Group Action Lawyers welcome new government department to stop faulty product disasters

We welcome the creation of a new government office whose mission is to prevent future product disasters and potentially save lives as well as headaches for consumers in Britain when mass-recalls occur.

The initiative comes off the back of the monumental Whirlpool tumble dryer disaster that saw some three million products liable to catching fire from excess fluff building up in the drums. It’s estimated that around one million tumble dryers are still out there that remain dangerous. This new government office is designed to prevent future disasters of this nature as well as dealing with the fallout when such incidents occur.
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Are 3D printed medical devices and implants the way forward?

Medical devices and implants have come on leaps and bounds in recent years, but we often see a lot of compensation claims arising out from them as well. One issue with medical devices and implants is that they can be difficult to customise to different patients, but the issue could potentially be resolved with new 3D printing technology.

It’s early days, but 3D printed medical devices and implants are being used to help patients.

Is this new technology they the way forward to seeing a better world of safer implants and devices that can be made quickly and effectively?
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Is there a link between E-cigarette design and dangers from e-cig battery explosions?

The E-cigarette revolution continues to spread, but as the products have become more popular and are now attracting plenty of players in the market, we have seen incidents and research that has questioned their effectiveness as well as their safety.

A hot topic right now is the stories about e-cig explosions. We have seen incidents around the world where victims have been left with serious burns after their e-cig batteries exploded, with some left with serious burns and permanent damage to the facial area.

Now, some experts believe there is a direct link between the design of the e-cigarette and the potential for damage from explosions.
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Consumers warned about buying diet pills online

The internet has opened up a wealth of opportunities for consumers to find new suppliers in all market sectors, but one of the more popular ones is the health and beauty market. The option for shopping for diet products with discretion is often a bonus for consumers, but with the growth of platforms like Amazon and eBay, there are new warnings about purchasing diet pills online.

Some experts have warned against people putting their faith in buying diet pills online, and regulators have already stepped in over the kinds of claims the suppliers and manufacturers are making.
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We now know Apple are slowing down batteries to “prolong lifespan” and “prevent sudden shutdown” – but, is this acceptable?

When Apple admitted that their updated software is slowing down older models, many were outraged. The frequency of new models being released is far too much for some; especially when the cost of a new model can easily set you back a lot of money and equate to more than £100 a month.

For a phone!

So, is Apple’s explanation that they introduced the feature for the iPhone 6 and later models to protect problems occurring with batteries acceptable?
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All hormonal contraception like ‘the pill’ can still increase breast cancer risks

It has been reportedly known for a while that forms of hormonal contraception like ‘the pill’ have been linked with increased risks of women developing breast cancer. However, despite hopes of improvements, a new study involving millions of women over a period of years has reaffirmed the apparent risks associated with contraception and cancer.

Studies have found that the increased risks of breast cancer can remain until five years after hormonal contraception has been stopped as well.
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Lab error leads to thousands of cervical screening tests being reviewed

A laboratory run by Pathology First, working on behalf of Basildon and Thurrock NHS Foundation Trust, are having to redo thousands of cervical screening tests for cancer after an error was discovered.

The samples affected, which were taken between April 2016 and September 2017 for women aged between 24 and 29 who had smear tests, as well as a number of women in their 60’s, are being re-screened independently.

The results held by the lab were classed as negative, but having had some 2,500 samples re-screened, 17 women have reportedly been invited for further assessments.
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Aquilon nebulisers – CE mark withdrawn and supply ceased, but many have remained on the market

Despite withdrawal of the CE safety marking for Aquilon series of nebulisers, manufactured by AFP Medical, the nebulisers have still been placed on the market. A number of devices may have been sold despite the withdrawal of the CE marking, which means the safety of the product cannot be guaranteed.

CE safety certification is vital for consumer and supplier confidence in a product, and when it comes to medical products, such approval – or withdrawal, as is the case here – can be even more important.
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UK government investigating the scale of harm caused by vaginal mesh implants

Our legal team have been assisting people in various situations involving harm caused by vaginal mesh implants.

The UK government review update is welcome news.

Years after the UK’s Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) investigated issues and decided against recalls and bans, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has suggested the surgery should be banned, and New Zealand have become the first country in the world to put an outright ban in place.
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Will the UK follow in the footsteps of the US when it comes to group actions?

Group actions in the US – or “class actions” as they’re referred to across the pond – can consist of thousands or even millions of victims claiming for similar issues. In America, there are practically always class actions going on for all sorts of things, ranging from medical and product liability suits, to employee rights cases and data breach litigation.

Its massive over there. The question now is whether the UK is set to follow suit or not in operating in a similar way to the US.
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