Drugs, Medications & Supplements

May 15, 2008 - Atrium Medical Corporation today announced that it is initiating a voluntary and precautionary recall of selected lots of HYDRAGLIDE Brand Heparin-Coated Thoracic Drainage Catheters. Limited lots of Atrium heparin-coated Hydraglide Thoracic Catheters were manufactured with heparin found to have been contaminated with oversulfated chondroitin sulfate.

May 15, 2008 - Sweetwater Valley Farm, Inc. is recalling Tennessee Aged Black Pepper Cheese because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The cheese, Lot Number 616-361 was distributed in 5, 7, and 10 ounce bars through our retail store in Philadelphia, TN and a Winery in Portland, TN.

May 14, 2008 - Medtronic, Inc. announced that it is initiating a voluntary and precautionary recall of selected products featuring the Carmeda BioActive surface. The affected devices are disposable products used during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for heart surgeries. Affected products include blood oxygenators, reservoirs, pumps, cannulae, and tubing packs.

May 6, 2008 - Blount Fine Foods is recalling Blount All Natural New England Clam Chowder, Net Wt. 20 oz with Lot: 0424086D, Sell by date: 6/23/2008, because it may contain undeclared shrimp. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to shrimp run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The firm has recovered 1,400 of 1,416 units produced, 16 units are in distribution.

May 6, 2008 - The product is in round plastic pint containers with a lot code of 2116. Blue Raspberry is the flavor of the product. The product was distributed to retail outlets in Illinois, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Texas, Michigan, Louisiana, Kansas, Indiana, Georgia, Florida, Ohio, Missouri, Kentucky, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and Minnesota during 2006 and 2007.

May 6, 2008 - Hydrox Labs has issued a voluntary recall of Cardinal Health labeled alcohol-free mouthwash. The mouthwash has been tested and been found positive for Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia). The CDC has confirmed hospital illnesses in one state associated with the use of the affected mouthwash.

May 2, 2008 - Little Bay Baking Company of Newmarket, New Hampshire is recalling all bags of CORN BREAD AND MUFFIN MIX sold before May 2, 2008 because it contains undeclared soy. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to soy run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

Apr 28, 2008 - Lifetime Brands, Inc., of Garden City, New York, today announced that, as a result of its internal compliance and independent product testing programs, it recently became aware that certain Pfaltzgraff Villa della Luna pattern and Nautica J Class pattern stoneware dinnerware products may exceed the Food and Drug Administration's guidance levels for lead and/or cadmium.

Apr 28, 2008 - Actavis Totowa LLC, a United States manufacturing division of the international generic pharmaceutical company Actavis Group, is initiating a Class I nationwide recall of Digitek (digoxin tablets, USP, all strengths) for oral use. The products are distributed by Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., under a "Bertek" label and by UDL Laboratories, Inc. under a "UDL" label. The voluntary all lot recall is due to the possibility that tablets with double the appropriate thickness may have been commercially released. These tablets may contain twice the approved level of active ingredient than it appropriate.

Apr 23, 2008 - WhiteWave Foods Company is voluntarily recalling 11-ounce plastic single serve bottles of Silk Soymilk Chocolate Flavor because it may contain undeclared milk protein.

Apr 23, 2008 - The Department of Public Health (DPH) is issuing a warning to the public not to consume any soy sprouts produced from Chang Farms in Whatley, Massachusetts because of the presence of bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes).

Apr 22, 2008 - Fine Land Corp, 239 Bay 20th Street Brooklyn NY 11214, is recalling its Ying Feng Foodstuffs brand Dried Bulbus Lily because it contains undeclared sulfites.

Apr 22, 2008 - Fine Land Corp, 239 Bay 20th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11214 is recalling its Golden Girl brand "Mut Gung" sweetened ginger because it contains undeclared sulfites.

Apr 22, 2008 - Fine Land Corp, 239 Bay 20th Street Brooklyn NY 11214, is recalling its Ying Feng Foodstuffs brand dried snow fungus because it contains undeclared sulfites.

May 13, 2008 - Food safety for consumers should begin at the supermarket or grocery store. Here are useful hints to keep in mind when shopping for food that will help keep foodborne illnesses out of your home.

May 13, 2008 - May is Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. Here is a roundup of recent safety issues related to asthma medications.

May 1, 2008 - Misuse and overuse of antibiotics have contributed to antibiotic resistance, a phenomenon that reduces or eliminates the effectiveness of antibiotics.

