U.S. Supreme Court Busy Taking Away Your Rights

Dan Frith — Sat, 10 May 2008 06:38:00 GMT

American consumers have President George Bush to thank for this one. The current President has made sure that every open seat on the highest court in America is filled with a jurist who will protect Big Business at the expense of the "little guy."

I am talking about the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Riegel v. Medtronic, Inc. Mr. Riegel sued Medtronic, a catheter manufacturer, for injuries he suffered when a balloon catheter burst when he was undergoing angioplasty surgery. Medtronic asked the court to dismiss the suit arguing the balloon catheter had pre-market approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and that any subsequent lawsuit against it was barred by the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

And guess what? The U.S. Supreme Court agreed and dismissed the suit. So, if the FDA, which has proven over and over again that it cannot protect the American public, approves a new medical device (even though defectively designed) it is insulated from legal responsibility. Do you remember the FDA's previous pre-market approval mistakes involving the medications Duract, Rezulin, Seldane, Crestor, Baycol and on and on and on......?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Dan Frith

Parents Should Monitor Teens Use of Insulin Pumps

Dan Frith — Thu, 08 May 2008 06:57:00 GMT

Insulin pumps are used by thousands and thousand of American teenagers with Type I diabetes. Type I diabetes occurs when the body's own immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. For people who are not diabetic, the body's immune system fights off foreign invaders like viruses or bacteria. But for unknown reasons, in people with Type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks various cells in the body. This results in a complete deficiency of the insulin hormone. Insulin regulates blood sugar levels, which , when too high can lead to heart disease, blindness, and kidney damage.

Insulin pumps are popular because they can free the user from a strict regimen of meals, sleep, and exercise, because the pump can programmed to match a teenager's changing schedule. They no longer need to give themselves shots every day. Instead, they will program the pump what to do at every meal and sometimes in between. But there are dangers....

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is studying the use of insulin pumps and found 13 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries connected with the use of the pump over the last 10 years. These are alarming numbers and you should read the report which has been published by the journal, Pediatrics. These dangers often arise from a young user's lack of knowledge about the pump and how to use it safely.

Parents...keep an eye out for your teenager if he/she is using a pump...it just might save their life.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Dan Frith

Roanoke Personal Injury Lawyer - Medical Devices & Implants

U.S. Supreme Court Busy Taking Away Your Rights

Parents Should Monitor Teens Use of Insulin Pumps