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Showing posts from April, 2007

Maybe I should just start my own farm and ranch

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Just a follow up to yesterday's post on food safety, the FDA is now going to look at imported human food and potential for contamination. It's about time...frankly it's a national security issue...all our inexpensive products today come here through our seaports, airports and border crossings. Maybe we should eat things that don't travel half way around the world (just think of the savings in gasoline to haul stuff over here)? Just a thought. CNN has the full story .

Reading, I Mean Testing, the Tea Leaves

So in keeping with the consumer safety topic, here's something of concern...the contaminated wheat gluten in pet food was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to tainted or downright dangerous food produces from China. I'm almost shocked, but sadly, I'm not surprised...this from a former FDA official...the AP has the full story : Exporting countries are supposed to help. But governments such as China, where tainted food scandals are common, can have a stunning lack of oversight, said William Hubbard, a top FDA official for 14 years who now advocates for stiffer food safety regulations. He recounted how one supplier drove a truck over tea leaves to dry them with exhaust, which leached lead into the leaves.

Safety for Your Family or Corporations?

So, I thought the Consumer Products Safety Commission was supposed to protect you and me and our families (and our pets) from dangerous, unsafe products. Now, an industry lobbyist has been tapped to run the Commission. I'm thinking of taking the Commission's link off our blog if the Baroody's nomination is approved. Not that people can't have a change of heart and switch sides, but considering his track record, you can't blame me for being concerned. The Stop Baroody campaign is reprinted below: http://www.stopbaroody.com/ President Bush has nominated Michael Baroody - one of Corporate America's leading anti-consumer henchmen - to head the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) - our top government agency protecting millions of Americans from injury and death from unsafe products. For the past 13 years, Michael Baroody has served as Executive Vice President at the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) - a K Street lobbying behemoth devoted to helping b

Tear Down that Warehouse, Mr. EPA!

Well, it's finally happening. The contaminated Hayes Sammons Warehouse located on the EPA Helena Chemicals Superfund Site is coming down. The residents of Mission, Texas have worked very hard to pull down the warehouse, an ugly reminder of the source of their contaminated properties and bodies. Thomas & Wan has the full story here .

Brain Damage from Hydrogen Sulfide Exposure

The family of Jesus Deleon is suing Motiva Enterprises for negligence and violations of OSHA standards which left their primary bread winner brain damaged. Mr. Deleon was working in an industrial tank at Motiva Enterprises when toxic hydrogen sulfide gas was carelessly allowed into the tank. All of his co-workers were lucky enough to climb out in time, but Mr. Deleon did not share the same fate. He was overcome with fumes and now has permanent brain damage. Thomas & Wan is humbled to represent Mr. Deleon and his family against a negligent and careless company. The Southeast Texas reporter has more .

Zelnorm--FDA says Risks Outweigh Benefits

Well, the FDA is stepping up to the plate and putting scrutiny of drug companies who spend more on advertisements than research. Novartis, the maker of Zelnorm, a drug prescribed for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) reluctantly took Zelnorm off the market on Friday, March 30th. Zelnorm was linked to a statistically significant number of heart attacks, strokes and angina pain. In fact, Novartis even admits that it knew about increased angina pain back in 2002, but the company did not feel it was statistically significant. This recent review of the same data showed differently . This tidbit is very interesting..."In a 2003 presentation, Thomas Ebeling, chief executive of Novartis's drug division, said that Zelnorm's sales in the United States were closely tied to consumer advertising. 'The weeks we go off the air, the growth flattens. When we restart, you see the growth accelerate again,' Mr. Ebeling said." NYT has the full story . If you take Zelnorm, contact you