually to reflect changes in vaccine formulations and current recommendations for the use of licensed vaccines. 

This summer, don't wait until the last few busy weeks before fall school registration begins to make your child's vaccination appointment -- schedule an appointment now, and enjoy a safer summer. 

Changes from the 2007 immunization schedule are as follows:

A recent survey conducted in 13 states and the District of Columbia has indicated that most people lack awareness of the 5 most common stroke symptoms.  According to researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that lack of awareness could lead to critical delays in life-saving treatment.  Prompt treatment following the onset of a stroke is critical in saving brain tissue and improving functional outcomes for survivors.

Elevated levels of allergens in the home are associated with asthma symptoms in allergic individuals, and asthmatics who experience allergies may improve their health by reducing allergen exposures.  The findings are the result of new research published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and reported in a recent press release by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Those who routinely work outdoors in the sun face a higher rate of skin cancer due to repeated overexposure to the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.  Recent research, however, has found that outdoor workers such as those in construction, forestry, fishing and farming fields are among the least likely people to be screened by medical professionals for skin cancer.

Regular mammography reduces the risk of being diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer in women 80 years of age or older, but only about 20% of U.S. women over 80 have regular mammograms.  The finding is the result of new research published in a recent edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.  Authors of the study note that women over 80 years of age account for 17% of all breast cancer cases in the U.S.

A newly updated annual ranking of state medical boards by the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen has revealed widespread discrepancies in both the numbers of disciplinary actions taken against physicians' licenses, and the rates of those disciplinary actions from state to state.  Though the specific numbers have changed again this year, a pronounced trend of significant discrepancies between individual states has held constant for years.  Unless geography influences a physician's competence, these state-by-state discrepancies point to a dangerously inadequate national system of physician oversight -- one that could conceivably allow dangerous, incompetent physicians to continue to practice medicine by moving from state to state.

Despite the rising costs of fuel this year, millions of Americans will be hitting the nation's roads and airports for a summer vacation -- and for those who suffer from seasonal allergies, summer traveling can pose some unique challenges.  The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), reminds travelers that the climate of your destination, rather than your home, determines the pollens and molds to which you'll be exposed on vacation, and that all seasonal allergy sufferers should take time to plan their clothing and needed medications appropriately. 

The academy offers the following additional allergy management tips for summer vacationers:

New hemoglobin-based artificial blood -- still unapproved for use in the U.S., but heavily studied -- appears to raise a patient's risk of heart attack and death according to an exhaustive review of clinical research data.  This latest research was published in a recent edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).  The findings have spurred critics to allege that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put clinical trial participants in imminent danger by failing to detect or act on research data illustrating significant increases in the rates of heart attack and death reported in trials of these blood substitutes.

Laser eye surgeries such as LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) are quickly becoming some of the most common and technologically sophisticated procedures available for correcting relatively minor vision problems.  Generally performed on an out-patient basis with the aid of only anesthetic eye drops, LASIK procedures are usually quick and easy, and the results are often remarkable.  Unfortunately, however, the results can be underwhelming, too -- and occasionally even catastrophic. 

To help clear up some misconceptions and misinformation regarding LASIK procedures, and to help consumers better understand the risks of laser eye surgeries, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has established a web page devoted specifically to patient education.  According to the agency, there are a few categories of people who should think twice before they attempt to resolve their vision problems with LASIK surgery.

Melanoma is one of the deadliest skin cancers, but new research demonstrates that melanomas located on the scalp or neck are even twice as deadly as those found on other parts of the body.  The finding is the result of a study published in a recent edition of the medical journal Archives of Dermatology. 

The American Heart Association has issued new pediatric recommendations that call for heart fitness screenings prior to stimulant treatment for all children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  The new patient safety guidelines were published in a recent issue of the journal Circulation -- official journal of the American Heart Association -- and they address growing fears that stimulant medications can cause serious heart complications in children with underlying, undiagnosed heart disease.

