With dozens of people sickened in a 15-state Salmonella outbreak, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to eat two varieties of sprouts produced by Tiny Greens Organic Farm of Urbana, Ill.  Tiny Green’s Alfalfa Sprouts and Spicy Sprouts (which contain alfalfa sprouts mixed with radish and clover sprouts) could be behind [...]

A Salmonella outbreak in 15 states has sickened 89 people.  According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the culprit in the Salmonella outbreak may be alfalfa sprouts. In Illinois, where more than half of the Salmonella cases have occurred, some of those sickened have reported that they ate alfalfa sprouts at Jimmy John’s sandwich [...]

Finally, after months of foot-dragging by Senate Republicans, the Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act has finally been Ok’d by the US Senate.  That’s welcome news this holiday season for thousands of World Trade Center responders sickened by toxic dust at Ground Zero following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. “The Christmas Miracle we’ve been looking for [...]

Hospital patients taking heartburn drugs could be at a higher risk of developing pneumonia, according to a new study.  This includes popular proton pump inhibitors – drugs like Aciphex, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, Protonix, and Zegerid. Heartburn drugs are among the most frequently-used medications. According to a report in The Globe and Mail, such drugs are [...]

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has warned doctors not to use Anzemet (dolasetron mesylate) injection to prevent nausea and vomiting in adult and pediatric chemotherapy patients. According to an FDA alert issued last week, using Anzemet in this way can lead to a serious, and often fatal, abnormal heart rhythm problem. According to the [...]

Cabot Oil and Gas Co. has agreed to pay 19 Dimock, Pennsylvania families $4.1 million to settle charges that its hydraulic fracturing contaminated their water wells.  While the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which negotiated the settlement with Cabot, is touting it as being in the best interest of Dimock residents, others aren’t so [...]

We have more reports out of Texas regarding water contamination allegedly linked to the natural gas drilling process called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Two lawsuits have been filed in the Barnett Shale by people who claim the drilling has fouled their water supplies. The first lawsuit, filed on behalf of a Tarrant County resident, names [...]

Range Resources is insisting that its hydraulic fracturing is not behind methane contamination of two water wells in Texas’ Barnett shale.  Earlier this month, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an imminent and substantial endangerment order under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, and warned that the contamination could lead to explosion or fire. [...]

By a vote 57-42 vote, Republicans last week may have killed the best chance thousands of sick World Trade Center heroes had at receiving adequate healthcare.   Making good on their vow not to let any legislation through the Senate until the wealthy got their tax cuts, the GOP prevented the Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation [...]

A 31-year-old New York woman who says the painkiller Darvocet injured her heart has filed suit against Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals Inc.  Xanodyne pulled Darvocet, as well as Darvon, from the market last month after Propoxyphene, the active ingredient in both, was linked to serious and sometimes fatal heart rhythm problems. The New York Darvocet lawsuit alleges [...]