Blog
- What is Supplemental Security Income?
Mar 21, 2013
Reaching retirement age should be a breeze. But unfortunately, not everyone can look forward to a secure retirement, which is why the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program may be something to look into. What is Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? SSI is a separate income from Social Security. It’s a federal program designed to help blind, disabled, or elderly individuals financially. Unlike Social Security benefits, disabled individuals eligible for SSI need not have worked and paid...Read More - Dangers of Pesticides Drive Organic Food Market
Mar 20, 2013
Organic food has been rising in popularity, and it's no surprise why. “There is a growing consensus in the scientific community that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can have adverse effects on health, especially during vulnerable periods such as fetal development and childhood,” reports author and physician Andrew Weil, a leading voice for so-called integrative medicine combining conventional and alternative medical practices. He adds that keeping one’s family health isn’t the only reason...Read More - DMAA is a Synthetic Compound, According to the Food and Drug Administration
Mar 19, 2013
In the past we have written about the controversial stimulant found in many sports supplements, called dimethylamylamine, better known as DMAA. We informed you of the dangers of the supplement, as well as how the FDA warned supplement manufacturers to remove products from their product line that contained the stimulant. In the latest news concerning DMAA, a new study found that the stimulant found in certain sports supplements containing DMAA is frequently of synthetic origin,...Read More - Bisphenol A (BPA) May Interfere with the Endocrine System
Mar 14, 2013
In recent months, a chemical found in several common household products has been in the crosshairs of a number of organizations as they have sought, at this point unsuccessfully, to ban a dangerous chemical that has been linked to several adverse health events. The chemical is Bisphenol A, or BPA, and it is found in bottled waters, plastic packaging, and other products. It is believed that when these plastics degrade, BPA is released into the environment and...Read More - Hepatitis C Outbreak Caused by Negligent Medical Technician
Mar 13, 2013
A lab technician accused of starting a Hepatitis C outbreak in New Hampshire is now behind bars, charged with infecting 30 patients at Exeter Hospital in New Hampshire with Hepatitis C. But this is just the tip of the iceberg, as David Kwiatkowski was a traveling technician; therefore, his actions could have resulted in hundreds, if not thousands, of infected individuals all over the country. Kwiatkowski, 33, is accused of stealing the powerful anesthetic drug fentanyl from...Read More - Antiseptic Products Can Be Contaminated
Mar 11, 2013
Anytime you are going to get an injection at a doctor’s office, or your skin is broken in any way for a medical procedure, it is customary practice to wipe the skin with an antiseptic towel. However, according to Health Day, although antiseptics are meant to keep bacteria and other pathogens from entering the body through breaks in the skin, sometimes these products can be contaminated with the very organisms they’re supposed to guard against,...Read More - Patient Data Collection: Implant Devices Collect Patient Data, But Patients Denied Access
Mar 4, 2013
Implant patients are being told that they cannot have direct access to their own patient data. According to The Wall Street Journal, such is the case of a woman by the name of Amanda Hubbard. Ms. Hubbard has a defibrillator implant that sends all sorts of data to the company that makes her defibrillator. But, Ms. Hubbard herself, however, can’t easily get that information unless she requests summaries from her doctor—whom she rarely sees since...Read More - Infant Tylenol Liver Damage Warning Defective
Mar 3, 2013
In a case that has been going on for almost a decade, a family successfully argued that Johnson & Johnson should have included sufficient warnings about the risk of liver failure with the use of Infant Tylenol. J&J argued that state failure-to-warn claims involving over-the-counter drugs are preempted under a Supreme Court ruling last year that immunized generic drugs from such lawsuits. Preemption is the notion that FDA approval of a drug supercedes state law...Read More - Hospital Staff Members Accused of Neglect and Abuse Causing Personal Injury
Mar 1, 2013
One hospital is being investigated into accounts of patient neglect, alleging that from 2005 to 2009 several patients were left for hours sitting in their own feces, food and drink was left out of reach and hygiene was so poor that relatives had to clean toilets themselves. Several nurses and aides that worked for Stafford Hospital are in danger of potentially losing their ability to work in healthcare due to the alleged abuse and accounts of...Read More - Black Lung Dramatically On The Rise
Feb 28, 2013
What is Black Lung, and is enough being done to protect American miners from the deadly disease? According to NPR, the answer is no. Miners are not being protected and they are losing the battle to breathe freely at an alarming rate. Black lung disease is a common name for any lung disease developing from inhaling coal dust. This name comes from the fact that those with the disease have lungs that look black instead...Read More