New testing conducted by the EPA indicates that there were higher levels of a cancer-causing gas near the Sterigenics plant than previously imagined. The plant is located in Willowbrook, Illinois, just outside of Chicago. “The citizens of DuPage County should not have to endure this exposure to a known human carcinogen,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame …
A recent article in the Naples (FL) Daily News recounts the sad story of York Spratling, an 84-year-old veteran and resident of a nursing home operated by Consulate Health Care of Jacksonville. According to the story, Mr. Spratling passed away in February 2017 after being taken to a local hospital where he underwent emergency surgery for …
Johnson & Johnson is facing nearly 12,000 lawsuits from individuals who claim their cancers were caused by the company’s powder products. These cases include suits from thousands of women who charge that Johnson & Johnson talcum powder products caused their ovarian cancer. Looking back over nearly 50 years, it appears that while Johnson & Johnson …
Poor care in a nursing home or other assisted-living facilities often has devastating consequences. Tens of thousands of nursing home residents are victims of abuse or neglect every year. This is unacceptable and avoidable. In order to prevent harm, we have to understand why it happens: Lax hiring practices Understaffing Inadequate training Lack of resources …
Tasigna is a chemotherapy drug prescribed to people with a certain type of blood cancer called Philadelphia Chromosome Positive (Ph+) Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). Ph+CML is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, during which the bone marrow makes too many white blood cells. These extra cells are often damaged and can overwhelm healthy …
The most common way people are exposed to ethylene oxide (EtO) is through breathing it in. When the chemical is inhaled in small amounts, it can be easily removed through urine or feces within two to three days, and is not very harmful. Higher levels of exposure are difficult for the body to remove, and …
This summer, residents of Willowbrook, Illinois learned that a company in their town has been negligently releasing high concentrations of a toxic gas for over 30 years. The toxic gas, ethylene oxide (EtO), is classified by the EPA as a human carcinogen because of its ability to damage DNA and create a high risk for …
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) keeps an electronic database that lists the cancer-causing potential of different substances. The EPA first classified ethylene oxide (EtO) as a possible human carcinogen in 1985. Fifteen years later, the EPA changed EtO’s status to a known human carcinogen. What is a Carcinogen? Carcinogens are substances that cause cancer by changing …
In April 2018, the FDA took a unique move to restrict the sale of Essure. Now, only those health care providers who promise to give patients information about the risks and benefits of the device will be allowed to use it. LINK TO FDA NEWS RELEASE WHY ARE WOMEN FILING ESSURE LAWSUITS? Essure is linked …
Since its FDA approval in 2002, Essure, manufactured by Bayer, has had risks and side effects that women weren’t adequately warned about. The device received the FDA’s Black-Box warning in 2016 due to reports of debilitating side effects like organ perforation, coils moving to the abdomen or pelvis, extreme pain, and allergic reaction. Bayer recently …
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a technique used to take detailed pictures of a person’s soft tissues, like the brain, muscles, and nerves. The technique uses a powerful magnet, radio waves, and a computer to create these pictures. There are two types of major MRIs: contrast and non-contrast. The main difference is that a dye …
Independence Day is one of the most-traveled holidays of the year. Drivers should be especially vigilant on this holiday and the weekends before and after it. With all the excitement surrounding this special day, it’s important to always wear your seatbelt, follow the speed limit and other applicable laws, and eliminate distractions so you can …
When someone is drowning in the movies, Hollywood shows them waving their arms and calling out for help. In reality, drowning doesn’t always look like that. More often than not, a drowning person has decreased mental and lung capacities, so it’s hard for them to show that they’re in trouble. According to the Centers for Disease …
Elderly nursing home residents with various mental, physical, and social weaknesses are likely targets of financial abuse. Manipulative people may presume they are weak and have limited knowledge about their finances, so they think they can take advantage of them. A study of elder mistreatment in the United States found that financial abuse is a commonly reported …
Prolonged exposure to certain chemicals found in in nail polishes, glues, removers, and other salon products may cause serious health problems to pregnant women. Manicurists who inhale the harmful chemicals for hours at a time have the highest risk of developing serious side effects. Customers enjoying regular salon visits are exposed as well, but not …
On Sunday, March 18th, Arizona woman Elaine Herzberg was killed by a self-driving car. This is believed to be the first pedestrian fatality by a self-driving car. The car, owned by Uber, contained a human driver who was supposed to take the wheel if the system malfunctioned. The driver made no attempt to stop the …
Did you know people can get an asbestos-related disease, such as mesothelioma, without ever working around the toxic mineral? In an asbestos-heavy work environment, acts such as cutting, drilling and sanding can expel toxic fibers in the air, which can get distributed across the workplace through ventilation ducts and onto workers’ clothing and skin. Depending …
American biotech company Sanofi Genzyme voluntarily recalled a lot of over 12,000 Synvisc-One (hylan G-F 20) syringes on December 11, 2017. Synvisc-One is a drug to relieve knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis. The gel inside the syringe is reportedly contaminated with certain microbes that may increase patients’ risk of infection. Sanofi revealed that the microbes are …
Parents of young girls everywhere are disappointed after learning that their daughters’ favorite stores are under investigation for selling asbestos-containing makeup. Below is a list of popular stores that may have sold makeup contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen. JUSTICE A recent third-party investigation revealed that Justice’s “Just Shine Shimmer Powder” tested positive for four …
The physical and mental strength it takes to battle cancer is often so stressful that it leaves people feeling helpless. Prolonged stress can cause serious damage to the body, leaving it more vulnerable to illness. Finding ways to cope with cancer surely isn’t easy, and while there’s no single solution that works for everyone, there …
For adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or giant cell arthritis (GCA), Actemra may seem like the answer to chronic discomfort, but these people soon realize that the drug does more harm than good. At least 1,128 Actemra-related deaths have been reported to the FDA since its approval in 2010. DANGEROUS SIDE EFFECTS NOT ON …
Despite concerns about heart health and bone safety, Invokana and Invokamet, new medicines for type 2 diabetes, remain on the market. The FDA recently added its most severe warning to these drugs for increased risk of toe, foot, and leg amputation. WHY ARE THESE MEDICATIONS PRESCRIBED? Type 2 diabetes patients’ bodies don’t produce enough insulin …
There are five types of abdominal and groin hernias. An abdominal hernia happens when part of an organ or tissue swells up and puts pressure on the body’s abdominal wall. The abdominal wall can only take so much pressure before it gives in and tears open. There are two types of groin hernias. Men more …
The nursing home you choose for your aging family member can be the difference between longevity and unnecessary injury or death. Do as much research as possible before deciding where your aging family member will live. Use the Illinois Department of Health’s guide on How to Select a Nursing Home. This will help you assess …
Every year around this time, emergency room personnel see an influx of holiday-related injuries. Your favorite holiday traditions can lead to these common accidents or injuries: Car Accidents A winter wonderland may be fun in theory, but it’s not so fun when you have to drive in it. Pay special attention to roads that are …