May 1, 2008 - A new medical device allows doctors to see the plaque buildup on the wall of coronary arteries. Many heart attacks occur when a fatty coronary plaque ruptures, forming dangerous blood clots.

May 1, 2008 - FDA has approved Amitza (lubiprostone) for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation in adult women aged 18 and over

Apr 25, 2008 - An FDA regulation further protects consumers of beef against mad cow disease.

Apr 25, 2008 - FDA has cleared a new type of latex glove that may prove to be a safer alternative for some people with sensitivity to latex.

Apr 17, 2008 - April is Women's Eye Health and Safety Month. Here are tips from FDA about storing, applying, wearing, and removing eye cosmetics.

Apr 14, 2008 - At least 23 people in 14 states have been diagnosed with salmonellosis that was caused by the same strain of Salmonella found in the recently recalled unsweetened Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puffed Wheat Cereals produced by Malt-O-Meal

Apr 11, 2008 - Resources for keeping up with the latest drug safety information from FDA.

Apr 11, 2008 - This guide offers descriptions of some of the more common drug safety terms used by FDA throughout the life cycle of a drug.

Apr 4, 2008 - A hearing aid manufacturer breaks the law, and FDA is seeking more than $2 million in penalties

Apr 1, 2008 - Follow directions for safe use when using over-the-counter creams and ointments.

Apr 1, 2008 - FDA is advising consumers not to buy or use certain Total Body liquid dietary supplement products because of reports of serious reactions.

Mar 27, 2008 - The food label allows you to compare foods quickly and easily to choose the ones that best fit your dietary needs.

Mar 25, 2008 - Lactose intolerance can be managed by avoiding or eating less of certain foods and reading labels for hidden sources of lactose.

Mar 24, 2008 - Medical ultrasound imagery is used for much more than monitoring fetal health. This article covers different uses of the technology.

May 15, 2008 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the shut down of cream cheese and seafood operations at Lifeway Foods, Inc. and its subsidiary, LFI Enterprises, Inc., both Illinois companies, until they are found compliant with food-safety laws.

May 14, 2008 - Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. has notified the FDA that the company will begin removing the remaining Trasylol stock from the U.S. market, most of which is in warehouses and hospital or physician’s stock. The FDA will work with Bayer to ensure a smooth and complete process.

May 9, 2008 - he U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new formulation of the genetically engineered version of Factor VIIa, a plasma protein essential for the clotting of blood. The new formulation allows the product to be stored at room temperature (up to 81 degrees Fahrenheit) for up to two years.

May 9, 2008 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first generic versions of Requip (ropinirole hydrochloride) tablets for the treatment of moderate to severe Restless Legs Syndrome.

May 1, 2008 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's final analysis of certain flavors of "Total Body Formula" and "Total Body Mega Formula" has detected hazardous amounts of chromium.

Apr 30, 2008 - Device manufacturer Physio-Control, Inc., its parent company Medtronic, Inc., and their two top executives have signed a consent decree of permanent injunction related to Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) manufactured by Physio-Control, Inc.

Apr 30, 2008 - The FDA is hiring hundreds of individuals with science and medical backgrounds to help meet the agency's responsibilities to assure the safety and/or efficacy of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, food, cosmetics and products that emit radiation.

Apr 29, 2008 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Amitiza (lubiprostone) for the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation (IBS-C) in adult women aged 18 and over.

Apr 29, 2008 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared for marketing a device that a doctor can use to see inside a blood vessel to assess the fat content of the plaque which builds up on the wall of the coronary arteries.

Apr 24, 2008 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Relistor (methylnaltrexone bromide) to help restore bowel function in patients with late-stage, advanced illness who are receiving opioids on a continuous basis to help alleviate their pain.

Apr 24, 2008 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an order requiring that Evanger's Dog and Cat Food Co., Inc., in Wheeling, Ill., obtain an emergency permit from the FDA before its canned pet food products enter interstate commerce.

Apr 24, 2008 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has delivered recommendations to Congress for two programs that provide funding for the review of pioneer and generic animal drugs.

Apr 23, 2008 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a final regulation barring certain cattle materials from all animal feed, including pet food. The final rule further protects animals and consumers against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, also known as "mad cow disease").

Apr 23, 2008 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared for marketing the first device made from a new form of natural rubber latex, guayule latex. The product, the Yulex Patient Examination Glove, is derived from the guayule bush, a desert plant native to the Southwestern United States.

Apr 22, 2008 - A new drug has been approved to help sufferers of Crohn's disease, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today. Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) received approval for adults with moderate to severe Crohn's disease who have not responded to conventional therapies.