Consumers nationwide depend on – and place great trust in – over-the-counter (OTC) medications. They can provide much-needed relief from a wide range of temporary and chronic ailments and symptoms, including nausea, colds, allergies, heartburn, muscle spasms, joint pain, infections, and headaches. But with the…
In July 2021, a company in Wisconsin announced a recall of their portable generators after safety concerns, including serious finger injuries to users, came to light. The company, Generac Power Systems, reported that the recall was necessary due to the handle used on some of…
In May, Ford announced a recall of its 2021 Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators built between late 2020 and early 2021. The recall is restricted to these SUVs, which were manufactured over a four-month period. It is estimated that this recall affects over 350,000 Expedition…
Unfortunately, in this 21st-century world of ours, it has become a familiar headline: “Major Drug Maker Finds Toxin in Popular Medication.” This time, the drugmaker is Pfizer, and the toxin is N-nitroso-quinapril, a nitrosamine linked to several cancers, including lung, brain, liver, kidney, bladder, stomach…
Zantac, a heartburn medication that became a household name after its release in 1983, was discontinued in 2020 after a small pharmacy startup called Valisure tested its active ingredient, ranitidine. They discovered alarmingly high amounts of a chemical called N-Nitrosodimethylamine, or NDMA. NDMA is a…
Zantac (ranitidine), released in 1983, was a popular heartburn medication available in both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription forms. There were nearly 14 million prescriptions issued for it in 2019. Ranitidine, a type of drug called an H2 blocker, treats heartburn by reducing stomach acid. Eating…
An estimated 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, a disruptive, and sometimes dangerous, condition that affects a person’s ability to breathe regularly and continuously when sleeping. Luckily, once diagnosed, treatment of sleep apnea can be highly effective thanks to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)…
In the last three months, several drugs have faced recalls due to unacceptable levels of nitrosamines, human carcinogens. The tainted drugs have included medicine for stomach issues, drugs for high blood pressure and diabetes, and a treatment to help people stop smoking cigarettes. Nitrosamines have…
For the last 15 years, adults have been able to use Chantix to try to quit smoking. The prescription medication manufactured by Pfizer is taken for no more than 24 weeks and works by interfering with receptors in the brain blocking the “pleasurable’’ effects of…
For the second time in less than three months, aerosol sunscreens are being pulled from shelves due to the detection of benzene, a dangerous human carcinogen. On September 30, Coppertone announced a recall of five of its products because of the presence of benzene in…