When a medical device fails during surgery or while being used on a patient, a detailed report is typically published in a public database. Physicians trust this database to help them identify problems that could cause harm to their patients. This database, called MAUDE (Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience), stores medical device reports that are [...]
Every 4th of July Americans gather with family and friends to celebrate Independence Day. Along with hot dogs and hamburgers, admiring fireworks is a big part of the tradition. "Oohs" and "aahs" from crowds are heard from great distances as each shell explodes in the sky, and children run around with sparklers waving in hand. For [...]
General Motors (GM) recalled an additional 3.36 million cars in North America for issues stemming from a defect in the ignition switch that, if jarred out of position, suddenly turns off the engine and deactivates the airbags. The defect also disables the vehicle's power steering and brakes. Ignition Switch Defect - GM Recalls: Buick Lacrosse (2005-2009); [...]
The New York Times recently published a hard hitting story delving into one woman's accusations of sexual assault against a student-athlete at a major university. The story, not without controversy, revealed a terrifying culture of complicity that enabled sexual assault to run rampant, under-reported, and undeterred at a major university. In response to this and several [...]
Automobile Recalls - GM Began 2014 by Recalling 2.6 Million Vehicles Because of a Faulty Ignition Switch. All 2005-2007 Chevy Cobalts; All 2005-2007 Pontiac G5s; All 2003-2007 Saturn Ions; All 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHRs; All 2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuits (sold in Cananda); All 2006-2007 Pontiac Solstices; and All 2007 Saturn Skys. So what does the defect entail? If [...]
A nationwide outbreak of fungal meningitis has been traced to possibly contaminated steroid medication distributed by the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Massachusetts. The steroid, methylprednisolone acetate, has been recalled after being linked to 170 cases of fungal meningitis, fourteen of which were fatal. What makes these cases unusual is the source of the contaminated [...]
