Taishan Gypsum Co. LTD, one of the largest makers of  Chinese drywall, has failed to respond to one of the many class-action lawsuit filed  against it, prompting U.S District Court Judge Eldon E. Fallon to issue a default judgment against the firm.

Though the Taishan default judgment is a victory for drywall plaintiffs, it could prove difficult for them to collect against the firm, as American consumers face many roadblocks when suing foreign companies.  As we reported earlier this summer, the Chinese drywall debacle has prompted some U.S. Senators to propose a law that would eliminate those obstacles.  The Foreign Manufacturers Legal Accountability Act would, among other things, require foreign manufacturers to agree to be held accountable by U.S. courts. (more…)

Travel Hammock Inc., dba Grand Trunk, of Skokie, Ill. has recalled 2,500 Parachute hammocks because of a fall hazard.

According to the recall notice, the hammock’s supporting hooks can fail, causing occupants to fall and suffer injuries.  Specialty outdoor retailers nationwide from July 2008 through June 2009 for between $50 and $60. (more…)

The head of the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) met with lawmakers yesterday to discuss the agency’s Chinese drywall investigation.   According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, some legislators expressed frustration with the slow pace of the agency’s Chinese drywall probe.

So far, the CPSC has received 1,311 Chinese drywall complaints from homeowners in 26 states and the District of Columbia.  Gases emitted from Chinese drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances. These gases also produce a sulfurous odor that permeates homes, and cause metals, including air conditioning coils and even jewelry, to corrode. People living with Chinese drywall have also suffered eye, respiratory and sinus problems that may be linked to the gases. (more…)

More than 20 Children’s and Infants’ Tylenol liquid medicines have been recalled because of possible bacterial contamination.  According to a “Dear Healthcare Professional” letter  issued by McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the bacteria Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia) was detected in an “inactive ingredient” in products manufactured between April and June 2008.

According to the letter, the portion of raw material in which the bacteria was found was isolated and was not used in the production of any finished product.  As a precautionary measure, McNeil is recalling all product that utilized any of the raw material manufactured at the same time as the raw material that tested positive for the bacteria.  The company is implementing this voluntary recall at the warehouse and retail level, and maintains that Children’s ad Infants’ Tylenol products currently on store shelves meet all specifications. (more…)

Philips Lifeline Personal Help Buttons have been implicated in four choking deaths, according to a health alert issued by  the Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

The Lifeline pendant button is intentionally designed to not break away when tugged, which prevents the button from accidentally falling off. However, because it does not break away, there is a risk of choking, including the possibility of serious injury or death. Risks are greater for those with mobility limitations or for those who use wheelchairs, walkers, beds with guard rails, or other objects that could entangle with a neck cord. (more…)

It looks like Tysabri’s association with a fatal brain infection will continue to adversly affect the stock price of Biogen Idec, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

We reported last week the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) had updated Tysabri safety information to include information about cases of PML.  In the update, the FDA said that that the overall rate of Tysabri patients developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML0, a sometimes fatal brain infection, remains below the one-in-1,000 rate implied on the label. However, the agency warned that this risk “appears to increase with the number of Tysabri infusions received” and that the average number of infusions received before the diagnosis of PML was 25. The rate of PML in patients who have received at least 24 Tysabri infusions ranges from 0.4 to 1.3 per 1,000 patients, the FDA said.  The safety information update did not include any labeling changes. (more…)

Victims of defective Chinese drywall in Louisiana could soon be getting help on a couple of fronts.

WWLTV is reporting that the Louisiana State Tax Commission has given all tax assessors permission to reduce assessments on homes damaged by drywall.  In St. Tammany Parish, affected homeowners will need to show proof that the there is Chinese drywall in their house. The tax assessor there told WWLTV that a letter from a contractor would suffice. (more…)

Emergency workers sickened as a result of exposure to toxic dust at  Ground Zero now have more time to file compensation claims  against the city of New York and private contractors, thanks to New York Governor David Paterson’s decision to sign “Jimmy Nolan’s Law” earlier this month.

“Governor Paterson’s decision to sign ‘Jimmy Nolan’s Law’ is a significant legislative victory for all Ground Zero rescue and recovery workers,” David B. Krangle, an attorney with Parker Waichman Alonso LLP, a Great Neck, NY law firm that has represented injured 9/11 emergency workers, said in a statement.  “This law ensures that these injured heroes will have access to the compensation they deserve.” (more…)

The new head of the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), Inez Tenenbaum, has finally seen Chinese drywall damage first hand.  According to News-Press.com, she visited the Cape Coral, Florida home of Richard and Patti Kampf yesterday, where she saw damage to plumbing fixtures and other items.

So far, the CPSC has received 1,311 Chinese drywall complaints from homeowners in 26 states and the District of Columbia. Gases emitted from the drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances. These gases also produce a sulfurous odor that permeates homes, and cause metals, including air conditioning coils and even jewelry, to corrode. People living with Chinese drywall have also suffered eye, respiratory an sinus problems that may be linked to the gases. (more…)

We’ve long been reporting on the widespread practice of drug companies submitting ghostwritten articles to  medical journals as a part of their marketing strategies.  Now, a new study published in the  Journal of the American Medical Association sheds some light on how prevalent this practice really is.

For the JAMA ghostwriting study, the authors conducted a  survey of 900 research articles, reviews, or editorials that appeared in six general medical journals in 2008: Annals of Internal Medicine, JAMA, The Lancet, Nature Medicine, New England Journal of Medicine, and PLoS Medicine.   The article authors were asked  to complete an online questionnaire about ghostwriting and honorary authorship. The researchers conducting the survey received replies from 630 authors. (more…)