Servier to face French Courts over deaths reportedly linked to diet pill
Pharmaceutical drug maker Servier are set to be facing French prosecutors in Court over hundreds of deaths that have reportedly been associated with its weight-loss pill, Mediator.
Once marketed as a diabetes treatment, the drug was widely prescribed as a diet-pill as it apparently helped to suppress appetites. However, it has since been linked to over 500 deaths in France, becoming one of the nation’s worst health scandals.
The U.K. never authorised the drug, but Mediator may have nonetheless found its way across the channel through online markets.
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Student sues Amazon after phone charger ignites in his pocket
A customer has reportedly sued online-retail giant Amazon after a portable phone charger purchased from their website apparently burst into flames in his pocket.
The student suffered first, second and third degree burns in the incident.
The University student alleged that he was out playing pool when he borrowed the portable external charger from his friend to charge his own phone. He connected the charger to his phone before pocketing it. His lawsuit explains that the charger overheated and then “spontaneously ignited” inside his trouser pocket.
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10,200 refurbished batteries for Samsung Galaxy Note 4 recalled over risks of overheating
Only a year after its Galaxy Note 7 was hastily recalled after numerous reports of explosions, refurbished Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4’s are also seeing similar issues.
Some 10,200 Galaxy Note 4’s devices were refurbished and distributed between December 2016 and April 2017. However, it has since been discovered that some of the refurbished devices contain counterfeit batteries and may overheat, posing risks of burning users or apparently even spontaneously combusting.
Samsung has announced that “FedEx Supply chain is conducting this recall of non-genuine Samsung batteries as some of them are counterfeit.”
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Kobe Steel admits to falsifying data over its product standards, affecting 500 firms
Japan’s third largest steel maker, Kobe, has revealed that they falsified information about the standards and safety of their steel products.
Kobe supplies steel to major companies across the globe, such as manufacturers of cars, aircrafts, trains and even space rockets.
The scandal has prompted major corporations to double-check their products. Some of Kobe Steel’s consumers and users include: Central Japan Railway; Hitachi (its trains are used in Britain); Mazda Motor Corp; Subaru Corp; Toyota Motor Corp; Mitsubishi Heavy Industries; Honda; General Motors; Daimler; Airbus
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Johnson and Johnson accused of covering up evidence associating carcinogenic properties in its talc products
Thousands of claims are being made against Johnson and Johnson for the allegedly harmful properties their famous talc powder is said to have had on users worldwide.
Johnson and Johnson have been vehemently denying the allegations, citing scientific studies to prove there is no cancer risk related to their talc. However, one lawsuit made on behalf of numerous woman suffering from ovarian cancer blames Johnson and Johnson for giving them ovarian cancer, and alleges the company has been lying and conspiring to hide the truth for decades.
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Shrinking plane seats – declining safety for passengers?
These days, some flights are getting cheaper and more frequent, making that city break to Rome so much easier. But it seems that with cheaper seats, there may be a small compromise being made: airlines are making economy aeroplane seats smaller and smaller.
To save money, airlines are reportedly packing their planes with as many passengers as they can by redesigning seats to be thinner and reducing leg room. These changes aren’t just to the detriment of taller people who may have to almost hug their knees or sit at an awkward angle to squeeze their legs in sideways, but reducing the space between seats may reportedly be putting passengers’ lives at risk.
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Regulatory advice on Kratom drug after 36 deaths
Regulators have issued an advisory warning on 14th November to stop people taking Kratom after 36 deaths have been possibly associated with the drug.
Already banned in several countries, the “pick-me-up” natural drug is created from picked Kratom leaves from jungles all over South East Asia. It was originally used by farm labourers to help them get through working on the fields.
Kratom’s active ingredient is Mitragynine – a chemical that has adverse effects such as nausea; loss of appetite; constipation; dry mouth; trouble sleeping; and brain fatigue. Kratom itself can produce side effects of seizures, itching, increased sensitivity to pain, sweating, liver damage and addiction.
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E-cigarettes may increase risk of lung diseases and be just as bad for health as cigarettes!
The introduction of the E-cigarette has been hailed as a revolutionary modern alternative to cigarettes, often seen as healthier because they don’t contain tobacco or the assortment of other harmful chemicals found in traditional cigarettes. However, some studies suggest that E-cigs can be equally as harmful because the cocktail of chemicals they do contain may be causing inflammatory diseases.
If this is found to the the case, where does the E-cig revolution go from here?
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Court dismisses Boston Scientific’s appeal over £20 million settlement for pelvic mesh lawsuit
A federal court has dismissed Boston Scientific’s appeal against a £20 million settlement sum awarded to four claimants who sued the company for alleged defective pelvic mesh implants.
The claimants argued that the Pinnacle mesh used to treat pelvic organ prolapse and female stress urinary incontinence was defective and caused significant pain and injuries.
Pain, bleeding and infection are potentially commonplace if the devices fail and the plastic mesh fuses and cuts in to the patient. As they cannot usually remove the mesh from the vaginal walls, the outcome for those whose devices fail can be lifelong and serious.
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Court orders AbbVie to payout more than £105 million for AndroGel-induced heart attack case
A Court has ordered AbbVie to payout £105 million after they were found to have misrepresented the risks of its testosterone drug known as AndroGel, which lead to one user suffering a heart attack.
A lawyer who helped represent the victim said that the verdict was not just a victory for his client, but served as a warning to companies who put profits above consumer health. He noted that “the large punitive award really reflects that jury’s decision.”
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