Medical Malpractice

President Obama has presented Marietta S Robinson as his nominee as a commissioner with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). If confirmed, Ms. Robinson would be in place as the fifth commissioner now leading the government agency. The CPSC oversees the quality and safety of over 15,000 everyday consumer products. Ms. Robinson would...
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In March, a simple tooth extraction procedure put 17-year-old Jennifer Olenicvk into cardiac arrest.  Allegations against the oral surgeon, Dr. Domenick Colleti, and anesthesiologist, Dr. Krista Mechelle Issacs, are based upon alleged negligence in addressing an apparent anesthesia error once Jennifer’s heart rate started to slow. The medical malpractice lawsuit claims the doctors failed...
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After the death of their two year old son, Daniel and Katy Moore of Ellensburg, Washington claim Very Berry Strawberry to be the culprit in River Moore’s liver failure. The infant showed symptoms of infection only 30 seconds after ingestion of the medicine, when he started to cough up blood. Allegedly, the liquid medication...
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced a national recall of the breast cancer drug, Avastin. After a careful review, FDA officials concluded that this medication, touted as a treatment for breast cancer patients, does not effectively slow the spread of the cancer or prolong the overall survival rate of patients. Instead, this...
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A Pittsburgh couple – Michael Yocabet and life partner, Christina Meccanic – has sued the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) regarding a transplant involving a Hepatitis C-infected kidney. After finding out that the two are a match, Yocabet and Meccanic decided to move ahead with a kidney transplant from Meccanic to Yocabet.  Tests...
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Transvaginal mesh surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) may cause more harm than good. The vaginal mesh used in this surgery presents the risk of serious complications, leading the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to warn that it provides no greater benefits over other methods of treating POP. There have been several lawsuits filed...
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There is a new study that suggests it is dangerous or even deadly to seek hospital care during the month of July. The study reports that more patients receive poor quality care with serious consequences, even death, at teaching hospitals during this summer month. Researchers concluded that deaths in these hospitals rise as high...
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In March 2011, during Consumer Protection Week, a new online database from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will launch. This Consumer Product Safety Information Database will be a place for consumers to submit reports of harm as well as search for reports of harm. This Database will compile all information on manufacturers of...
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On Tuesday, September 14th, 2009, a Massachusetts doctor, Rapin Osathanondh,was sentenced to six months in jail (three months in prison followed by nine months of home confinement with electronic monitoring) and three years probation for pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter of a 22-year-old Cape Cod woman who died on September 13, 2007 from “cardiac...
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The da Vinci surgical system is a remote controlled robot used by surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures. According to its manufacturer, Intuitive Surgical, the robot “combines superior 3D visualization along with greatly enhanced dexterity, precision and control in an intuitive, ergonomic interface with breakthrough surgical capabilities.” While this may be true in the...
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