By Justin DiJoseph -
Did you ever think a hospital’s surgical team would use dirty equipment when operating on a patient? John Harrison didn’t think so. When he went to The Methodist Hospital in Houston in 2009 for routine rotator cuff surgery, he did not expect to come out of it with a dangerous infection that would lead to more surgeries and a lawsuit. Read more
By Stef Morisi -
How often should you clean out your medicine cabinet? Beth Israel Medical Center’s Clinical Pharmacy Manager, Dr. Elizabeth Palillo, says, “Once a year.” If you want prescription medications to work as expected, dispose of the expired ones. The antibiotics you were prescribed six months ago? Ditch them. Yes, even if you saved the last one “just in case.” Read more
Contact with tobacco smoke residue can have harmful effects similar to that of first- and second-hand smoke
By Marty Grossman –
The health risks associated with smoking and the use of tobacco in any form are no secret. Over the past several years, the news has gotten progressively worse with respect to the number and severity of those risks. Additional studies and surveys indicate the problems created by smoking are potentially far more serious than previously believed. Read more
Refusing to fill a prescription due to personal conflicts can become a slippery slope
By Justin Di Joseph –
Doctors are often called upon to treat violent criminals who have been wounded by the police. Public defenders are routinely assigned to represent people accused of horrendous crimes. Professionals who are committed to helping people must frequently perform their duties despite serious personal, moral, or religious conflicts. Most do so with the belief that any right to refuse care or services must take a back seat to the oaths they have taken as professionals. Some doctors, lawyers, and even religious observers, however, maintain that they have the right to conscientiously object to participating in certain situations, and their decisions are, for the most part, respected and permitted without penalties being imposed. Read more
By John Saponaro –
Off-label promotion has become an ongoing issue over the past several years as pharmaceutical companies continue to violate government policies by advertising drugs for uses not approved by the FDA. Doctors remain able to prescribe drugs for off-label use based on their expertise; provided they are acting with the best interest of the patient in mind and there is sufficient evidence that suggests the benefits outweigh the risks. Read more
By Devon Reiff –
According to a recent report by The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG), many nursing home residents suffering from dementia are being prescribed atypical antipsychotic drugs (AAP) despite potentially life-threatening consequences. Read more
The pros and cons of aripiprazole
By Arnold Di Joseph –
The popular prescription antipsychotic drug aripiprazole, commonly known as Abilify, is an “atypical antipsychotic” that can lead to several health risks when interacting with 53 other drugs. Abilify is widely used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and it can also serve as an adjunct to antidepressants in treating major depression (clinical/manic). Read more
Numerous deaths associated with the device raise questions about its safety
By Stef Morisi –
In recent years, law enforcement agencies nationwide have sought to integrate a number of non-lethal alternatives to deadly force into their arsenal of crime-fighting weapons. The use of spike strips, rubber bullets, teargas, and Tasers has increased in circumstances where deadly force is either inappropriate or should only be used as a last resort. Unfortunately, in the case of the Taser, a “non-lethal” weapon that is only supposed to incapacitate its target, there has been an alarmingly high number of fatal encounters reported. Read more
By Robert A. Cardali –
There is currently a growing debate regarding the safety of a group of chemicals used in many personal care products and other consumer goods. These chemicals, called phthalates, have been used for the past 50 years for everything from making plastic more flexible to slowing the evaporation process of perfumes to making nail polish that won’t chip away. Read more
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