The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of Diana Levine in Wyeth v. Levine. Levine, a musician, had her arm amputated when an anti-nausea drug was improperly administered in her artery, and sued the manufacturer for failing to warn of the risks on the drug’s label. Wyeth claimed that her case was pre-empted by federal law.
Quality & Safety
This Bag Of Clancy’s Ripple Potato Chips Needs More Nokia Phones
By 2.28.09 — Updated: 11.1.12
A Nokia phone found its way into a bag of Clancy’s Ripple Potato Chips, where it surprised Wisconsin nosher Emma Schweiger. The phone, which didn’t work, was slathered with “greasy potato-chip film” and looked like it once lived on a belt clip. The chip’s distributor, Aldi, pulled all other Clancy’s chips with the same batch and expiration date and, by way of apology, offered Schweiger a free bag of chips. She isn’t biting…
Tainted Peanut Butter Problems Will Go On For Some While, Says FDA
By 2.27.09
Our sister blog at ConsumerReports.org notes that “current salmonella outbreak caused by tainted peanuts could drag on for as long as two years,” according to the FDA. The Peanut Corp of America may be history, but because peanut butter has such a long shelf life, and because they’re still adding products to the recall list, there may be food items lurking in pantries across the U.S. that are loaded with disease-causing peanuty badness.
Generic Drug Maker Ranbaxy Found Falsifying Data To FDA
By 2.27.09
The FDA has suspended all new drug applications from one of Ranbaxy’s plants in India—the Paonta Sahib plant—after “determining the facility was falsifying scientific data.” You may recall that last September the FDA banned the import of 30 popular generic meds made by Ranbaxy due in part to quality control issues from this very same plant. What do they think they are, a peanut butter factory?
Obama Administration Asks Meat Industry To 'Voluntarily' Follow Stricter Labeling Guidelines
By 2.20.09
Earlier this week, U.S Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told consumer groups that “he will ask the meat industry to voluntarily follow stricter guidelines for new package labels designed to specify a food’s country of origin.” If they don’t comply, “the administration will write new rules.” The request won’t please meat packing companies, who often mix Mexican with U.S. beef before selling it.
How Does Salmonella Get Into Peanut Butter? Bird Feces.
By 2.18.09
Here’s something you probably don’t want to know, but we’re going to tell you anyway. Scientific American interviewed Michael Doyle, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia to find out how salmonella got into peanut butter in the first place. His theory? Bird Feces.
Peanut Corp Has Gone Out Of Business
By 2.13.09
It was bound to happen, and it looks like it just did: Peanut Corporation of America has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and will liquidate its assets to pay off creditors.
Search For All Recalled Peanut Butter Products With This Widget
By 2.13.09
Here’s a handy widget, courtesy of the FDA, that you can use to determine whether or not your Valentine’s Day goodies are a trap set by an angry lover.
FDA Forces Pharma Company To Admit That Its Birth Control Pill Isn't Miraculous
By 2.13.09
Bayer, the company that makes the popular birth control pill, Yaz, is being forced to run ads that “correct” some of the claims that it made in commercials touting the pill’s “proven” ability to rid women of acne and PMS. The company settled with the FDA, promising to spend $20 million on the corrections, warning women that they shouldn’t take Yaz hoping to cure their pimples and irritability.
Peanut Corp: "Don't Like Salmonella PB? Try Our New Dead Rat And Feathers Flavor"
By 2.13.09
On Thursday, Texas ordered the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) to recall all products shipped from its plant in Plainview, Texas. The order came after Texas Department of State Health Services discovered dead rats, rat droppings, and bird feathers in a crawl space that was connected to the plant’s ventilation system.
Salmonella Peanut Butter Plant Owner Living Incarnation Of Evil Cartoon Character
By 2.12.09
Congressional testimony reveals that Stewart Parnell, owner of the Peanut Corp. of America which lies at the center of the investigation over salmonella-tainted peanut-butter that’s killed nine people, is like a living cartoon.
Chicago Considering A Partial Ban On Bisphenol-A Products
By 2.12.09
Chicago might become the first place in the United States to partially ban the sale of products that contain Bisphenol-A (BPA), the chemical that some studies have shown may have harmful effects on humans. They’re proposing to forbid the sale of any BPA product intended for children. Canada banned the chemical last year, but the FDA has so far come down on the side of manufacturers.
By 2.11.09
../../../..//2009/02/11/the-house-commerce-committee-is/
The House Commerce Committee is currently holding a hearing on the salmonella-tainted peanut butter. Included on the witness list are the families of several people who were killed or sickened by the peanut butter, as well as the president and plant manager of the Peanut Corporation of America. It’s really compelling testimony, and we’re sure the grilling of the PCA people will be intense. You can watch it online at C-SPAN or the committee’s website. (Photo: goaliej54 and greefus groinks)
FBI Raids Salmonella Peanut Butter Plant
By 2.10.09
FBI agents raided the Georgia plant suspected in the current salmonella peanut butter outbreak that has been linked to 600 illnesses and eight deaths in 43 states. The company is accused of knowingly shipping the tainted products.
Peanut Butter Sales Down 25% Over Salmonella Fears
By 2.10.09
Fears of salmonella have drive down sales of peanut butter 25%, far beyond the actual amount of peanut butter affected by the recall. Guess few people actually read the recall notices to see which products and batch numbers are pulled, they just see Peanuts + Butter = Death. [NYT] (Photo: amyadoyzie)
A More Helpful Big Brother: Grocery Store Loyalty Programs Used To Notify Customers Of Salmonella Recall
By 2.9.09
According to Consumer Reports, some grocery stores are using their loyalty card registrations to get in touch with customers who bought recalled peanut butter products.
Apple's Uses Ultra-Large Boxes To Replace Ultra-Compact USB Power Chargers
By 2.8.09
Remember those ultra-compact USB adapters Apple recalled because they could electrocute people? Like most Apple products, they were cute and small, but apparently the “environmentally friendly” computer maker decided to ship the replacement chargers in surprisingly large cushioned boxes.
