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November 25, 2009
Medicines that can injure and kill
Medicines that can injure and kill
The makers of Paxil, Reglan and the Duragesic Pain Patch – all prescription drugs – are facing lawsuits across the country. Paxil can cause fatal birth defects. Reglan can cause permanent, jerky body movements. The Duragesic patch can deliver a fatal overdose of a powerful narcotic. Anyone experiencing these side effects or who has lost a loved after taking these drugs should consult an attorney.
Paxil: If pregnant women take Paxil their babies can be born with fatal heart and lung defects. Paxil is used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders, post traumatic stress disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder – conditions that cry out for relief. But it is highly addictive and can cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms, including suicide.
Reglan: If this drug is taken for an extended period (three months) it can cause permanent involuntary movements: lip smacking, grimacing, tongue protrusion, rapid eye movements or blinking and pursing of the lips. Reglan is used to treat heartburn and acid reflux that does not respond to other drugs.
The Duragesic Patch: If these pain-killing patches leak, they deliver an overdose of Fentanyl, a narcotic that is 80 times stronger than morphine. Even after a patch with a crack has been removed, the overdose remains in the system for up to 72 hours. Duragesic patches are prescribed for cancer patients and others with chronic pain who have been taking prescription pain killers for some time. The patches never should be prescribed for anyone who has not previously been on pain medication.
Senior drivers fastest growing demographic on the planet
Senior drivers fastest growing demographic on the planet
That’s why Swedish car manufacturer Volvo is studying how age-related changes put seniors at risk on the road. So far, the company’s research shows that older drivers have more accidents at intersections, although they tend to have fewer crashes overall. The car company wants to know why. To date, its studies have revealed two differences: Older drivers have less flexibility in the neck and a narrower field of vision. They also concentrate more on lines and marks on the road when positioning their cars compared to younger drivers who focus more attention on moving objects and other cars.
Volvo is trying to design a car that takes these factors, and others it may discover, into account and compensates for them. It’s a good thing. A United Nations report says over the next 40 years, drivers over the age of 60 will comprise more than 50% of all drivers in the developed world.
Cell phone “talkers and texters” worse than drunk drivers
Cell phone “talkers and texters” worse than drunk drivers
New research confirms it. A 2009 study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that texting while driving increased the risk of a “safety –critical” driving event by 23.2 times. It was not the first study to determine that using electronic devices while driving is highly dangerous. In 2001, when cell phone use was exploding across the nation, a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study found that driver inattention was a “causative factor in 22.7% of serious crashes compared to 18.2% for alcohol” and that driver inattention was “more likely to be the sole cause (16.7%) than alcohol (6.0%). “
The Center for Auto Safety wants drivers to remember both studies. In November, its executive director testified before Congress that if the use of electronic devices while driving is not checked, it will rival drunk driving as a national safety problem. Statistics from NHTSA show that last year, nearly 12,000 people were killed in drunken driving crashes in the United States, 31.6 % of the 37,261 traffic related deaths in 2008.
Federal government to review rules for truckers
Federal government to review rules for truckers
Is 11 hours too long for truckers to be on the road without resting? Federal officials are reconsidering a Bush Administration rule that leaves them on the highway that long and reduces the time between loads to 34 hours. Before the rule took effect during the last days of the Bush administration, truckers could drive 10 hours without a break and had to rest 50 hours between loads.
In October, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) signed an agreement with five safety and labor groups to reconsider the rule. The groups filed suit against the Bush rule some time ago. They include the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Public Citizen, Parents Against Tired Truckers, Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. The federal court ruled in their favor twice, stating that the government did not adequately explain the reason for the increase. But each time the court struck down the rule, the Bush Administration reinstated it. FMCSA is expected to announce its findings in about nine months.