New figures released by the federal government have revealed a steep and potentially deadly spike of a serious, hospital-based infection that gives patients blood poisoning and sometimes incurable diarrhea.  This latest public health research data, released by the U.S.Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) shows an increase of 200% in the prevalence of Clostridium difficile (C. Diff.) infections among U.S. hospital patients between the years of 2000 and 2005.

Heart attack patients who arrive at a hospital during regular weekday hours tend to receive faster, higher-quality care than those who show up in the evenings, over the weekend or on holidays, according to new research published in a recent edition of the medical journal Circulation.

The first biological indication that a man will face a higher risk of heart disease than a woman of equivalent age appears as early as adolescence, according to new research published in the medical journal Circulation.   The finding is somewhat unexpected, as boys tend to lose body fat and gain muscle during adolescence, while girls tend to gain body fat.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) -- the sexually-transmitted virus responsible for cervical cancer in thousands of women -- has now been implicated in a rapidly increasing rate of mouth and throat cancers among young men.  Researchers are hoping that a recently-approved HPV vaccine will soon be approved for boys, and tested for its effectiveness in preventing head and neck cancers.  A news article in a recent edition of the Baltimore Sun features Dr. Maura Gillison, an oncologist at Johns Hopkins University's Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, whose research has been credited with linking the virus and tumors.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that some flavors of the dietary supplements "Total Body Formula" and "Total Body Mega Formula" have been found to contain dangerously high levels of selenium -- a naturally-occurring mineral that is toxic in high doses.  The sole distributer of the product, Total Body Essential Nutrition, Inc., has issued a voluntary recall. 

This year's flu season was worse that the previous three, partly because the flu vaccine didn't effectively defend people against the viruses that made them sick, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The flu season started slowly this year, peaked in February, and seems to finally be declining.

A Mumps comeback in the U.S. in 2006 was alarming in its severity, and the disease may now take several years to completely eradicate, according to federal public health experts.  Interestingly, the viral outbreak occurred despite the routine administration of a second dose of a mumps vaccine throughout the early 1990s.  These findings were reported in a recent edition of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).  Among other data presented in the article is the fact that 84% of people between 18 and 24 years of age who contracted Mumps during the outbreak had already been given the second recommended dose of MMR vaccine -- a dose that should have protected them from Mumps.

New U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines for oversight of "off-label" drug use -- still in draft form and unfinalized -- could allow pharmaceutical companies to market more drugs for unapproved uses.  The proposed guidelines are a step in the wrong direction according to Dr. Randall Stafford, an associate professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center.  His concern for patient safety was articulated in a recent edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Patient safety errors resulted in 238,337 potentially preventable deaths of U.S. Medicare patients and drove up the cost of the Medicare program by $8.8 billion from 2004 to 2006, according to the 5th Annual Patient Safety in American Hospitals Study.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it is working with Merck, Inc., the pharmaceutical company, to explore a possible link between the popular asthma and allergy drug Singulair (known generically as montelukast) and behavioral changes, mood changes, and increased rates of suicide among users.  The investigation could take nine months, and although the agency is not yet recommending that anyone stop taking the drug, it is asking health care professionals to monitor Singulair patients for changes in condition that may indicate a suicide risk.

Physicians treating chest pain in patients who are young, or in those who have no obvious risk factors for heart disease, should ask those patients about their potential cocaine use.  The advice is a key recommendation by the American Heart Association (AHA), recently published in the medical journal Circulation. 

If you see someone suffer a heart attack and go unconscious, immediately dial 9-1-1 and begin pushing on his or her chest as hard and as often as you can -- don't stop until someone else can take over, or until paramedics arrive.  Those are the latest instructions from the American Heart Association (AHA), which is now confident that hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be done in an emergency, even by people who have no CPR training.  Throat sweeping and mouth-to-mouth emergency breathing are still recommended, but not for bystanders -- those components are only encouraged for trained medical personnel.  The organization's new position appears in the March 29 issue of the medical journal Circulation.

