News Articles

Trenton, NJ: When Andy McCarrell started using Accutane for acne control, he got more than he bargained for: Accutane inflammatory bowel disease, also known as Accutane IBD. And while the disease cost him his colon, his bank account is to benefit by $25.16 million.

Washington, DC: The FDA has warned about an increased risk of muscle injury with higher doses of Zocor, a cholesterol-lowering drug sold genetically as simvastin. When Zocor is combined with certain other drugs, the risk of drug injury is also increased, and could potentially lead to rhabdomyolysis, which can result in fatal kidney damage.

Vancouver, BC: Dozens of Canadians have joined the long list of people suing for personal injuries allegedly caused by the smoking cessation drug Chantix. Class actions against Pfizer and its Canadian subsidiary have been filed in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta.

Denver, CO: A class action lawsuit has been filed against the state of Colorado on behalf of the Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA). The lawsuit seeks to overturn the Colorado PERA solvency plan that reduced the annual pension adjustment for PERA members.

Silver Spring, MD: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning about the potential for an increased risk of muscle injury when patients use 80 mg of Zocor (simvastatin). The muscle injury, known as myopathy, is a side effect of all statins; however, the warning highlights the increased risk of developing this injury when patients use higher doses of Zocor. The warning includes an increased risk of rhabdomyolysis, a serious form of myopathy that can lead to kidney damage, kidney failure and death

Bakersfield, CA: Two people died in a small plane crash in central California on Thursday. The plane, a World War II-era training aircraft, took off from Minter Field in Shafter and went down roughly seven miles west of Meadows Field Airport in Bakersfield, media reports state. The plane was a fixed wing aircraft built in 1945.

Farmington, NH: The rules that govern the distribution of social security disability are forcing a 47-year-old woman dying of cancer to wait five months for her benefits—even though she was approved for aid in January and was found to have become disabled under administration rules November 1. Heather Russell will finally take delivery of her first check on May 19.

Cortlandt, NY: As lawsuits continue to mount in the wake of the Toyota accelerator pedal recall, a Westchester couple is still coming to grips with the loss of their beloved five-year-old son. According to today's edition of the New York Post, Nancy and Daniel Murtha blame Toyota for the horrific crash in 2008 that claimed the life of their youngest son Jacob.

New York, NY: On the heels of Toyota's massive recall of eight million vehicles worldwide, Honda announced on March 15 that it will recall 344,000 Odyssey minivans and 68,000 Element crossover vehicles in the 2007-2008 model years due to brake problems. According to Honda, consumers have complained that brake pedals feel "soft," that the brake pedal gets closer to the floor and the problem slowly increases over time. "Left unrepaired, the problem could cause loss of braking power and possibly a crash,” said Honda spokesman Chris Martin.

Philadelphia, PA: GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the pharmaceutical giant responsible for medications like Advair, Geritol and Zantac, has seen an increased number of lawsuits related to SSRI birth defects stemming from its popular antidepressant, Paxil.