HR 5503 - the Spill Act

Today the US House of Representatives will vote on HR 5503, the Spill Act. This bill is the first step towards holding BP fully accountable for their actions. Please call your Representative RIGHT NOW and ask them to vote for HR 5503! Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121. Look-up your Rep at www.house.gov.

-Learn more about the Spill Act at http://www.justice.org/cps/rde/xchg/justice/hs.xsl/12646.htm

Product Recall - Shrek Promotional Glasses

Just weeks after Wal-Mart and other stores recalled jewelry sold at their stores due to the presence of cadmium, McDonalds is also recalling its promotional Shrek themed glasses for the same reason. These glasses are 16 ounces and come in four different designs (Shrek, Fiona, Puss n’ Boots, and Donkey).

Please see the May 20, 2010 post for details on the dangers of ingesting cadmium. You can also visit www.cdc.gov or www.epa.gov.

The CSPC spokesperson, Scott Wolfson, has stated that the amount of cadmium found in these glasses is “slightly above the protective level currently being developed by the agency.” He also said the glasses contain “far less cadmium than the children's metal jewelry that CPSC has previously recalled."

So far, no injuries have been reported as a result of the toxic chemical found in the paint on the glasses. However, out of an abundance of precaution, McDonalds has recommended that their customers stop using the glasses and is offering $3 refunds on those glasses. (They were originally sold for $2 each.)

If you or anyone you know has been injured by a product such as this or any other defective product, contact us for a free consultation about your potential case.

Paxil & Birth Defects

Paxil is a popular antidepressant which has been on the market since 1992 and is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. It is used to treat people with depression, OCD, anxiety, PTSD, and PMDD as well as other similar conditions.

As with almost any anti-depressant, there is a long list of possible side effects associated with taking Paxil. One such potential side effect is birth defects if the drug is taken by a woman during pregnancy. Studies have shown that if Paxil is taken during the first trimester a baby is 1 ½ - 2 times more likely to be born with a heart defect (usually holes in the interior walls of the heart). Other studies have shown that if Paxil is taken any time after the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, a baby may be born with persistent pulmonary hypertension (abnormal blood flow through the heart and lungs and thus insufficient oxygen to their bodies). This condition can lead to multiple organ failure, brain damage, developmental delays, neurological deficits and ultimately death.

For more information on how Paxil can affect a baby if taken during pregnancy, please visit this website or the FDA’s website. Also, please view the GlaxoSmithKline’s September 2005 letter to healthcare professionals on this matter.

If you, your baby or anyone you know has been injured by this or any other pharmaceutical product, contact us for a free consultation about your potential case.

Baby Stroller Safety Risk

I was reading the June 2010 issue of the Consumer Reports magazine and came across something that parents with small children might like to know. Consumer Reports has rated three models of baby strollers as “Don’t Buy: Safety Risk” – those strollers are:

- Valco Baby Tri-Mode
- Tike Tech City X3 all-terrain stroller
- Tike Tech X3 Port jogging stroller

These strollers received this rating due to the hazard of an unrestrained child slipping beneath the grab bar and getting stuck resulting in potential injury or death. (This is referred to as “submarining.”) Although the Consumer Products Safety Commission does not specify the particular strollers involved, they do report that there have been at least 10 infant deaths associated with submarining between 1995 and 2008.

Safety regulations require that if the space beneath the bar is large enough for a child’s body to pass through, it must also be large enough for the child’s head to pass through. Of course, a child should always be properly strapped into his or her stroller.

If your child or the child of anyone you know has been injured by a faulty product such as these or any other defective products, contact us for a free consultation about your potential case.

Product recall: Miley Cyrus jewelry

Just yesterday, Wal-Mart announced that it was recalling its entire line of the popular Miley Cyrus brand of jewelry following reports that the jewelry contains a high level of cadmium – a toxic metal.

Long-term exposure to this metal is dangerous because it can cause bone softening and kidney failure and because it can hinder brain development. There is no danger in wearing the jewelry; however, it can be very dangerous if the metal is ingested. For example, many children place their jewelry/pendants in their mouth and suck and chew on them. This particular jewelry line, when exposed to a chemical similar to stomach acid, very easily released the toxic metal.

Exposure to this chemical is especially hazardous to girls ages 6-11. This may be because girls in this age range tend to have iron deficiencies and their bodies substitute cadmium instead.

Wal-Mart has also recalled some of its Disney pendants.

Claire’s and Dollar N More stores have also recalled some of the charm bracelets sold at their stores.

If you or anyone you know has been injured by a product such as this or any other defective product, contact us for a free consultation about your potential case.

Product recall: "Auto Fire" toy target set

The below-pictured toy dart gun set has been recalled by Family Dollar Store in conjunction with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) following the deaths of two children. The suction cups, which are smaller than the size of a penny, present an asphyxiation hazard. These defective toys can cause children to suffocate and suffer brain injuries and even death. The two children’s deaths were caused when the children placed the soft, pliable plastic toy dart in their mouths and breathed them into their airways.

The dart guns were manufactured in China and sold exclusively by Family Dollar Stores. Family Dollar Stores began selling the toy in September 2005 and stopped selling it in January 2009. The recall was just announced on May 17, 2010.

Gardasil marketed towards boys as well as girls

Much controversy has surrounded the use of the new Gardasil vaccination in girls and young women. Now the drug is also being marketed towards boys and young men. Gardasil is a vaccine which aids in the protection against HPV (human papillomavirus), a sexually-transmitted disease which can cause genital warts in both males and females. The drug is administered to individuals between the ages of 9 and 26.

Of course, this drug was only introduced in 2006 and little is known about the long-term effects this drug can cause. Some possible serious side effects that have been experienced recently include:

- Gastroenteritis;
- Appendicitis;
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID);
- Asthma or bronchospasms (airway spasms);
- Blood clots in the legs or lungs;
- Seizures; and
- Guillain-Barré syndrome.

There have also been 49 reported deaths connected with the use of Gardasil according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

While Merck insists its products are safe for use by individuals between the ages of 9 and 26, we at the Studstill Firm, LLP encourage you to discuss the risks with your doctor or child’s doctor prior to using this product. If you or anyone you know has been injured by this or any other pharmaceutical product, contact us for a free consultation about your potential case.