Adverse drug events affect about 7% of U.S. children in hospitals -- adverse events such as getting the wrong medication, the wrong doses of medication, and dangerous, preventable reactions.  The percentage is much higher than previous estimates, too, underscoring growing concerns about medical errors involving hospitalized children, according to new research published in the journal Pediatrics.

This season, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) is advising the public to take the same summer sun precautions that it has recommended for years to prevent skin cancer -- despite some claims to the contrary.

Now that the spring and summer sports season has arrived, the American Association of Endodontists (AAE) is urging all young athletes to "watch their mouths," and to wear a mouth guard for every sport this year, including even those spring sports typically thought of as "non-contact" sports -- like soccer, softball, baseball and gymnastics.

Neupro (rotigotine), the first skin patch approved to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease in the U.S. in 2007, is being recalled by the FDA.   Physicians have been advised to not start  new patients on the transdermal patch and to begin tapering down patients who are currently using the patch.  After the end of April, Neupro will not be available in the United States.   Neupro is being recalled because of formation of rotigotine crystals that can form on the patches, thus altering the amount of medication that can be absorbed through the skin.  

For further details, please call the company's toll-free information number: 800-477-7877.

Please contact your doctor for further advice regarding Neupro's recall.

Body art (including practices like tattooing and piercing) is a popular form of self-expression.  These permanent markings are typically created by professional artists, but the health and safety regulations they must follow vary according to the city, county or state regulations under which they practice.   Furthermore, certain aspects of body art, such as tattooing, entail unavoidable health risks, such as exposure to inks and dyes that have never been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use on human skin.  Some of those inks have also been known to react badly when exposed to diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.

Breathing muscles which go unused during ventilator-assisted respiration weaken more rapidly than previously understood, according to a new study published in a recent edition of the New England Journal of Medicine. 

A complex assortment of pharmaceutical drugs has been found in the drinking water supplies of tens of millions of Americans, according to a recent Associated Press investigation.  The contamination affects the drinking water supplies of at least 24 major metropolitan areas across the U.S., including the DC Metro area.

Spiriva, a pulmonary drug marketed by Pfizer and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceutical, appears to increase the risk of stroke, according to a public warning from the the  U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  Though a comprehensive assessment of the drug's safety is not yet complete, a potential for adverse events has prompted the agency to issue a warning, to assist patients and physicians in identifying any potential problems immediately.

Emergency Room patients treated for severe asthma often continue to have poorly controlled symptoms as much as one month afterward, according to new research published in a recent issue of  Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

West Nile virus infections can lead to significant long-term health problems, including mental and functional impairment and depression, according to data from an ongoing National Institutes of Health study recently presented at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases in Atlanta, Georgia.  The research data collected thus far, as reported by Reuters Health, suggests that the most common long-term symptoms include fatigue, weakness, depression, personality changes, difficulty walking, memory loss and blurry vision.

It has previously been documented that humans and dogs can infect one another with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), but it now appears that humans and cats can spread the virulent bacteria back and forth between one another, as well.  What may be the first documented instance of such transmission has been reported in a recent edition of the New England Journal of Medicine. 

Nearly 10% of U.S. military personnel deployed to Afghanistan are not suitable candidates for mefloquine, an anti-malaria drug commonly administered by the military.  The drug is also known by its trade name Lariam.  The finding is the result of research published in a recent edition of Malaria Journal. 

An American woman's risk of developing particular skin cancers is influenced by where she lives, according to a new study published in a recent edition of Archives of Internal Medicine.

National survey findings released this month demonstrate that although most adults are aware of serious eye diseases commonly associated with visual impairment, they lack critical knowledge concerning how and when to seek timely detection and treatment of those diseases.  The Survey of Public Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Eye Health and Disease, was jointly sponsored by the National Eye Institute (NEI), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF).  Conducted in 2005, the survey data was made available just this month.