PVC flooring chemicals linked to asthma may be absorbed into children's bodies.

HealthDay (5/25, Preidt) reports, "Phthalates in PVC flooring materials can be absorbed by children's bodies, a new study shows." According to HealthDay, "these chemicals -- which are suspected to cause asthma, allergies and other chronic diseases in children -- can be ingested with food, by breathing and through the skin, according to the researchers at Karlstad University in Sweden." In a news release from the Swedish Research Council, study leader Carl-Gustaf Bornehag, a professor of public health at Karlstad University, said that "with this study as a basis, we can establish that there are other sources that should be taken into consideration in regard to the uptake of banned chemicals." 

FDA announces recall of certain sterile ophthalmologic preparations

MedPage Today (5/26, Petrochko) reported that the Food and Drug Administration "has announced a. recall of all sterile ophthalmologic preparations shipped from Franck's Compounding Lab since November 2011 because of the possibility of a fungal eye infection following use. The recall, originally initiated on March 19, 2012, first applied only to Brilliant Blue G, an ophthalmologic dye manufactured by the lab for use during surgical procedures." Since then, "the recall has been expanded to include all preparations labeled sterile from the company following 33 cases of fungal eye infection in seven states after administration of Brilliant Blue G or products that contain triamcinolone from the compounding lab." An investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in conjunction with the FDA is ongoing. 

Body-building, weight-loss products may cause liver injury.

Body-building, weight-loss products may cause liver injury.

HealthDay (5/23, Preidt) reports, "Body-building and weight-loss products are the types of dietary supplements most likely to cause liver injury," according to research presented at the Digestive Disease Week meeting. "In this study, funded by the US Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network, researchers looked at 109 cases of patients who appeared to have suffered liver injury because of dietary supplements. Most of the patients were male, white and overweight."

        "In a review of national data, supplements accounted for 18% of liver injuries in the US, Jose Serrano, MD, of the National Institutes of Health, reported during a press briefing," MedPage Today (5/23, Petrochko) reports. Serrano stated, "There were no deaths, but 7% of patients needed a liver transplant. These are not trivial consequences

FDA says it will review azithromycin study.

Reuters (5/18) reports that, following the release of a study indicating that azithromycin may be linked to increase risk of death in certain adult patients, the US Food and Drug Administration said that individuals should not discontinue use of the drug without consulting a physician.

        On NBC Nightly News (5/17, story 8, 2:40, Williams) NBC's chief medical editor, Nancy Snyderman, MD, said, "There have been isolated reports from the FDA of problems with this drug with heart disease. Researchers at Vanderbilt have found the drug could increase the risk of sudden cardiac death in some patients."

        Meanwhile, on ABC World News (5/17, story 6, 1:50, Sawyer), ABC News medical editor Richard Besser, MD, said, "The researchers found that in a million patients taking" the drug, "there were 45 more deaths from heart disease. The risk is higher for those with heart problems."

        Medscape (5/18) reports that the FDA also indicated that it "will review" the "new study," which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The agency, "in its announcement...reminded clinicians that QT interval prolongation, which can trigger an abnormal and sometimes fatal heart arrhythmia called torsades de pointes (TdP), has been linked not only with azithromycin but also with other" macrolides. The agency "said that it would update the public on any new information on azithromycin or the potential risk for QT interval prolongation after it reviews the NEJM study." 

Honda recalls over 50,000 Acura TL sedans to replace power-steering hose.

The Los Angeles Times (5/18, Hirsch) reports, "American Honda Motor Co. said it will recall 52,615 model year 2007-2008 Acura TL sedans in the United States to replace the power-steering hose." Honda said that the "hose may deteriorate and leak fluid" which could "cause a loss of power-steering assistance or, if it leaks onto a catalytic converter, may result in smoke or in the worst case, fire." The Times adds that "no crashes, injuries or fires have been reported related to this issue." 

State Farm paid over $109 million last year for dog-bite claims.

The AP (5/17, Manning) reports, "State Farm Insurance, one of the nation's largest home insurers, paid more than $109 million on about 3,800 dog bite claims nationwide last year, spokesman Eddie Martinez said Wednesday. In 2010, there were about 3,500 claims and $90 million in payouts. The Insurance Information Institute estimated that nearly $479 million in dog bite claims were paid by all insurance companies in 2011," compared with $413 million in 2010. 

CDC listeria surveillance tools identify more outbreaks.

Food Safety News (5/16, Flynn) reports that "multiple tools to find and track Listeria are proving successful, even though the rare pathogen was responsible last year for the most deadly outbreak of foodborne illness in decades," according to Dr. Barbara Mahon from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The outbreak caused 146 illnesses and at least 32 deaths. After the first listeria outbreak in 1985, four surveillance tools were put in place and have allowed the CDC to identify more outbreaks. 

Button batteries may be life-threatening if swallowed by children.

 USA Today (5/14, Healy) reports that button batteries "accounted for 84% of the battery-related hospital emergency department visits by children from 1990 to 2009, and once ingested, they can be life-threatening," according to a study in Pediatrics. "The increase in emergency department visits coincides with the introduction of the 3-volt 20-millimeter lithium battery into the marketplace," which "is more powerful and can cause tissue damage much more quickly." 

FDA says cancer medication may be linked to increased risk for second cancers.

Dow Jones Newswire (5/8, Dooren, Subscription Publication) reports that the FDA has announced that some individuals who received the cancer medication Revlimid (lenalidomide) may face a higher risk of developing certain new kinds of cancers. The agency said the information will now be included on the drug's label. 

Investigation reveals "serious gaps" in federal food-safety efforts.

An investigative story exceeding 2,800 words on the CNN (5/4, Bronstein, Griffin) website reports on "serious gaps in the federal food safety net meant to protect American consumers of fresh produce, a system that results in few or no government inspections of farms and with only voluntary guidelines of how fresh produce can be kept safe." The piece details the 2011 listeriosis outbreak, which it says was "the most deadly food outbreak in the United States in nearly 100 years," although it "could have been prevented, according to numerous food safety experts and federal health officials." CNN highlights that while "the federal Food Safety Modernization Act became law last year, and the FDA is currently writing new regulations to increase food inspections and push for better audits," officials note that "farms might only be inspected once every seven to 10 years," and "consumer advocates doubt the new law is likely to solve all the problems in the system.

Tennessee legislature moves bill to impose legal costs in baseless suits.

The Tennessean (4/29) reported that Tennessee lawmakers "last week approved legislation [HB 3124] that would penalize people who file lawsuits that are later dismissed as baseless. They would have to pay up to $10,000 to cover court costs and their opponent's attorney fees. The legislation is the latest in a series of GOP efforts over the past year aimed at reducing a business' exposure in civil lawsuits," following enactments last year that capped non-economic damages at $750,000 and punitive damages at $500,000, with some exceptions. The measure passed the House 58-38, and cleared the Senate on a 17-12 vote. If signed by the governor, it would take effect for suits filed July 1 or later. A Republican sponsor called the measure a "very limited" loser-pays measure; another claimed it would relieve court backlogs and discourage baseless lawsuits. Democrats opposing it said it would limit access to courts. As passed, the bill would not apply to actions against government entities or lawsuits aimed at overturning current law.